Locked in: MLB set for delayed openers after a long winter
It’ll end up being 157 days between the moment Freddie Freeman and the Atlanta Braves won last year’s World Series and the start of the 2022 baseball season. Everything in between? Tough to sum that up quickly. A record spending spree on free agents. A bitter work stoppage that delayed...
AP source: Ramírez, Guardians agree on 5-year, $124M deal
CLEVELAND — José Ramírez forced the Guardians to go deep into their pockets. The All-Star third baseman agreed to a $124 million, five-year contract on the eve of opening day with Cleveland, a franchise that hasn’t been able to swing with baseball’s big spenders over the years. Ramírez’s deal runs...
Sign of times: MLB gives OK to electronic pitch calling
NEW YORK — In a move that ends a tradition dating more than 150 years, Major League Baseball approved the use of an electronic device for catchers to signal pitches in an effort to eliminate sign stealing and speed games. Since the beginning of baseball in the 19th century, catchers...
Brewers’ Severino suspended 80 games for fertility drug
NEW YORK — Milwaukee catcher Pedro Severino was suspended for 80 games on Tuesday following a positive drug test, the fourth major leaguer penalized in two days. Severino tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Clomiphene, the commissioner’s office said. The drug is used to induce ovulation. Severino will lose about...
Tigers acquire OF Austin Meadows in trade with Rays
LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers acquired outfielder Austin Meadows in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. Detroit sent infielder Isaac Paredes and a competitive balance round B pick in the 2022 amateur draft to Tampa Bay for Meadows, who hit .234 with 27 homers and...
Tommy Davis, 2-time NL batting champion with Dodgers, dies
LOS ANGELES — Tommy Davis, a two-time National League batting champion who won three World Series titles with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has died. He was 83. He died Sunday night in Phoenix, the Dodgers announced Monday without providing a cause. They were informed of his death by his daughter,...
Hitting coaches have short shelf life in majors
PHOENIX — Connor Dawson is a psychologist, gatekeeper, analyst and strategist. And a hitting coach, too. Tough job. “There’s just so much out there for one guy to handle now that wasn’t the case 20 years ago,” Dawson said. The 28-year-old Dawson is one of two new hitting coaches for...
First Call: Phil Kessel grabs active consecutive games streak lead; Pirates face nemesis on Opening Day
Monday’s “First Call” shows us how former Pittsburgh Penguin Phil Kessel took over the NHL’s consecutive games streak. A pair of Metropolitan Division teams suffered home losses. The Eastern Conference has its first team locked into the playoffs. And the Pirates will be facing a familiar opponent on Opening Day...
Padres acquire LHP Sean Manaea in trade with AthleticsVideo
PEORIA, Ariz. — The San Diego Padres bolstered their rotation on Sunday, acquiring left-hander Sean Manaea in a trade with the Oakland Athletics. San Diego got the 30-year-old Manaea and minor league right-hander Aaron Holiday from Oakland for pitching prospect Adrian Martinez and minor league infielder Euribiel Angeles. Manaea went...
Mets ace Jacob deGrom has stress reaction in shoulder, no timetable for returnVideo
JUPITER, Fla. — New York Mets ace Jacob DeGrom will miss major time because of inflammation in his shoulder area, a huge blow to a team that heavily invested in making a deep run this season. The two-time Cy Young Award winner won’t throw for up to four weeks and...
Dodgers acquire Craig Kimbrel, send AJ Pollock to White SoxVideo
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired eight-time All-Star reliever Craig Kimbrel from the Chicago White Sox on Friday in exchange for outfielder AJ Pollock. Kimbrel was 4-5 with 24 saves in a combined 63 games with the Chicago Cubs and White Sox last season. The Cubs shipped him...
MLB umpires to announce replay decisons for 1st time
NEW YORK — In addition to “Play ball!” and “Yer Out!”, big league umpires will be heard saying “Overturned!” and “Upheld!” for the first time this season. Major League Baseball said Friday that umpires will conduct in-park announcements during the replay reviews this season. The decision was delayed two seasons...
Minor league housing plan freezing out players with families
Minor leaguers with wives and children are finding out days before the start of their seasons that some teams are not taking their families into account as part of a new policy guaranteeing housing for players. The Associated Press spoke with two married players who were only informed at the...
MLB, players keep automatic runners in extras for 2022
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball finalized the rules change Thursday to bring back automatic runners in extra innings for a third straight season. Despite an easing of pandemic restrictions, MLB and the players’ association agreed to keep the controversial rule that starts each team with a runner on second...
Nationals allow 29 runs in spring game vs CardinalsVideo
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Washington Nationals fans have reasons to doubt 2022 will be their year. They got 29 more of them Wednesday. Pitchers Anibal Sanchez and Cade Cavalli allowed 10 runs each while the Nationals were shellacked 29-8 by the St. Louis Cardinals in a spring training game...
Twins add former Pirates pitcher Chris Archer as potential rotation boostVideo
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Right-hander Chris Archer and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a $3.5 million, one-year contract Monday, a potential boost for their rotation with a two-time All-Star who is coming off an injury-ruined season. The former Pittsburgh Pirate has a $2.75 million salary, and the deal includes a...
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...
