3:33 PM ET CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are committing to the MLB free-agent market this winter after trading away about half their roster this season. “We plan to be really active in free agency,” team president Jed Hoyer said Friday afternoon. “We plan to spend money intelligently. We’re scouting that market heavily. We’re going

11:09 PM ET Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — Houston Astros right-hander Zack Greinke was scratched from his scheduled start Friday night and placed on the 10-day injured list with neck soreness. Greinke, who missed 12 games earlier this month while on the COVID-19 list, is 11-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 29 starts for Houston.

1:03 AM ET ESPN News Services MINNEAPOLIS — Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was forced from Thursday night’s 7-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning after a freak play in the outfield resulted in a bloody injury. On a double by Mitch Garver — who was 3 for 4

8:03 PM ET Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS — Toronto Blue Jays reliever Ryan Borucki has been suspended for three games by Major League Baseball for intentionally hitting Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kiermaier with a pitch in the latest salvo in a spat between the two American League East competitors. MLB announced the punishment, which includes an undisclosed

8:03 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Major League Baseball is experimenting with pre-tacked baseballs at some Triple-A games during the last stretch of the minor league season. The test run could be a step toward updating the big league balls after officials cracked down midseason on the use of illegal sticky substances used

8:14 PM ET ESPN News Services OAKLAND, Calif. — Chris Bassitt pitched three scoreless innings less than a month after surgery to repair facial fractures, but the Seattle Mariners rallied against Oakland’s bullpen for a 6-5 victory Thursday and a four-game sweep that damaged the Athletics’ wild-card hopes. Bassitt, a 32-year-old right-hander, was struck by

4:53 PM ET Associated Press CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds and manager David Bell announced a two-year extension of his contract through 2023. Bell, 49, agreed in October 2018 to a three-year contract that included a team option for 2022. The Reds are 78-74 this season, third in the NL Central, and 184-190 under Bell.

5:13 PM ET ESPN News Services Cleveland Indians right-hander Shane Bieber, who hasn’t pitched since June 13 because of a strained right shoulder, is scheduled to start against the Chicago White Sox on Friday night. The reigning AL Cy Young winner threw 57 pitches in a minor league start for Double-A Akron on Sunday and

10:06 PM ET ESPN News Services SAN DIEGO — Padres All-Stars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. stood next to each other and said it’s all good between them after their weekend shouting match in the dugout during a season that has been spiraling out of control. Machado shouted and cursed at Tatis during the

10:15 PM ET ESPN News Services NEW YORK — Luis Severino took the mound in a major-league game for the first time since the 2019 American League Championship Series on Tuesday. The two-time All-Star, who has battled myriad injuries since re-signing with the Yankees, entered in the unfamiliar role of reliever, working the final two