LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers gladly — perhaps even gleefully — defer to the New York Mets.

In large part because of heavily deferred contracts to Shohei Ohtani and other top players, the Dodgers have a payroll slightly lower than that of their National League rival who signed outfielder Juan Soto to a record 15-year, $765-million contract ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Freddie Freeman's latest ankle issue will keep him out longer than initially expected.

During the Dodgers' travel day to Philadelphia on Thursday, the team announced Freeman had been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to March 31.

The moves means that Freeman won't be eligible to return to action until next weekend,...Read more

NEW YORK — The Bronx Bombers were out to play on Thursday night.

After subpar offensive performances in the first two games against the Arizona Diamonbacks, the Yankees responded with a gargantuan punch in the series finale, mashing three more homers as they defeated the Diamondbacks, 9-7, to salvage the three-game set.

None other than Aaron...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Bring it on. That's what I say. That's what everybody should be saying about a pair of hot-button sports innovations: torpedo bats and tush pushes.

Instead, we have naysayers.

Innovation always attracts naysayers.

I believe it was either Albert Einstein or Albert Pujols who said, "Great spirits have often encountered violent ...Read more

CHICAGO — Months from now we might not remember the great tarp incident at The Rate or the Chicago Cubs bullpen implosions at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Everything seems magnified at the start of a baseball season, especially for Cubs and White Sox fans who hope to exorcise the nightmares of the last few years.

Fortunately they’re already in ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Ryan, buzzkill.

The Twins’ home opener was off to a rousing start on Thursday, Target Field alive with excitement over Matt Wallner’s leadoff triple, Byron Buxton’s can’t-catch-him infield hit and stolen base, and Trevor Larnach’s opposite-field single. One inning into the first of 81 home games, the Twins were ...Read more

ATLANTA — We have a bit more clarity on Reynaldo López’s timeline — not when he will return, but when he will not return.

The Braves transferred López, who is dealing with right shoulder inflammation, to the 60-day injured list. This means he’ll be out until at least June.

The Braves did this to create a 40-man roster spot for ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — It had been a long time since Taijuan Walker was cheered at Citizens Bank Park.

Boos from the home crowd had been a soundtrack to the right-hander’s prolonged struggles in 2024. Walker was even booed this year in spring training after getting hit hard in his final two starts, and again when he was introduced in the Phillies�...Read more

NEW YORK — Miller Gardner — the 14-year old son of former Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner — died from carbon monoxide poisoning, Costa Rican authorities confirmed Wednesday.

A blood test for carbon monoxide showed a saturation level of 64% in Gardner’s body, Costa Rican officials said. Concentrations above 50% are considered lethal.

...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani ended Wednesday's Dodgers game in spectacular fashion, sending the first pitch he saw from Atlanta Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias 399 feet over the center-field wall for a walk-off home run and a 6-5 Los Angeles win.

It just so happened that everyone who witnessed that moment at Dodger Stadium had a tiny replica ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — 162-0?

Why not?

Shohei Ohtani is rounding the bases with his right fist in the air and Dodger Stadium is shaking with its roar filling the sky and anything is possible.

162-0?

It could never happen. But after Wednesday night, are you willing to say it can't happen?

The Dodgers were seemingly destroying their season-opening, ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — When Ursinus College announced its baseball staff for the 2025 season, one name stood out among the rest.

Bench coach, Fredi González.

It sounded familiar, so the players began to Google him.

They saw that González was a major league manager for 10 years, and a minor league player for six. But what really caught their ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — On a night of imperfection in all facets of their game, the Dodgers found a way to remain perfect anyway.

Those early throwing errors by Max Muncy? Didn’t matter.

Andy Pages’ dropped ball in center? No sweat.

Blake Snell, the centerpiece of the team’s half-billion-dollar offseason spending spree, not having his best ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Yankees suffered their second consecutive loss on Wednesday, falling to Arizona, 4-3, on a chilly night in the Bronx.

The Diamondbacks sunk their fangs into Carlos Rodón’s velocity-lacking fastball early, most notably when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. crushed a two-run homer in the first inning. The second-deck shot put the Yankees ...Read more

Rafael Devers can finally breathe.

After five-plus games and 22 at bats, the beleaguered Red Sox slugger finally came up with his first hit of the season, an RBI double to right field in the fifth inning of Boston’s eventual 3-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Devers finished 2 for 4 with no strikeouts, adding an opposite-field single his ...Read more

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Chicago Cubs finally found the superstar hitter the lineup has needed in Kyle Tucker, and the acquisition is already paying off beyond the lefty slugger’s production.

Over the last seven weeks, Seiya Suzuki has taken a vested interest in watching Tucker hit knowing how much can be gleaned from watching a ...Read more

CHICAGO — After Twins players sat in the visitor’s clubhouse for more than three hours, part of a 200-minute rain delay before Wednesday’s series finale, Byron Buxton provided an immediate wake-up call.

Buxton, on the 10th pitch of the afternoon, clobbered a 446-foot, solo homer into the mostly empty bleachers in center field. He turned ...Read more

MIAMI — Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Pete Alonso saved the Mets with a late-game home run.

With the Mets down 4-1 to the Miami Marlins in the top of the eighth inning on Wednesday at LoanDepot Park, Alonso teed off on right-hander Calvin Faucher, sending a three-run homer 415 feet over the center-field fence to tie the game. It ...Read more