ESPN, Major League Baseball will end their national television deal after 2025 season
ESPN’s coverage of Major League Baseball games — at least in its current form — will conclude at the end of the 2025 season. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro informed baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday morning that the network was opting out of the final three years of its contract,...
Robot umpires are getting their first MLB test during spring trainingVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — A computerized system that calls balls and strikes is being tested during Major League Baseball spring training exhibition games starting Thursday after four years of experiments in the minor leagues. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is an advocate of the Automated Ball-Strike System, which potentially as early as...
Rob Manfred calls A’s new park in Sacramento charming but still expects to be in Vegas by 2028Video
PHOENIX — Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred called the Athletics temporary home charming but reiterated he expects the franchise will open its new stadium in Las Vegas in 2028. Manfred recently visited the 14,000-seat minor league stadium in West Sacramento, Calif., and said the owners of the Triple-A River Cats and...
Guerrero plans to become free agent after season, fails to reach long-term deal with Blue JaysVideo
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. plans to become a free agent after the season following the passing of his deadline Tuesday to reach a long-term agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays. “Listen, I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my...
Justin Turner agrees to $6 million, 1-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, AP source saysVideo
MESA, Ariz. — Justin Turner has agreed to a $6 million, one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation, giving the team additional infield depth. Turner can earn an additional $2.5 million in bonuses, according to the person who spoke to the...
Aaron Judge disagrees with Juan Soto saying Mets have better chance for titles than YankeesVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — Aaron Judge naturally takes issue with Juan Soto’s conclusion that the New York Mets have a better chance to win World Series titles than the Yankees. Soto left the Yankees as a free agent in December for a record $765 million, 15-year contract with the Mets, turning...
Yankees’ Stanton hasn’t swung bat in 3 or 4 weeks and is unsure of whether he can play in opener
TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton hasn’t swung a bat in three or four weeks and isn’t sure whether he will be ready for opening day because of painful tendinitis in both elbows. Speaking Monday before the team’s first full-squad workout, the five-time All-Star revealed he played...
Marcus Stroman returns to Yankees, insists ‘I’m a starter’ and ‘won’t pitch in the bullpen’
TAMPA, Fla. — Marcus Stroman returned to Yankees camp on Friday. The righty reported on time for a mandatory physical Tuesday but did not participate in official, on-field workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Wednesday and Thursday. While the collective bargaining agreement states players don’t have to participate in...
Reports: Alex Bregman, Red Sox agree to $120M, 3-year contractVideo
Alex Bregman and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a $120 million, three-year contract, according to multiple reports Wednesday. Bregman can opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons to become a free agent again. A two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion during nine years with Houston, the 30-year-old...
After brief opt out, Gerrit Cole says he always intended to stay with Yankees
TAMPA, Fla. — Gerrit Cole says he always intended to remain with the New York Yankees. The 34-year-old former Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander exercised his right to opt out of his contract on the third day after the World Series, giving up $144 million over four years and starting a two-day...
Former Pirates OF Michael A. Taylor agrees to 1-year deal with White SoxVideo
CHICAGO — Center fielder Michael A. Taylor and the Chicago White Sox have agreed to a $1.95 million, one-year contract. Chicago announced the agreement Wednesday. Taylor spent last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, batting .193 with five home runs, 21 RBIs and a .543 OPS in 113 games. He struck...
Reds will wear No. 14 patch on jersey sleeve to honor Pete Rose, who died last year
CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds will wear a No. 14 patch on the sleeve of their jersey this season to honor hometown star and career hits leader Pete Rose, the team announced Monday. The Reds posted a photo of the patch on X with the message “14 on our side...
Brewers unveil patch they will wear on their uniforms to honor Bob Uecker
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers have unveiled a patch they will wear on their uniform this season to honor longtime broadcaster Bob Uecker, who died last month. The patch will appear on the sleeve of the Brewers’ uniforms. It features Uecker’s signature over a gold-and-navy plaid print to honor the...
Spring training preview: Dodgers favored to be MLB’s 1st repeat champ in 25 years
Miguel Rojas gladly gave up his No. 11 to Roki Sasaki and went back to 72, his jersey as a Los Angeles Dodgers rookie in 2014. “I’m not asking for anything. I have everything that I want in life,” the 35-year-old infielder said. “All I ask for him is trying...
Baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in sports betting case
SANTA ANA, Calif. — The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani was sentenced Thursday to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between...
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says some fans concerned over lack of salary cap
PALM BEACH, Fla. — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says he is getting emails from fans concerned over the sport’s lack of a salary cap following an offseason spending spree by the Los Angeles Dodgers that sparked increased attention over the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement in December 2027. “This...
Pete Alonso stays with Mets, agreeing to $54 million, 2-year contract
NEW YORK — First baseman Pete Alonso is staying with the New York Mets, agreeing to a $54 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the agreement, first reported by The New York Post,...
Umpire Pat Hoberg fired by MLB for sharing sports gambling accounts with friend who bet on baseball
NEW YORK — Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired by Major League Baseball on Monday for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who bet on baseball games and for intentionally deleting electronic messages pertinent to the league’s investigation. MLB opened the investigation last February when it was brought...
Shohei Ohtani’s return to pitching could come in May for World Series champion DodgersVideo
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in May is “about right,” manager Dave Roberts said Saturday at the team’s annual fan fest. He reiterated that Ohtani won’t pitch in the season-opening Japan Series against the Chicago Cubs on March 18-19 in Tokyo. The two-way superstar...
Fay Vincent, baseball commissioner during 3 years of turmoil, dies at 86Video
NEW YORK — Fay Vincent, who became an unexpected baseball commissioner in 1989 after the death of A. Bartlett Giamatti and then was forced out three years later by owners intent on a labor confrontation with players, has died. He was 86. Vincent had undergone radiation and chemotherapy for bladder...
Max Scherzer agrees to a $15.5 million, 1-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, AP source saysVideo
Max Scherzer is joining the Toronto Blue Jays, agreeing to a $15.5 million, one-year contract Thursday, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced and was pending a physical. The 40-year-old...
MLB average salary rose 2.9% to record $4.66 million last year
NEW YORK — The rate of increase for Major League Baseball’s average salary slowed to 2.9% last year to a record $4.66 million, according to the annual report of the players’ association. The average of $4,655,366 was up from $4,525,719 in 2023, which marked a 7% increase from 2022. After...
Ryan Pressly waives no-trade clause to join the Chicago Cubs
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are finalizing a trade for Ryan Pressly, adding the right-hander to the back end of their bullpen in their second major offseason deal with the Houston Astros. Pressly has agreed to waive his no-trade clause, according to a person familiar with the situation, and there...
Ichiro Suzuki wants to have a drink with writer who left him off Hall of Fame ballotVideo
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Ichiro Suzuki wants to raise a glass with the voter who chose not to check off his name on the Hall of Fame ballot. “There’s one writer that I wasn’t able to get a vote from,” he said through a translator Thursday, two days after receiving 393...
Jurickson Profar agrees to $42M, 3-year contract with Braves, a year after getting $1M deal with PadresVideo
ATLANTA — Jurickson Profar agreed to a $42 million, three-year contract with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, less than a year after the outfielder got a $1 million deal from the San Diego Padres with spring training already underway. Profar revived his career with the Padres last year when he...
