2:20 PM ET Associated Press Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo declined to specify Monday why Jeremy Jeffress was released from a minor league contract by the team, saying only that he considered it an “employment issue” and acknowledging it was not related to the reliever’s baseball performance. “We’re just going to stand by the

11:53 AM ET Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona said Jose Ramirez and Franmil Reyes both broke COVID-19 protocols and will be away from the team. Both players were immediately sent home and the team is awaiting word from MLB when they will be allowed to return. Reyes got a haircut and then the two players

2:02 PM ET Associated Press WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Jeremy Jeffress was released by the Washington Nationals on Sunday for what general manager Mike Rizzo called unspecified “personnel reasons,” less than two weeks after the reliever agreed to terms on a minor league deal. The team sent out a six-word tweet announcing the move.

8:01 AM ET For club executives, the question of whether to manipulate the service time of young players has been like the steroid quandary was for players in the 1990s. Teams have the option of making decisions based entirely in good faith. Some clubs have operated this way. Fernando Tatis Jr. was on the Padres’

1:51 AM ET GLENDALE, Ariz. — Trevor Bauer immersed himself into a budding rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres with one eye closed. The Dodgers’ prized offseason acquisition navigated through his first inning against the Padres on Saturday afternoon by pitching mostly with his right eye closed, a training method

12:22 PM ET Marly RiveraESPN Writer Close Marly Rivera is a writer for ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN.com. TAMPA – New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he “can’t believe” the improvement to his health after having surgery Wednesday to implant a pacemaker, and that he would have rejoined the club on Friday if not for COVID

12:44 PM ET Right-hander Jake Odorizzi and the Houston Astros have agreed to a two-year deal with a player option, a source familiar with the deal told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Saturday. The Astros have already lost starter Framber Valdez for an indefinite period of time after the left-hander suffered a fractured left ring finger

10:40 PM ET MESA, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani featured an upper-90s fastball and a wipeout splitter in his spring pitching debut Friday, a 41-pitch outing that seemed to validate the Los Angeles Angels‘ hopes that he can contribute as a two-way player this season. Ohtani, pitching two days after unleashing a 486-foot home run to

5:55 PM ET Associated Press California officials will allow people to attend Major League Baseball games and other sporting events, go to Disneyland and watch live performances in limited capacities starting April 1. The rules announced Friday coincide with baseball’s Opening Day. The San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics all have home

11:56 AM ET Associated Press New York Mets president Sandy Alderson says that he is emphasizing offense over defense but that Kevin Pillar and Albert Almora Jr. were brought in to help with their gloves. “While some of our players aren’t defensive geniuses, we think that the overall blend that we have is pretty good,”