MLB

4:11 PM ET The Washington Nationals are re-signing Ryan Zimmerman to a one-year, $1 million contract, a source confirmed to ESPN. Zimmerman opted out of the 2020 season because of concerns about his family’s safety amid the coronavirus pandemic but is set to play his 16th major league season, all with the Nationals. Zimmerman’s future

11:35 AM ET ESPN staff Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Hank Aaron died Friday in his sleep. He was 86. The Mobile, Alabama, native is remembered as one of the greatest hitters of all time. He spent his entire adult life in baseball, as a player and in the Atlanta Braves’ front office. Take a

12:44 PM ET The importance of Hank Aaron to baseball — and to American culture — is unmistakable. The Hall of Famer and longtime MLB home run king was a symbol of greatness on the field and dignity off it, facing death threats as a Black man approaching and then breaking Babe Ruth’s hallowed home

11:13 AM ET Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron, the Hall of Fame slugger whose 755 career home runs long stood as baseball’s golden mark, has died. He was 86. “We are absolutely devastated by the passing of our beloved Hank,” Atlanta Braves chairman Terry McGuirk said in a statement. “He was a beacon for our organization

11:12 AM ET Jurickson Profar and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a three-year, $21 million contract, a source familiar with the deal told ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Profar continues to show his versatility as a true utilityman, having played five defensive positions for the Padres last season while seeing most of his action

11:30 AM ET Henry Aaron, who rose up from the depths of Southern poverty to become one of the towering figures in baseball history as well a bittersweet symbol of both American racial intolerance and triumph, has died today. He was 86. When he retired in 1976 after a 23-year major league career with the

11:52 AM ET Associated Press MIAMI — Well-traveled right-hander Anthony Bass agreed to terms Friday on a deal with the Marlins and is expected to compete for a role as their closer. Bass led the Toronto Blue Jays with seven saves last season, when he went 2-3 with a 3.51 ERA in 26 games. He

7:00 AM ET MLB InsidersESPN Two of baseball’s big four free agents are off the board. Two remain. With the World Series ancient history and the first pitch of the 2021 MLB season still months away, we’ve reached this offseason’s unofficial midway point. While we wait for the rest of the hot stove action to

12:32 PM ET Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City T-Bones of the independent American Association are being renamed the Kansas City Monarchs after the team that played in the Negro Leagues. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum signed a licensing agreement with Mark Brandmeyer’s MaxFun Entertainment, owner of the minor league team. The

12:54 PM ET After intimating as much over the last year or so, Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant admitted he isn’t having as much fun playing baseball as he used to. Bryant, 29, spoke to Red Line Radio, a Barstool podcast, and was asked if there was joy for him on the field. “At

9:11 AM ET ESPN News Services The Houston Astros have agreed to a one-year contract with catcher Jason Castro, a source confirmed to ESPN. The deal brings Castro back to Houston, where he spent his first six major league seasons and was an All-Star in 2013. Castro finished the 2020 season with the San Diego

7:00 AM ET So often, when you reference the big numbers of a pitcher from baseball’s past, you are dealing with results that have no modern relevance. They certainly have little use as a signpost for what some present-day hurler might do. Things have changed too much. There are some obvious examples of that which

1:07 AM ET Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — – Mike Sadek, a popular backup catcher who played all eight of his major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants, has died. He was 74. The team announced Sadek died Wednesday in San Andreas, California, following a short illness. Sadek was a .226 career hitter with

5:07 PM ET Veteran left-hander J.A. Happ and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a one-year deal, pending a physical, sources tell ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Financial terms weren’t immediately available. Happ, a free agent, will remain in the American League after spending the last two-and-a-half seasons with the New York Yankees. He will join a

4:38 PM ET Veteran outfielder Michael Brantley will be returning to the Houston Astros after the free agent agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday. Brantley, 33, continues to boast a high contact rate, low strikeout ratio and polish at the plate. In 46 games with the Astros in

12:11 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” While the Toronto Blue Jays remain among the teams interested in free agent outfielder Michael Brantley, they have not reached an agreement on a contract, a source familiar with the situation told

12:11 PM ET The Toronto Blue Jays have added their second former Houston Astros slugger in as many days, agreeing to a three-year contract with outfielder/designated hitter Michael Brantley on Wednesday, a source confirmed to ESPN. The Jays reached agreement on a six-year, $150 million contract with former Astros center fielder George Springer on Tuesday

12:33 PM ET Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Reliever Wade Davis is returning to the Royals, the team he helped pitch to the 2015 World Series title. The Royals and Davis agreed Wednesday to a minor league contract, and the 35-year-old right-hander will go to spring training trying to earn a spot on the