Rangers Fielder In Sleep Study, MLB Spring Training Scores

Rangers slugger Prince Fielder returned to Texas on Wednesday to take part in a sleep study after having trouble getting rest during spring training.

The study is supposed to last 48 hours. Fielder is expected back in camp by the weekend.

The star first baseman and designated hitter had been having problems sleeping since arriving at camp in Arizona.

"I think Prince had gone about his job where I had not noticed a whole lot, but obviously those type of things need to be communicated, which he did. We'll get him checked out and get him right," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.

Banister said Fielder never had those types of sleeping issues while playing in past seasons, "so I'm sure that's a little bit concerning."

Fielder has played in four games this spring. He had one hit in nine at-bats with two strikeouts.

Texas assistant general manager Thad Levine said Fielder has been "feeling symptomatic for a while."

Levine said that because it's so early in the spring, the Rangers decided to get Fielder evaluated to "see if we can get him some help."

Astros Extend Manager Hinch's Contract

The Houston Astros extended the contract of manager A.J. Hinch following the franchise's first postseason appearance in a decade, team owner Jim Crane confirmed to MLB.com.

Terms were not disclosed, but Crane told MLB.com that Hinch "will be here a while."

Hinch, 41, was hired following the 2014 season to replace Bo Porter, who was fired after two years in Houston, during which the team went a combined 121-203.

Led by Dallas Keuchel, the 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner, the Astros went 86-76 in Hinch's first year at the helm and sat atop the AL West for much of the season before earning a spot in the wild-card game, where they beat the New York Yankees. The club then lost to the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals in the AL Division Series.

Red Sox Kopech In Trouble Again

Top Boston Red Sox prospect Michael Kopech is in trouble once again. Kopech, a right-handed pitcher and 2014 first-round draft pick, suffered a small fracture of his right hand during what the team described as an "altercation" with his roommate a few days ago, Red Sox general manager Mike Hazen said Tuesday. The incident comes six months after Kopech finished serving a 50-game suspension for violating the minor-league drug policy.

"It's disappointing, very disappointing. It was stupid," Hazen said. "He's going to have to grow up, obviously, with the things that have happened so far."

Hazen declined to get into specifics or divulge the name of Kopech's roommate in Boston's minor league camp. He also didn't say whether the team intends to discipline Kopech.

It's unclear how much time the 19-year-old will miss, according to Hazen, who said the Sox are still trying to determine the severity of the fracture and whether it will require surgery.

Wednesday, March 9 Scoreboard
    
Detroit 11, Washington 5
            
Philadelphia 4, Minnesota 2            
    
Houston 9, Atlanta 5            
    
Philadelphia 8, Baltimore 4    
        
Boston 6, Pittsburgh 2    
        
Miami 5, St. Louis 3
            
Toronto 5, Tampa Bay 1            
    
New York Yankees 4, New York Mets4
            
Oakland 12, Chicago White Sox 3            
    
Kansas City 7, Milwaukee 5

Cleveland 5, Chicago Cubs 3
            
Texas 11, Cincinnati 5    
        
Colorado 8, San Francisco 6            
    
Los Angeles Dodgers 13, Los Angeles Angels 13            
     
Seattle 7, Kansas City 5            

Arizona 8, San Diego 4            

Thursday, March 10 Schedule (All Times Central)

New York at Baltimore, 12:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Boston, 12:05 p.m.

Toronto at New York, 12:05 p.m.

Detroit at Philadelphia, 12:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Miami, 12:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay, 12:05 p.m.

St. Louis at New York, 12:10 p.m.

Kansas City at Chicago, 2:05 p.m.

San Diego at Cleveland, 2:05 p.m.

San Francisco at Milwaukee, 2:05 p.m.

Los Angeles at Oakland, 2:05 p.m.

Chicago at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

Arizona at Los Angeles, 2:10 p.m.

Chicago at Seattle, 2:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Colorado, 2:10 p.m.

Houston at Washington, 4:05 p.m.