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Tigers reach deal to bring back pitcher Jack Flaherty
DETROIT — Sometimes where there’s smoke, there’s actual fire.
There have been rumblings the last couple of weeks that right-handed free agent starter Jack Flaherty and the Tigers were moving toward a reunion.
Sure enough, a source familiar with the negotiations confirmed to The Detroit News on Sunday that that the Tigers and 29-year-old ...Read more

Bill Shaikin: In San Diego, an ownership dispute tests the belief of a great Padres fan base
SAN DIEGO — In 2009, as the couple that owned the Dodgers announced their separation, the attorney for Frank McCourt said he did not anticipate a legal battle over the team. The attorney said documents would prove the Dodgers were owned solely by McCourt, not jointly by the couple, and said there was "not a chance" the team would be put up for...Read more

John Romano: Stuart Sternberg could sell the Rays, but it may not be a quick resolution
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tropicana Field may not have a roof, but Tampa Bay does have rumors.
Do you like the one about Stuart Sternberg selling the team, or the one about a new stadium plan in Tampa? Should we discuss the hard-to-believe whispers that the Seminole Tribe is interested in baseball, or the aptly named group of Dreamers in Orlando...Read more

Bill Madden: The free-spending Dodgers have spooked the rest of baseball
NEW YORK — In his continuing frustration at getting the Mets to go beyond three years for Pete Alonso, or anybody to pony up $200 million for Alex Bregman, here’s a sudden thought for Scott Boras: How about ringing up the Dodgers? They’re signing everyone this offseason, even if they don’t need them.
OK, we jest ... sort of. Boras, of ...Read more

Tom Krasovic: As Padres, Michael King agree to terms, attention turns to Dylan Cease
SAN DIEGO — A.J. Preller is finding traction amid a low-transaction offseason that seems to have been complicated by a budget crunch.
Start with Friday’s breakthrough: the arbitration-avoiding, one-year contract reached between Preller and Padres co-ace Michael King.
The one-year, $7.75-million deal averted a contentious hearing. The two ...Read more

Rickey Henderson's love affair with Oakland a big part in celebrating his life
OAKLAND, Calif. — The life of Rickey Henderson was saluted Saturday at the Oakland Arena.
It was part celebration of life, part spiritual revival, part memorial service. Mostly, it was Oakland through and through.
As former NBA star and Oakland native Gary Payton said as he stood at the podium and pointed back to a picture of Henderson ...Read more

Matt Calkins: If Mariners' roster is set now, it's hard to say they got any better
SEATTLE — The thing is, the Mariners could still end up being a playoff team. They could even be a division winner. And given the pitching staff and nature of baseball — where the most dominant teams aren't always hoisting trophies by season's end — a deep postseason run is in play, too.
Offensively anemic as this team was last year, and ...Read more

Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani on track for Dodgers opener. What about Kiké Hernández?
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers fans got their first look at the club's star-studded 2025 team on Saturday, at an annual DodgerFest fan event at Dodger Stadium.
And based on the seemingly endless line of cars pulling into Chavez Ravine, the cheers that echoed around the stadium's parking lot celebration (held there with the ballpark itself still under ...Read more

Former Phillies general manager Ed Wade became a novelist to fill the void after leaving baseball
PHILADELPHIA — Ed Wade spent the days leading to Christmas making trades, signing free agents and manicuring the Phillies roster as the team’s new general manager.
The 1997 season had ended weeks earlier, and 1998’s opening day was still months away. It was baseball’s offseason, but the general manager was not off. There was always a ...Read more

Padres, Michael King agree on contract for 2025 season
SAN DIEGO — The Padres and starting pitcher Michael King have agreed to terms on a one-year contract.
The deal includes a $3 million signing bonus and a $1 million salary for 2025 plus a $15 million mutual option for 2026 with a substantial buyout.
King is guaranteed $7.75 million, including a $3.75 million buyout if the mutual option is not...Read more

Bill Shaikin: For Korea's baseball champions, it's time for spring training. In Irvine, Calif.
IRVINE, Calif. — Baseball comes back to life every year on the back fields, during those peaceful mornings between the time pitchers and catchers report and the time exhibition games begin.
The rhythms of these practice fields are comforting and familiar: pitchers cover first base, infielders take ground balls, hitters take swings off an ...Read more

Veteran Max Scherzer agrees to 1-year, $15.5 million deal with Blue Jays: reports
NEW YORK — Mad Max is giving it another go.
Max Scherzer has agreed to a one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to multiple reports. The three-time Cy Young Award winner spent last season with the Texas Rangers, however, a shoulder injury cut his season to nine starts.
The right-hander was still somewhat effective...Read more

CBS morning show praises Royals for providing free admission to Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Royals got a shout-out from a “CBS Mornings” anchor on Wednesday for their support of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
In the month of February, the Royals and their charitable foundation will cover the cost of admission for anyone who wants to visit the museum. That’s in honor of Black History Month.
This will...Read more

Tom Krasovic: What parity? Baseball continues to reward biggest markets, while NFL gives little guys a fighting chance.
SAN DIEGO — The recent massive spending by the big-market Dodgers and Mets and the ensuing criticism of Major League Baseball’s economic system has led some bright folks to recycle a familiar defense that, as far it goes, isn’t wrong.
Call it the Trophy Argument.
The World Series trophy, these folks point out, seldom goes to the team ...Read more

Royals sign closer Carlos Estévez: report
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals have reportedly added to their bullpen. On Wednesday, the Royals agreed to a free-agent deal with right-handed reliever Carlos Estévez.
Estévez, 32, posted a 2.45 ERA with 26 saves in 2024. He registered a 2.1 WAR (wins above replacement) and 50 strikeouts in 55 innings with the Los Angeles Angels ...Read more

Dodgers avoid arbitration and agree on a deal with left-hander Alex Vesia
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers won't have an arbitration hearing after all this offseason.
The team agreed to terms with reliever Alex Vesia on Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly, settling on a contract with the last arbitration-eligible player on its roster.
Vesia's deal will ...Read more

Paul Sullivan: Cubs couldn't compete with Dodgers in offseason. Will it be different on the field?
CHICAGO — When Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Entertainment Group bought the Los Angeles Dodgers from the O’Malley family back in 1998, I asked Chicago Cubs President Andy MacPhail during spring training whether having Fox as an owner was good for baseball.
MacPhail hesitated before giving an ambiguous response, suggesting the economic trends in ...Read more

Rays, former Gold Glove winner agree to 2-year deal
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays made a bold move Wednesday to improve their lineup, striking a two-year, $29 million deal with Korean infielder Ha-Seong Kim.
The 29-year-old is recovering from right shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready sometime in May.
The deal, contingent on a physical, will pay Kim a team-high $13 million...Read more

Dodgers agree to a deal with reliever Kirby Yates
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers' latest offseason addition is complete.
On Tuesday night, the team agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract with veteran right-handed reliever Kirby Yates, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly. The signing came a week after news emerged the Dodgers and Yates were in...Read more

Rays' Junior Caminero delivers epic homer -- and trot -- in winter finale
TAMPA, Fla. — Playing this winter for the hometown Escogido team he grew up rooting for was important to Rays third baseman Junior Caminero.
He certainly made the most of it.
Caminero capped the experience Monday with a monstrous go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the Dominican league championship series, leading the Leones ...Read more
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