1:48 PM ET The Los Angeles Dodgers are causing oddsmakers to post numbers that the betting market hasn’t seen since the New York Yankees‘ dynasty of the late 1990s. Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill on Thursday opened the Dodgers’ 2021 season-win total at 104.5. That’s tied with the 1999 Yankees for the highest win total
MLB
3:20 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — Cleveland Indians ace Shane Bieber tested positive for COVID-19, delaying the American League Cy Young winner’s arrival at training camp. President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Thursday that Bieber has dealt with only very mild symptoms from the virus. Antonetti anticipates that Bieber, who had been working
2:16 PM ET J.T. Realmuto‘s second chapter with the Philadelphia Phillies is off to a rocky start. The catcher broke the thumb on his throwing hand and is expected to miss about a month, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The team expects him to be ready for Opening Day, but he will miss a chunk
5:24 PM ET Associated Press Mike Soroka isn’t considering a cautious approach to his comeback from a torn Achilles tendon after throwing on the opening day of the Atlanta Braves‘ spring training. “Really, on the mound I am ready to compete,” Soroka said, adding, “I feel amazing.” Soroka was the Braves’ 2020 Opening Day starter
4:57 PM ET DENVER — Kyle Freeland sees the prevailing theory out there: All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado traded away, the Colorado Rockies instantly written off. That sort of narrative just provides even more incentive for the left-hander and his teammates. “We haven’t even played a spring training game … and people are already counting
2:09 PM ET The names Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Wayne Gretzky were brought up in a question about superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. on Thursday morning, hours after news spread about his mega-extension with the San Diego Padres. Manager Jayce Tingler welcomed it. “That’s a definite,” Tingler said when asked whether Tatis was on
1:12 PM ET Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS — Former Minnesota second baseman Brian Dozier has retired after nine years in the major leagues and 167 career home runs, the Twins announced on Thursday. Dozier played his first seven seasons for the Twins, who traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers right before the deadline in 2018.
12:31 PM ET Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale knows he’s not going to be back until well into the 2021 season, but a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the 31-year-old is glad to be back on schedule to help contribute to his team. “I feel great now,” Sale said Thursday. “The silver lining
12:26 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Baseball’s minor leagues will shift to regionalized six-game series with a common off day in a move that cuts scheduled travel mileage by 28-56% and reduces expenses in their first season of operations under Major League Baseball. MLB reduced affiliated farm teams to 120 from 160 in
12:02 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — – The Indians are bringing back reliable and crafty reliever Oliver Pérez. The 39-year-old agreed Thursday to a minor league deal with Cleveland, which also invited the left-hander to big league training camp. Pérez. has spent the past three seasons with the Indians, appearing in 139 games. The