CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are shaking up their home jersey options and reintroducing a colorway the team has not worn on the field in nearly 45 years.

The Cubs unveiled a new “Blues Alternate” jersey Thursday night featuring baby blue tops that debut April 5 and will be worn for Friday home games this season. Conversely, the Cubs are ...Read more

CHICAGO — The “Sammy! Sammy!” chants started as soon as Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts teased the slugger’s return on the main stage Friday night at the Cubs Convention.

Sammy Sosa’s journey back to the organization that began with his apology last month for “mistakes” during his career saw him honored in front of hyped Cubs ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — This is not a sad day for baseball. This is a great day for baseball.

Roki Sasaki, arguably the best young pitcher in the world, is a Dodger. Sasaki announced his decision in an Instagram post Friday.

Fifteen years ago, LeBron James announced his big decision on live television, with these memorable words: "I'm going to take my...Read more

LOS ANGELES — He has better control than Shohei Ohtani had at the same stage of his career.

He is more athletic than Hideo Nomo was.

He throws harder than Yu Darvish.

Roki Sasaki is the most talented pitcher Japan has produced, and the 23-year-old with a 6-foot-4 frame and 102.5-mph fastball is now a Dodger.

If Sasaki was born and raised ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — For the third time in the last 13 months, the Dodgers are signing a superstar player from Japan.

And this time, it’s coming at a discount, with the club on Friday striking an agreement to sign 23-year-old pitcher Roki Sasaki, according to an announcement posted on Sasaki’s Instagram account.

A hard-throwing right-hander ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies were flying to another city in the late 1960s when Bob Uecker, then the team’s seldom-used backup catcher, told the flight attendant he was sick. Uecker, who died Thursday at 90, asked for a vomit bag.

“She gives him the bag,” wrote Dick Allen, who was seated next to Uecker. “And when she turns her back, he...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Milwaukee Brewers had suffered personnel losses due to financial limitations and went into the 2024 season with expectations for mediocrity. They wound up with 93 wins, tied for third in the National League, and won the Central Division by 10 games.

The playoffs came and the fans that jammed Miller Park were ready to ...Read more

CHICAGO — Kyle Tucker’s introduction to the Chicago Cubs organization won’t involve an arbitration hearing during spring training.

The Cubs and their new slugger have agreed to a $16.5 million salary for 2025 to avoid arbitration, a source confirmed to the Chicago Tribune on Thursday. Tucker had filed at $17.5 million while the Cubs were ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Mets are bringing back one favorite while rumors and reports about another seem to be changing by the hour.

Pending a physical, Jesse Winker is coming back to the Mets on a one-year contract, $8 million contract with incentives, the New York Daily News confirmed Thursday. This gives the Mets a left-handed bat to platoon at DH ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In an effort to beat the heat and dodge the summer rain while playing outdoors at Steinbrenner Field, the Rays have pushed back the start of weeknight home games and moved up some weekend games.

In March, April and May, most weeknight home games will be scheduled for a 7:05 first pitch. Starting on June 3, most ...Read more

A jury trial in the high-profile wrongful death lawsuit brought by Tyler Skaggs’ family against the Angels has been delayed until the fall, as a contentious legal clash between attorneys about potential evidence continues.

An Orange County (Calif.) Superior Court judge late last week agreed to push the start of the civil trial from April 7 to...Read more

ATLANTA — Sporting legend Vincent Edward “Bo” Jackson is abandoning a $21 million judgment he won in his civil extortion case against his niece and nephew, whom he accused of relentless harassment and intimidation.

Jackson, a former Heisman Trophy winner who played in both the National Football League and Major League Baseball, has agreed...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Let the waiting game commence.

On Wednesday, Major League Baseball's 2025 international signing period opened, an annual date of significance around the sport in which top international amateur players can begin signing with MLB teams.

For 27 clubs, that meant an afternoon of flurried activity, with top international prospects ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — The Padres have walked away from the last two international signing periods with arguably the best prospects on the board.

Expect crickets when this year’s window opens Wednesday — at least until Japanese superstar Roki Sasaki makes his decision.

The Padres have joined the Dodgers and Blue Jays as finalists for the Japanese ...Read more

BALTIMORE — Former Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz likely died last week of a drug overdose, according to Phoenix police.

Matusz, 37, died Jan. 6 at his home in Arizona. His mother, Elizabeth Matusz, found him with drug paraphernalia on the floor next to his body and a white substance in his mouth, according to a police report obtained by The ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — A little more than a year ago, the Dodgers saw an opportunity on the horizon.

Entering last offseason, the team knew two-way Japanese star Shohei Ohtani was entering a historic free agency. They knew decorated Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto was planning to come from Japan to the majors. And they knew another generational ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — It is getting close to announcement time for Roki Sasaki, and the chances the Padres will have him in their starting rotation in 2025 appear as strong as ever.

The Japanese pitching star met with the Padres in San Diego last week, two sources confirmed Monday. The Athletic was the first to report Sasaki was in San Diego over the ...Read more

NEW YORK — Yes, they lost out on retaining Juan Soto, but if you were to grade the Yankees on their offseason, you would still have to give them a “B” for more than adequately addressing their primary needs — Cody Bellinger for center field to hopefully offset a lot of the lost offense from Soto, Max Fried for the top of the rotation and...Read more

CHICAGO — When the Chicago Cubs went into the offseason, they had two key areas to upgrade offensively.

They landed the superstar bat they needed when they acquired slugger Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros on Dec. 13. That same day the Cubs announced the signing of veteran catcher Carson Kelly to bolster the other area of their lineup that...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was opened in 1923 with public financing. The University of Southern California campus is adjacent. It has remained the home for Trojans football for over a century.

Notre Dame and USC started a football series on Dec. 4, 1926, at the Coliseum. A crowd of 78,000 attended Notre Dame’s 13-12 ...Read more