Shohei Ohtani to bat No. 2, pitch in same historic game for Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani is pitching and hitting for the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night for the first time since the two-way star moved to the majors. Ohtani even took the No. 2 slot in the Angels’ lineup while he also made his first mound start of the...
Reds, Cardinals scrap at plate and outfield; Nick Castellanos tossed
CINCINNATI — Nick Castellanos stood over and jawed at St. Louis pitcher Jake Woodford after scoring Saturday, setting off a series of scuffles between the Cincinnati Reds and Cardinals that included relievers shoving in the outfield on their way back to the bullpen. Castellanos was the only player ejected in...
MLB moving All-Star Game from Atlanta in response to voting restrictions
NEW YORK — Atlanta lost Major League Baseball’s summer All-Star Game on Friday over the league’s objections to sweeping changes to Georgia voting laws that critics — including the CEOs of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and Coca-Cola — have condemned as being too restrictive. The decision to pull the July...
Covid outbreak hits Nationals; 3-game series vs. Mets off
WASHINGTON — The entire season-opening three-game series between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets was called off on Friday because of a covid-19 outbreak on the 2019 World Series champions, who had four players test positive for covid-19. The Nationals announced the postponement of games scheduled for Saturday and...
Amid glow of Opening Day, cloud looms over MLB All-Star Game
ATLANTA — Amid the glow of baseball’s opening day, there is a cloud looming over the All-Star Game still more than three months away. Georgia’s new voting law — which critics say unfairly limits access to the ballot box, especially for people of color — has prompted calls from as...
MLB foreign-born players drop slightly for 4th straight year
NEW YORK — More than 28% of Major League Baseball players were born outside the 50 states. That represents a drop for the fourth straight season, although this decrease was particularly small. MLB said Friday there were 256 such players of the 906 on opening day rosters, injured lists, the...
Stick man: Black Keys drummer to fill in for Indians regular
CLEVELAND — The Indians will use a pinch-drummer for their home opener. With long-time drummer and ballpark fixture John Adams recovering from heart surgery and unable to attend his first opener in Cleveland in 48 years, Black Keys drummer and life-long Indians fan Patrick Carney will fill in and pound...
First Call: Steelers interested in ‘brawler’ of a tackle; A.B. pricing himself out of Tampa? Ex-Pirates shine in Rays’ opener
The Pittsburgh Steelers have their eyes on an interesting tackle prospect. Antonio Brown may be bargaining himself out of Tampa. Money is starting to come in on the red-hot Penguins. Ex-Pirates shine in Tampa Bay’s season opener. Gerrit Cole has a choppy 2021 debut for the Yankees. And we share...
MLB Opening Day: Snow, stars, fans and a covid postponementVideo
Miguel Cabrera took a trot, eventually, in the snow at Comerica Park. Mookie Betts started the champion Los Angeles Dodgers with a hit at Coors Field. And the Bleacher Creatures did their thing at Yankee Stadium. All-Stars on the diamond for Opening Day, fans in the socially distanced stands eager...
MLB returns with real, live fans in ballparks across the countryVideo
CHICAGO — Wearing a Chicago Cubs jacket and hat, Marc Passoni took in the moment. His buddy, Greg Cooper, on his 59th birthday, stood nearby holding an orange sign that read “First Masked Game 4-1-21.” It was windy and cold at Wrigley Field, and neither of them cared all that...
Mets-Nats opener delayed after positive covid test, tracing
WASHINGTON — The opening day baseball game between the Nationals and Mets was postponed hours before it was scheduled to begin Thursday night because of coronavirus concerns after one of Washington’s players tested positive for covid-19. The Nationals issued a statement saying “ongoing contact tracing involving members of the Nationals...
Francisco Lindor, Mets agree to 10-year, $341 million contract
NEW YORK — Francisco Lindor and the New York Mets have agreed to a $341 million, 10-year deal, keeping the All-Star shortstop in Queens for the long haul after acquiring him from Cleveland in the offseason, according to a person familiar with the agreement. The person spoke to The Associated...
Gerrit Cole looks forward to family and fans at Yankee Stadium
NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole’s dad will watch him pitch at Yankee Stadium in pinstripes for the first time, one of about 10,850 fans allowed in to watch New York’s opener against the Toronto Blue Jays. “I had trouble sleeping last night, so I probably anticipate going to be the...
Indians not allowing headdresses, painted faces at games
CLEVELAND — While moving forward with a plan to change their name, the Cleveland Indians said they will not permit fans inside Progressive Field wearing Native American headdresses or face paint. The team announced the fan dress policy for the 2021 season on Wednesday in advance of Monday’s home opener...
All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo cuts off contract talks with CubsVideo
MESA, Ariz. — Anthony Rizzo is cutting off talks with the Chicago Cubs on a new contract and is prepared to play the season as free agency looms after the World Series. The first baseman, who in 2016 helped the Cubs win their first title in 108 years, agreed in...
South Park native Randy Dobnak, Twins agree to 5-year dealVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins signed right-hander Randy Dobnak to a $9.25 million, five-year contract that includes three club options to extend and increase the deal with the overachieving former ride-share driver. Dobnak went 6-4 with a 4.05 ERA in 10 starts last season, before hitting a slump and being...
Twins give pitcher Randy Dobnak a 5-year contract extension
Pitcher Randy Dobnak of South Park has agreed to a contract extension with the Twins, a major league source confirmed. The five-year, $9.25 million extension could be worth nearly $30 million if all incentives are reached. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first to report the deal. Dobnak, 26, will be the...
Jameson Taillon to skip 1st turn in Yankees’ rotation
TAMPA, Fla. — Corey Kluber will follow ace Gerrit Cole in the New York Yankees’ rotation, and former Pittsburgh Pirates standout Jameson Taillon will be skipped the first time through as the team builds him up slowly in his return following Tommy John surgery. Cole will start Thursday’s opener against...
MLB 2021: NL West team-by-team previewVideo
Capsules of National League West teams, in order of finish last year: Los Angeles Dodgers 2020: 43-17, first place, World Series champions. Manager: Dave Roberts (sixth season). He’s Here: RHP Trevor Bauer, RHP Tommy Kahnle, LHP Garrett Cleavinger, RHP Corey Knebel, 3B Sheldon Neuse, RHP Gus Varland. He’s Outta Here:...
MLB 2021: NL Central team-by-team previewVideo
Capsules of National League Central teams, in order of finish last year: Chicago Cubs 2020: 34-26, first place, lost to Marlins in first round of playoffs. Manager: David Ross (second season). He’s Here: OF Joc Pederson, RHP Jake Arrieta, RHP Zach Davies, RHP Trevor Williams, RHP Brandon Workman, INF Eric...
The lost year: Minor leaguers reflect on a canceled season
Matt Seelinger sat in the visitor’s bullpen at Surprise Stadium, waiting for his turn to pitch. The San Francisco Giants right-hander had never played above Class A. Now, in a Cactus League exhibition against the Texas Rangers, he was in line to toe a major league mound for the first...
Carlos Correa turned down $120M, 6-year deal from Astros, says deadline stands
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa says he turned down an offer for a $120 million, six-year contract covering 2022-27 and is not sure whether there will be a deal before his deadline of opening day next week. Correa has an $11.3 million salary this year...
MLB steps up ball monitoring to suppress foreign substances
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball is increasing its monitoring of baseballs in an attempt to suppress any use of foreign substances by pitchers. Mike Hill, newly hired as executive vice president of baseball operations and disciplinarian, wrote in a memorandum to team officials on Tuesday that “players are subject...
Twins send Plum product Alex Kirilloff out, leave LF wide open
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins optioned prized prospect Alex Kirilloff (Plum) to their alternate training site Tuesday, leaving a wide-open competition for playing time in left field while giving the 2016 first-round draft pick more time to develop. Jake Cave, Kyle Garlick and Brent Rooker are the primary candidates at...
Royals give Salvador Perez $82M deal, richest in team history
The Kansas City Royals gave six-time All-Star catcher Salvador Perez the richest contract in club history, a four-year, $82 million deal that begins in 2022. The contract includes a club option worth an additional $13.5 million and has a $2 million buyout for 2026. Kansas City announced Sunday it had...
