Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Padres reliever underwent surgery to fix a ruptured left quad last September, and as of November, Adam wasn't sure if he'd be fully recovered in time for Opening Day. However, the early days of Spring Training have been promising for the right-hander. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that Adam pitched a live batting practice for the first time today, and Adam is making slow but steady progress in fielding drills.

TAMPA, Fla. - When Gerrit Cole took the mound at 11 a.m. Friday to face hitters for the first time since March 6 of last year, Steinbrenner Field was virtually empty, aside from a handful of reporters, a few team officials and three personal VIPs seated behind the Yankees' on-deck circle: his wife, Amy, and two young sons, Caden and Everett.

Many in the industry expect a lockout and some even worry about the potential for lost games in 2027. Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of The New York Post report that the league has put aside a war chest of about $2 billion, roughly $75MM per team, from a central fund to help weather a potentially lengthy stoppage. The MLBPA has made similar preparations but the report doesn't provide specifics for that side.

The Royals have signed catcher Elias Díaz to a minor league contract, per a club announcement.

It's been a wacky month for 2025 Toronto Blue Jays pitchers. Kevin Gausman is openly pondering retirement. Chris Bassitt, now a member of the Baltimore Orioles, still isn't over the team's World Series loss. José Berrios continues to apologize for abandoning the team during their postseason run. And now, Max Scherzer is reportedly close to returning to Canada for one final swan song in 2026.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) - The Syracuse Mets have to chalk this one up as an error. The baseball team had previously announced plans to retire the "Syracuse Mets" name and unveil a new identity and brand for future seasons. After months of planning, the team's rebranding process struck out. The Mets' general manager Jason Smorol tells NewsChannel 9 | LocalSYR.com that the new name they had selected was already trademarked.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Cavan Biggio has signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros. The versatile left-handed hitter will join the team in spring training camp as a non-roster player. The 30-year-old is coming off a season in which he appeared in 37 games for the Kansas City Royals. The Royals had him all over the field, playing first base, second base, third base, two outfield positions and designated hitter.

On February 18, 1960, then-Los Angeles Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley finalized the purchase of land that would be used for the construction of Dodger Stadium. O'Malley paid a reported $494,000 for the property at Chavez Ravine, which was believed to be worth $92,000 at the time. The process took over a year and a half as O'Malley initially received approval from L.A. voters to purchase the land on June 3, 1958.

I'm not going to say this is a great thing; this is unforeseen. At the end of the day, leadership is important and leadership comes and goes, but what remains is the players. Our union is strong and always has been strong because of the solidarity of our members, of our players. That is going to continue, and as I've said in the past in different contexts, anybody who underestimates the strength of the MLB Players Association does so at their own peril.

With their chances of trading 3B Isaac Paredes diminishing, the Astros have expressed interest in free agent OF Michael Conforto, a source tells MLB. com. A LH hitter, the 32-year-old slashed .199/.305/.333 last year with 12 homers and 36 RBIs in 128 games for the Dodgers.- Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 18, 2026 They have tried to trade infielder Isaac Paredes - the odd man out in a crowded infield - in search of a left-handed bat.

The six-foot-two right-hander's three pitch mix - a mid-high 90's fastball, an electric changeup that many called the best in the draft, and an upper 80's slider - gives him one of the highest floors of any pitcher in last year's draft class. However, there is some reliever risk to his projection, as he was not consistently stretched out as a starting pitcher in college.

At only 19 years old, he is one of the more raw prospects in the Dodgers' system, but he has a good deal of upside. He is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 191 pounds, though scouts believe he should add a good deal of muscle to his frame and potentially lose some speed, potentially leading to a move to third base. He bats and throws right-handed as well.