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,
MLB
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
6:41 PM ET SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — Scott Boras, who represents most of this offseason’s elite free agents, predicted Wednesday that the recent MLB freeze on free agency could thaw sooner rather than later. “Clubs are wanting meetings and wanting to get in front of the players,” Boras said from the general managers meetings. “They’re all
6:19 PM ET New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom was named the NL Cy Young Award winner Wednesday, receiving 29 of 30 first-place votes. He becomes the seventh NL pitcher all-time to win the award at least two years in a row. Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu received the one remaining first-place vote. DeGrom joins Randy
9:03 AM ET Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza has agreed to manage the Italian baseball team, he announced in a tweet Wednesday. Piazza said he will manage the team for the 2020 European Baseball Championship and the 2021 World Baseball Classic. Excited to announce I have reached an agreement to manage the Italian National
8:00 AM ET With free agency underway, the offseason is going to pick up steam. What are the big questions facing all 30 teams? We now turn to the NL West, where the Dodgers have a streak of consecutive titles going while the rest of the division ponders how to catch them. 2019 record: 106-562020
10:29 PM ET ESPN News Services The San Francisco Giants announced Tuesday that they’ve hired Gabe Kapler as their new manager. Kapler replaces Bruce Bochy, who retired after the season. Kapler worked with Farhan Zaidi, the Giants’ head of baseball operations, when both were with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Joe Espada, the Astros bench coach,
9:28 PM ET The Houston Astros announced Tuesday that they’ve opened an investigation after former Astro Mike Fiers told The Athletic the team used a camera in center field to steal signs and immediately communicate that information to its hitters, violating baseball rules. This has overshadowed other breaking news: • Pete Rose declared that he’s