CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs’ pursuit of star third baseman Alex Bregman — a journey that began last offseason — has culminated in bringing him to the North Side.

The Cubs agreed to a deal Saturday with Bregman, a source confirmed to the Chicago Tribune, for a reported five years and $175 million. The contract sets a Cubs record for ...Read more

BOSTON — Alex Bregman has made his free agency choice, and isn’t Boston.

The veteran third baseman is in agreement with the Chicago Cubs on a five-year, $175 million deal, ESPN’s Jeff Passan and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported just after 10:30 p.m. ET Saturday night.

The news comes hours after the Red Sox wrapped up a Fenway Fest ...Read more

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies swung an in-division trade Saturday to add to their outfield depth.

Colorado acquired Jake McCarthy from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Josh Grosz. McCarthy is coming off a down year with Arizona, but his past suggests the potential for his bat to help the Rockies lineup. ...Read more

Ketel Marte is staying put.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have decided to keep the All-Star second baseman after entertaining trade offers, according to The Athletic.

General manager Mike Hazen had indicated the saga was nearing a resolution, saying late last month that the D-backs were “very likely to put an end to this shortly.”

“This isn�...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Former Twins outfielder Max Kepler, currently a free agent after playing for the Philadelphia Phillies last year, received an 80-game suspension after he tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, MLB announced.

Kepler, 32, was given the suspension on Friday, Jan. 9, after he tested positive for Epitrenbolone,...Read more

DETROIT — I don’t pretend to be an expert on baseball’s arbitration process or its attending loopholes and strategies. Far from it. But I’ve covered this stuff long enough to at least apply some logic and perspective to its proceedings.

Except there’s never been a case like the one Tigers ace Tarik Skubal could be presenting to the ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — A.J. Preller grew up in New York — Long Island, to be specific — in the ’80s.

Guess which baseball player was his favorite.

“Don Mattingly,” the San Diego Padres president of baseball operations said, never hesitating, a few years ago over the phone. “That was the guy. ‘Hitman’ poster on the wall. I was at the ...Read more

DETROIT — The Tigers reached contract settlements on Thursday with seven of the eight remaining arbitration-eligible players.

They did not, however, reach an agreement with two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.

That doesn't mean Skubal and the Tigers are definitely going to arbitration, though. The Tigers under president Scott Harris have ...Read more

MIAMI — The Marlins on Wednesday traded pitcher Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs in a deal that landed Miami three prospects, including the player rated first overall in the Cubs’ farm system.

That top overall prospect, 23-year-old Owen Caissie, hit .286, with 22 homers and 55 RBIs at Triple-A Iowa last season and is considered a big ...Read more

MIAMI — The Marlins on Wednesday were on the verge of a trade that would send pitcher Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs, but nothing had been finalized as of midday.

What the Marlins will receive in return was not immediately known, but the team has been seeking position prospects from the Cubs, including at least one player considered big ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — David Robertson, 40 and unemployed until July, put out a fire in the sixth inning of the Phillies’ first playoff game of 2025, but he hadn’t pitched an “up-down” all season — ending one inning and beginning another. With a one-run lead, Rob Thomson sent him back out for the seventh. Robertson hit one batter and another...Read more

LAS VEGAS — The Athletics are having issues securing the trademarks associated with their planned Las Vegas relocation.

In a Dec. 29 decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the A’s applications for trademarking “Las Vegas Athletics” and “Vegas Athletics” were denied by the federal agency tasked with registering trademarks ...Read more

DETROIT — Is Jason Benetti about to add to his already busy baseball broadcasting schedule?

Benetti, the television play-by-play voice of the Detroit Tigers, is a "leading candidate" to become the primary broadcaster for NBC's baseball coverage, starting in 2026, according to a report from Front Office Sports, which cited multiple sources. ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Wanna bet? If the wager involved Shohei Ohtani, the answer from gamblers was yes more often than it was for any other player in any sport last year, according to data from BetMGM.

When betting on game results in 2025, gamblers placed the most wagers on NFL games. However, when betting on individual athletes, gamblers placed the ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — As expected as it might've been given the challenge of signing Japanese players, especially ones of his caliber, the Pittsburgh Pirates failing to land Kazuma Okamoto was a tough pill to swallow.

But it won't define their offseason. At least it better not.

The important part becomes the pivot, the next move, and the good news is...Read more

PITTSBURGH —The Pittsburgh Pirates' biggest offseason need was an offensive upgrade, and they have made progress on that front so far by trading for second baseman Brandon Lowe and outfielder Jake Mangum and their reported signing of free agent Ryan O'Hearn.

But the Pirates also seem to be targeting something that won't be found on a Baseball...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Maybe Bryce Harper is still ticked off. Maybe, even after his air-clearing with Dave Dombrowski, he implanted a chip on his shoulder. Maybe he’s just trying to sell T-shirts.

Either way, he got our attention.

As usual.

In case you missed it, because the holidays can be hectic, the Face of the Phillies posted a 101-second ...Read more

Happy new year!

With 2025 officially in the rearview mirror, it’s time for a clean slate of Major League Baseball.

Spring training is still six weeks away, but here’s a primer on the 2026 Boston Red Sox and the season ahead.

Key Red Sox and MLB dates

Though not officially announced, pitchers and catchers are typically due to report to ...Read more

Anthony Rendon’s time in an Angels uniform is over.

The Angels and Rendon have agreed to restructure his contract just before the final season of the seven-year, $245 million deal, a source confirmed on Tuesday.

It is unclear exactly how the money will be reallocated. Rendon was owed $38 million in the final year of the deal. Per the terms ...Read more

BALTIMORE — The Orioles’ one-year deal with Zach Eflin on Sunday ensured they will go into next season with a rotation of five quality starting pitchers and some capable depth behind them. As last year taught them, a team with World Series aspirations needs more than that.

Eflin, who re-signed for $10 million and a 2027 mutual option, is ...Read more