Albert Pujols back with Cardinals for final seasonVideo
JUPITER, Fla. — With a wave of his hand and a tip of the cap, Albert Pujols walked back into the world of the St. Louis Cardinals for one final season. “This is it for me,” the 42-year-old Pujols said Monday. “This is my last run.” It was quite a...
MLB asks umps for more random checks on sticky substancesVideo
MLB is asking umpires to make more random checks of pitchers for sticky substances after watching its crackdown become less effective late last season. MLB instituted regular checks last June 21 for grip aids. Seattle’s Héctor Santiago was ejected June 27, and Arizona’s Caleb Smith was tossed Aug. 18, and...
Jameson Taillon, Luis Severino provide good news for Yankees rotationVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — The New York Yankees are getting good news about the rotation behind ace Gerrit Cole. Jameson Taillon, like Cole a former Pittsburgh Pirate, became the second starter in two days coming off an injury to have a positive first spring training start. Taillon, who had offseason surgery...
Red Sox reportedly sign Rockies SS Trevor Story to play 2BVideo
FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox reportedly have agreed to terms with Rockies All-Star shortstop Trevor Story on a six-year, $140 million contract that would bring him to Boston to play second base. The deal, which was first reported by USA Today and confirmed by multiple outlets, gives the...
Kris Bryant, Rockies finalize $182M, 7-year contract
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Kris Bryant and the Colorado Rockies finalized their $182 million, seven-year contract on Friday. The third baseman and outfielder gets a $7 million signing bonus, payable within 15 days of the signing. He receives a $17 million salary this year, $27 million in each of the next...
AP source: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers agree to $162 million, 6-year deal
Freddie Freeman is headed home to Southern California and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The first-time free agent and the Dodgers have agreed to a $162 million, six-year contract, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity late Wednesday...
AP source: Schwarber, Phils agree to deal for about $80M
PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Schwarber is coming to Philadelphia, agreeing Wednesday to a four-year deal with the Phillies worth about $80 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. A 29-year-old slugging...
Andrew McCutchen back in NL Central on 1-year deal with Brewers
MILWAUKEE — Andrew McCutchen is heading back to the NL Central after he agreed to a one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers announced they have finalized a agreement with the five-time All-Star outfielder. McCutchen spent the first nine years of his career in the NL Central with Pittsburgh...
MLB players ponder how Manfred can mend icy relationship
VENICE, Fla. — Rob Manfred made a startling admission while announcing the end of baseball’s bitter labor battle last week: He’s failed in his role as a diplomat to players. The acknowledgement was stunning enough that famously polite Atlanta Braves starter Charlie Morton nearly laughed when told about it. “The...
Mariners land All-Star Jesse Winker, Eugenio Suarez in trade with RedsVideo
As soon as the baseball lockout ended, Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto was focused on two things he wanted for his lineup. He wanted another power bat, and he wanted a left-handed hitter who could play in the outfield. Dipoto landed both in one deal, acquiring All-Star outfielder Jesse...
With Freddie Freeman free agent, Braves get star 1B Matt Olson from A’s
VENICE, Fla. — Freddie Freeman’s tenure with the Atlanta Braves appears to be over after the World Series champions acquired All-Star first baseman Matt Olson from the Oakland Athletics on Monday. Oakland is getting a prize package of four players from Atlanta, including young outfielder Cristian Pache. Freeman was the...
Padres star Fernando Tatis has broken wrist, could be out 3 months
PEORIA, Ariz. — All-Star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres likely will need surgery for a broken left wrist and could miss up to three months, general manager A.J. Preller said on Monday. Tatis apparently suffered the injury early in the offseason and felt it when he...
Twins get pitching vet Sonny Gray from Reds for 1st-rounder Chase Petty
The Minnesota Twins took their first significant step toward restocking their starting pitching, acquiring right-hander Sonny Gray in a trade on Sunday with the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds included minor league right-hander Francis Peguero in the deal for Twins pitching prospect Chase Petty, who was their first-round draft pick last...
As MLB players report, here’s what to know when camps openVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — No more counterproposals. No quarreling over the CBT. From Clearwater, Fla., to Goodyear, Ariz., it’s time for curveballs, Cracker Jack and the perpetually inspiring clean slate in the standings that comes at the start of each season. It’s time to play ball — or at least practice...
National League finally will use DH after nearly 50-year holdoutVideo
PHOENIX — It was an impressive holdout for the National League, which made it nearly 50 years staving off a full-time designated hitter rule that the American League implemented before the 1973 season. “We’ll continue to play by baseball rules,” NL President Chub Feeney famously said back then. Well, the...
Home run derby could decide MLB All-Star Game winnerVideo
NEW YORK — If the next All-Star Game in Major League Baseball goes deep into the night, a slugger might get a chance to decide it by going deep — in a Home Run Derby. That’s right, say going, going, goodbye to extra innings in the Midsummer Classic. Instead, bring...
MLB players end up split on final dealVideo
NEW YORK — Baseball players maintained unity throughout labor negotiations, yet were divided when it came time to vote on the deal. The eight-man executive subcommittee that appeared to be most involved in the nearly year-long talks voted 8-0 Thursday against approving the five-year contract. Team player representatives, the overall...
From Arizona to Florida, sights of MLB spring training returnVideo
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly and manager Torey Lovullo shared a hug, a grin and a few slaps on the back under the bright blue sky that the Cactus League is known for providing. The bickering is over. Baseball is back. A day after owners and players...
Unvaccinated MLB players can’t travel to Canada to play Blue Jays
NEW YORK — MLB players who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus won’t be allowed to travel into Canada to face the Blue Jays in Toronto and won’t be paid for those games. Canada’s government requires a person must have received a second vaccine dose — or one dose of...
MLB players vote to end lockout, salvaging 162-game season
NEW YORK — Players voted to accept MLB’s latest offer for a new labor deal, paving the way to end a 99-day lockout and salvage a 162-game regular season that would begin April 7. The union’s executive board approved the agreement in a 26-12 vote Thursday, pending ratification by all...
Commissioner cancels games through April 13 as union narrows gap with MLB
NEW YORK — Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred canceled 93 more games Wednesday, appearing to close the remaining chance to play a full 162-game schedule and threatening locked out players with loss of salary and service time. After the sides narrowed many economic differences and became bogged down over management’s attempt...
MLB, union bargain into night to salvage 162-game seasonVideo
NEW YORK — Negotiators for locked-out players and Major League Baseball bargained into the night for the second time in a week ahead of commissioner Rob Manfred’s Tuesday deadline to reach a deal preserving a 162-game season. Union chief negotiator Bruce Meyer and general counsel Ian Penny headed a bargaining...
MLB owners, locked-out players closing gap on labor agreement despite tensionVideo
NEW YORK — For all of the vitriol, Major League Baseball owners and locked-out players have closed the gap in recent weeks and are negotiating on similar frameworks for a new collective bargaining agreement. With the lockout in its 96th day Monday, the sides remained apart to various degrees on...
MLB reacts angrily to latest offer from locked-out playersVideo
NEW YORK — MLB reacted angrily to the latest offer by locked-out players when bargaining resumed Sunday, accusing the union of backtracking and showing no sign of a breakthrough to get the derailed season back on track. The squabbling sides talked for 95 minutes on the 95th day of the...
MLB talks resume Sunday; Max Scherzer says players favor playoff ‘ghost win’ formatVideo
NEW YORK — Max Scherzer favors a radical reworking of the playoffs, one that would have the higher seed in the first round of a 14-team postseason start off a best-of-five series with a 1-0 lead. Major League Baseball and locked-out players, who resume talks Sunday, both would expand the...
