Gerrit Cole reached 96.9 mph in his first session against hitters since the New York Yankees ace underwent Tommy John elbow surgery last March. The right-hander threw about 20 pitches of batting practice Friday, facing Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Jasson Dominguez at the Yankees’ spring training facility. He threw his first bullpen session a … Read more
No more yelling about an egregious strike-three call or a ball four that touched the zone. Or at least, not as often. The start of spring training games this weekend also marks the beginning of the automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system that will be introduced to Major League Baseball for the first time in 2026. … Read more
Munetaka Murakami was a late arrival for his first spring training game with the Chicago White Sox. Once he got to the ballpark, everything went pretty smoothly. Murakami had two hits and two RBIs in his Cactus League debut on Friday. The Japanese slugger is learning his way around the major leagues after reaching a … Read more
Francisco Lindor, the longest-tenured New York Mets player, says he appreciates Steve Cohen’s declaration this that there will never be a team captain under his ownership. “I respect it. This is definitely a Steve, front-office type decision. At the end of the day, being named captain or not, I’m still going to act the same,” … Read more
The two-time defending champions again made the ultimate splash(es) this offseason, while some other top teams kept us guessing for the majority of the cold season. Meanwhile, a surprising number of would-be contenders appear content with mediocrity. Â Outside any last-minute developments, the time for your favorite team to make vital moves is in the rearview … Read more
That won’t necessarily be Bobby Valentine behind the sunglasses and fake mustache at Citi Field this summer. Among several promotions the New York Mets announced Thursday is a Bobby Valentine Disguise Night on May 29, inspired by what the former manager donned to return to the dugout after being ejected from a game in 1999. … Read more
One might mistake the list of pitchers participating in the 2026 World Baseball Classic for an MLB All-Star Game roster — but this isn’t a prank. The 2026 WBC is bringing out MLB’s best position players and pitchers across the board. After ranking the top-10 hitters that will star in the tournament, we’re taking a … Read more
Bruce Meyer has been elected as the new executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association in a unanimous vote, according to a report from ESPN on Wednesday. Meyer succeeds Tony Clark, who stepped down from his position as the MLBPA’s executive director on Tuesday, after an internal investigation reportedly revealed an inappropriate relationship … Read more
SURPRISE, Ariz. — The morning after Tony Clark’s abrupt resignation, the Major League Baseball Players Association was still without an acting executive director. But that could change as soon as Wednesday afternoon. The union’s executive board of player representatives met Tuesday afternoon with MLBPA staff and outside counsel to discuss next steps following Clark’s ouster … Read more
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the last person to leave the Toronto dugout after the Game 7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series last fall because the star slugger wanted that to be the moment when he moved on. The first full workout for the Blue Jays at spring training Monday brought … Read more