Josh Bell To DH For Pirates?

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell is a prototypical slugging designated hitter, and the Pirates could use Jose Osuna at first base if they decide to use Bell as the primary designated hitter in 2020. Another option in the DH role would be outfielder Gregory Polanco, with Guillermo Heredia, who is an excellent defender, in […]

Hunter Pence The Obvious Candidate For DH

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence is the obvious candidate for the team's designated hitter spot this year given his age (37) and the fact that he's coming off a season with the Rangers where he mostly served as the DH while also dealing with injury and posting an OPS of .910. Pablo Sandoval could […]

Wil Myers Likely To Take Most Of His At-Bats As DH

San Diego Padres outfielder Wil Myers was seemingly left to compete for playing time with 22-year-old Josh Naylor and 25-year-old Franchy Cordero in 2020 after the Padres traded for outfielders Tommy Pham and Trent Grisham. Myers had a down year in 2019, but he had a 112 OPS+ in his first four seasons in San […]

Players Association May Not Want Any Preseason Games

NFL teams want to play just two preseason games in 2020 in order to get a read on their rosters and to get ready for Week 1 of the regular season, but the Players Association hasn't signed off on anything yet and is wondering if it's smart to start mixing teams for games that don't […]

Andrew Toles Suffering From Mental Illness

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles, who was arrested after he was found sleeping behind the Key West International Airport in Florida last week, has been in at least 20 mental health facilities since 2019. His sister, Morgan Toles, said "we didn't know whether he was dead or alive." His family seeks legal guardianship, but […]

Colin Moran Expected To Play A Lot At Hot Corner

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said that he expects third baseman Colin Moran to see most of the playing time at third base this year. "I don’t think it’s an open competition. I think you’re going to see Colin [Moran] there a lot," Shelton said. Other candidates to see time at the hot corner this […]

NFL Shortening Preseason To Two Weeks

The National Football League is shortening the 2020 preseason to two games as part of a larger acclimatization plan for players following an unprecedented virtual offseason program amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a source. Most players will still report to training camp on July 28, but the first preseason games won't be played until […]

Packers Sign Jordan Love To Fully Guaranteed Deal

The Green Bay Packers signed first-round quarterback Jordan Love on Wednesday to a fully guaranteed four-year, $12.383 million deal, according to sources. Love will receive a $6.566 million signing bonus. It's the first time that the No. 26 pick in the draft has received a fully guaranteed deal under the current rookie contract system. The […]

Jordan Hicks To Begin Year On Injured List

St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said that relief pitcher Jordan Hicks (elbow) will start the regular season on the Injured List while recovering from Tommy John surgery last June. However, the Cardinals expect Hicks to contribute in a late-inning role soon, so it may not be long before he's an option for the ninth […]

Miles Mikolas Is Healthy

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas (elbow) is healthy entering the start of this week's summer camp after suffering a flexor tendon strain earlier this year. Mikolas would've missed at least the first month of the regular season had COVID-19 not interfered, but now it sounds as though he'll be part of the team's […]

Giants Sign First-Rounder Patrick Bailey

The San Francisco Giants signed first-round catcher Patrick Bailey (13th overall) for $3.8 million on Wednesday. Bailey's deal is just under the slot value of $4.197 million for the 13th overall selection in the draft. The catcher from North Carolina State was the top catching prospect in this year's draft. He has solid power from […]

Packers Sign Second-Rounder A.J. Dillon

Green Bay Packers rookie running back A.J. Dillon announced on his Twitter account on Wednesday that he has signed his rookie deal with the team. The Boston College product ran for 1,685 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final year in college. Dillon finished his college career with 4,382 yards and 38 touchdowns. Green Bay […]

Duke Williams, Robert Foster Won't Be Locks To Make Team

Buffalo Bills wide receivers Duke Williams and Robert Foster could be facing an uphill battle to make the team out of training camp, in the opinion of The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia. Williams, 27, saw more opportunities late last season, but he played in just four regular season games and had 12 receptions for 166 yards […]

Devin Singletary To Be More Involved In Passing Game?

It's possible that the Buffalo Bills want to get running back Devin Singletary more involved in the passing game this year, in the opinion of The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia. If it actually transpires, this will obviously be good news for the second-year back, but the presence of rookie Zack Moss in Buffalo's backfield will likely […]

Yannick Ngakoue Still Desires Trade

Nothing has changed with Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue as we approach the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term contract extensions, according to a source. Ngakoue still desires a trade and doesn't have any immediate plans to sign the franchise tag. This is a situation that could bleed into training camp. […]

Jo Adell Will Have Chance To Make Debut In 2020

Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler said that the team's top prospect and No. 6 overall, outfielder Jo Adell, will have a chance to prove that he is ready to make his MLB debut in 2020. Adell will have around three weeks of summer camp to prove that he deserves a spot on the […]

Kyler Murray Plans To Help Offensive Line More

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was the most-sacked signal-caller in his rookie season in 2019, getting taken down 48 times. “Last year, a lot of those sacks I feel were on me,” Murray said. The young QB held onto the ball way too long early in the season, but he was sacked just twice in […]

Nelson Cruz Not Ready To Retire

Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz is turning 40 years old on Wednesday but doesn't feel that he's approaching retirement after hitting 41 home runs last season. Cruz also had baseball's third-highest average exit velocity in 2019. "Nelson Cruz is in probably better shape than almost any player in the game. He’s diligent. Nelson Cruz […]

Brendan McKay Has Been Throwing Regularly

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Brendan McKay (shoulder), the team's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was set back by some early camp shoulder soreness, but he has been throwing regularly at Tropicana Field and is ready for spring training 2.0. McKay is part of the team's 60-player pool and could be used to build […]

Blake Snell Looks "Awesome"

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that starting pitcher Blake Snell (elbow) looked "awesome" during a Tuesday bullpen session at Tropicana Field. Snell was limited by a left elbow injury in 2019 and was sidelined early in the spring with elbow soreness that required a cortisone shot. But the left-hander insisted he was fine […]

Daniel Robertson Has Edge For Second Utility Spot

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Daniel Robertson apparently has edged out Michael Brosseau and Nate Lowe for the second utility infielder spot, with his ability to play shortstop a benefit. Brosseau has the ability to play the outfield, and that could factor in with the Rays using newcomer Yoshitomo Tsutsugo at third on occasion. Tampa is […]

Markus Golden Looks Set To Return To Big Apple

New York Giants free-agent linebacker Markus Golden has until July 22 to find a new team after the Giants put a May 5 tender on him, but there is no indication that any other team is interested in signing him for more than one year and $4.125 million. If another team wanted him for more, […]

Giants, Leonard Williams Not Close To Long-Term Extension

SNY's Ralph Vacchiano doesn't think that the New York Giants and defensive tackle Leonard Williams will come to an agreement on a long-term contract extension before the July 15 deadline. Williams wants to be paid like a premier pass-rusher (around $18-20 million a year), and the Giants haven't wanted to pay him that amount. On […]

MLB Can't Identify Players That Test Positive For COVID-19

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer both said that because of the HIPAA Act, teams are not allowed to divulge the names of any player who tests positive for COVID-19 during the season. "The information I've been given is [the media] will be left to try to […]

Jared Hughes Signs With Mets

The New York Mets signed relief pitcher Jared Hughes to a big league deal worth a prorated $700,000 on Tuesday, according to a source. Assuming MLB plays a full 60-game season, Hughes would make around $260,000. The veteran right-handed reliever will immediately join the team's 60-player pool. Hughes, 35 this Saturday, had a 4.04 ERA, […]

Chris Jones Unlikely To Get Extension?

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo believes that Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones deserves a long-term contract extension, but with the team not making an offer at $20 million per season or more, it could be unlikely that he agrees to a deal before the July 15 deadline. Under the franchise tag in 2020, Jones […]

Minor League Season Officially Canceled

Baseball's minor leagues officially canceled their 2020 season on Tuesday after MLB decided not to provide any players to its affiliated teams during the coronavirus pandemic. An agreement between the majors and minors expires after this season, and MLB has proposed reducing the minimum affiliates from 160 to 120. MLB clubs will retain expanded 60-player […]

James Paxton Should Be Ready

New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton (back), who had surgery on Feb. 5 to fix a herniated disc in his back and to remove a peridiscal cyst, is expected to be ready for the start of the 2020 regular season in late July. Paxton left his final regular season start last year on Sept. […]

Jadeveon Clowney Plans To Pick A Team Before Season Starts

Free-agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said that he intends to sign with a team "before the season starts, if everything still goes on time with the season." Clowney also said that "I have not narrowed down a final team. I'm still open." Clowney encountered a cold market this offseason, and it wasn't helped by the […]

Shohei Ohtani Will Be Two-Way Player Once Season Begins

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (elbow) is expected to be on the mound at the outset of training camp later this week, according to general manager Billy Eppler. Ohtani will be a two-way player from the start of the 2020 season, which will begin in late July. The Japanese two-way star was […]