Baseball fans tired of line drives dying in the glove of a fielder positioned halfway to the next area code, take heart: The first step toward banning the shift will be taken this spring.  Major League Baseball on Thursday announced a bevy of experimental rule changes that will be test-driven in the minor leagues this year, with the most notable […]

Previously a Staff Writer at Bleacher Report Cornell University graduate The New York Mets are hoping that positive thinking can manifest their dreams of a World Series title. On a Wednesday with no spring training games on the calendar, the Mets set up a drill called the 27-outs game, which requires a team to record 27 outs without making an […]

For Rockies fans, Jameson Hannah was a complete unknown coming into spring training as a non-roster invitee. But it’s only taken him playing five exhibition games to change that. The 23-year old center fielder, acquired by trade with the Reds in November, has quickly put himself on the franchise radar with his Cactus League performance. Hannah is 3-for-4 with 4 […]

Rockies 8, Angels 2 (7 innings) Saturday at Tempe Diablo Stadium On the mound: Right-hander Dereck Rodríguez, son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodríguez, was tagged for a home run for the second time in two Cactus League starts with the Rockies. The former Giants pitcher went three innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits with two […]

Right-handed pitcher Jake Odorizzi, a 2019 All-Star, has agreed to a two-year contract with the Houston Astros, USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale has confirmed. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal has not been finalized. ESPN was the first to report the deal. Terms have not been disclosed.  The deal comes with a player option for […]

Major League Baseball on Friday suspended free agent reliever Sam Dyson for the entire 2021 season, the longest penalty under the league’s domestic violence policy.   Dyson, 31, has not pitched since September 2019, when, as a member of the Minnesota Twins, he underwent shoulder surgery that was expected to sideline him at least year. MLB began its investigation of […]

New York Mets president Sandy Alderson says that he is emphasizing offense over defense but that Kevin Pillar and Albert Almora Jr. were brought in to help with their gloves. “While some of our players aren’t defensive geniuses, we think that the overall blend that we have is pretty good,” Alderson said during an interview on the ESPN telecast of […]

The Houston Astros are without eight pitchers at their spring training camp after they were sent home due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, manager Dusty Baker said Friday. General manager James Click would not say whether any players had tested positive, but Baker said pitchers Bryan Abreu, Luis Garcia, Ronel Blanco, Cristian Javier, Pedro Baez, Enoli Paredes, Francis Martes […]

Joined ESPN in 2016 to cover the Los Angeles Rams Previously covered the Angels for MLB.com THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS spent $100 million to renovate Dodger Stadium ahead of the 2020 season, an ambitious undertaking that modified most of the infrastructure in an effort to modernize baseball’s third-oldest ballpark. “Irony of ironies,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said. “After […]

The Rockies have a number of fleet-footed ballplayers, including shortstop Trevor Story and outfielders Garrett Hampson, Raimel Tapia and Sam Hilliard. The Rockies hope that speed will boost what’s been an anemic offense. Infielder Brendan Rodgers isn’t quite as fast, but he made a bold prediction Thursday. “My goal is 20 bags. You heard it here first,” Rodgers said after […]