Baseball Page 349 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Cubs preseason capsule: Chicago on upswing with OF Kyle Tucker
Chicago Cubs,2024 record: 83-79 (2nd place, NL Central),He gone: RHP Adbert Alzolay, OF-IB Cody Bellinger, 3B Isaac Paredes, RHP Kyle Hendricks, 3B Patrick Wisdom, RHP Hayden Wesneski, LHP Drew Smyly, OF Mike Tauchman.,New faces: OF Kyle Tucker, LHP Matthew Boyd, RHP Ryan Pressly, RHP Eli Morgan, 1B...

Spring training roundup: Brandon Drury (2 HRs, 5 RBIs) powers White Sox
Non-roster invitee Brandon Drury went 3-for-3 with two home runs, one double and five RBIs as the Chicago White Sox led the whole way for a 7-3 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds in spring training action Friday in Phoenix.,Drury, a 10-year MLB veteran, went deep to left center in his first a...

Rays pick up 2026 option on former batting champion Yandy Diaz
The Tampa Bay Rays exercised their $12 million team option on first baseman Yandy Diaz for the 2026 season.,The Rays also added a vesting option for the 2027 season that would pay Diaz $13 million if he makes at least 500 plate appearances in 2026 and $10 million if he doesn't reach that amount.,Dia...

A's preseason capsule: New home, new optimism in Sacrameto
Athletics,2024 record 69-93 (fourth place, AL West),He gone: RHP Ross Stripling, LHP Scott Alexander, RHP Dany Jimenez, 1B Ryan Noda, SS Nick Allen, LHP Kyle Muller,New faces: RHP Luis Severino, INF Gio Urshela, LHP Jeffrey Springs, LHP Jacob Lopez, INF Luis Urias,Biggest question entering Opening D...

Yankees LHP Carlos Rodon to start on Opening Day vs. Brewers
Left-hander Carlos Rodon was tabbed as the New York Yankees' Opening Day starter on Friday by manager Aaron Boone.,The Yankees open the season at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on March 27.,A serious injury to ace right-hander Gerrit Cole opened the door for Rodon to land the role. Cole underwen...

Seasoned closer Clay Holmes surprise Opening Day starter for Mets
Longtime reliever Clay Holmes was named Opening Day starter for the New York Mets, who begin the season March 27 in Houston.,Holmes last started a game in 2018 and has four starts in his career, which includes All-Star closer credentials in 2022 and 2024. ,Holmes prepared for a move to the rotation ...

Reports: Blue Jays RHP Erik Swanson has carpal tunnel syndrome
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Erik Swanson received relatively good news when an MRI earlier this week on his pitching elbow revealed no structural damage, according to multiple reports on Friday.,Swanson was diagnosed with what the team called median nerve entrapment, or carpal tunnel syndrome, ac...

Reds C Tyler Stephenson (oblique) headed to IL
Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson will open the season on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain.,Stephenson originally underwent tests for a potential back injury before an MRI revealed the oblique issue.,His absence means Jose Trevino will open the season as the Reds' No. 1 backstop...
New York Yankees Face Uncertain Future After Gerrit Cole Injury
Gerrit Cole is having Tommy John surgery, and the New York Yankees future is uncertain without one of their mainstay pitchers....

Spring training roundup: Phillies crush 4 HRs in win over Braves
Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner each hit home runs as the Philadelphia Phillies won a 16-9 slugfest over the visiting Atlanta Braves in spring training action Thursday at Clearwater, Fla.,Bryson Stott and Max Kepler also hit home runs for the Phillies, while left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (1-0) picke...

Report: Cubs negotiating deal with RHP Lance Lynn
The Chicago Cubs and free agent right-hander Lance Lynn are in negotiations on a one-year contract, USA Today reported Thursday.,Lynn, 37, has spent much of his career with the Cubs' archrival, the St. Louis Cardinals (2011-17, 2024) but also has pitched for the Minnesota Twins (2018), New York Yank...

Red Sox RHP Lucas Giolito (hamstring) to open season on IL
Boston Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito will begin the season on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, manager Alex Cora confirmed Thursday.,Giolito, 30, had an MRI on Wednesday after departing Tuesday's spring training start against the Philadelphia Phillies after one inning.,Giol...

Rays nix plans to develop $1.3B ballpark in St. Petersburg
The Tampa Bay Rays announced Thursday they will not proceed with plans to develop a $1.3 billion ballpark in St. Petersburg, Fla.,"After careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment," principal owner Stuart Sternberg said...

Cardinals sign RHP Phil Maton to one-year deal
Right-hander Phil Maton signed a one-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. ,Maton, 31, finished last season with the Mets following a deadline deal with the Tampa Bay Rays and did not allow a run in 25 of his 31 appearances with New York. ,Overall he was 3-3 with a 3.66 ERA with the Me...

Mets shut down Jeff McNeil (oblique), rule out Opening Day
New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil has been shut down with a minor oblique strain and ruled out for Opening Day. ,Manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday there's a chance McNeil, who won the 2022 National League batting title, won't return for a month.,"Right oblique, it's low-grade," Mendoza sai...

Spring training roundup: Braves' Michael Harris II homers twice in same inning
Michael Harris II led off the fifth with a home run and added a three-run shot later in the frame to highlight a nine-run inning as the Atlanta Braves battered the host Baltimore Orioles 13-5 Wednesday in Sarasota, Fla.,Sandy Leon popped a three-run homer in the fifth while Nick Allen and Chandler S...

Spring training roundup: Phillies drub Red Sox in high-scoring affair
Buddy Kennedy homered and drove in three runs to help the Philadelphia Phillies outlast the host Boston Red Sox 18-8 on Tuesday afternoon in Fort Myers, Fla.,Josh Breaux also homered while Alec Bohm and Otto Kemp each drove in two runs for the Phillies, who racked up 13 hits.,Ceddanne Rafaela had tw...

Minus Cy Young sidekick, Yankees LHP Max Fried embraces pressure of pinstripes
Plans for a pair of aces are on hold with Gerrit Cole out for the 2025 season before it began, pushing Max Fried to the front of the New York Yankees' rotation.,Fried, 31, has known Cole since they met on a recruiting visit to UCLA and recently signed as a free agent to team up with the right-hander...

Red Sox again delay Rafael Devers' spring debut
Boston Red Sox All-Star Rafael Devers will not make his spring training debut Wednesday as planned, shifting his scheduled first game to this weekend after a few more days of live batting practice. ,Devers was expected to play March 5 before the Red Sox said he would play Tuesday or Wednesday servin...
MLB's Tokyo Games Are a Global Flex, Shohei Ohtani Makes It a Power Move
The MLB is invading Tokyo to start their regular season with the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs in Japan. Shohei Ohtani's superstardom makes it a major flex....