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Athletics' spring schedule headlined by Las Vegas games, matchups with Brazil
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Athletics’ spring schedule has been released and includes matchups against Brazil’s World Baseball Classic team, along with a pair of games in their prospective future home, Las Vegas.
The A’s will participate in the Cactus League during spring training, based in Mesa, Ariz., where they will play home games at ...Read more
Cubs extend qualifying offers to Kyle Tucker and Shota Imanaga, ensuring draft picks if they leave
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs have ensured they will be compensated if two of their impending free agents sign elsewhere this offseason.
The Cubs extended qualifying offers to outfielder Kyle Tucker and left-hander Shota Imanaga before Thursday’s 4 p.m. deadline. A qualifying offer is worth $22.025 million for the 2026 season.
Tucker, who is ...Read more
Dodgers pick up the club option on Max Muncy, retaining a key part of the roster
LOS ANGELES — The now two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers made their first move of the offseason on Thursday.
It will ensure a familiar face is back for their pursuit of a three-peat next year.
The team picked up its $10 million club option for third baseman Max Muncy, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not ...Read more
Paul DePodesta close to becoming Rockies' front office boss, source says
DENVER — Longtime baseball and NFL executive Paul DePodesta is “in deep discussions” and close to becoming the next head of the Rockies’ baseball operations, a team source told The Denver Post on Thursday.
The deal has not been finalized yet, but it could be soon. The Rockies are likely to announce the decision officially on Friday. ...Read more
Padres hire Craig Stammen as manager
SAN DIEGO — The Padres’ choice to be their manager is outside the box but from inside the organization.
He is relatively unknown by many who follow the game but highly respected by many in the game.
In a decision that snuck up on virtually every one around Major League Baseball, Padres relief pitcher Craig Stammen was named the team’s ...Read more
'Work to do': Four questions the World Series champion Dodgers face this offseason
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers wasted no time this week setting their sights on a potential World Series three-peat for next season.
Now, they embark on the winter-long process of building a roster capable of doing it.
For the most part, the core of the 2026 Dodgers shouldn't change much. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will ...Read more
Paul Sullivan: White Sox facing another offseason crossroads -- and dreaming of better things … one day
CHICAGO — Big news on the Chicago White Sox front.
The team announced Wednesday that SoxFest is returning to the Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport in January, albeit still in “SoxFest Lite” mode.
SoxFest at the Ramova is a reimagined version of the former SoxFests at bigger venues, without the traditional rancor of the fan Q-and-A sessions ...Read more
Michael Cunningham: As business booms for cost-cutting Braves, McGuirk aims for 'top-5' payroll
ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves Holdings, the (indirect) owner of the local MLB franchise, held a conference call Wednesday to discuss third-quarter earnings results. Team executives reported that the business is doing a lot better than the baseball team.
They boasted about increased baseball revenue despite the losing season in 2025. They touted ...Read more
Jorge Polanco declines Mariners contract option, to become free agent
SEATTLE — Though strong mutual interest remains between the Seattle Mariners and infielder Jorge Polanco to continue their relationship for at least the 2026 season, a deal for a contract extension has yet to be reached.
On Wednesday, team sources confirmed that Polanco had declined his $6 million player contract option for the 2026 season ...Read more
Phillies pick up $9M option on José Alvarado's contract for 2026
PHILADELPHIA — José Alvarado is back for next season.
The Phillies announced Wednesday that they had picked up the left-hander’s $9 million team option for 2026.
Alvarado started the 2025 season strong, with a 2.70 ERA in his first 20 innings. But it came to a halt on May 18, when MLB announced that Alvarado had tested positive for ...Read more
The Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series had record-setting ratings. Here's what it means.
LOS ANGELES — Two years ago, the Dodgers set out to become Japan's team. The Toronto Blue Jays are Canada's team.
When the teams collided in this year's World Series, the ratings hit the stratosphere.
The deciding Game 7 of the World Series attracted a record 51 million viewers across the United States, Canada and Japan, Major League ...Read more
John Romano: The Rays way lives on through Andrew Friedman and his Tampa Bay legacy
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The most impressive general manager in baseball has never been a general manager.
It’s a semantic thing, but it’s also at the heart of this tale. It was just over 20 years ago that Stuart Sternberg took over the running of the Tampa Bay Rays and announced Andrew Friedman would be the executive vice president in ...Read more
Ken Sugiura: Because of who he is and isn't, Braves' hire of Walt Weiss makes sense
ATLANTA — In a lot of ways, Walt Weiss is not Brian Snitker.
And that is a good thing.
Unlike Snitker, he played in the major leagues, grinding out 14 seasons, including three with the Braves. He has been a part of four organizations, where Snitker, who retired as Braves manager at the end of the regular season, famously worked for only one....Read more
Jason Mackey: Barry Bonds is up for the Hall of Fame again. This should be easy.
PITTSBURGH — Along with strategy, suspense and uneven economics, Major League Baseball specializes in irony. Make a great defensive play? Lead off the next inning. Ignore splits? Get ready to get burned.
It's no different with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, where voting has sports writers invoking a morality clause — in ...Read more
Royals agree to two-year contract extension with franchise star Salvador Perez
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals star Salvador Perez is staying for the long haul.
On Tuesday, the Royals and Perez agreed to a new two-year contract extension.
Perez will remain with the Royals through 2027. He was eligible for a $13.5 million club option this offseason. The new deal will keep him in Kansas City through his age-37 ...Read more
Derek Shelton, after hard seasons in Pittsburgh, returns to Minnesota as Twins manager
MINNEAPOLIS — When Derek Shelton was hired as the Minnesota Twins bench coach ahead of the 2018 season, he didn’t have a beard — more like that stylish stubble.
On Tuesday, Shelton officially returned to the organization with more of a goatee. And even more gray hair than he had during two years as bench coach.
“And it is getting ...Read more
Paul Sullivan: Shota Imanaga's journey from Cubs icon to free agency is a strange tale
CHICAGO — Watching Tuesday’s early morning sports debate shows for news on the NFL trade deadline proved to be an exercise in boredom.
Unlike the annual MLB trade deadline, the lack of trade rumors or frenzied reports from analysts back in the New York-area studios made it seem like just another ordinary day in the NFL.
Then came the ...Read more
Jack Flaherty returns to Tigers for 2026; veteran exercises $20 million option
DETROIT — Jack Flaherty on Tuesday exercised his option to remain with the Tigers for the 2026 season.
He will earn $20 million in his age-30 season.
“I love these guys,” Flaherty said in Seattle last month after the Tigers lost Game 5 of the American League Division Series. “I came back here for a reason, to be with these guys, play ...Read more
Red Sox agree to new 1-year deal with Jarren Duran
BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox took care of some important offseason business on Tuesday, agreeing to a new one-year deal with outfielder Jarren Duran.
Duran remained under team control and would not have been a free agent this offseason no matter what, but the new contract resolves what otherwise could have been a messy situation.
Last ...Read more
Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman opts out, will become free agent
BOSTON — One of the least surprising developments of the offseason is now official.
Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman has formally opted out of his contract and is now a free agent, according to multiple reports.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported Bregman’s intention to opt out, and Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe was...Read more
Popular Stories
- 'Work to do': Four questions the World Series champion Dodgers face this offseason
- Paul Sullivan: White Sox facing another offseason crossroads -- and dreaming of better things … one day
- Michael Cunningham: As business booms for cost-cutting Braves, McGuirk aims for 'top-5' payroll
- Padres hire Craig Stammen as manager
- Dodgers pick up the club option on Max Muncy, retaining a key part of the roster
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