MLB

7:00 AM ET When the rosters of the 20 participants in the 2023 World Baseball Classic were announced last month, our imaginations were captured by some prospective lineups that looked absolutely stacked. While it’ll be decades before we know how many Hall of Famers will be featured in the tournament, which begins next week, we

6:05 PM ET Associated Press The most expensive free agent in Tampa Bay history made a good first impression with the Rays. Zach Eflin struck out three of four Minnesota Twins on Thursday in his first spring training start, a game played at Tropicana Field. The right-hander signed a $40 million, three-year contract during the

8:36 PM ET Associated Press This was a different kind of pitch tipping when Minnesota Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda made only his second spring start in his return from Tommy John surgery two seasons ago. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the PitchCom device catcher Tony Wolters was using was loud enough for Tampa Bay Rays

7:00 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” PHOENIX — In order to become the best pitcher in baseball, Corbin Burnes had to start making his bed. The mundanity of the task is not lost on Burnes. Every fifth day,

8:21 PM ET Associated Press The Kansas City Royals signed veteran Jackie Bradley Jr. to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, where he will have an opportunity to earn playing time in a wide-open outfield. The Royals recently traded incumbent center fielder Michael A. Taylor to Minnesota for pitching prospects, and

9:43 PM ET ESPN News Services The early returns on Major League Baseball’s decision to restrict shifts are promising. Runs and batting average were both up through the first wave of games compared to spring training a year ago. Players were hitting .272 through Feb. 28, with an average of 11.9 runs scored. That’s up

7:00 AM ET Now that we’ve covered the top prospects across baseball for 2023, there’s one question you are probably asking — when will we get to see them in the big leagues? Because of a new rule in the collective bargaining agreement known as the Prospect Promotion Incentive, clubs have even more reason to

6:33 PM ET Associated Press PEORIA, Ariz. — Having signed All-Star slugger Manny Machado for more than another decade, San Diego Padres chairman Peter Seidler was clear with his goal. “We’re here to win a championship and we came reasonably close last year. We believe we have every chance this year.” Seidler said. “Non-conflicted people

9:12 PM ET ESPN News Services Fernando Tatis Jr. on Tuesday played his first game for the San Diego Padres in nearly 17 months. Tatis went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base and scored a run in a 7-5 win over the San Francisco Giants. He was the designated hitter in his first

7:00 AM ET FORT MYERS, Fla. — Carlos Correa had been feeling great — really, he felt spectacular. At the end of a long season, he had been working out without issues, even playing tennis with his sister, as he waited to see how his free agency played out. And so he is the first

11:12 PM ET ESPN News Services Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki, who is dealing with left oblique tightness, withdrew from Japan’s roster for the World Baseball Classic. The Cubs announced Monday night that Suzuki was officially out of the WBC but that additional details about his injury and spring training status would come at

8:57 PM ET ESPN News Services Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow may be forced to miss some time after sustaining an oblique injury during a live spring training batting practice session Monday, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Editor’s Picks 2 Related The right-hander threw about six pitches before leaving the mound with one of

7:00 AM ET Let’s watch some baseball! ESPN kicks off MLB spring training with telecasts of four games over four consecutive days, beginning with Monday’s New York Mets–St. Louis Cardinals contest from Jupiter, Florida. Just to get that blood flowing, let’s check in with a little preview of all four games. Monday: Mets at Cardinals

10:18 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Star third baseman Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres are finalizing an 11-year, $350 million contract extension, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN. Machado, 30, said last week he intended

6:17 PM ET Marly RiveraESPN Writer Close Marly Rivera is a writer for ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN.com. TAMPA, Fla. — “Batting second, in right field, No. 99, Aaron Judge.” Those were the words the reigning American League MVP had been longing to hear. “Hearing your name called for the New York Yankees never gets old, if

12:48 PM ET JUPITER, Fla. — Umpire C.B. Bucknor declined to shake St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol’s hand before an exhibition game here Saturday, according to Marmol, and Major League Baseball is looking into that exchange. Marmol was upset by Bucknor’s response Saturday. “I don’t think he’s good at his job, and it just

7:57 PM ET Toronto All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk has formally withdrawn from the World Baseball Classic, Blue Jays manager John Schneider confirmed on Saturday. Kirk was in line to play for Team Mexico, but his arrival at Blue Jays spring training in Dunedin, Florida, has been delayed while he awaits the birth of a child.

8:43 PM ET Associated Press JUPITER, Fla. — St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said umpire C.B. Bucknor “has zero class” for refusing to shake his hand during the lineup card exchange at home plate before a game against the Washington Nationals on Saturday. Marmol was seeing Bucknor for the first time since being ejected