MLB

10:37 AM ET ESPN staff The World Baseball Classic will feature some of the greatest players MLB has seen in quite some time. Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and more will face off as the global tournament returns for the first time since the pandemic. Then there are the teams where

7:00 AM ET It’s that time of year: The projection systems for the 2023 MLB season have been released and baseball analysts are divulging their secret-sauce prophecies, so let’s dig into the five teams that are most likely to take a step forward and possibly emerge as playoff surprises in 2023. And, yes, no matter

10:20 PM ET Associated Press WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — This was a different kind of pitch for All-Star pitcher Martín Perez, who will be playing for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. Perez sang the Venezuelan national anthem before the team played an exhibition game Wednesday night against the Houston Astros. Editor’s

2:42 PM ET ESPN staff Baseball fans worldwide can rejoice. The World Baseball Classic is back after a six-year hiatus. The tournament begins Wednesday in Taiwan, which is still Tuesday in the United States. This year, 20 teams, an increase from 16 in previous iterations, are vying for a chance to hoist the championship trophy.

7:00 AM ET AS TEAM USA raised the World Baseball Classic trophy in 2017, Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout felt the FOMO wash over him. “It looked like they were having so much fun, making the plays and winning,” said Trout, who was watching on TV from spring training camp in Tempe, Arizona. “That’s

5:37 PM ET ESPN News Services The Cincinnati Reds have reassigned veteran right-hander Chase Anderson to major league camp. It is an indication that Anderson, 35, has a chance to earn an Opening Day roster spot for his 10th big league season. The Reds need to fill two starting rotation slots behind their young trio

5:04 PM ET Lorenzo Cain is hanging up his cleats. The two-time All-Star and former American League Championship Series MVP will officially retire this summer as a Kansas City Royal. “I left it in the hands of my boys,” Cain, father to three boys ages 5 to 8, told The Athletic. “I said, ‘Hey, do

7:00 AM ET The World Baseball Classic is back after a six-year absence — it was originally scheduled for 2021 but postponed due to COVID-19 — and the 2023 version will be bigger and better than ever, featuring more teams and star-studded rosters. The field expands from 16 to 20 teams, including first-time participants Great

9:04 PM ET ESPN News Services New York Yankees star Aaron Judge hit his first homer of the spring — a three-run shot — against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. The reigning American League MVP launched a towering, opposite-field drive just over the right-center wall as part of a six-run second inning. The Yankees went

7:00 AM ET On the first day of live batting practice at Chicago Cubs camp, right-hander Adrian Sampson stood on the mound ready to face his teammates — just as he had done to start preparation for the season in his 11 previous years of professional baseball. But this time, there was a clock hanging

7:00 AM ET It’s World Baseball Classic time! The international baseball tournament is back for the first time since 2017 and features some of baseball’s most stacked lineups maybe … ever. In its fifth edition, the World Baseball Classic will start on March 8, with pool play spanning Japan, Taiwan, Florida and Arizona and featuring

8:35 PM ET ESPN News Services Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen exited Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning with discomfort in his left hand after being hit by a pitch. The Pirates said McCutchen was being examined by the team’s medical staff. He was injured when he was struck on the

4:07 PM ET Associated Press LAS VEGAS — Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper says he will report to spring training on Wednesday as he continues recovering from elbow surgery and then determine when he can return full time. The two-time National League MVP was injured in April and last played right field on April 16

4:43 PM ET Associated Press SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ronnie Gajownik spent her Saturday afternoon as the bench coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. It wasn’t until midgame she realized that was quite remarkable. “It was awesome,” Gajownik said later. “I didn’t realize how big of a moment it was until (pitching coach Brent Strom) told me

5:31 PM ET LAS VEGAS — While the Oakland Athletics mull the possibility of moving to Southern Nevada, Las Vegas baseball officials insist the gaming capital is ready to take on a Major League Baseball franchise. Las Vegas has been home to a Triple-A team since 1983, and currently, the club is the Athletics’ affiliate.

3:24 PM ET Associated Press Boston Red Sox left-hander James Paxton has a Grade 1 strain of his right hamstring and seems unlikely to be on the Opening Day roster, manager Alex Cora said Saturday. Paxton left Friday’s outing — his first in a game in nearly two years — after 1⅔ innings after feeling

1:04 AM ET ESPN News Services PEORIA, Ariz. — Manny Machado, Nelson Cruz and the San Diego Padres expect to be big bashers in the batter’s box this season. On Friday night, they were a big bunch of nothing. Chicago Cubs starter Justin Steele and six relievers combined on baseball’s first spring training no-hitter since

7:00 AM ET One of the things that has distinguished the Los Angeles Dodgers during their decade-long streak of playoff appearances has been their remarkable depth. Plenty of times, the organization has been forced to turn quickly to the next man up to find an alternative. This is how the Dodgers have continued to win,