PHILADELPHIA — Maybe giving Bryce Harper better protection will return him to “elite” status.

The most intriguing tidbit the Phillies provided Tuesday in their Hot Stove state of the union news conferences concerned how the run-it-back lineup will be organized.

The Phils led the National League in batting average and finished second in ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — It was another time, another ownership group, another stadium location.

This was Ybor City in 2018, when the Rays unveiled an ambitious ballpark plan with a breathtaking design and a hefty price tag.

Standing on the porch of Hall of Famer Al Lopez’s childhood home, where the news conference had been held earlier, I discreetly...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Yu Darvish does not plan to pitch again in the major leagues.

The 39-year-old right-hander, who has been one of the best starting pitchers of his era, has told the San Deigo he will retire with three years and $43 million remaining on his contract.

Darvish underwent surgery in October to repair a torn UCL and flexor tendon in his...Read more

CHICAGO — In the aftermath of trading center fielder Luis Robert Jr. earlier this week, the Chicago White Sox found themselves in a position with some financial flexibility.

They put that to use Friday by signing reliever Seranthony Domínguez, a source confirmed to the Chicago Tribune. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported it’s a two-year, $20 ...Read more

NEW YORK — A trade for a one-year rotation rental might not typically be one of the moves that has fans asking, “Where were you when?” But for David and Whitney Stearns, their ninth anniversary will be one they never forget.

A wild week for the Mets culminated in the addition of another frontline starter in right-hander Freddy Peralta on ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — The decline of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024 arrived as something of a shock.

They were coming off five consecutive postseason appearances, and were among the handful of preseason favorites to win the American League pennant.

The further descent in 2025 felt a little less dramatic.

By then, Shane McClanahan was hurt, Wander ...Read more

NEW YORK — Hours after saying he wanted to add another frontline starter, David Stearns managed to acquire the best one available on the trade market.

A source confirmed to the New York Daily News on Wednesday night that Stearns is reuniting with Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, with the Mets sending top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Yasiel Puig's name conjures indelible images to Dodgers fans. Mammoth home runs. Laser-like throws from the outfield. Distributing goodie bags during visits to Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Also, tardiness to games, impulsive base-running mistakes and — more recent and egregious — charges of lying to federal investigators...Read more

CHICAGO — Luis Robert Jr. was the last man standing on the Chicago White Sox from the Blackout Game in the 2021 playoffs.

He batted behind Tim Anderson in a solid lineup that also included José Abreu, Yasmani Grandal, Eloy Jiménez, Yoán Moncada, Gavin Sheets, Leury García and César Hernández and that took the field behind starter Dylan ...Read more

NEW YORK — After much delay, Cody Bellinger has decided that he’s coming back to the Bronx.

The outfielder and the Yankees have brought an end to Bellinger’s prolonged free agency, agreeing to a five-year, $162.5 million deal, a source confirmed to the New York Daily News on Wednesday afternoon. In terms of the contract’s $32.5 million ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Mets could be getting a third cap in Cooperstown this summer, and their first in a decade with the selection of Carlos Beltrán to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The former center fielder was selected by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in his fourth year on the ballot, the Hall of Fame committee announced ...Read more

NEW YORK — With an 84.2% plurality, the Baseball Writers Association have liberated Carlos Beltrán from baseball purgatory by electing him to the Hall of Fame Tuesday along with Andruw Jones.

In a particularly weak ballot devoid of any sure-shot, no-brainers — such as Ichiro last year — to suck up so much of the voting oxygen, Beltrán, ...Read more

CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong can’t help but marvel at Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams’ athleticism.

The Cubs’ 23-year-old center fielder has spent a chunk of the offseason in the city, which included going to a few Bears games, notably their comeback win over the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round and Sunday’s overtime...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Late Thursday, within the hallways of One Citizens Bank Way, Phillies officials believed they were close to signing Bo Bichette.

How close?

“We were very close to having a deal done,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Tuesday without divulging details. “We thought it was going to happen.”

Bichette,...Read more

CHICAGO — It was just like old times again for the 2016 Chicago Cubs when the gang returned Thursday for a 10-year reunion bash at Wrigley Field.

“It honestly was like riding a bike with everyone,” Anthony RIzzo told a group of reporters Saturday on Day 2 of the Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Chicago. “Cool to get to hang in the ...Read more

NEW YORK — There are a lot of takeaways from the Dodgers’ latest act of free-agent gluttony — turning Kyle Tucker, a very good but hardly great support player into a most unlikely record-breaking $60 million per year commodity — but perhaps the biggest one is for the first time uniting all the other owners, big market and small, in ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Compared with the rest of the tribe of baseball writers, my criteria for Hall of Fame inclusion are undemanding. The most controversial element: I do not discriminate against the PED crowd.

I consistently have voted for Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, titanic talents of their era who are shunned by a voting bloc ...Read more