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...
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...
