NEW YORK — Let’s get this out of the way: money is going to be a mighty factor in Juan Soto’s free agent decision.

With Scott Boras representing the 26-year-old and some of baseball’s richest owners pursuing him, the perception is that Soto will take the highest offer, or close to it. But surely suitors, which include the Yankees, Mets,...Read more

PITTSBURGH — It's the position most frequently identified with the Pirates, the result of the greatness displayed by Roberto Clemente, as well as Paul Waner and Dave Parker.

Right field has also suddenly become an even bigger question mark relative to the current team after the Pirates non-tendered Bryan De La Cruz and Connor Joe last week.

...Read more

CHICAGO — Shota Imanaga’s rookie season could not have played out much better.

The 31-year-old lefty dazzled as one of the best starters in baseball, ranking third in the National League with a 2.91 ERA and first with a 6.21 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 173 1/3 innings. Imanaga’s performance earned him a fourth-place finish in NL Rookie ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — In the NFL, Patrick Mahomes makes your team a contender. In the NBA, Nikola Jokic makes your team a contender.

In baseball, as the Angels and their fans know all too well, one player does not make your team a contender. Over the past decade, Mike Trout could not do it all by himself, and he and Shohei Ohtani could not do it all ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays and Major League Baseball have made some slight adjustments in their 2025 schedule to avoid playing too many games in the summer heat and rain at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa Bay.

The Rays are swapping a home-and-away series with both the Angels and the Twins, moving road games to Tampa in April and May and ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Pinellas County Commission Chairperson Kathleen Peters sent a two-page letter to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday asking the team to put in writing whether it intends to move forward on a $1.3 billion stadium voted on in July or provide a notice of termination by Sunday.

“I am requesting that you officially declare your intention ...Read more

NEW YORK — Welcome to Scott Boras’ perfect world.

In Juan Soto, baseball’s Avenging Agent has the perfect free agent, a super slugger just 26 years old and already in his prime, and a perfect storm of competition for his services with all of the large market teams — Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Phillies and Red Sox — anxious and...Read more

If only Pat Williams were still alive.

We need him now more than ever.

The beloved Orlando dreamer, the sports visionary who co-founded the Magic four decades ago, told us this was going to happen years before he passed away in July.

He told us that if we’d just get off our butts and get to work, we could lure the Tampa Bay Rays to Orlando....Read more

PHILADELPHIA — In Dave Dombrowski’s previous offseasons in charge of the Phillies’ baseball operations, circumstances dictated that he act more like a carpenter than a designer.

Because if you think of the roster as a house, it required upgrades in specific areas. A refurbished master bathroom here, a star shortstop there. So, Dombrowski ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — The Padres will be thrilled if Jackson Merrill proves as durable as the lithe and baseball-passionate Benito Santiago, who, like Merrill, had a big rookie season with San Diego.

One of the sport’s more athletic catchers, Santiago revolutionized the position by snapping off rapid throws from both knees. He caught more games than ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals have added more firepower to their lineup.

On Friday, they traded right-handed pitcher Brady Singer to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for infielder Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer.

India figures to be the club’s leadoff hitter in 2025. He has a career .360 on-base percentage in the role....Read more

NEW YORK — After going through a closely covered free-agent process himself in 2022, Aaron Judge said he’s taking a hands-off approach to Juan Soto’s sweepstakes.

Judge, speaking on a Friday conference call after winning his second MVP Award, said that he hasn’t talked to Soto “at all” since the Yankees lost the World Series to the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers avoided arbitration with two pitchers Friday, agreeing to contracts for next season with right-handers Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, both of whom will be returning to the mound after missing all of this past season because of injuries.

According to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The four words were first spoken here on a bright spring afternoon at Camelback Ranch, my astonished syllables joining similar tones of amazement floating from every corner of a crowded press box.

"Are you kidding me?"

Down to his last pitch in his first spring training game as a Dodger, Shohei Ohtani had just launched a two-...Read more

Alyssa Nakken, the first woman coach in Major League Baseball history, is leaving the Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians as an assistant in player development, as first reported by 95.7 The Game’s Steven Rissotto.

Nakken is the latest member of last year’s coaching staff to depart from the team, joining Justin Viele (Rangers), Pedro ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Two hours after voting to spend about $24 million to start repairing hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field by replacing the ballpark’s roof, the St. Petersburg City Council on Thursday voted a second time and decided to halt that plan.

The rare action added to the uncertainty over where the Rays will play starting in 2026...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says the Athletics’ move to Las Vegas is on track — without a doubt.

Speaking Thursday to reporters following owners meetings in New York, Manfred reiterated what he has said several times before: The A’s relocation from Oakland and the construction of a $1.5 billion, 33,000-fan...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The coronation was nothing new.

The narrative that came with it, however, reflected just how much has changed in one year.

For the third time in his decorated Major League Baseball career, Shohei Ohtani won most valuable player award honors on Thursday, claiming the National League's top individual accolade by a unanimous vote ...Read more

NEW YORK — For the second time in three years, Aaron Judge turned a historic season into an MVP trophy.

The Yankees captain was named the 2024 AL MVP on Thursday, an expected result after he led the majors in nearly every major offensive category.

Judge received all 30 of the first-place votes, with Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The past few weeks have been a whirlwind for Zachary Ruderman.

He's the 10-year-old Dodgers fan who ended up with one of the most significant baseballs in team history — the one his favorite player, first baseman Freddie Freeman, hit for a walk-off grand slam during the 10th inning in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series against ...Read more