MLB

Take a bow, David Stearns. Perhaps only Pete Alonso knows just how close Stearns came to losing the high-stakes game of chicken that he was playing with his slugging first baseman, which means the rest of us may never know for sure. Was there ever a deal to be made with the Toronto Blue Jays?

Associated Press Feb 5, 2025, 02:42 PM ET Open Extended Reactions MINNEAPOLIS — Outfielder Harrison Bader and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2026, according to multiple reports. A Gold Glove winner for St. Louis in 2021, Bader will be playing for his fifth team in five

On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo keep talking about Pete Alonso, while also talking about the actual Mets who are already ramping up spring training. Connor and Joe cover the latest non-news in the Alonso free agency journey, examine the signing of infielder Nick

Associated Press Feb 4, 2025, 11:24 AM ET Open Extended Reactions NEW YORK — The Hall of Fame voter who declined to select Ichiro Suzuki remains a mystery. All 321 voters who allowed their ballots to be made public Tuesday by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America selected the Japanese star. Suzuki appeared on 393

So far this MLB offseason, the reigning champion Dodgers have signed as many free agents as the rest of their division combined. But it’s the Mets who signed the most expensive free agent ever. The Yankees pivoted admirably after losing a generational star, while the Blue Jays came in second multiple times. The Diamondbacks managed

Pat Hoberg had been a full-time umpire in MLB since 2017. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Major League Baseball upheld its decision to fire umpire Pat Hoberg on Monday after it said that he had been sharing a betting account with a friend who bet on baseball. Hoberg, MLB said, was fired for failing to “uphold

The catcher position in fantasy baseball is like the green vegetables on a dinner plate — even on a good day, they aren’t the main attraction. Still, the 2025 pool of backstops is a respectable group. Most managers will draft in leagues that require just one starting catcher, and in those formats, there are plenty

Feb 2, 2025, 10:14 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Right-hander Jack Flaherty and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a two-year, $35 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Sunday night. Flaherty returns to the Tigers after departing Detroit for the Los Angeles Dodgers at

Jack Flaherty was traded to the Dodgers ahead of the deadline last summer, and was critical in their World Series run. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) Jack Flaherty is headed back to Detroit. The right-hander struck a two-year, $35 million deal with the Tigers on Sunday night, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The new

By record, this was the worst division in baseball last season. The American League West, which boasted both ALCS teams in 2023, finished with a combined record 43 games under .500 in 2024. All around, it was bad, bad, bad and worse. Houston had its worst playoff performance in nearly a decade. Seattle, unable to

Tim Kurkjian Close Tim Kurkjian ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer ESPN Magazine/ESPN.com Analyst/reporter ESPN television Has covered baseball since 1981 Buster Olney Close Buster Olney ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer ESPN Magazine/ESPN.com Analyst/reporter ESPN television Author of “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty” Jan 31, 2025, 07:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Late in

Fans take pictures of Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani on stage during DodgerFest at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Dodgers fans got their first look at the club’s star-studded 2025 team on Saturday, at an annual DodgerFest fan event at Dodger Stadium. And based on the seemingly endless line of cars

Los Angeles Dodgers fans wanting to see Shohei Ohtani show off the other half of his game will likely have to wait at least a month into the season. Speaking at the team’s FanFest, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated the reigning NL MVP will make his return as a pitcher in May, responding “sounds about

Associated Press Jan 31, 2025, 06:49 PM ET Open Extended Reactions MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras agreed Friday to a one-year contract guaranteeing $6.1 million, avoiding an arbitration hearing. A two-time All-Star, Contreras had asked for $6.5 million and had been offered $5.6 million when proposed figures were exchanged. Editor’s Picks His deal

Dodgers general manager Brandan Gomes stands with new Dodgers reliever Kirby Yates during a news conference at Dodger Stadium on Friday. (Myung Chun / Los Angeles Times) The Dodgers held their fifth introductory news conference of the offseason Friday. For the fourth time, it was to welcome a notable pitching addition to the organization. A

While several of their midwest counterparts in the American League Central enjoyed a collective breakout in 2024, the quintet of National League clubs in the heartland had a far less encouraging season. A young Brewers team led by new manager Pat Murphy surged to a comfortable division lead it never relinquished, while former Milwaukee skipper

Open Extended Reactions Right-hander Max Scherzer and the Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement on a one-year, $15.5 million contract, sources told ESPN on Thursday, uniting the future Hall of Famer with a Toronto team trying to salvage the winter after missing on high-profile free-agent pursuits. The 40-year-old Scherzer, one of the best pitchers of

This embedded content is not available in your region. Subscribe to Baseball Bar-B-Cast The New York Yankees haven’t been quiet this offseason in regard to putting together a roster that they feel can hopefully get them back to the World Series in 2025. The same can be said for Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner this past