7:00 AM ET On the first day of spring training, Terry Francona called for a meeting with Jose Ramirez. That conversation between a manager and his star third baseman, way back in March, would set the tone for the surprising success of the youngest team in baseball — a Cleveland Guardians club that is on
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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” WHEN MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS died in September 2021, members of the Baltimore Orioles creative content team vowed to find a way to pay homage to the actor who had brought to life
1:11 AM ET ESPN News Services After Aaron Judge fell a few feet short of a record-tying 61st homer, New York Yankees fans received the best possible consolation prize on Thursday when Josh Donaldson delivered a 10th-inning single to clinch the team’s sixth straight playoff berth. With pinch-runner Marwin Gonzalez at second as the automatic
9:59 PM ET Associated Press CINCINNATI — Kolten Wong hit a career-high three homers and drove in five runs, helping Brandon Woodruff and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-1 on Thursday night. Wong hit a two-run drive in the second inning against Hunter Greene. He hit another two-run shot in the sixth off
8:36 PM ET Associated Press PHILADELPHIA — The Atlanta Braves scratched Ronald Acuña Jr. on Thursday night because of back tightness. There was no other word from the Braves on the severity of the injury or a potential timeline for his return. The 24-year-old Acuña had started Atlanta’s previous 19 games. The three-time All-Star has
9:26 PM ET Associated Press BALTIMORE — Even before he arrived at Camden Yards as a member of the road team, this visit was already different for Trey Mancini. “I rode the bus for the first time ever here,” he said. “Got dropped off down here, rather than parking in the parking lot.” Mancini played
6:23 PM ET The Los Angeles Dodgers are picking up right-hander Daniel Hudson‘s $6.5 million option for the 2023 season, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Thursday. The 35-year-old Hudson suffered a season-ending torn left ACL in June when his knee buckled while reacting to a ground ball. The team’s top setup reliever had five
4:48 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Zack Britton prepared to walk out to the bullpen for his first major league game in 13 months. He was hoping Aaron Judge would send home run No. 61 into the New York Yankees bullpen in right-center. “I’m thinking if I catch the next one or something,
4:52 PM ET Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — Seattle Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez left Thursday’s game at Oakland with lower back tightness and will get an MRI on Friday. Rodriguez doubled and scored in the top of the first as the Mariners rolled to a 9-5 victory. The center fielder walked off the field slowly
6:28 AM ET ESPN News Services OAKLAND, Calif. — Veteran Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt will retire after 10 major league seasons and a long, patient road to break into the big leagues at age 27. Not to mention a nearly 15-month wait to finally get his first hit. Vogt endured an 0-for-32 hitless streak to