7:32 AM ET All along, the plan of the Toronto Blue Jays had been to start looking for opportunities — either in trades or in free-agent signings. The priority was to entrench the team’s core of promising young players — Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio and others — in the big leagues, and
MLB
8:57 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Now that he’s set to play for the Washington Nationals this season, Ryan Zimmerman might stick around a little longer, too. Zimmerman and the Nationals made it official Saturday, announcing his $1 million, one-year contract. The deal came after the Nats’ longest-tenured player opted out of the coronavirus-shortened
2:01 PM ET Starting pitcher Garrett Richards and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Saturday. The deal is pending a physical. Richards’ biggest success during the pandemic-shortened season was staying healthy. The veteran right-hander made 10 starts for the San Diego Padres in
9:50 AM ET When I first reached out to Henry Aaron to tell him I was interested in writing a book about his life, he did not want to talk to me. He was convinced the public had no interest in him, except to have him serve as their proxy to criticize Barry Bonds as
8:48 PM ET The Boston Red Sox have agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal with Enrique Hernandez, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Friday. Hernandez, originally acquired from the Miami Marlins as part of a seven-player trade in December of 2014, was a key cog for the Los Angeles Dodgers over these last
7:00 PM ET So much of Henry Aaron’s baseball legacy is attached to three numbers — 715, 755 and whatever Barry Bonds’ career home run total ended up at — that we too often overlook his all-around brilliance on the field. Put it this way: If you turned his 755 home runs into outs, he
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
11:12 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
11:13 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
11:52 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
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
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