5:01 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Fourteen free agents received qualifying offers from their former teams Thursday as Major League Baseball free agency officially began and players were free to sign with any organization. Among those tendered the
MLB
6:43 PM ET Associated Press The Los Angeles Dodgers have declined their $16 million option on two-time All-Star Justin Turner. The team also said Thursday it extended qualifying offers to two All-Stars, shortstop Trea Turner and left-handed pitcher Tyler Anderson. Also not receiving a qualifying offer for the second straight year was Clayton Kershaw. As
8:49 PM ET ESPN News Services SAN DIEGO — Reliever Robert Suarez agreed Thursday to remain with the San Diego Padres under a $46 million, five-year contract, according to multiple reports. The deal, which is pending a physical, was first reported by MLB Network. Suarez can opt out after three years and become a free
12:30 PM ET Tristan H. Cockcroft Baseball has no offseason, as the annual First Pitch Arizona conference, presented annually by Baseball HQ around the beginning of November, attests. “FPAZ”, centered around the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League, gives us not only a good look at some of the upcoming season’s rookie candidates, but also an opportunity
10:17 AM ET The MLBPA announced that Justin Verlander, Mychal Givens, Tommy Pham and Jordan Lyles resolved option decisions in their contracts and are now free agents. Verlander opted out of the last year of his deal with the Houston Astros, which was due to pay him $25 million in 2023. The 39-year-old righty had
11:22 AM ET Associated Press TORONTO — The Blue Jays exercised a $3 million option on reliever Anthony Bass on Thursday rather than pay a $1 million buyout. The 35-year-old right-hander signed a deal last winter with Miami that included a $1 million salary for 2022 plus the option. Bass went 4-3 with a 1.54
8:47 PM ET LAS VEGAS — Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper will have his right elbow examined Monday to determine a course of action, according to the club’s president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. It’s possible surgery could be needed for the two-time National League MVP. Harper, 30, suffered a tear in the ulnar collateral
9:25 PM ET LAS VEGAS — The San Diego Padres, having concluded their march through the postseason, are now clear on the official end to Fernando Tatis Jr.’s suspension — April 20, barring any postponements. But there are other matters to sort through. The first is Tatis’ position. The second, and most important, is his
8:19 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — New AL home run king Aaron Judge and St. Louis slugger Paul Goldschmidt won Hank Aaron Awards on Wednesday that reward the most outstanding offensive performers in each league. Judge and Goldschmidt are both finalists for the Most Valuable Player honors that will be presented next week
7:15 PM ET Associated Press ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves re-acquired left-hander Kolby Allard, their former first-round draft pick, from the Texas Rangers on Wednesday for right-hander Jake Odorizzi and cash. Allard, 25, was Atlanta’s top choice, No. 14 overall, in the 2015 draft. He was 1-2 with a 7.29 ERA in 10 relief appearances