12:53 PM ET The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox swapped veteran outfielder AJ Pollock and veteran closer Craig Kimbrel on Friday, a rare one-for-one trade — with no money exchanged — that cleared up uncertainties for two championship contenders. From the Dodgers’ perspective, the deal frees up more playing time for the
MLB
12:57 PM ET Associated Press SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Charlie Blackmon, the most prolific leadoff hitter in Colorado Rockies history, is back at the top of the batting order this season. “I’ll be comfortable there, no problem,” Blackmon said. Blackmon was the Rockies’ primary leadoff hitter from his first season as a regular in 2014 through
11:59 AM ET The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached a two-year extension with right-hander Merrill Kelly on Friday. The deal, which starts in 2023 and includes a club option for 2025, is worth $18 million, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The 33-year-old Kelly was 7-11 with a 4.44 ERA and 130 strikeouts in his third season
12:38 PM ET Associated Press TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays extended manager Charlie Montoyo’s contract through the 2023 season on Friday. Montoyo, 57, has overseen a tumultuous period in Blue Jays history, with the team playing home games in three cities last season, including two minor league parks, because of border restrictions related to
10:23 AM ET Umpires will now be equipped with on-field microphones to inform the crowd and television audience of instant replay reviews beginning with exhibition games at stadiums this weekend, Major League Baseball announced Friday. Crew chiefs will wear a microphone, via a belt pack, and will proceed to one of the baselines when a
7:00 AM ET The universal DH, for all of its uniformity, practicality and Shohei Ohtani, saddens a small few of us, for it eliminates one of the game’s underappreciated elements: pitchers hitting, or not hitting, which, for 150 years, has provided great statistics, stories and smiles. Yes, we still have the amazing Ohtani, but he
10:03 PM ET Bryce Harper is kicking it old school — and paying tribute to a Philadelphia Phillies legend in the process. Make your picks and compete for a chance at $1,000! Make Your Picks The Phillies slugger posed for the cover of the 2022 team media guide surrounded by trophies — his 2021 Most
10:29 PM ET New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom felt tightness in his right shoulder while throwing long toss and might not be able to make his scheduled spring start Friday, according to manager Buck Showalter. The timing is far from ideal for the Mets, who open the season in a week, with deGrom slated
7:14 PM ET Associated Press GOODYEAR, Arizona — Shane Bieber will throw the first pitch for the Cleveland Guardians. As expected, Bieber will start the season opener on April 7 at the Kansas City Royals. Manager Terry Francona made the formal announcement Thursday after speaking to the right-hander, who missed three months last season with
7:03 PM ET Rookie Joe Ryan will get the call to start on Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins, the club announced Thursday. Ryan, 25, will become the Twins’ first rookie to start on Opening Day since Tom Hall in 1969. Ryan, a right-hander, was acquired by Minnesota from Tampa Bay in July in the
5:51 PM ET Brianna Williams Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani has been known to turn professionals into fans. Last season’s unanimous American League MVP has a notable addition to his fan club — Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt. Make your picks and compete for a chance at $1,000! Make Your Picks The
4:58 PM ET Associated Press SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Yu Darvish will make his second straight Opening Day start for the San Diego Padres when they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 7. New manager Bob Melvin made the decision to go with the right-handed Darvish, who was 8-11 last season with a 4.22 ERA. His
3:57 PM ET Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson will miss the first two games of the regular season after his three-game suspension, stemming from an incident at the end of the 2021 season, was reduced to two games, a source confirmed to ESPN. During a bench clearing incident with the Detroit Tigers in late
2:39 PM ET Associated Press 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
11:19 AM ET Associated Press The Kansas City Royals exercised their club option on Mike Matheny for the 2023 season on Thursday, eliminating any uncertainty over whether their manager will remain with the club after the coming season. Matheny is entering his third season with the Royals, which includes the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and his
10:38 AM ET The New York Yankees are chasing their first World Series title since 2009, but general manager Brian Cashman thinks there should be a glaring exception within the discussion of a championship drought. Cashman, in an interview Wednesday with The Athletic, disputed the notion that the Yankees are in a prolonged title skid
6:06 AM ET Associated Press PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Robinson Canó is ready to take another swing at first base. A second baseman throughout his career, Canó is scheduled to play first in spring training Thursday as the New York Mets experiment with options that could keep his bat in the lineup on occasion.
7:00 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” We’re exactly one week away from the start of the 2022 MLB season. With Opening Day (finally) in sight, it’s time to predict what we’ll see this year. In this space last