12:06 PM ET The Tampa Bay Rays placed designated hitter Nelson Cruz on the COVID-19 injured list Sunday. It is not clear whether Cruz tested positive for the virus or if he was placed on the COVID-19 IL because he was a close contact. Cruz, acquired by the Rays from the Minnesota Twins before the
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7:30 AM ET Shohei Ohtani is a wonder. My MLB career spanned the heart of the steroid era in baseball. Its noxious cloud still makes us question today’s players and their motives, and tantalizes any performer to consider modern shortcuts to gain an edge. But the most damage it did might be in robbing us
4:25 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Francisco Lindor says first-year New York Mets owner Steve Cohen was right to criticize his hitting in a tweet this week. Cohen tweeted Wednesday about his struggling ballclub that “it’s hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive.” The Mets have lost seven of eight
3:58 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — Mike Trout says he is still aiming to return to the Los Angeles Angels‘ lineup this season despite a lengthy and frustrating recovery from a calf injury that has sidelined him since May 17. The three-time American League MVP said Saturday before a game in Cleveland that he
9:11 PM ET Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — The Athletics are proceeding with “parallel paths” planning new ballparks in Oakland and Las Vegas, determined to find the best fit and relocate if the club can’t secure what it wants along the downtown waterfront Howard Terminal site. Team president Dave Kaval is planning another trip to
6:26 PM ET Associated Press There will be more major league magic at the Field of Dreams site when the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs travel to Dyersville, Iowa, for a game next season. The Reds and Cubs will play a regular-season game on Aug. 11, 2022, at a temporary venue built next to the
3:56 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is purchasing a stake in the Milwaukee Brewers, sources tell ESPN. Antetokounmpo is following the model of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes: small-market star investing in
7:00 AM ET This season’s seven City Connect uniforms were polarizing among fans, but Major League Baseball considers them a success. The Nike alternates, according to league officials, are not only here to stay — there will be 23 others by the end of 2023 — they are helping to set the stage for even
2:36 PM ET A woman has been denied a permanent restraining order against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer after she accused him of domestic violence and sexual assault. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled against the 27-year-old woman’s request Thursday, and the temporary restraining order against Bauer has been dissolved. The woman
7:00 AM ET We’re more than halfway through August, and teams are making a statement in the MLB playoff races ahead of the final stretch. Have the Yankees surpassed the Red Sox in our rankings? Are the surging Braves finally in the top 10? Who’s on top in the seemingly eternal battle between the Dodgers
10:47 PM ET ESPN News Services DETROIT — Shohei Ohtani hit his 40th homer and pitched eight sharp innings, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers 3-1 on Wednesday night. The crowd of 27,282 was hoping to see Cabrera hit his 500th career homer, but the slugger went 1 for
6:55 AM ET Every year, Little League World Series officials interview the players, asking biographical questions, including their favorite food, book, TV show, athlete and so on. Here’s what the kids offered in 2019, the last time the LLWS was held: Best names Harrison Ford (“It’s a little annoying being asked all the time about
7:00 AM ET MY FIRST VISIT to the ludicrously charming town of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the Little League World Series, came in 2015, an assignment several colleagues guaranteed would be a career highlight, which it was, and so much more. One of the many wonderful traditions at the LLWS is to slide down The
11:50 PM ET Look, you never want to overreact too much to one game in baseball – or in this case, two games in one day – but after watching the New York Yankees sweep the Boston Red Sox in a doubleheader on Tuesday and pass Boston by percentage points in the standings, the obvious
8:28 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — An attorney for Trevor Bauer asked a woman Tuesday why she left out “dozens of key facts” in her petition for a five-year restraining order against the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher. “I don’t know,” answered the woman, who testified that Bauer choked her until she was unconscious
11:59 PM ET LOS ANGELES — As she sat on the witness stand, the woman accusing Trevor Bauer of domestic violence and sexual assault pulled her hair around her neck to show a judge how she alleges the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher strangled her unconscious. It was one of several emotional moments that took place
7:00 AM ET Editor’s note: From rising strikeout totals and unwritten-rules debates to connecting with a new generation of fans and a looming labor battle, baseball is at a crossroads. As MLB faces these challenges, we are embarking on a season-long look at The State of Baseball, examining the issues and storylines that will determine
5:49 PM ET ESPN News Services The San Diego Padres, in need of pitching reinforcements as they try to hang on to their wild-card lead, have signed right-hander Jake Arrieta to a minor league contract. Arrieta, 35, is expected to be added to the major league roster on Wednesday to make a start against the