JACKSON KOWAR

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton handed Mitch Keller the opening day assignment and a celebratory bottle of bubbly.

Aaron Judge became the second-fastest player in major league history to reach 200 career home runs, and the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 8-2.

Aaron Judge became the first big leaguer with 40 homers this season, smashed a grand slam for No. 41 and robbed a home run in right field as the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 11-5.

Steven Kwan kept up an historic start to his big league career with a bases-loaded triple, Oscar Mercado added a two-run homer and the Cleveland Guardians beat Kansas City 10-7 to split their season-opening series.

In the midst of difficult negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, Major League Baseball and its players’ association are scheduled to start a grievance hearing next Monday over the union’s claim the 2020 pandemic-affected season was too short.

Nationals reliever Austin Voth was sent to a Philadelphia hospital to get his nose reset after it was broken when he was hit by a pitch while squaring around to bunt.