12:04 AM ET The most straightforward way to consider the Yankees‘ landmark signing of free-agent ace Gerrit Cole is this: New York now has baseball’s best pitcher and the Houston Astros do not. When you consider that the Yankees’ inability to translate regular-season dominance into a pennant over the past three years is largely a
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1:52 AM ET SAN DIEGO — Gerrit Cole was the top free-agent starter this winter, and was courted by multiple large-market contenders, but I don’t think anyone forecasted a record-setting, nine-year, $324 million deal, the longest deal and the highest average annual value (AAV) ever given to a pitcher. Cole is a clear No. 1
1:11 AM ET The Chicago White Sox have acquired outfielder Nomar Mazara from the Texas Rangers for outfield prospect Steele Walker, the teams announced Tuesday. Mazara, 24, has played four seasons for the Rangers, hitting a career-best .268 in 2019 with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs. The left-handed hitter had 20 homers in each
7:05 AM ET Sam MillerESPN.com Close ESPN baseball columnist/feature writerFormer editor-in-chief of Baseball ProspectusCo-author of “The Only Rule Is It Has To Work” Early this past season, Lance Lynn was wearing his fourth uniform in less than two years, and his pitching was a mess. On May 4, he walked five batters and struck out
10:42 PM ET Former Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star outfielder Adam Jones has agreed to a contract with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan, he announced Tuesday on social media. The deal is for two years and worth $8 million guaranteed, with a club option for a third year, a source told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
10:00 PM ET SAN DIEGO — Before he was asked a question, Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch addressed a throng of gathered media at the baseball winter meetings, saying that he could not comment on matters related to the sign-stealing scandal that has enveloped his team. He admitted that he knew the questions would come
8:45 PM ET With the money and contract lengths we’ve seen this winter, it’s dead shocking to me that Didi Gregorius, a 4-win player (via WAR) in both 2017 and 2018 who struggled last year coming off Tommy John surgery, ended up with a one-year, $14 million deal that pays him like he’s half the
6:21 PM ET SAN DIEGO — The Los Angeles Angels have traded veteran infielder Zack Cozart to the San Francisco Giants to shave nearly $13 million off their 2020 payroll, a savings they could use towards their pursuit of star free agents. The Giants are paying the entirety of Cozart’s upcoming $12.67 million salary to
5:53 PM ET The San Francisco Giants have signed free agent pitcher Kevin Gausman to a one-year deal, the team announced Tuesday. He will receive a $9 million contract, a source told ESPN’s Buster Olney. Gausman, a 28-year-old right-hander, was 3-9 with a 5.72 ERA in 31 games (17 starts) last season for the Atlanta
5:49 PM ET The Philadelphia Phillies have reached agreement with former New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius on a one-year deal, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Buster Olney. Gregorius, who turns 30 in February, came back from Tommy John surgery in early June and hit .238 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 82 games.