7:30 AM ET Shohei Ohtani is a wonder. My MLB career spanned the heart of the steroid era in baseball. Its noxious cloud still makes us question today’s players and their motives, and tantalizes any performer to consider modern shortcuts to gain an edge. But the most damage it did might be in robbing us
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3:58 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — Mike Trout says he is still aiming to return to the Los Angeles Angels‘ lineup this season despite a lengthy and frustrating recovery from a calf injury that has sidelined him since May 17. The three-time American League MVP said Saturday before a game in Cleveland that he
4:25 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Francisco Lindor says first-year New York Mets owner Steve Cohen was right to criticize his hitting in a tweet this week. Cohen tweeted Wednesday about his struggling ballclub that “it’s hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive.” The Mets have lost seven of eight
9:11 PM ET Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — The Athletics are proceeding with “parallel paths” planning new ballparks in Oakland and Las Vegas, determined to find the best fit and relocate if the club can’t secure what it wants along the downtown waterfront Howard Terminal site. Team president Dave Kaval is planning another trip to
6:26 PM ET Associated Press There will be more major league magic at the Field of Dreams site when the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs travel to Dyersville, Iowa, for a game next season. The Reds and Cubs will play a regular-season game on Aug. 11, 2022, at a temporary venue built next to the
3:56 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is purchasing a stake in the Milwaukee Brewers, sources tell ESPN. Antetokounmpo is following the model of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes: small-market star investing in
12:22 PM ET The Atlanta Braves have signed catcher Travis d’Arnaud to a two-year, $16 million contract extension, the team announced Friday. The deal includes an $8 million team option for the 2024 season with no buyout. D’Arnaud, 32, has been slowed this season by a left thumb sprain that forced him to miss 86
7:00 AM ET This season’s seven City Connect uniforms were polarizing among fans, but Major League Baseball considers them a success. The Nike alternates, according to league officials, are not only here to stay — there will be 23 others by the end of 2023 — they are helping to set the stage for even
9:42 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts says he’s feeling “really, really good” and is eager to return soon to the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ lineup from a stint on the injured list due to right hip inflammation. The All-Star outfielder has been on the IL since Aug. 8. He was diagnosed with
7:07 PM ET Memorabilia leviathan Fanatics, continuing its push into the collecting space, has cemented a deal with Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association for the exclusive licenses to produce baseball cards. According to a memo from MLBPA obtained by ESPN, a Fanatics-founded company that has yet to be named will be the
4:48 PM ET ESPN News Services Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta went on the 10-day injured list Thursday due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Peralta, 25, left his start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night after taking an awkward swing on a strikeout to end the third inning. He seemed to wince
2:36 PM ET A woman has been denied a permanent restraining order against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer after she accused him of domestic violence and sexual assault. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled against the 27-year-old woman’s request Thursday, and the temporary restraining order against Bauer has been dissolved. The woman
12:13 PM ET Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer will not testify Thursday in the hearing to determine whether a temporary domestic violence restraining order against him will become permanent. His attorneys had said Wednesday that Bauer planned to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights if he took the stand. The judge in the case determined
11:45 AM ET Associated Press DETROIT — – Bill Freehan, an 11-time All-Star catcher with the Detroit Tigers and key player on the 1968 World Series championship team, died Thursday at age 79. The Tigers honored Freehan with a moment of silence and photos and video on the Comerica Park scoreboard before an afternoon game
7:00 AM ET We’re more than halfway through August, and teams are making a statement in the MLB playoff races ahead of the final stretch. Have the Yankees surpassed the Red Sox in our rankings? Are the surging Braves finally in the top 10? Who’s on top in the seemingly eternal battle between the Dodgers
10:00 AM ET The Los Angeles Dodgers unveiled their City Connect uniform Thursday, featuring hats and jerseys with the phrase “Los Dodgers” — a tribute to the team’s connection with its Latin fan base and a homage to the 40th anniversary of “Fernandomania,” a term coined to describe the hype and passion for star left-hander
2:48 AM ET ESPN News Services Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Caleb Smith had his glove confiscated after the eighth inning and was ejected from Wednesday night’s 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Smith was checked by third-base umpire Phil Cuzzi, who then motioned for the other umpires to look at the glove. Smith argued and at
12:57 AM ET CHICAGO — White Sox pitcher Lance Lynn was ejected from his start against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday after tossing his belt to umpires from the dugout during a foreign-substance inspection. After getting the third out in the top of the fourth inning, Lynn came off the mound quickly while third-base umpire