Dodgers, Mookie Betts agree to 12-year, $365 million contract extensionVideo
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers and outfielder Mookie Betts agreed to a 12-year, $365 million contract extension Wednesday that should keep Betts in Los Angeles for the rest of his career. It is the second-largest deal in Major League Baseball history, exceeded only by the 12-year, $426.5 million...
Opening day amid virus: Masked men, empty parks, odd sounds
Opening day, at last. A baseball season that was on the brink before it ever began because of the virus outbreak is set to start Thursday night when excitable Max Scherzer and the World Series champion Washington Nationals host $324 million ace Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees. When...
MLB preview 2020: American League team-by-team breakdownVideo
AL East New York Yankees 2019: 103-59, first place, lost to Houston in ALCS. Manager: Aaron Boone (third season). He’s Here: RHP Gerrit Cole, C Erik Kratz, C Chris Iannetta, C Josh Thole, RHP Nick Tropeano, LHP Luis Avilán. He’s Outta Here: LHP CC Sabathia, SS Didi Gregorius, 1B Edwin...
Hit or error? MLB official scorers work remotely thru virusVideo
MIAMI — As an official scorer for MLB, Ron Jernick has worked at the World Series, the All-Star Game and the World Baseball Classic. This season, he will work at home. Baseball is back, but because of the coronavirus, official scorers this season will rule remotely on hits and errors...
Giants manager Gabe Kapler, players kneel during anthem
OAKLAND, Calif. — San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler plans to use his position to speak out against racial injustice and provide a voice for those who aren’t heard. Kapler and several of his players knelt during the national anthem before their 6-2 exhibition victory against the Oakland Athletics. Kapler...
Fauci to throw 1st pitch at Yankees-Nationals opener in DC
WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the first game of Major League Baseball’s pandemic-delayed regular season. The Washington Nationals announced Monday that Fauci — a self-described fan of the reigning World Series champions — accepted the team’s...
Braves remove ‘Chop On’ sign, slogan, but no call on chant
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves have removed a “Chop On” sign that sat near an entrance to Truist Park and are still considering their stance on the fans’ tomahawk chop chant. The removal of the wooden sign came as the team changed its slogan from “Chop On” to “For The...
Broken bats: NL pitchers ponder season with no swings
Three or four hours before a National League game, they’d be cackling around the cage. Madison Bumgarner and buddies — or pitchers from any home team, really — taking batting practice under an afternoon sun in an otherwise empty ballpark. After all the bunting drills, when they finally got to...
Braves All-Star Freedie Freeman prayed ‘Please don’t take me’ during covid-19 fightVideo
ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman doesn’t know if he has time to be ready for the Atlanta Braves’ opener. Following a scary journey in his battle with covid-19, Freeman is grateful to even have a chance. On Saturday, the four-time All-Star revealed he had a high temperature of 104.5 degrees early...
Blue Jays not allowed to play games in Canada
TORONTO — The Blue Jays have been denied approval by the Canadian government to play in Toronto amid the coronavirus pandemic. Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced in a statement Saturday the federal government had denied the request, confirming what an official familiar with the matter had told The Associated Press...
Daniel Bard makes Rockies roster after seven-year absenceVideo
DENVER — Daniel Bard never ran from the mental hiccups that derailed a promising pitching career with the Boston Red Sox. Through a half-dozen comeback attempts since his last appearance in the big leagues in 2013, Bard couldn’t rediscover his control and finally settled into a job last year as...
Austin Meadows joins Tyler Glasnow as Rays’ only known coronavirus cases
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay outfielder Austin Meadows has been placed on the injured list after testing positive for the coronavirus, the Rays announced Thursday night. Left-handed reliever Aaron Loup was added to the 40-man roster in place of Meadows, who was a first-time All-Star and batted .291 with...
Major league teams try to ramp up the competition in campVideo
Well-traveled Milwaukee Brewers first baseman-outfielder Logan Morrison figures it will be easy for him to adjust to games without spectators this season. “I played for the Rays and the Marlins, so I’m used to it,” Morrison said. The Brewers and other major league teams worked out again Monday in mostly...
Several rookies could have an impact in MLB’s abbreviated seasonVideo
CHICAGO — Baseball’s 60-game season is plenty of time for a young slugger or pitcher to play a pivotal role in a playoff run. Here is a closer look at a handful of rookies who could grab a starring role this year: • OF Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox: The...
2-time All-Star 2B Frank Bolling dies, hit last slam off Sandy KoufaxVideo
MOBILE, Ala. — Frank Bolling, a two-time All-Star second baseman and the last player to hit a grand slam off Sandy Koufax, has died. He was 88. Bolling died Saturday. He was diagnosed with cancer about five years ago, according to a notice posted by the funeral home handling the...
Blue Jays shift Vladimir Guerrero Jr. across diamond to first baseVideo
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays are shifting Vladimir Guerrero Jr. across the diamond, moving the slugger to first base from third. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Guerrero feels comfortable at first and the team has Travis Shaw ready to play third. Montoyo also said Guerrero will see time...
Giants star catcher Buster Posey opts out of playing
Giants star catcher Buster Posey became the latest big-name player to skip this season because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, announcing his decision Friday. The six-time All-Star said his family finalized the adoption of identical twin girls this week. The babies were born prematurely, and Posey said after consultations...
New extra-inning MLB format stirs debate as teams plot strategyVideo
MILWAUKEE — Baseball has its answer to penalty kicks, overtimes and shootouts, and it figures to stir just as much debate as all those other forms of tiebreakers. MLB will start each extra inning in this abbreviated, 60-game season by putting a runner on second base. The rule has been...
First Call: Gerrit Cole’s pandemic problem, NHL TV schedule, robot fans, no Cleveland for Clowney
Thursday’s “First Call” features a pandemic problem for Gerrit Cole. Might we see robot fans at games? The potential rebooted NHL television schedule is interesting. And the Cleveland Browns appear to be out when it comes to Jadeveon Clowney. Covid conundrum for Cole Former Pirate Gerrit Cole made a simulated...
Sonny Gray moves to front of Reds’ rotation, will start openerVideo
CINCINNATI — Sonny Gray knows what it’s like to start a season opener in front of a crowd, having done it twice with Oakland. His third time will be the most different and memorable of all. Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell chose Gray to start the 60-game season and lead...
Yankees’ Gerrit Cole learns safety-protocol lesson in 1st intrasquad squadVideo
NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole couldn’t have expected the New York Yankees to take the ball away from him just one batter into his first home start in the Bronx. But the team’s new $324 million ace learned the hard way about one of baseball’s new coronavirus safety protocols Tuesday...
Craig Kimbrel looking to bounce back after tough debut with CubsVideo
CHICAGO — With just 60 games this season, the Chicago Cubs need Craig Kimbrel to be better than he was last year. Much, much better. The 32-year-old Kimbrel is looking to bounce back from one of the worst stretches of his stellar career. The seven-time All-Star closer never looked right...
First Call: DeSean Jackson’s anti-Semitic post, Joe West’s coronavirus confusion lead ‘week of dumb’
We need games back. Now! Because we need to start talking about dumb decisions by players, coaches, executives and officials on the field. Those things are a lot easier to digest than what they are saying in quotes and on social media. Wednesday’s “First Call” takes a look at this...
Players’ off-the-field behavior will have big impact on MLB seasonVideo
MIAMI — Reliever Nick Vincent signed last week with the Miami Marlins and settled in for two days of quarantine in his hotel room while awaiting clearance to join workouts. “That was a little bit different,” he said. “In 48 hours, you’re definitely a little stir-crazy.” Vincent spent a lot...
Andrew McCutchen says Yankees’ haircut policy should be addressedVideo
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who started his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and donned long dreads for the first half of his career, recently said it is time the New York Yankees address their strict haircut and facial hair policy. Speaking on “The Sports Bubble with Jensen Karp,” McCutchen,...
