Justin Verlander won on opening day for the first time in six attempts, pitching five shutout innings at frosty Target Field to send the defending American League champion Detroit Tigers past the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Monday.

The Houston Astros marked their move to the American League with the 4,000th win in club history Sunday, launching the 2013 Major League Baseball season with an 8-2 triumph over the Texas Rangers.

Sapped of firepower due to a spate of injuries, the New York Yankees found inspiration in a visit to the U.S. Military Academy on Saturday for their last practice game before Opening Day.

After leading their teams to last year's World Series, Justin Verlander and Buster Posey cashed in just hours apart Friday. The All-Star pitcher and MVP catcher were guaranteed nearly US$350 million in contracts by the Tigers and Giants, a sure sign of the baseball times: Teams are awash with revenue from television and high-priced tickets.

Hyun-Jin Ryu is following in the footsteps of former major league pitcher Chan Ho Park, who inspired him and countless other South Korean kids who dreamed about getting to the big leagues.

New York Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen said Friday that he didn't believe Johan Santana's landmark no-hitter last June was a factor in the star hurler's latest shoulder injury setback.

Yu Darvish is ready for the regular season to begin.

Alex Rodriguez will make more this year than all the Houston Astros combined — a lot more.

The St. Louis Cardinals announced a five-year, US$97.5 million extension for Adam Wainwright on Thursday, the same day the New York Mets announced that Johan Santana's season — and possibly his career — could be done due to continuing left shoulder problems.

Rebounding from years of lackluster fan interest, Taiwan's professional baseball league has shattered its previous record for attendance to start the season, sparking new hope for the sport's future in the once baseball-mad country.