PHILADELPHIA — Years ago, before John Middleton became the face of the Phillies’ ownership group, Jimmy Rollins equated him with George Steinbrenner. It’s a comparison that Middleton never minded. Because the late Yankees owner was notoriously obsessed with winning, a trait that is admirable to a former college wrestler-turned-billionaire ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Former Dodgers star Yasiel Puig has withdrawn from an agreement to plead guilty to a charge of lying to federal investigators in a sports betting probe and has changed his plea to not guilty, his representatives said Wednesday.

"I want to clear my name," Puig said in a statement. "I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Aaron Judge watch is expected to kick into high gear with the start of the MLB Winter Meetings on Sunday.

And the Bombers don’t plan to go down without a fight.

The Yankees have an offer to Judge on the table that is around eight years and $300 million, according to ESPN. This would make him the highest-paid position player ...Read more

Barry Bonds was kept out of Cooperstown via the traditional route, but the Hall of Fame’s doors haven’t completely shut on baseball’s controversial home run king.

Bonds’ hotly debated candidacy is back on the table this week, a year after coming up short of the necessary 75% in his 10th and final year of eligibility on the writers’ ...Read more

Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf thanked José Abreu and praised the former first baseman’s legacy with the team.

The 2020 American League Most Valuable Player signed a three-year deal with the Houston Astros Monday after spending his first nine seasons with the Sox.

“José Abreu deservedly belongs among the roster of White Sox ...Read more

José Abreu surely knew he was gone on the final day of the 2022 season when he opted to sit and watch the last game of his Chicago White Sox career from the dugout.

Abreu issued a statement through White Sox public relations that morning, explaining he asked interim manager Miguel Cairo for the day off “to enjoy this game with him and have...Read more

The big dominoes have yet to fall, but with MLB winter meetings less than a week away, we might finally see more hot stove movement.

This is the first offseason we could categorize as somewhat normal since 2019. Winter meetings were canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and last year they were canceled because of the lockout. As a ...Read more

For 15 years, Joe Pohlad has worked in a variety of departments for the Minnesota Twins, from baseball operations to marketing. Now he's in charge of all of them.

Jim Pohlad, who as Twins chairman had run the franchise since the death of his father, Carl, in 2009, on Monday informed team employees that he is stepping away from the day-to-day ...Read more

José Abreu doubled on the first pitch of his first at-bat with the Chicago White Sox on March 31, 2014, against the Minnesota Twins.

“That pitch was right there, so I have to take advantage of it,” Abreu told reporters through an interpreter after the game.

The first baseman has been a consistent offensive force ever since.

The 2020 ...Read more

The 2022 winter meetings convene next Sunday in San Diego, where eight years ago the Chicago Cubs signed Jon Lester in what is considered the most important free-agent signing in franchise history.

Not to put any pressure on team President Jed Hoyer — who was then serving as general manager and best supporting actor to Theo Epstein — but it...Read more

The 2022 Chicago White Sox had one of baseball’s top starters in Dylan Cease and one of the game’s best relievers in Liam Hendriks. But inconsistency and injuries affected the rotation and bullpen as a whole.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal will look to rebound after career lows in hitting (.202), on-base percentage (.301) and slugging (.269).

...Read more

The Chicago White Sox may be turning to a familiar foe to fill an opening in their rotation, reportedly agreeing to a contract with free-agent starter Mike Clevinger.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed in the report Sunday by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported the contract is for one guaranteed year, ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The news that the Phillies are planning to be without Bryce Harper until after the All-Star Break brings some clarity and some confusion to their offseason.

The clarity lies in what we’ve seen so far. Dave Dombrowski has likely known for a long time that there was a strong chance he’d be without his MVP for a big chunk of ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — It’s awfully tough at this point to accuse the Pirates of ignoring first base, a disastrously deficient position for them in 2022. What they did Friday also makes a ton of sense from a team identity and leadership standpoint.

By signing Carlos Santana to a one-year free agent deal worth $6.725 million (pending a physical), the ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — The Padres have a solution at first base. Just slide the kid over there.

Yes, I mean Fernando Tatis Jr.

First base is the best spot for both Tatis and the Padres in 2023.

We'd see amazing defense with less risk of injury.

Tatis would cover a whole zip code.

Scoops? He's a shortstop by trade. High throws? He's a springy, 6-foot...Read more

LOS ANGELES —Attorneys for former Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, who was expected to plead guilty Wednesday to lying to federal authorities investigating an illegal sports-gambling ring, now say they are exploring a possible defense.

Puig was joined by his attorneys, Keri Axel and Jose Nuno, and his agent, Lisette Carnet, Wednesday at the U...Read more

Following the Giants’ marathon meeting with Aaron Judge on Tuesday, the slugger’s free agency is reportedly already nearing its final stages.

San Francisco, thought to be possibly the only team that could lure him away from the Yankees, is expected to make Judge an offer “within the week,” insider Jon Morosi reported Wednesday morning ...Read more