8:36 PM ET Associated Press This was a different kind of pitch tipping when Minnesota Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda made only his second spring start in his return from Tommy John surgery two seasons ago. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the PitchCom device catcher Tony Wolters was using was loud enough for Tampa Bay Rays
MLB
6:05 PM ET Associated Press The most expensive free agent in Tampa Bay history made a good first impression with the Rays. Zach Eflin struck out three of four Minnesota Twins on Thursday in his first spring training start, a game played at Tropicana Field. The right-hander signed a $40 million, three-year contract during the
2:28 PM ET Jose Leclerc, the likely closer for the Texas Rangers this season, will not participate in the World Baseball Classic because of neck discomfort, manager Bruce Bochy told reporters Thursday. Leclerc was slated to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the WBC. “He just has that little thing going on with the neck,”
1:46 PM ET Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers could be facing surgery on his dislocated left shoulder, putting his 2023 season in jeopardy, manager Bud Black told reporters Thursday. Black said multiple MRIs have revealed that the damage to Rodgers’ shoulder was worse than originally thought. “There’s trauma to the capsule into the joint
1:01 PM ET Miguel Rojas plans to withdraw from the World Baseball Classic in order to focus on his new role as the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ starting shortstop. Rojas told reporters Thursday that his withdrawal from Team Venezuela was a mutual decision between himself and the Dodgers, who have named the 10-year veteran their primary
7:00 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” PHOENIX — In order to become the best pitcher in baseball, Corbin Burnes had to start making his bed. The mundanity of the task is not lost on Burnes. Every fifth day,
9:43 PM ET ESPN News Services The early returns on Major League Baseball’s decision to restrict shifts are promising. Runs and batting average were both up through the first wave of games compared to spring training a year ago. Players were hitting .272 through Feb. 28, with an average of 11.9 runs scored. That’s up
8:21 PM ET Associated Press The Kansas City Royals signed veteran Jackie Bradley Jr. to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, where he will have an opportunity to earn playing time in a wide-open outfield. The Royals recently traded incumbent center fielder Michael A. Taylor to Minnesota for pitching prospects, and
6:01 PM ET Associated Press The Cleveland Guardians are hoping some rest will help highly touted outfield prospect George Valera, who left Tuesday’s exhibition with an apparent right-hand injury. Valera, ranked as the No. 2 prospect in Cleveland’s organization, was forced to leave during his at-bat in the second inning after fouling off a pitch.
5:55 PM ET Associated Press Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale will likely make his Grapefruit League debut next week. The seven-time All-Star threw 43 pitches over two innings of batting practice on Wednesday. Boston manager Alex Cora told reporters that Sale should be cleared to work two to three innings in a game sometime