Clayton Kershaw declines $10 million option, becomes free agent
SAN ANTONIO — Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw declined his $10 million player option with the Los Angeles Dodgers, electing to become a free agent. The MLB Players Association listed Kershaw as a free agent in a statement released Monday. The left-hander still is expected to re-sign with...
Gerrit Cole stays with Yankees rather than become free agent
SAN ANTONIO — Gerrit Cole gave up his opt-out right Monday and will remain with the New York Yankees under a contract that runs through 2028 rather than become a free agent. New York’s ace initially exercised his right to terminate the $324 million, nine-year deal, which has $144 million...
Soto, Burnes, Buehler, Fried among 136 who become free agents with 64 more awaiting pending optionsVideo
NEW YORK — Outfielder Juan Soto, pitchers Corbin Burnes, Walker Buehler and Max Fried and first baseman Pete Alonso were among 136 players who became free agents Thursday morning. Third baseman Alex Bregman, outfielder Anthony Santander and shortstop Willy Adames also went free. There were 64 more players with pending...
Bob Costas retiring from baseball play-by-play after 42 yearsVideo
NEW YORK — After 42 seasons, Bob Costas is retiring from baseball play-by-play. Costas had done games the past couple seasons for MLB Network and TBS Sports. His final games were the American League Division Series between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. Costas’ contract with TBS expired...
After sloppy, bitter disappointment in World Series, Yankees turn attention to keeping Juan SotoVideo
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees season ended in a comedy of errors that left them to pursue Juan Soto without a title glow. Soto was the last player lingering in the dugout after Wednesday night’s 7-6 loss in World Series Game 5, watching the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate...
World Series champion Dodgers have eye on back-to-back titles with Ohtani returning to mound in 2025Video
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ first game of the season in South Korea was overshadowed afterward by Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter hinting at his stealing from the Japanese superstar. Their last postgame was a beer and champagne-fueled celebration of the franchise’s eighth World Series title. In between came a...
Plum native Alex Kirilloff retires from baseball at 26 after injury-ravaged career with TwinsVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — Plum graduate Alex Kirilloff, once considered the top prospect in the Twins’ organization, announced Thursday he is retiring from the sport after four injury-plagued seasons in the major leagues. Kirilloff, who will turn 27 on Nov. 9, played 249 career games with the Twins but never more than...
Angels acquire slugger Jorge Soler from Braves for starting pitcher Griffin CanningVideo
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels acquired outfielder and designated hitter Jorge Soler from the Atlanta Braves in a trade for right-hander Griffin Canning on Thursday. Soler has been a productive power hitter for five teams over the previous 11 major league seasons. The Cuban slugger was the MVP...
Freddie Freeman wins World Series MVP award after tying record with 12 RBIs for Dodgers
NEW YORK — When the World Series started, it was hard to figure what Freddie Freeman would be able to provide for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He left no doubt about the MVP winner. Freeman broke records by homering in the first four games and matched a Fall Classic mark...
Dodgers win World Series in 5 games, overcome 5-run deficit with help of errors to beat Yankees
NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second World Series championship in five seasons, overcoming a five-run deficit with the help of three Yankees defensive miscues and rallying on sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts in the eighth inning to beat New York 7-6 in Game...
White Sox hire Will Venable as manager, AP sources sayVideo
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox hired Will Venable to take over as manager, turning to the former big league outfielder to help turn around the team after a miserable season. Two people with direct knowledge of the decision confirmed the choice to the Associated Press on Wednesday on condition...
Yankees fans who interfered with Betts’ catch are banned from Game 5 of the World SeriesVideo
NEW YORK — Two New York Yankees fans who were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series for interfering with Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts were banned from Wednesday night’s Game 5. Betts leaped at the wall in foul territory and initially caught Gleyber Torres’ popup in...
Yankees fans who interfered with Betts’ catch are banned from Game 5 of the World SeriesVideo
NEW YORK — Two New York Yankees fans who were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series for interfering with Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts have been banned from Game 5 on Wednesday night. Betts leaped at the wall in foul territory and initially caught Gleyber Torres’...
Volpe grand slam sparks comeback as Yanks beat Dodgers to force World Series Game 5
NEW YORK — Anthony Volpe’s third-inning grand slam overcame Freddie Freeman’s record-setting home run, and the New York Yankees avoided a World Series sweep with an 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night that forced a Game 5. Freeman homered for his sixth straight Series game, hitting...
Shohei Ohtani’s rural hometown honors its superstar son — from city hall to the hair salons
OSHU CITY, Japan — Shohei Ohtani’s hometown in northern Japan is a rural place, famous for its high-quality Maesawa beef, its history of making traditional ironware and the intense green hills and mountains that surround it. The Japanese call such places “inaka” — roughly translated as the “countryside.” No glitz,...
Freeman and Buehler lead Dodgers past slumping Yankees for 3-0 advantage in World SeriesVideo
NEW YORK — Freddie Freeman homered for the third straight game and Walker Buehler pitched another World Series gem as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic. With superstar Shohei Ohtani playing despite a partially dislocated...
World Series off to best viewership start since 2017, averaging 14.55 million viewers
LOS ANGELES — The World Series is averaging 14.55 million viewers through two games, the best start for the Fall Classic since 2017. Saturday’s 4-2 victory by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the New York Yankees averaged 13.44 million on Fox, Fox Deportes and streaming. That is a 65% increase...
Shohei Ohtani to play for Dodgers in Game 3 of World Series despite shoulder injuryVideo
NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani will play for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium, manager Dave Roberts told ESPN. Ohtani partially dislocated his left shoulder sliding into second base when he was caught stealing to end the seventh inning of Saturday night’s...
Yoshinobu Yamamoto shuts down Yankees, Freddie Freeman homers again as Dodgers win for 2-0 World Series lead
LOS ANGELES — Yoshinobu Yamamoto walked back to his dugout and made the slightest tip of his cap to cheering fans. He left Japan for moments like this, an opportunity to put the Los Angeles Dodgers in control of the World Series. Yamamoto allowed one hit over 6 1/3 innings,...
Freeman hits 1st game-ending slam in World Series history as Dodgers top Yankees 6-3 in openerVideo
LOS ANGELES — Freddie Freeman hit the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history with two outs in the 10th inning, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees in a dramatic opener Friday night. Hobbled by a badly sprained ankle, Freeman homered on...
Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela was cultural ambassador for Mexican Americans, Mexicans
For baseball fans, “Fernandomania” marked a flash of pitching brilliance, the emergence of a unique talent in the history of one of the sport’s most storied franchises. For Mexicans and Mexican Americans, Fernando Valenzuela was something even greater: a beacon of hope, inspiration and pride. Valenzuela, a Mexican-born phenomenon for...
Dodgers, Yankees ready for starriest World Series in decadesVideo
LOS ANGELES — Even 8-year-old Charlie Freeman is excited about a Dodgers-Yankees World Series. “He’s at Universal (Studios) right now with a couple of his buddies, but he goes, ‘Daddy, I can’t wait for the World Series start tomorrow,’” Los Angeles first baseman Freddie Freeman said at the last workout...
World Series analysis: Despite star power, Yankees-Dodgers could be decided by role playersVideo
NEW YORK — Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Gerrit Cole. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. No doubt, many of baseball’s biggest names will be center stage when the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers square off in a dream World Series matchup between two of the sport’s...
Los Angeles mourns former Dodgers star pitcher Fernando ValenzuelaVideo
LOS ANGELES — Julia Mendez carefully positioned three candles in a row under a sign welcoming fans to Dodger Stadium. Then she pulled out a foil-wrapped burrito and rested it against the post. “I know he ate a burrito all his life,” said the 70-year-old fan from North Hollywood, who...
At Aaron Judge’s urging, Yankees feature new vibe heading into World Series vs. DodgersVideo
NEW YORK — These Yankees have minted a new vibe going into their first World Series since 2009. Baseball’s most tradition-bound team, with a grandiose granite-and-limestone stadium and pinstriped home uniforms that have hardly changed since 1936, has added a flamboyant flash to its accessories: Statue of Liberty green. “Been...
