The first contract Jackie Robinson signed along with Brooklyn Dodgers president Branch Rickey on Oct. 23, 1945, was an agreement to play for the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers' top farm club. The deal called for a $3,500 signing bonus and $600 per month for the 1946 season.

Less than two years later, on April 11, 1947, Robinson signed his first ...Read more

DALLAS — Walker McKinven most recently held the position of “run prevention coordinator” with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Before that, he was the club’s associate pitching, catching and strategy coach from 2021-23 and a major-league coach in 2020.

“I’ve had unique job titles,” McKinven said Tuesday at the MLB winter meetings. “I’...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Roki Sasaki already knows if he wants to pitch for the Dodgers.

This is purely speculation on my part, but based on what his agent said about him this week at baseball's winter meetings, how could he not know?

The agent, Joel Wolfe of the Wasserman Media Group, described Sasaki as purposeful. As having a clear vision for his ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Baseball scribes assembled in Dallas for the 2000 winter meetings, wondering who was going to hook the big fish of the free agent market that year — shortstop Alex Rodriguez.

We found out on Dec. 11 — 24 years ago Wednesday — that A-Rod was headed to the Texas Rangers for 10 years and a whopping $252 million dollars, the ...Read more

NEW YORK — It wasn’t too long ago that Max Fried pitched the game of his life.

The lanky left-hander hurled six shutout innings in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series on the night the Atlanta Braves clinched the championship over the Houston Astros.

The Yankees hope there are more primetime performances like that one in his future.

Fried ...Read more

CHICAGO — Dealing an ace to the Boston Red Sox to fast-forward the rebuild, only eight years after trying the exact same plan, makes comparisons easier for Chicago White Sox fans.

On paper, it looks like White Sox general manager Chris Getz got a decent haul on Wednesday for Garrett Crochet, whose limited workload as a starter in 2024 didn’...Read more

DALLAS — Juan Soto has officially changed boroughs. The star outfielder has gone from the Bronx to Queens with the New York Mets making his historic 15-year, $765 million contract official Wednesday night after passing his physical.

“This is a seminal moment in franchise history,” owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “Juan ...Read more

DALLAS – Sitting in a hotel room at the Hilton Anatole, the site of the Winter Meetings, Brian Cashman recalled his pursuit of CC Sabathia in December 2008.

“I flew into his home to close the deal out,” Cashman said Wednesday. “And a lot was made of me closing that out and flying into the home. It was like John Calipari going to the ...Read more

DALLAS — With Juan Soto gone, the New York Yankees could trade for a top-tier rental for the second straight offseason.

“We’re open to anything,” Brian Cashman said Wednesday morning as rumors involving Houston’s Kyle Tucker swirled around the Winter Meetings.

The meetings began with Soto spurning the Yankees for a record-setting, 15...Read more

BOSTON — The Red Sox have found their ace.

After losing out on Max Fried to the New York Yankees on Tuesday, the Red Sox finally made their big move for a No. 1 starter, acquiring left-hander Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for four top prospects, a team source confirmed prior to the official announcement.

The White ...Read more

DALLAS — The New York Mets added Juan Soto, but the Dodgers' lineup remains deeper and more dangerous.

The New York Yankees inked Max Fried, but the Dodgers' rotation still outnumbers them in big-name, frontline arms.

In a high-priced offseason that has featured several big-market clubs bolstering their rosters — or at least make lucrative...Read more

DALLAS — Garrett Crochet caught the attention of several teams with his successful move from the bullpen to the rotation in 2024.

The Chicago White Sox are trading the All-Star pitcher to the Boston Red Sox for four prospects, according to multiple reports Wednesday: catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth ...Read more

DALLAS — Seven months ago, veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd, without a team, went through the final steps of the arduous rehab from Tommy John surgery.

At that point, the 33-year-old was praying for an opportunity in the majors to show what he could do. And when that chance came to fruition with the Cleveland Guardians, Boyd delivered over ...Read more

DALLAS — While the New York Mets flexed their financial might for Juan Soto, that hasn’t been the case when it comes to starting pitching. That’s not expected to change.

The only New York team that pursued Max Fried was the Yankees. The Mets are not in on Corbin Burnes. So far, they’ve added right-handers Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes ...Read more

DALLAS — Alec Bohm stood in the somber visitors' clubhouse shortly after the Phillies’ season ended in October and expressed confidence in his future with the organization.

“I know where I’ll be next year,” the third baseman said.

Fast forward two months, and it’s possible that his fate could be out of his hands. Bohm, 28, has been...Read more

DALLAS — After losing Juan Soto’s generational bat to the Mets, the Yankees chose to fortify a strength.

The pennant-winning team has agreed to an eight-year, $218 million contract with longtime Atlanta Braves starter Max Fried, according to multiple reports. The deal is the largest guarantee in baseball history for a southpaw and the ...Read more

DALLAS — With Juan Soto’s defection to the Mets creating an opening in right field, a familiar face could man the position for the Yankees in 2025.

A strong right fielder for most of his career, Aaron Judge became a full-time center fielder to accommodate Soto in 2024. While Judge put an emphasis on protecting his body at times after a toe ...Read more

DALLAS — Roki Sasaki's agent, Joel Wolfe, talked at length Tuesday about the 23-year-old pitcher's posting process as he comes over from Japan this offseason.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be a top contender for Sasaki, though Wolfe said he still has to talk more with Sasaki about exactly what he is looking for in an MLB team. But ...Read more