TOKYO -- Five Japanese stars are back on home soil as Major Leaguers -- among them Shohei Ohtani, coming off a season for the ages -- and the reigning World Series champion Dodgers take the first step in defending their title. That only scratches the surface of the intriguing storylines

What makes Shohei Ohtani different from other star sluggers? It's not just the amount of home runs, or even the explosiveness of the home runs. It's also how he hits them. The mantra of the modern-day MLB power hitter is to "hit the ball out in front" -- in other

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- What does it feel like when you conclude the first inning you've pitched in nearly a full calendar year with consecutive strikeouts, the second of which was registered with a 98 mph fastball? “After the first inning, it was a rare emotional moment for me on

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Of all the pitches in Paul Skenes’ arsenal, he happened upon his best by accident. The “splinker” -- his hybrid splitter/sinker -- was born during catch play last year and refined into one of the best offerings in the game. Skenes is a tinkerer, and that natural

Two of Japan’s most decorated pitchers will kick off the 2025 MLB season. In the first game of the Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and Cubs (6 a.m. ET Tuesday on FOX), Yoshinobu Yamamoto will toe the rubber for the Dodgers against Chicago’s Shota Imanaga. Plenty of other Japanese stars

TOKYO -- Break out the bunting and get ready for regular-season baseball, Tokyo Dome style. Opening Day is finally here. Ahead of Tuesday's opener, the Dodgers set their 26-man roster for the two-game Tokyo Series against the Cubs. First pitch for both games is at 3 a.m. PT/6 a.m. ET.

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Max Scherzer's right thumb just became one of the most important things in Blue Jays camp. Scherzer has been dealing with soreness recently, and while he was able to face some Minor League hitters in a simulated game at the Blue Jays’ complex on Monday, the real

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Jac Caglianone did everything he could this spring to show the Royals the impact he could bring to the big leagues, but it won’t be on Opening Day. The club sent its top prospect and MLB’s No. 22 prospect to Minor League camp on Monday morning, ending

Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two

TOKYO -- Being informed he had a seat on the plane to Japan was the first step in Matt Shaw’s path to the Opening Day roster. On Tuesday morning, the Cubs made it official: Shaw will be on the active roster for the Tokyo Series, setting up his much-anticipated Major

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- It is that point of Spring Training when the regulars fill out the starting lineup. For the Red Sox on Monday afternoon, eight of the nine starters against the Orioles are all but certain to be in the lineup on March 27 when the season opens

TAMPA, Fla. -- It looked like a run-of-the-mill throwing session, but in a Spring Training where little has gone as expected for the Yankees’ starting rotation, they have learned to take little for granted. That’s why, as Andy Pettitte greeted a familiar face outside the bullpens at George M. Steinbrenner

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Chris Sale’s latest reward for his great comeback season will come in the form of his sixth career Opening Day start. The Braves officially announced Sale will be on the mound for their season opener against the Padres on March 27 at Petco Park. The 2024

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- A sore back prompted Paul Goldschmidt to exit the Yankees’ 6-5 loss against the Blue Jays after two at-bats on Monday, but the veteran first baseman says he has “zero” concerns about being ready for Opening Day. Goldschmidt went 0-for-1 with a walk and made a sprawling

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As top prospect Drake Baldwin prepares to serve as the Braves primary catcher while Sean Murphy is on the injured list, James McCann will be preparing to bolster the organization’s catching depth. McCann agreed to a Minor League deal with the Braves, a source told MLB.com

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz -- Torey Lovullo remembers a time when he had much bigger problems than a difficult decision about which starting pitcher would take the mound on Opening Day. “I like that we have these problems,” the D-backs’ manager said of the Opening Day starter question and the decision on

The last time a rookie claimed the Cubs’ third-base job, he was a first-round pick who reached Wrigley Field after just one full season in the Minors. Kris Bryant worked out pretty well, winning National League Rookie of the Year honors in 2015 followed by the NL MVP Award and

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Angel Perdomo's bid to begin the season in Atlanta’s bullpen ended Monday night, when the Braves traded him to the Angels in exchange for cash or a player to be named. Perdomo’s early Spring Training outings created reason to question if he was still struggling to

TOKYO -- Growing the game of baseball means making it accessible to everyone. With that sentiment in mind, Major League Baseball found an opportunity to give back in the city that has played the part of gracious host with the big leagues descending on Japan this week. The league, along

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Center fielder Jung Hoo Lee will undergo an MRI exam on his tight back on Monday, a concerning development for the Giants as they enter the final week of Cactus League play. Lee was slated to start Saturday’s game against the Mariners, but he was scratched from

JUPITER, Fla. -- Down in a crouched position and bouncing on the balls of his feet, Willson Contreras aggressively charged a high-hopper and deftly picked the baseball near his left hip as teammates around him cheered his glovework.

TOKYO -- It is hard to find a block in the heart of Tokyo that does not feature a banner or advertisement featuring Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. This week, images of Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, along with Cubs stars Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki, have also popped up around the

There will be regular-season baseball games played this week, which means it’s almost time to bid adieu to Spring Training. As Opening Day nears, dozens of players -- from roster hopefuls to young phenoms to veterans in new places -- will look back on their spring performances fondly. With an

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The start to Yu Darvish’s 2025 season is in jeopardy of being delayed, after the Padres recently paused his throwing program while he deals with what manager Mike Shildt called “general fatigue.” It’s unclear when Darvish will resume throwing, Shildt said. As such, it’s also unclear whether

BRADENTON, Fla. -- The Twins confirmed Monday what had been widely feared: Royce Lewis will open the 2025 season on the injured list due to a moderate left hamstring strain. It’s unclear at this time how long Lewis will be out, but the word “moderate” indicates that it is a