Zack Cozart Says He's Ready For Season

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Zack Cozart, who missed the second half of 2018 after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, said he's feeling healthy and should be ready for Opening Day. "Honestly, if today was Day 1 of the actual season, I could play," Cozart said Tuesday. He also […]

Cardinals Sticking With Josh Rosen

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said that quarterback Josh Rosen "is our guy" amid speculation that the Cardinals might draft Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick this year. Kingsbury is known to be enamored with Murray and Rosen had a terrible rookie season in the desert as the starter for […]

Jimmy Nelson Throws Bullpen Tuesday

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson (shoulder) threw his first bullpen session this spring on Tuesday and used his full arsenal while throwing 45 pitches. Nelson said everything is on track for him to be ready for the start of the season. The 29-year-old missed all of last year after having surgery, but he should […]

Gerardo Parra Lands With Giants

The San Francisco Giants signed free-agent outfielder Gerardo Parra to a minor league deal on Tuesday, according to sources. Parra, 32 in May, hit .284/.342/.372 with six home runs, 53 RBI and 11 stolen bases as a platoon player in his final season in Colorado in 142 games. He makes decent contact and can hit […]

Angels Targeting May For Shohei Ohtani's Return

Los Angeles Angels manager Brad Ausmus said that designated hitter/starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (elbow) doesn't have a set timetable, but "we're thinking May." He'll miss at least the first month of the season and possibly more, but Ohtani can still be a difference maker at a reduced cost with his bat after hitting .285/.361/.564 with […]

Bucs An Option For Matt Bryant

Free-agent kicker Matt Bryant said that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a real option for him when free agency kicks off. The 43-year-old believes he could play another three seasons in the NFL. He missed three games last year due to various injuries, but he made 20 of his 21 field goals and 33 of […]

Bryce Harper Down To Giants And Phillies?

USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale thinks it's a two-team race between the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies for free-agent outfielder Bryce Harper. The Dodgers and Nationals are "definitely out of it." The Giants don't want to do a long-term deal with Harper, but they're likely willing to give him five or six years at around […]

Rays Not Rushing To Name Closer

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said there is "no urgency" to name a closer entering the 2019 season. He likes the team's bullpen flexibility and will have a bunch of guys sharing the ninth-inning role. Sergio Romo was the team's primary closer last year, but he's likely to depart in free agency, leaving relievers […]

Antonio Brown Ready To Move On

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown said on his official Twitter account on Tuesday that it's "time to move on and forward." Brown has already requested a trade and appears adamant about playing somewhere else in 2019 after continuing to butt heads with the organization and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. There's no guarantee that he'll land […]

Dodgers Unsure On Catching Situation

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said "time will tell" on whether catcher Austin Barnes or Russell Martin will see the lion's share of catching this year. Barnes is younger (29) and has more upside both offensively and defensively, but he's coming off a terrible year with the bat in which he slashed .205/.329/.290 with […]

Lions Open To Drafting Quarterback At No. 8

Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn said on Monday that the team is open to selecting a quarterback with the No. 8 pick of this year's draft, even with Matthew Stafford on the roster. "We're in a position now with the eighth overall pick that the whole draft board is really wide open to us. […]

Edwin Encarnacion Expected To Report To Camp

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion is expected to report to spring training this week on Saturday, according to a source. The Mariners have made it known that they'd like to flip Encarnacion after acquiring him from the Indians this offseason, but trade talks haven't advanced in recent days. The veteran's appeal is mostly limited […]

Texans To Release Demaryius Thomas

The Houston Texans are expected to release wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (Achilles) on Tuesday, according to a source. Thomas tore his left Achilles in Week 16 and it's too early to give a timetable on when he might return, but as an aging receiver coming off a serious injury, he's not expected to have many […]