Jan 27, 2023 Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Reliever Pete Fairbanks has signed a three-year, $12 million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Rays that includes a club option for a fourth season, it was announced Friday. Fairbanks, 29, was
MLB
4:04 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” National League batting champion Jeff McNeil and the New York Mets agreed Friday to a four-year, $50 million contract extension, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN, ensuring one of the team’s
7:00 AM ET We’re calling these lineup rankings “way-too-early” — and while that might well be true, maybe it’s not. At this point of the winter, teams across MLB have largely completed their heavy lifting. We do still have a few free agents out there and some trades have continued to trickle in, but we
7:35 PM ET Associated Press Ray Herbert, a 1962 All-Star Game winning pitcher who threw batting practice for his hometown Detroit Tigers for decades after retiring, died peacefully in Plymouth, Michigan, five days after his 93rd birthday. Herbert started his big league career with Detroit in 1950 and pitched for four teams over 14 seasons.
Jan 26, 2023 Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” The Houston Astros named Dana Brown their new general manager Thursday, choosing the longtime scouting executive to shepherd the team after it let go of former GM James Click, the architect of
3:33 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” The Baltimore Orioles acquired left-hander Cole Irvin from the Oakland Athletics on Thursday, bolstering their rotation as they look to take a step forward in the ultracompetitive American League East. Irvin, who
7:00 AM ET Baseball eras come and go faster than you think. The game you remember as a child is played differently than the one you are now enjoying as an adult. It’s not unrecognizable but it has changed. That’s true now, and it’s probably always been true. The game is played much differently now
7:00 AM ET Congrats to Scott Rolen, who will join Fred McGriff on induction day in Cooperstown, New York, this July as the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rolen made electoral history with his selection: He now has the lowest first-year vote percentage — just 10.2% — of any player to eventually
The 2023 Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote is in — and Scott Rolen is the newest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He joins Fred McGriff, who was elected in December via the inaugural contemporary baseball era committee. ESPN MLB experts Buster Olney, Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez and Jesse Rogers examine the 2023
7:00 AM ET Bradford Doolittle Close Bradford Doolittle ESPN Staff Writer Sports reporter, Kansas City Star, 2002-09 Writer, Baseball, Baseball Prospectus Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus Member, Baseball Writers Association of America Member, Professional Basketball Writers Association David Schoenfield Close David Schoenfield ESPN Senior Writer Covers MLB for ESPN.com Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been
6:27 PM ET Scott Rolen has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, sneaking over the threshold by the narrowest of margins. Rolen, one of the game’s great third basemen, was named on 76.3% of ballots cast in his sixth year of eligibility to earn enshrinement. Just missing was former Rockies first baseman Todd
3:22 PM ET Mike Clevinger, a starting pitcher who signed with the Chicago White Sox earlier this offseason, is under investigation for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy, a source told ESPN on Tuesday, confirming an initial report by The Athletic. The investigation stems from allegations made by a woman, Olivia Finestead, who accused
7:00 AM ET The Baseball Hall of Fame could see a new addition by the end of the night, when the results of the Baseball Writers Association of America balloting are revealed at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network. All 28 former players — 14 returnees and 14 newcomers — on this year’s ballot are
7:21 PM ET Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins acquired veteran Michael A. Taylor from the Kansas City Royals on Monday night, adding depth and defense to their outfield in exchange for two relief pitching prospects. The 31-year-old Taylor batted .254 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 414 at-bats last season for
4:25 PM ET Associated Press CHICAGO — When Chicago Cubs manager David Ross spoke with Trey Mancini about joining the team, the skipper mentioned playing first base, designated hitter and the corner outfield spots. For Mancini, the playing part was the key message. “I told him: ‘I don’t care where I play at all. I
8:00 AM ET What Carlos Correa would have added to the Mets, an NL East evaluator said the other day as he mused over what Might Have Been, was a great competitive arrogance. Correa is an extremely self-assured performer with 79 postseason games of experience, operating with an apparent assumption that he will find a
5:19 PM ET Associated Press ATLANTA — The Braves‘ commitment to giving Vaughn Grissom a chance to win the starting job at shortstop can’t be questioned. The Braves, who must replace Dansby Swanson, first scheduled Grissom for three offseason visits with third-base coach Ron Washington for intense fielding drills, each lasting at least one week.
Jan 20, 2023 Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” The Marlins and Twins executed a long-rumored trade Friday, with American League batting champion Luis Arraez heading to Miami for right-hander Pablo Lopez and a pair of prospects, it was announced. The