MLB

2:00 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Sara Goodrum has been promoted to minor league hitting coordinator by the Milwaukee Brewers, apparently making her the first woman to have that role in any Major League Baseball organization. Goodrum’s official new title with the Brewers is coordinator for hitting development initiatives, but she essentially will be

11:09 AM ET Associated Press MIAMI — Former Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria reached a lawsuit settlement to reimburse the local government $4.2 million for the cost of building Marlins Park, which opened in 2012. The payment stems from the $1.2 billion sale of the team in 2017 by Loria to Derek Jeter and his ownership

7:41 AM ET After seven years with the New York Yankees, free agent right-hander Masahiro Tanaka announced Thursday he will return to Japan to pitch for the Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Nippon Professional Baseball League. “I have decided to return to Japan and play for the Rakuten Eagles for the 2021 season,” Tanaka wrote

9:42 PM ET The Toronto Blue Jays are finalizing a trade to acquire starter Steven Matz from the New York Mets for three prospects, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Matz, a 29-year-old left-hander, agreed to a $5.2 million, one-year deal with the Mets in December. That deal came after he had

7:27 PM ET Associated Press ATLANTA — The Hammer made one last trip to the spot where he hit No. 715. After a nearly three-hour funeral service Wednesday that featured two former presidents, a long-time baseball commissioner and a civil rights icon, the hearse carrying Hank Aaron’s body detoured off the road bearing his name

2:57 PM ET ESPN News Services The New York Yankees quickly found a replacement for their bullpen, agreeing to a $2.5 million, one-year contract with submarining right-hander Darren O’Day, according to multiple reports. The deal includes player and club options for 2022 and is subject to a successful physical, according to reports. O’Day takes the

2:34 PM ET Associated Press TORONTO — George Springer thinks the Blue Jays‘ promising young core is similar to the group he played with that led the Astros to their first World Series title in 2017. Springer and the Blue Jays agreed last week to a team-record $150 million, six-year contract. He joined a roster

1:54 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Zack Scott was promoted to acting general manager of the New York Mets on Wednesday, eight days after GM Jared Porter was fired. Scott was hired as assistant GM on Dec. 23 after 17 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, the last two as assistant GM. “Zack

1:09 PM ET ESPN News Services The Atlanta Braves plan to honor Hank Aaron during the upcoming season, with the first of those initiatives being a $1 million donation to establish the Henry Louis Aaron Fund, which will work to increase minority participation among players, managers, coaches and front-office personnel. That was an issue Aaron

11:17 AM ET ESPN News Services Curt Schilling should remain on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot next year despite his request to be removed, the Baseball Writers Association of America said in its recommendation to the hall’s board of directors Wednesday. “It is the position of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America that

11:00 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Former New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen was hired as chief operating officer of Roc Nation Sports on Wednesday, returning to the representation business two years after his unconventional leap

7:00 AM ET If you thought the 2021 Hall of Fame ballot was a contentious debate over statistics, character and PEDs, just wait until Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz join next year. Not only will it be the first chance for writers to weigh in on Rodriguez and Ortiz, it will be the final time

9:54 PM ET ESPN News Services Second baseman Tommy La Stella and the San Francisco Giants are finalizing a contract, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The deal is expected to be for three years. The Oakland Athletics, needing an everyday second baseman who could provide consistent offensive production, acquired La Stella

8:27 PM ET Shortstop Andrelton Simmons and the Minnesota Twins are in agreement on a one-year, $10.5 million contract, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN’s Jeff Passan. A four-time Gold Glove Award winner, Simmons has established himself among the most brilliant defensive shortstops in baseball history. Since his first full season in 2013, Simmons

7:52 PM ET Associated Press BOSTON — Ron Johnson, who worked 25 seasons as a minor league manager, most recently for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides in the Baltimore Orioles‘ system, died on Tuesday. He was 64. Johnson appeared in 22 major league games with the Kansas City Royals and Montreal Expos from 1982 to ’84,

7:35 PM ET Associated Press The Baltimore Orioles filled a hole in their infield by agreeing Tuesday with free agent Freddy Galvis to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Galvis broke into the big leagues with Philadelphia Phillies in 2012 and spent the past two years with Cincinnati Reds. The 31-year-old hit .220 with seven homers

6:16 PM ET Infielder Marcus Semien is in agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year, $18 million contract, a source familiar with the deal told ESPN’s Jeff Passan. 2 Related Coming off a career year, Semien struggled in 2020 while dealing with a rib injury, as the shortstop hit just .223 with 7

6:30 PM ET MLB InsidersESPN For the first time since 2013, no player received the 75% of votes needed for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Curt Schilling came the closest, appearing on 71.1% of ballots and three other players were over the 50% mark. Despite nobody getting in this year, there was still