AP study: 9 MLB teams cut payroll this winter; average salary up just 1.5%
NEW YORK — San Diego cut payroll by $96 million in the past year, the New York Mets by $50 million and the Los Angeles Angels by $49 million, among nine teams that slashed spending in a tepid free-agent market that sparked player unrest. The average salary increased 1.5% to...
Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg announces his retirement at 35
WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg announced his retirement Sunday, ending the 2019 World Series MVP’s injury-filled career. Since leading Washington to its only World Series title five years ago, the 35-year-old Strasburg pitched just 31 1/3 innings over eight starts. “I realized after repeated attempts to return to...
First an earthquake, now an eclipse. Yankees to play ball on same day as another natural phenomenon
NEW YORK — A 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook New York City on Friday as the Yankees went through batting practice before their home opener. Three days later, the Yankees will play after another natural phenomenon. At least this one will be expected. A solar eclipse is forecast to occur Monday...
MRI shows damage to Braves ace Spencer Strider’s elbow ligament, status in doubt
ATLANTA — Braves ace right-hander Spencer Strider has damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, an MRI revealed Saturday, leaving his status for the remainder of the season in doubt. The Braves said Strider will be evaluated further by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, at a...
Guardians ace Shane Bieber to have Tommy John surgery
CLEVELAND — Shane Bieber pitched until the pain stopped him. Cleveland’s ace will have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery, a major blow to the Guardians and the 2020 Cy Young winner, who had looked like his dominant self in two strong recent starts. Bieber struck out a league-leading 20 and...
Mets, Julio Teheran finalize 1-year contract, filling hole in rotation
CINCINNATI — Julio Teheran and the New York Mets finalized a $2.5 million, one-year contract Friday, filling an immediate need in the team’s injury-depleted rotation. A longtime Mets nemesis with the rival Braves, the veteran right-hander is scheduled to start Monday against his former club in the opener of a...
Athletics announce plans to play the next 3 seasons in minor league park near Sacramento
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Athletics will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park near Sacramento until their planned new stadium in Las Vegas is built. The A’s announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an...
Brewers place RHP Trevor Megill on concussion list after he faints in a store
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Brewers reliever Trevor Megill has gone on the seven-day concussion list after passing out while recovering from an apparent case of food poisoning. Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Wednesday that Megill suffered from food poisoning on Saturday during the team’s three-game road series with the New York...
Tigers and Mets postponed by rain for 2nd straight day, will play doubleheader Thursday
NEW YORK — For the second consecutive day, the scheduled game between the Detroit Tigers and New York Mets was postponed because of rain. Wednesday night’s game will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader beginning at 12:10 p.m. on Thursday, originally an off day for both teams...
Bob Uecker begins 54th season broadcasting Brewers games after turning 90 earlier this yearVideo
MILWAUKEE — Bob Uecker was back at American Family Field once again to broadcast the Milwaukee Brewers’ home opener as team officials remained circumspect about the 90-year-old’s workload for the rest of the season. This will be Uecker’s 54th season broadcasting Brewers baseball, though he has limited himself to home...
Allderdice grad Larry Lucchino, force behind retro ballpark revolution and drought-busting Red Sox, dies at 78
BOSTON — Larry Lucchino, the force behind baseball’s retro ballpark revolution and the transformation of the Boston Red Sox from cursed losers to World Series champions, has died. He was 78. Lucchino had suffered from cancer. The Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, his last project in a career that also included...
Houston’s Ronel Blanco throws 1st no-hitter in MLB this season
HOUSTON — Ronel Blanco put a bow on a remarkable week. In a span of seven days, the Houston right-hander welcomed a new daughter, made his first opening day roster — and then threw the first no-hitter in the major leagues this season. Blanco struck out seven and walked two...
Oakland Athletics fans boycott home opener outside stadium in protest of Las Vegas moveVideo
OAKLAND, Calif. — Many fans at the Oakland Coliseum were still hanging out in the parking lot when Alex Wood delivered the first pitch of the season for the Athletics against the Cleveland Guardians. And they had no intention of going into the stadium. In protest of the A’s planned...
MLB’s percentage of international-born players drops slightly to 27.8%, lowest since 2016
NEW YORK — The percentage of Major League Baseball players born outside the 50 states dipped slightly to 27.8%, its lowest level since 2016. There were 264 players from 19 nations and territories outside of the 50 states among 949 players on opening day active rosters and injured, restricted and...
Nationals place Stephen Strasburg on 60-day injured listVideo
CINCINNATI — Pitcher Stephen Strasburg was put on the 60-day injured list by the Washington Nationals ahead of Thursday’s opener at Cincinnati. The 2019 World Series MVP has not pitched since June 2022 because of injuries that have derailed his career. He still has three seasons left a $245 million,...
Rays’ Wander Franco placed on administrative leave through June 1 as sexual abuse probe continuesVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay All-Star shortstop Wander Franco was placed on administrative leave through June 1 under an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association while the investigation continues into an alleged relationship with a minor. Administrative leave is not disciplinary under the sport’s joint domestic...
Yankees’ Gerrit Cole placed on 60-day injured list with right elbow inflammationVideo
HOUSTON — New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole was placed on the 60-day injured list with right elbow inflammation ahead of Thursday’s opener at Houston. The earliest the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner can pitch in the major leagues is May 27. The team announced March 16 that the...
Bob Uecker, 90, expected to broadcast Brewers’ home opener; workload the rest of season uncertain
MILWAUKEE — Bob Uecker will be back behind the microphone when the Milwaukee Brewers play their home opener Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins. How heavy a broadcasting workload the 90-year-old Uecker will have the rest of the season remains uncertain. “Bob Uecker calling the first pitch of the Brewers home...
Oakland outfielder Miguel Andújar has knee surgery
OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland outfielder Miguel Andújar had surgery Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, an operation that usually requires a month of rehabilitation. The team said Dr. Doug Freedberg performed a right knee lateral meniscectomy at Pima Surgical Center in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Andújar will...
Yankees get infielder Jon Berti from Marlins in 3-team trade
HOUSTON — Jon Berti could be at third base for the banged-up Yankees in their opener against Houston on Thursday after New York acquired the infielder as part of a three-team trade with Miami and Tampa Bay. New York sent catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Tampa Bay Rays and minor...
Dodgers, Will Smith agree to a long-term contract extension
LOS ANGELES — In what’s been a week of uncertainty and speculation surrounding the Dodgers, the team secured some important long-term clarity Wednesday afternoon. On the eve of their regular-season home opener, the Dodgers and catcher Will Smith agreed to a long-term contract extension for 10 years and $140 million,...
MLB free agency: No 2-way stars, but All-Star sluggers and Cy Young winners could be in ’24-25 classVideo
Baseball’s next free agency class won’t have a two-way star such as Shohei Ohtani and almost certainly no deals like his record-shattering $700 million over 10 years to switch teams in Los Angeles this year. But there could be All-Star sluggers and Cy Young Award winners available. Big hitters Juan...
MLB owners unanimously approve sale of Baltimore Orioles to a group headed by David RubensteinVideo
David Rubenstein’s purchase of the Baltimore Orioles was approved Wednesday by Major League Baseball owners, clearing the way for the Angelos family to finalize the sale after over three decades running the team. Approval of 75% of all owners was required, and MLB said the vote was unanimous. It came...
MLB preview 2024: Splashy signings boost Dodgers as teams try to dethrone Rangers
As the Los Angeles Dodgers made splashy signings with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto this offseason, other teams focused on modern baseball’s stark reality: pricey payrolls often don’t translate into titles. Baseball’s biggest spender has won the World Series just three times in the last 23 seasons: the 2009 New...
Phillies-Braves and Brewers-Mets openers postponed a day to Friday due to rainy forecastVideo
NEW YORK — Opening Day will have to wait in a couple of major-league cities. Openers in New York and Philadelphia were postponed a day until Friday because of rainy forecasts in both cities. Pete Alonso and the New York Mets were scheduled to host the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday...
