MLB

7:05 PM ET Shohei Ohtani said he topped out at 97 mph while throwing live batting practice on Wednesday, an encouraging development that further supports the enthusiasm voiced by prominent members of the Los Angeles Angels throughout the offseason. Ohtani, the Japanese two-way player who hasn’t pitched regularly since the start of the 2018 season,

3:26 PM ET ESPN News Services TAMPA, Fla. — A day after addressing his teammates, New York Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán publicly apologized for his role in a domestic violence incident. “I want to take this opportunity before answering questions to sincerely apologize to the Steinbrenner family, my teammates, the front office and those around

4:21 PM ET TORONTO — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was determined not to show up to another spring training carrying more weight than he wanted. Embarrassed and apologetic after arriving out of shape at summer camp in 2020, the Toronto Blue Jays slugger worked aggressively on his conditioning this offseason, and said he has lost 42

12:17 PM ET Chicago White Sox star first baseman Jose Abreu has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be away from the club for the next several days. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn announced Wednesday that Abreu, the reigning American League MVP, is “completely asymptomatic” and “frustrated.” Hahn said that Abreu believes he “contracted

11:51 AM ET ESPN News Services FORT MYERS, Fla. — Minnesota Twins shortstop Royce Lewis, considered the organization’s top prospect, has a torn ACL in his right knee that will sideline him for the 2021 season. President of baseball operations Derek Falvey said Wednesday that Lewis was diagnosed with the injury during physical exams upon

10:18 AM ET Outfielder Jarred Kelenic, a top prospect for the Seattle Mariners, says he’s convinced that his service time is being manipulated by the team based on comments from former team president and CEO Kevin Mather that has drawn the ire of the MLBPA. Among multiple controversial comments made in an online video that

9:17 AM ET SAN DIEGO — San Diego Padres majority owner Peter Seidler couldn’t make it any clearer. He doesn’t think San Diego is a small market, but rather views it for what it is, the eighth-largest city in the United States. And he’s certain the Padres can handle the three nine-figure contracts they’ve doled

7:00 AM ET You know, for all the grumbling throughout the MLB offseason, we ended up with a fascinating list of transactions. We saw two of the best all-around players in the game traded. That’s pretty fun, at least for Mets and Cardinals fans. We watched the reigning National League Cy Young winner, the NL

7:36 PM ET Associated Press DENVER — Trevor Story‘s priority list this season includes being a more vocal leader, taking his base stealing to another level, crushing early count fastballs and honing his footwork in the field. Not near the top of the list: Fretting about his long-term future with the Colorado Rockies. That’s outside

6:20 PM ET Marly RiveraESPN Writer Close Marly Rivera is a writer for ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN.com. TAMPA — Add Yankees ace Gerrit Cole to the growing list of major leaguers that have sounded off on the way some MLB teams think internally about players in the wake of former Mariners president Kevin Mather’s inflammatory comments

5:47 PM ET Associated Press PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Taijuan Walker is taking a back seat on his new team — to Mr. Met. A day after the Mets finalized his $23 million, three-year contract, Walker said he was aced out of his preferred jersey number by the rotund mascot with the baseball-shaped head.

2:28 PM ET The San Francisco Giants and veteran left-hander Scott Kazmir have reached agreement on a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp, sources tell ESPN’s Buster Olney. Kazmir, 37, is attempting to make his first appearance in a major league game since 2016, with sources saying the lefty’s fastball velocity

1:27 PM ET Associated Press Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto and manager Scott Servais are doing damage control with players who were directly mentioned or referenced by former team president and CEO Kevin Mather in an online video that led to his resignation. The message over the past two days to those affected has

10:56 AM ET ESPN News Services The Detroit Tigers agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Julio Teheran on Tuesday. Teheran also received an invitation to major league spring training. A two-time All-Star, Teheran went 76-72 with a 3.64 ERA as a fixture in the Atlanta Braves‘ rotation from 2013 to 2019, averaging 32

11:01 AM ET Alex Cora spent the last year on the sideline following a suspension for his role in the Houston Astros‘ sign-stealing scandal. Now, sitting back in his manager’s seat with the Boston Red Sox after the team gave him a second chance to lead, Cora is soaking in every moment of being back

8:02 AM ET ESPN News Services If there was any concern as to how dynamic shortstop Tim Anderson and old-school manager Tony La Russa would get along, Chicago White Sox fans can breathe a sigh of relief at the start of spring training. Anderson, who laughingly said that he wouldn’t “change my style, the way

7:15 AM ET When my little brother was at the very end of his teenage years, he stepped over the Vermont moat and joined me for spring training in Arizona. Eventually we made our way to Las Vegas for some exhibition games. As we drove down The Strip for the first time, bathed in its

9:03 PM ET ESPN News Services SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a $2.25 million, one-year contract with reliever Tyler Clippard, according to multiple reports. The agreement, reached on Monday, is pending a physical. The deal includes a $1.75 million salary this year and a $3.5 million mutual option for 2022 with