BRADENTON, Fla. -- The directive has never made sense to Clay Holmes. Throughout his professional career, coaches have pleaded with Holmes to think less and rely more on his physical abilities. Pick a spot, they'd tell the Pirates' 6-foot-5 reliever with a power sinker, and fire.

That approach never resonated with Holmes because he likes to ...Read more

Here are four takeaways from Cubs spring training Sunday:

1. Yu Darvish could start the season opener.

The Cubs rotation is lining up in a manner that could lead to Yu Darvish starting the March 26 opener against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

Darvish will throw live batting practice Monday before making his Cactus League debut later this week. ...Read more

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- As Major League Baseball tries anything and everything it can think of to improve and/or speed up the game, the use of a robotic strike zone could be next.

This spring MLB will test a system in which pitches are tracked electronically, with the call being relayed to the home plate umpire, who then gives the signal. In short, ...Read more

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Nick Madrigal stood in the box.

Dallas Keuchel stood on the mound.

Every opportunity during the spring is a chance to grow. A chance to learn. And there was no better time for the White Sox prospect to gain experience against top competition than Friday against the 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner.

"I've been ...Read more

PEORIA, Ariz. -- "You understood what I was saying, right?"

A few hours after he met with the media on his first day back in Mariners camp, Dee Gordon wanted to make sure his words weren't misconstrued.

Gordon had referenced Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard's do-it-all, me-against-the-world mindset and the "trash team" he ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- When naming the left-handed options for his bullpen this season Saturday morning, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts listed three: Caleb Ferguson, Scott Alexander and Adam Kolarek. One notable name not mentioned was Julio Urias.

That's because the Dodgers plan on having Urias, nearly four years removed from his hyped debut and after an...Read more

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- First basemen are known to have some of the most interesting conversations on the baseball field, but their creativity seems to disappear when Billy Hamilton stands alongside them.

Hamilton said they all give him the same line.

"When are you going? Which pitch are you going to go on. I'm like, I don't know yet," Hamilton ...Read more

MESA, Ariz. -- David Ross first saw Yu Darvish up close on May 5, 2013, when the light-hitting Red Sox catcher homered off the once-stoic Rangers pitcher.

More than five years later, Ross noticed a change in Darvish, now with the Cubs, from team President Theo Epstein's suite at Wrigley Field.

After Darvish struck out the Reds' Yasiel Puig to ...Read more

And now for something completely predictable.

A's pitcher Mike Fiers, who blew the whistle on the Houston Astros' elaborate and egregious sign-stealing scandal, has received death threats.

The cheating dated back to 2017, which would have encompassed two Astros World Series appearances, including the only World Series championship in the 57-...Read more

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- J.T. Realmuto did not yet know the result of his arbitration case when he stood Thursday afternoon inside a batting cage underneath Spectrum Field. Less than 24 hours earlier, Realmuto and his agent, Jeff Berry, had argued in Arizona against the Phillies, fighting what proved to be a losing battle to earn the catcher a record...Read more

MESA, Ariz. -- Retribution in the wake of the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal is expected to be handed out in the form of beanballs and brushbacks.

But Astros batters might not be the only ones with a target on their backs this season.

Outfielder Mark Canha is one of several A's players who say they are concerned Oakland players will be ...Read more