8:13 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Umpire Angel Hernandez, who has sued Major League Baseball over a lack of top assignments, will serve as an interim crew chief this season after a dozen umps decided to sit out amid the coronavirus pandemic. Eight crew chiefs and four other umpires have opted out. The
MLB
8:22 PM ET Marly RiveraESPN Writer Close Marly Rivera is a writer for ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN.com. WASHINGTON — New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday he supports the right of players to express themselves in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Addressing the widespread Black Lives Matter protests on the eve of
7:15 PM ET Mike Trout, initially hesitant about baseball’s plans to stage a season amid the coronavirus pandemic, expressed some optimism with the season opener approaching. “I’m playing,” Trout said Wednesday in a video conference with media two days before his Los Angeles Angels open on the road against the Oakland Athletics. Trout’s wife, Jessica,
7:09 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Marcus Stroman has a torn muscle in his left calf, a major blow to the New York Mets two days before their season opener. The All-Star right-hander was expected to follow two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom in a rotation that already will be without No.
6:36 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Major League Baseball players have the option of wearing a patch with “Black Lives Matter” or “United For Change” on a jersey sleeve on opening day of the pandemic-delayed season. Also, teams have the option of stenciling an inverted MLB logo with “BLM” or “United for Change”
6:11 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — New York Mets hitting coach Chili Davis hasn’t decided if he will rejoin the team at any point this season because of concerns about the coronavirus. The 60-year-old Davis has been working remotely from his Arizona home during the pandemic, doing his best to help Mets hitters
2:36 PM ET With the Toronto Blue Jays yet to receive approval from the state of Pennsylvania to play home games in Pittsburgh, the team is now looking at alternative options, including going to the city of each scheduled opponent and playing as the home team, sources told ESPN’s Buster Olney on Wednesday. The Blue
11:52 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Star outfielder Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers are finalizing a massive 13-year deal worth more than $380 million that would keep the former American League MVP from reaching free agency
1:50 PM ET MLB InsidersESPN The day before the Los Angeles Dodgers open the 2020 season as heavy favorites to win the World Series, they appear to be deep in talks to lock up Mookie Betts for the next decade. Betts and the Dodgers are deep into negotiations on a long-term contract that is expected
9:45 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” The weirdest year in Major League Baseball history starts Thursday night. The game that fancies its season a marathon will engage in an outright sprint during the 2020 MLB season. The sport