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3 finalists to sign Sasaki, but it's looking like a 2-team race for star pitcher

January 15, 2025

The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes are rounding third base. The Japanese phenom has reportedly narrowed down his list of teams to three -- the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays, according to an ESPN report -- and will be making his decision in the coming days, adding a talented arm to one

Who landed top talent on Day 1 of the '25 int'l signing period?

@JesseABorek
January 15, 2025

For talented amateur ballplayers from across the globe, there is no day on the calendar quite like Jan. 15. Signaling the opening of the international signing period, it’s the day in which years of hard work and perseverance make dreams come true. Most often, it’s the first step on a

Time running out for a Mets-Alonso reunion?

January 15, 2025

MLB.com is keeping track of the latest news and rumors surrounding Pete Alonso.

18-year-old two-way Japanese slugger signs record-setting deal with A's

@JesseABorek and @MartinJGallegos
January 15, 2025

The Athletics made waves to kick off the 2025 international signing period, inking 18-year-old two-way player Shotaro Morii to a $1,510,500 million deal, the largest bonus ever for a Japanese amateur outside of Nippon Professional Baseball, according to Yakyu Cosmopolitan. A left-handed hitter with 45 high school home runs to

D-backs introduce new ace Burnes: 'We're in it to win it'

January 15, 2025

PHOENIX -- When asked what message he thought it sent to Diamondbacks fans when the team signed free agent right-hander Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million contract last month, managing general partner Ken Kendrick was short and to the point. "I hope it sends a message that we're in

3 reasons Alonso can be a 40-homer hitter again

January 15, 2025

Pete Alonso, the biggest bat still on the free-agent market, remains a bit of a conundrum. He's been one of MLB's top power hitters for his whole career, of course -- Alonso's 226 home runs since he debuted in 2019, an average of 43 per 162 games, rank second only

Yankees looking to add a lefty reliever (report)

January 15, 2025

MLB.com is keeping track of all the latest Yankees-related free agent and trade rumors right here.

What to make of Profar's 2024 ... and his free agency case

January 15, 2025

One of the starting outfielders from the 2024 All-Star Game is out there available in free agency, yet you’ve barely heard a peep about him all winter. In fact, it’s been nearly a month since his last rumor entry on MLBTradeRumors popped up. If not for the obvious name atop

The best third basemen in baseball right now are ...

January 15, 2025

MLB Network is continuing its annual tradition of ranking the “Top 10 Players Right Now” at each position. Using rankings based on past performance, various offensive and defensive metrics (including both advanced statistics and traditional numbers) and analysis by the MLB Network research team, “The Shredder” produced its list of

Verlander buys into Colombian soccer club

@MannyOnMLB
January 15, 2025

Justin Verlander is preparing to enter the 20th season of his brilliant MLB career after recently signing a one-year contract with the Giants. But while the former MVP and three-time Cy Young Award winner is all about baseball, he isn't all about baseball. Verlander and his wife, Kate Upton, are

Mets make a big splash, ink No. 3 int'l prospect Peña

@JesseABorek
January 15, 2025

For the second straight international signing day, the Mets handed out a club-record signing bonus in order to land one of baseball’s premier international prospects. Elian Peña, MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 international prospect, is the club’s headlining signee for the class of 2025. The 17-year-old shortstop is the highest-ranked player

Marlins sign No. 5 int'l prospect Salas, brother of Padres phenom

@JesseABorek and @cdenicola13
January 15, 2025

In 2019, the Marlins handed out their highest signing bonus in the international class to Jose Salas, the oldest of three brothers in the Salas clan. Grandfather, father and uncle all played professionally in Venezuela, making the family a known commodity. Jose Sr., the boys’ father, who had a brief

Free agent Ha-Seong Kim not expected to be ready for Opening Day (source)

@Spokes_Murphy
January 15, 2025

It’s not yet known where free-agent shortstop Ha-Seong Kim will be playing next season. But wherever he lands, he likely won’t be ready to suit up on Opening Day. Kim, who underwent right shoulder surgery late last season, is expected to miss the start of the 2025 season, sources told

Red Sox acquire Sabol from Giants, add to catching depth

@JakeDRill
January 15, 2025

The Red Sox added catching depth on Wednesday when they acquired Blake Sabol from the Giants in exchange for international bonus pool space. The move coincided with the first day of the international signing period and will allow San Francisco to spend more on the international front. Boston cleared room

ESPN releases Sunday Night Baseball 2025 schedule

January 15, 2025

ESPN, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, announced its 2025 early-season Sunday Night Baseball schedule on Wednesday. The 36th season of ESPN’s exclusive Major League Baseball game of the week begins on March 30 when the San Diego Padres and Fernando Tatís Jr. host the Atlanta Braves and Ronald Acuña

Everything you need to know about 2025 HOF vote

@paul_casellaMLB
January 13, 2025

With all the ballots for this year’s Hall of Fame vote having been turned in, the only thing left to do now is wait for the results to be unveiled.

Who could Mets consider as Alonso alternatives?

January 15, 2025

MLB.com is keeping track of all the latest Mets-related free agent and trade rumors right here.

Rangers' 2025 international haul includes son of former ROY

No. 29-ranked Elorky Rodriguez joins Hansel Ramirez among Texas' signees
@JesseABorek and @kennlandry
January 15, 2025

Hanley Ramirez, the 2006 National League Rookie of the Year, enjoyed a 15-season big league career that saw him amass 271 homers, 281 steals and a career .847 OPS. A dynamic international prospect in his own right in 2000, Ramirez now gets to watch a quarter-century later as his son,

Key pros and cons of 3 finalists vying for Sasaki

January 15, 2025

And then there were three. While eight teams were known to have met in person with Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki, five of those have been informed that they are out of the running: the Cubs, Giants, Mets, Rangers and Yankees. That leaves three finalists, according to a report from MLB

Giants add to shortstop talent with top position player in international class

@JesseABorek
January 15, 2025

Any time a young prospect’s ceiling is held in the same regard as Francisco Lindor and José Reyes, talent evaluators are going to sit up and listen. Josuar De Jesus Gonzalez, the No. 2 prospect in the 2025 international class per MLB Pipeline, has agreed to terms to join the

Power-hitting No. 4 prospect Rodriguez headlines Tigers' signings

@JesseABorek and @anne__rogers
January 15, 2025

MLB Pipeline has been ranking international prospects since 2012. For the first time, the Tigers have landed a player in the Top 5 at the opening of the international signing period, agreeing to a deal with the No. 4 overall prospect. Meet Cris Rodriguez, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound right-handed-hitting outfielder from

The ten greatest international baseball moments in 2024

January 15, 2025

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of Michael Clair's International Beat Newsletter, bringing global baseball news to your inbox every month. Sign up for future installments HERE and check out the full newsletter HERE. Before we get too far into the new year (some of us are still

Mariners land Venezuelan outfielder nicknamed 'The Beast'

@JesseABorek and @DKramer_
January 15, 2025

Julio Rodríguez in 2017. Noelvi Marte in 2018. Lazaro Montes in 2022. Felnin Celesten in 2023. The Mariners are back at it again, having landed a potential aircraft carrier signee on the first day of the international signing period. Yorger Bautista, a left-handed-hitting Venezuelan outfielder nicknamed “La Bestia” (The Beast),

The best -- and worst -- player projections from 2024

@AndrewSimonMLB
January 15, 2025

At around this time last year, MLB.com looked at each team’s top projected player for 2024, in terms of WAR, and based on the Steamer projections available at FanGraphs. Projections, of course, are not an exact science. And they can’t possibly account for all of the twists and turns that

Strop, son of former MLB reliever, atop Cards' int'l class

@JesseABorek
January 15, 2025

For seven seasons in the 2010s, the Cardinals hit just .194 off right-handed reliever Pedro Strop. A late-innings menace to opposing offenses primarily for the Cubs, Strop fashioned himself a role that led to a 13-year big league career. Now, Strop’s son Royelny has agreed to terms to headline St.