5:24 PM ET Associated Press OTTAWA, Ontario — Jose Bautista has a new namesake buzzing around. Entomologist Bob Anderson of the Canadian Museum of Nature has dubbed a newly discovered species of beetle Sicoderus bautistai after the former Toronto Blue Jays star. Anderson decided to name the insect — known as a weevil for its
MLB
10:52 PM ET Associated Press TOKYO — Shohei Ohtani says it didn’t take him long to realize he was competing at a much higher level during his first season in Major League Baseball. Ohtani returned to Japan and held a news conference Thursday at the National Press Club, where he spoke at length on his
4:05 PM ET The Cincinnati Reds and right-handed reliever Raisel Iglesias have agreed to a new three-year contract, the team announced Wednesday. Iglesias had 30 saves last season after posting 28 the season before. The deal signs Iglesias through his arbitration-eligible years and runs through the 2021 season. The total value of the deal is
1:10 PM ET Associated Press BALTIMORE — New Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias called upon a familiar face to help rebuild the club, hiring former NASA engineer Sig Mejdal from the Houston Astros to be assistant general manager for analytics. Mejdal will report to Elias and will oversee all aspects of the club’s growing
8:33 AM ET Jackie Robinson is among the most important figures in our nation’s history, because of the change signaled by his Major League Baseball career, and yet he didn’t come close to gaining unanimous election to the Baseball Hall of Fame the year he was voted in. He was left off 36 of 160
12:00 PM ET The Washington Nationals had some of the worst catching production in the big leagues last season, with players at that position combining for just a .209 average, 54 runs and 12 homers. Among would-be contenders, Washington might’ve had the greatest need at the position as this offseason began, and general manager Mike
9:31 AM ET ESPN News Services Manny Machado, on the verge of what could be one of the richest free-agent contracts in baseball history, wants teams to know that he is “the guy who does whatever he can to win for his team” and hopes to clarify his “Johnny Hustle” comment from the postseason. Machado
11:47 PM ET Associated Press MIAMI — The Miami Marlins have designated for assignment infielder-outfielder Derek Dietrich, who had been with the team since 2013. Dietrich is eligible for arbitration after making $2.9 million this year, when he hit .265 with 16 home runs in 149 games while playing mostly in left field. He’s a
10:01 PM ET Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics have acquired right-hander Tanner Anderson from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a player to be named later or cash. Oakland also added outfielders Luis Barrera and Skye Bolt, and right-handers Grant Holmes and James Kaprielian to the 40-man roster on Tuesday. Oakland now has 39
9:03 PM ET Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have designated C.J. Cron for assignment after the slugger hit 30 home runs with an .816 OPS last season. Cron batted .253, slugged .493 and drove in 74 runs in his first season with Tampa Bay, but the Rays cut the 28-year-old