8:41 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” CHICAGO — New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said Wednesday the team is “not going to be afraid to get into the free-agent market” and suggested the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal would
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6:12 PM ET ESPN News Services The Houston Astros and right-hander Justin Verlander have agreed to a one-year, $25 million contract with a player option for a second season, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday. Verlander won the American League Cy Young Award for Houston in 2019 but made just one appearance during the pandemic-shortened
5:37 PM ET ESPN News Services NEW YORK — First baseman Brandon Belt accepted an $18.4 million qualifying offer from the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday rather than pursue bidders as a free agent. Belt was the only one to accept among the 14 free agents who received the offers from their former clubs on
7:03 PM ET Kevin Cash, who led the cash-strapped Tampa Bay Rays to a second consecutive division title, captured his second consecutive American League Manager of the Year Award on Tuesday. Cash captured 19 of 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Scott Servais of the Seattle Mariners (five), Charlie Montoyo of
6:24 PM ET Gabe Kapler, who guided the San Francisco Giants to a franchise-best 107 victories in his second season, was named National League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Tuesday. Kapler, 46, received 28 of 30 first-place votes. He becomes just the second San Francisco manager to win
7:07 PM ET Associated Press PHILADELPHIA — Fire up the hot dog cannon! The Phillie Phanatic is back in Philadelphia. Not that the mascot largely — large as in that green, furry, bulbous belly — ever really went anywhere. A legal dispute between the Philadelphia Phillies and the mascot’s creator forced the team to give
10:24 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Right-hander Noah Syndergaard and the Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a one-year, $21 million deal, pending a physical, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Syndergaard, 29, spent the first seven seasons of
9:38 AM ET Jose Berrios has reached agreement on a seven-year, $131 million extension with the Toronto Blue Jays, a source told ESPN, confirming multiple reports. The deal is pending a physical. Toronto acquired the 27-year-old right-hander at the trade deadline from the Minnesota Twins, and he went 5-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 12
8:52 AM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians have resolved a lawsuit filed by a local roller derby team over rights to the name Guardians, the final hurdle for the Major League Baseball team to continue its changeover. The sides jointly announced an “amicable resolution” Tuesday, saying both organizations will continue to use
6:21 PM ET Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India has been named the National League Rookie of the Year, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced on Monday. India, 24, appeared in 150 games, compiling an .835 OPS that included 21 home runs. He led all rookies in walks and hit-by-pitches, leading to a .376