Ryan Pressly, Astros 'Pen Beat Up

Houston Astros relief pitchers Ryan Pressly (elbow) and Chris Devenski (elbow) are both dealing with soreness in their elbows and are day-to-day. Long reliever Austin Pruitt (elbow) is also being shut down with elbow inflammation. Roberto Osuna was a late arrival to summer camp but made his season debut on Saturday against Seattle, giving up […]

Stephen Strasburg Throws Lightly Monday

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (hand) threw "very lightly" on Monday, according to manager Dave Martinez. Strasburg is feeling less of a tingling feeling in his thumb after being scratched from his first start of the season on Saturday, but the Nationals haven't determined a timeline for his return. It's a disappointing start to […]

Juan Soto Has One Negative Test

Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto has received one negative test for COVID-19 after being put on the injured list last Thursday. There's no minimum stay on the COVID-19 injured list, but he'll need another negative test within 24 hours to return to play. Manager Dave Martinez said that Soto is feeling fine and trying to […]

Nationals Sign Josh Harrison

The Washington Nationals signed second baseman Josh Harrison to a one-year deal on Monday after he was recently released by the Phillies. Catcher Raudy Read was optioned to the alternate training site in a corresponding move. Harrison spent the first eight years of his career with Pittsburgh, earning an All-Star selection in 2014. He played […]

Mike Foltynewicz Designated For Assignment

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz was designated for assignment on Monday after he once again showed decreased velocity in a 14-5 drubbing by the Rays. Folty's velocity was also down during exhibition and intrasquad games in summer camp. He allowed Tampa to score six earned runs (three home runs) in just 3 1/3 innings, […]

Nick Burdi Looks To Be Back

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Nick Burdi looked dominant in his first outing of the 2020 season on Sunday when he struck out all three hitters he faced, including Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and shortstop Paul DeJong. The 27-year-old hard-throwing right-hander missed all of the 2019 season after undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, which […]

Postseason Expanded To 16 Teams For 2020

Major League Baseball and the Players Association announced on Thursday that the 2020 playoffs will expand to 16 teams, beginning with eight best-of-three wild-card series preceding the Division Series. The higher seeds in the wild-card series will host all three games, which will be scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 29 through Friday, Oct. 2. The entire […]

Kyle Wright Makes Braves Rotation

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kyle Wright will serve as the No. 5 in the Opening Day starting rotation. Mike Soroka will start on Opening Day on Friday against the Rays, followed by left-hander Max Fried, lefty Sean Newcomb, Mike Foltynewicz and Wright. Wright, 24, is listed by MLB Pipeline as the team's No. 4 prospect. […]

Dylan Carlson Disappointed He's Not On Opening Day Roster

St. Louis Cardinals top outfield prospect Dylan Carlson was not included on the team's Opening Day roster, and he admitted that he was "disappointed" with the decision after a strong spring and a standout 2019 season in the minors. The five outfielders on the roster are Harrison Bader, Dexter Fowler, Tyler O'Neill, Lane Thomas and […]

Andrew Heaney Headlines Halos Rotation

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney will start on Opening Day against the A's on Friday, followed by Dylan Bundy on Saturday, Shohei Ohtani on Sunday and Griffin Canning on Monday. The Angels will go with a six-man rotation this year, but the team's fifth and sixth starters remain to be determined. Ohtani, coming […]

Juan Soto Might Not Be Out Long

Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, who tested positive for COVID-19, took multiple instant-result coronavirus tests on Thursday -- both saliva and nasal -- and the results were negative, according to sources. This doesn't clear Soto to play Thursday or in the coming days, as he'll need to receive back-to-back negative results through the labs MLB […]

Hunter Pence The DH On Opening Night

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence (foot) is serving as the designated hitter and is batting fifth on Thursday night against Dodgers right-handed starter Dustin May. Pence was dealing with some foot inflammation in the last part of summer camp, but he's clearly fine to hit to open the regular season. The universal DH in […]

Dustin May Starting Opener For Dodgers

With Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (back) going on the injured list with back stiffness, the team recalled starter Dustin May, who will make the start against the Giants on Opening Night on Thursday. It will be May's first career Opening Day start, and he will become the first Dodger rookie to start […]

Ke'Bryan Hayes Sent To Altoona

The Pittsburgh Pirates optioned third base prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes to their alternate training site in Altoona on Wednesday. This doesn't come as a surprise, as Hayes missed most of summer camp after testing positive for COVID-19. The team's No. 2 prospect still has a decent shot at making his major league debut in 2020, but […]

Jose Martinez, Yonny Chirinos Expected To Be Ready

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said the team expects both first baseman/outfielder Jose Martinez and pitcher Yonny Chirinos to be ready to be on the Opening Day roster. Both players were out until this past weekend after testing positive for COVID-19. It remains to be seen how much either player will be able to […]

Ji-Man Choi Could Hit Leadoff Against Righties

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that the team could use Brandon Lowe, Ji-Man Choi or Yoshitomo Tsutsugo in the leadoff spot against right-handed pitchers this year, but Cash really likes the consistency of quality at-bats that the team gets from Choi, so he seems to be the favorite. The South Korean hitter probably […]

Dodgers, Mookie Betts Reach 12-Year Extension

The Los Angeles Dodgers and outfielder Mookie Betts agreed to a 12-year, $365 million contract extension on Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the deal. Combined with the one-year, $27 million deal Betts is currently on, the total comes out to 13 years and $392 million. The Dodgers will keep the former American League MVP […]

Kevan Smith To Serve As Third Catcher

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said the team is expected to carry three catchers on their Opening Day roster. The Rays selected the contract of catcher Kevan Smith and added him to the 40-man roster on Tuesday, so the team will carry Mike Zunino, Michael Perez and Smith on the roster. Chris Herrmann asked […]

Colin Poche Has Torn UCL

Tampa Bay Rays left-handed reliever Colin Poche (elbow) was put on the 45-day injured list on Tuesday with a torn left ulnar collateral ligament, and he'll miss the 2020 season. Tommy John surgery has been recommended, putting his 2021 season in jeopardy as well. Poche had a 4.08 FIP and struck out 72 hitters in […]

Trevor Williams Hopes To Use Curveball More

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Trevor Williams threw six curveballs during the exhibition game against the Indians on Monday. The right-hander used the pitch just six times in 2018 and 21 times last year, but he's hoping to use it more often and more effectively in 2020. Williams was charged with one run over 2 2/3 […]

Ke'Bryan Hayes Unlikely To Make Opening Day Roster

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, the team's No. 2 prospect, took part in a light workout on Monday after missing all of the summer camp workouts after testing positive for COVID-19. He tested negative twice and was cleared by doctors, but he likely missed too much time in camp to have a shot at […]

Cole Tucker Makes Outfield Debut

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker made his outfield debut in an exhibition game against the Indians on Monday and made a highlight-reel catch in center field. The former first-round pick figures he last played in the outfield when he was 14 or 15 years old. The Pirates told Tucker that shortstop remains his primary position, […]

John Ryan Murphy To Be Backup Catcher

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher John Ryan Murphy, who was added to the 40-man roster on Sunday, is primed to be the backup to Jacob Stallings after Luke Maile underwent season-ending surgery to fix a fractured right index finger last Friday. Murphy was a non-roster invitee at spring training on a minor league deal. The 29-year-old is […]

Kevin Cron With Team In L.A.

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Kevin Cron (hamstring), who is dealing with a sore left hamstring, traveled with the team to Los Angeles for their exhibition game. It doesn't sound like a very serious injury, so Cron should be on the club's Opening Day roster, barring a setback. The 27-year-old right-handed power hitter hit just .211 […]

Diamondbacks Hopeful On Christian Walker

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said the team is hopeful that first baseman Christian Walker (groin) will be ready for Opening Day on Friday. Walker is dealing with a strained right groin and worked out at Chase Field on Sunday. The 29-year-old was officially diagnosed with a Grade 1 right groin strain but is confident […]

NFL Won't Have Any Preseason Games In 2020

The NFL Players Association told its players on Tuesday that there will be zero preseason games in 2020, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport. The league wanted to play two preseason games this year, while the NFLPA was set on zero games amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The NFLPA is also […]

59 Players Have Tested Positive For COVID-19

The NFL Players Association said that 59 players have tested positive at some point during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, the NFLPA posted that 95 players had tested positive, but they updated the list to include only players. Eight of 24 teams have also approved the infectious disease emergency response plans for the 2020 season. "Our […]

Raiders Agree With Henry Ruggs III

The Las Vegas Raiders agreed to a deal worth $16.67 million over four years with their first-round pick (12th overall), wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, on Tuesday. Ruggs was the first receiver off the board in a stacked class this year after showing elite athleticism at the NFL combine in February. The speed demon was […]

Michael Bennett Retires From NFL

After an 11-year career with three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl title to his name, defensive end Michael Bennett is calling it a career. "Retiring feels a little like death of self, but I'm looking forward to the rebirth -- the opportunity to reimagine my purpose," Bennett wrote on Instagram. Bennett considered retiring before […]

Yoenis Cespedes Expects To DH On Opening Day

New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes said he expects to be the designated hitter on Friday, July 24, when the team opens the season against the Braves. Because of injuries to his feet and legs, Friday will be Cespedes' first major league game in more than two years. The right-handed slugger is feeling good and […]