Baseball Page 347 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Home again: Japanese stars take center stage for Dodgers, Cubs in Tokyo
A hearty homecoming is on tap as Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers will open the 2025 MLB season in Tokyo on Tuesday against fellow Japanese countrymen Shota Imanaga, Seiya Suzuki and the Chicago Cubs.,Yamamoto will take the mound for the reigning World Series champion Do...

MLB power rankings: Who's favored to meet Dodgers in World Series?
Remember Sham? Of course you do.,On name alone, you just had to buy a ticket on him in his quest to upset Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont Stakes.,As far as we know, Sham is still somewhere rounding the far turn, winning the duel of horses no longer visible on your TV screen.,And there goes Secretari...

Dodgers SS Mookie Betts (illness) could miss opener
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is dealing with an illness and it is unclear if he will play in Tuesday's regular-season opener against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo.,Betts missed Saturday's exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants and will also miss Sunday's exhibition contest against the ...

Spring training roundup: Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani homers in return to Japan
Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run home run in his return to his home country and the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 5-1 victory over Japan's Yomiuri Giants on Saturday at Tokyo.,Michael Conforto and Teoscar Hernandez also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who are set to open the regular season in Japa...

Spring training roundup: Grand slam helps Astros rally past Marlins
Shortstop Jeremy Pena smacked a grand slam to fuel a six-run sixth inning as the host Houston Astros claimed a 6-4 win over Miami on Saturday in Palm Beach, Fla.,Astros starter Framber Valdez fired four scoreless innings, striking out six while allowing just three hits and a walk. Nick Hernandez (1-...

Marlins OF Jesus Sanchez (oblique) out for 4 weeks
Miami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez suffered a left oblique injury and is sidelined for four weeks.,Marlins manager Clayton McCullough spoke to the media regarding the strain.,"It's like, one-plus, I'm told, kind of between a one and two," he said. "That's one of those areas and things that are k...

Golden moment: MLB award winners to wear special patch
All major league players have a patch on the back of their jerseys, at the neck and above the numbers, that depicts the MLB logo.,A few of them will look different this season.,The six major award winners from 2024 will have gold patches on their jerseys, marking their accomplishments as the Most Va...

MLB's top 10 prospects: Roki Sasaki beefs up Dodgers' rotation
Deciding it is time for high-upside young talent to arrive is a means for teams to rise to playoff contention -- unless the best teams are playing the same game., ,There are plenty of clubs hoping to improve on the strength of a youth movement, promoting players from their minor league systems. ,But...

Rangers RHP Jon Gray fractures wrist on comebacker
Texas Rangers right-hander Jon Gray sustained a fractured right wrist after being struck by a comebacker during Friday's spring training game against the Colorado Rockies.,Gray exited the game after he was hit by a line drive from Michael Toglia to lead off the fourth inning.,"Not good news, not goo...

Blue Jays preseason capsule: Club could go from last to playoffs
Toronto Blue Jays,2024 record: 74-88 (5th place, AL East).,He gone: INF/OF Spencer Horwitz, LHP Genesis Cabrera, RHP Jordan Romano, LHP Ryan Yarbrough.,New faces: OF Anthony Santander, RHP Max Scherzer, INF Andres Gimenez, RHP Jeff Hoffman, RHP Yimi Garcia, RHP Nick Sandlin.,Biggest question enterin...

Rays preseason capsule: Ace back, but bats must improve
Tampa Bay Rays,2024 record: 80-82 (4th place, AL East).,He gone: OF Jose Siri, LHP Jeffrey Springs, LHP Tyler Alexander, OF Dylan Carlson, LHP Richard Lovelady, LHP Colin Poche.,New faces: IF Ha-Seong Kim, C Danny Jansen, RHP Alex Faedo, OF Eloy Jimenez, RHP Joe Boyle.,Biggest question entering Open...

Red Sox preseason capsule: Big splash may lead to playoff run
Boston Red Sox,2024 record: 81-81 (3rd place, AL East).,He gone: OF Tyler O'Neill, RHP Nick Pivetta, RHP Kenley Jansen, LHP James Paxton, RHP Chris Martin, LHP Cam Booser, C Danny Jansen.,New faces: INF Alex Bregman, LHP Garret Crochet, RHP Walker Buehler, LHP Aroldis Chapman, LHP Justin Wilson, C C...

Orioles preseason capsule: Rotation questions need answers
Baltimore Orioles,2024 record: 91-71 (2nd place, AL East).,He gone: RHP Corbin Burnes, OF Anthony Santander, LHP Danny Coulombe, OF Eloy Jimenez, OF Austin Slater.,New faces: OF Tyler O'Neill, OF Dylan Carlson, OF Ramon Laureano, C Gary Sanchez, RHP Charlie Morton, RHP Tomoyuki Sugano, RHP Andrew Ki...

Pirates pick obvious first-time Opening Day starter
Paul Skenes is the Opening Day starter for the Pittsburgh Pirates, a first-time distinction for the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year and All-Star Game starter. ,Manager Derek Shelton did have other options, but he said there was one obvious choice. ,"Well, he's really good," a smiling Shelton...

Yankees preseason capsule: Reigning AL champs hit hard by injuries
New York Yankees,2024 record: 94-68 (1st place, AL East).,He gone: OF Juan Soto, IF Gleyber Torres, OF Alex Verdugo, 1B Anthony Rizzo, RHP Clay Holmes, LHP Nestor Cortes, RHP Tommy Kahnle, LHP Tim Mayza, RHP Lou Trivino, C Jose Trevino.,New faces: OF Cody Bellinger, IF Paul Goldschmidt, LHP Max Frie...

Orioles SS Gunnar Henderson shooting for Opening Day return
Shortstop Gunnar Henderson said he believes he can return from injury in time to take the field with the Baltimore Orioles on Opening Day.,Their season opens March 27 on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays.,Henderson, 23, would be one month removed from the strained intercostal muscle that knocke...

Rockies preseason capsule: Rise would be helped by Kris Bryant return to form
Colorado Rockies,2024 record: 61-101 (5th place, NL West).,He gone: RHP Cal Quantrill, 2B Brendan Rodgers.,New faces: INF Kyle Farmer, INF Thairo Estrada, LHP Scott Alexander, C Jacob Stallings.,Biggest question entering Opening Day: Production from veteran players is key, but the team will need bet...

Giants preseason capsule: Rediscovering winning ways is next task
San Francisco Giants,2024 record: 80-82 (4th place, NL West).,He gone: LHP Blake Snell, OF Michael Conforto, LHP Taylor Rogers, OF Mark Canha.,New faces: RHP Justin Verlander, SS Willy Adames.,Biggest question entering Opening Day: With a record below .500 for the sixth time in eight seasons in 2024...

Diamondbacks preseason capsule: Rotation strong with addition of Corbin Burnes
Arizona Diamondbacks,2024 record: 89-73 (3rd place, NL West).,He gone: 1B Christian Walker, RHP Paul Sewald, OF/DH Joc Pederson, INF Kevin Newman, 1B Josh Bell.,New faces: RHP Corbin Burnes, 1B Josh Naylor, INF Grae Kessinger, RHP Seth Martinez, RHP Kendall Graveman.,Biggest question entering Openin...

Padres preseason capsule: Key losses trim back expectations
San Diego Padres,2024 record: 93-69 (2nd place, NL West).,He gone: LHP Tanner Scott, OF Jurickson Profar, INF Ha-Seong Kim, INF Donovan Solano, C Kyle Higashioka, LHP Martin Perez.,New faces: RHP Nick Pivetta, LHP Kyle Hart, OF Jason Heyward, INF Jose Iglesias, INF/OF Gavin Sheets, 1B Connor Joe, 1B...