6:51 PM ET Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout captured his third American League MVP Award on Thursday, edging Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman. Trout received 17 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, with Bregman receiving the other 13. Trout and Bregman were either first or second on all 30

6:18 PM ET Cody Bellinger captured his first National League Most Valuable Player Award on Thursday, beating defending champion Christian Yelich and eventual World Series champion Anthony Rendon. Bellinger was selected first on 19 of 30 ballots and second on 10 more, beating out Yelich, the runner-up who was named first on 10 ballots and

5:07 PM ET ESPN News Services The Atlanta Braves have signed veteran closer Will Smith to a three-year, $39 million contract, the team announced Thursday. The deal also includes a club option for 2023 for an additional $13 million. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the deal includes a buyout that will pay Smith $1 million

5:04 PM ET Minnesota Twins pitcher Jake Odorizzi and Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu have accepted one-year, $17.8 million qualifying offers for 2020 and will forgo free agency, it was announced Thursday. Barring contract extensions, both will be free agents without restriction after the 2020 season. Seven players have rejected the qualifying offer and

10:41 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Major League Baseball’s investigation into illegal sign stealing is expected to expand beyond the 2017 Houston Astros and look into whether other teams, including the 2019 Astros, used technology to aid hitters,

8:00 AM ET Cody Bellinger, who damn near broke the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ home run record this season, managed only one home run as a high school senior. Alex Bregman, who belted 41 homers despite also leading his sport in walks, never once reached double-digit home runs in college. Mike Trout, on a faster home

7:31 AM ET With free agency underway, the offseason is going to pick up steam. What are the big questions facing all 30 teams? Here’s a look at the AL East, which features two teams that won 96 or more games in 2019, two clubs that posted 95 or more losses this year … and,

8:21 PM ET Associated Press SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The major league minimum salary will rise to $563,500 next season, a hike of $8,500. Under Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement with the players’ association, the minimum was $535,000 in 2017, $545,000 in 2018 and $555,000 this year. In the final two seasons of the five-year

7:50 PM ET Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — New San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Wednesday that he should have sought the guidance of experts four years ago when dealing with a 17-year-old girl who contacted him about an assault reportedly witnessed by Los Angeles Dodgers minor leaguers. The teen later accused one of

6:52 PM ET Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander added to his already-lengthy Hall of Fame résumé on Wednesday when he was announced as this year’s American League Cy Young winner, edging teammate Gerrit Cole. Verlander got 17 first-place votes compared to 13 for Cole in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced Wednesday