PEORIA, Ariz. — Fourteen years ago in Kentucky, the family of teenage pitcher Walker Buehler threw an MLB draft party in anticipation of the San Diego Padres taking Buehler with the club’s third pick.

“We kind of had somewhat of an agreement at pick 55,” Buehler said. “There was a scout named Kevin Jarvis that my mom knew really well...Read more

On the first night of the Rays’ community engagement tour, there was something for everyone.

For the diehard fan who has been waiting a generation for a better stadium experience, there was a slick AI video, slides and promises of a self-contained village of restaurants, shops, hotels and family-friendly memories.

For Hillsborough College ...Read more

SARASOTA, Fla. — Trevor Rogers initially assumed something was wrong. He certainly wasn’t aware what was happening in real time.

A pair of fielding errors forced the Baltimore Orioles southpaw to toss extra pitches and linger underneath the sun on Tuesday afternoon. Suddenly, his teammates converged near the mound. It wasn’t a meeting ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The day after he saved the Los Angeles Dodgers' season, Will Klein was hungry. He ordered from Mod Pizza.

He drove over to pick up his order. The guy that handed him the pizza told him he looked just like Will Klein.

"You should just look at the name on the order," Klein told him.

Chaos ensued.

"He actually started screaming,...Read more

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Injuries continue to throw a wrench into the Giants’ wide-open bullpen competition — and are robbing one player of an opportunity to participate in the World Baseball Classic.

Left-hander Reiver Sanmartin was slated to pitch for Team Colombia in this year’s WBC, but the 29-year-old sustained a right hip flexor injury...Read more

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — As Chase Dollander sat down in the middle of the Rockies clubhouse, the irony was inescapable. He no longer needed a therapy couch. He needed a new coach. A fresh approach.

Dollander experienced a rookie season that ranked somewhere between eating thumbtacks and rubbing a cheese grater on shins. Viewed as a future ace, he ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Phillippe Aumont retired from baseball in the summer of 2020 after the pandemic paused the major league season. Once a Phillies prospect, Aumont had been a professional since he was 18. He grew up in Canada, dedicated his life to baseball, and pitched in 46 big league games with the Phillies before deciding it was finally time ...Read more

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — He’s not a star, but you already knew that.

His one-year, free-agent deal is for $7 million, which doesn’t seem like much compared to George Springer (6 years, $150 million) or Kyle Schwarber (5 years, $150 million) or Christian Yelich (9 years, $215 million) or Teoscar Hernandez (3 years, $66 million) or even Randy...Read more

PEORIA, Ariz. — It’s time to start collecting Ryan Sloan cards.

Take it from Sloan, Seattle’s sensational 20-year-old pitching prospect, who collects baseball cards when he’s not bombarding batters. On Sunday, the 2024 second-round draft pick said: “I’m not into the old cards a ton. Mostly newer stuff. I collect a lot of prospects, ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — For Angels fans, these are the worst of times.

Their team is coming off back-to-back last-place finishes for the first time in 50 years. The team 30 miles up the freeway is coming off back-to-back World Series championships, led by a global icon who left Anaheim when the Angels could not deliver a winning team and would not ...Read more

BRADENTON, Fla. — Maybe it was the backstory.

The tale of a nondescript prospect who, in back-to-back years, was the classic “player to be named later” in trades and was already 29 by the time he made his major-league debut.

Maybe it was the way he played.

A mix of intensity and joy that seemed impossible to fabricate. The dirty uniform...Read more

MIAMI — Us against the World is all the rage as the international World Baseball Classic begins with Miami again serving as main host and hub city.

The sixth iteration of the 20-nation, 20-year-old tournament running March 6-17 is a celebration of the power of sports to unite, but it arrives this time shadowed by geopolitical conflict.

U.S. ...Read more

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — How do you improve on the perfect ending?

Clayton Kershaw stood in the desert heat Monday, wearing a far darker shade of blue than the Dodgers do. He does not need a medal, or a chance to fail. His election to the Hall of Fame will be a formality.

In his farewell year, the Dodgers won the World Series, becoming baseball'...Read more

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Team USA manager Mark DeRosa told reporters on Monday afternoon that two-time All-Star Logan Webb will start the United States’ first game of pool play against Team Brazil on Friday.

Following Webb, two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will start against Great Britain on Saturday, while 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner...Read more

If you are a Los Angeles Angels fan, you have my sympathy.

It has been no secret what fans of that team think of its owner. I’ve received plenty of email complaints about Arte Moreno in recent years, and I’m sure I will receive more as a result of this column. I welcome your input.

But in all of those columns I’ve written about teams ...Read more

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Luis Arraez took to life in Padres Land right away.

He became fast friends with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado during his two seasons in San Diego. He lockered near the two Padres stars he’d admired as an All-Star with the Miami Marlins and Minnesota Twins.

Arraez had come to San Diego in May 2024, via a trade ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Pohlads would be justified in moving the Minnesota Twins.

At least a few hundred feet.

At least far enough so Target Field no longer stands on an ancient burial ground from which emanates every manner of curse.

This is my annual “Twins are cursed” column. This one might sound a little like last year’s, but there is ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers have played mostly great baseball in Los Angeles for 68 years. How many position players wear the iconic L.A. cap on a Hall of Fame plaque?

Go on, take a guess.

Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers' star first baseman: "Three?"

Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers' president of baseball operations: "Two?"

The correct answer is ...Read more

PEORIA, Ariz. — The Seattle Mariners’ starting rotation had to do too much for too long. It had to carry a lineup that couldn’t stop striking out and an ownership group that struck out looking every offseason. It had to stack strikeouts and quality starts for six consecutive months, avoiding injury in an era terrorized by Tommy John. It ...Read more