The Rockies’ faltering offense could soon get a boost with the return of Kris Bryant to the lineup. Manager Bud Black said Friday that Bryant, whom Black called “our best offensive player,” could return from the injured list in time for next weekend’s series against the Twins at Minnesota. “Our hope is that we see Kris in Minnesota,” Black said […]

ESPN MLB insider Author of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” LAST SEPTEMBER, WITH the one-year anniversary of his Tommy John surgery approaching, Justin Verlander wanted to pitch. Even though his rehabilitation wasn’t complete, even though the tendon used to tie together the bones of his elbow still hadn’t morphed into a ligament, […]

ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016. LOS ANGELES — Tyler Anderson’s impressive — and somewhat improbable — no-hit bid fell two outs short Wednesday night, as Shohei Ohtani broke it up with a line-drive triple in the ninth inning of the Los Angeles […]

Right-handed reliever Tyler Kinley had an outside shot of representing the Rockies at next month’s All-Star Game. Now, that dream is gone and his excellent season is very likely over. Kinley, 31, will undergo surgery to repair his damaged right elbow, manager Bud Black said Wednesday. “Tyler is going to undergo a procedure soon,” Black said before the Rockies hosted […]

ARLINGTON, Texas — Houston starter Luis Garcia and reliever Phil Maton each threw an immaculate inning — nine pitches, three strikeouts — after a big opening offensive outburst for the Astros. Martin Maldonado, their 35-year-old veteran catcher, was in the middle of it all. Maldonado had a two-run double in Houston’s six-run first on manager Dusty Baker’s 73rd birthday, later […]

ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft and more, including trades and free agency. Has worked for four MLB teams. I WAS STANDING behind home plate on Feb. 24 at Buford High School in Georgia watching right-hander Dylan Lesko, the best prep pitching prospect in the 2022 MLB Draft, arguably the best prep pitching prospect in […]

Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has informed the Detroit Tigers he won’t rejoin the club at this time for personal matters and has been placed on the restricted list “until further notice,” general manager Al Avila announced in a statement Monday. The left-hander, who signed as a free agent with the Tigers last offseason, has been on the injured list since […]

Boston Red Sox second baseman Trevor Story seeks balance. In the batter’s box, on the diamond, in the clubhouse, and in his personal life. But it’s not easy to find your balance when you’re juggling. Earlier this spring, the former Rockies two-time All-Star signed a six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox, moved to a new city, changed agents, agreed […]

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Not many teams can claim having a no-hitter, posting a franchise-record losing streak, firing a manager and then having a player hit for the cycle in the span of nearly five weeks. Well, the Los Angeles Angels can. Jared Walsh continued one of the wildest spans in franchise history by hitting for the cycle as the Halos […]

ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016. ANAHEIM, Calif. — For Matt Duffy, this all felt far too familiar. It was only 11 months ago that Duffy’s Chicago Cubs lost 11 consecutive games from late June to early July, going from nine games above […]