8:13 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Umpire Angel Hernandez, who has sued Major League Baseball over a lack of top assignments, will serve as an interim crew chief this season after a dozen umps decided to sit out amid the coronavirus pandemic. Eight crew chiefs and four other umpires have opted out. The

11:56 AM ET Associated Press CHICAGO — It looks as if Christian Yelich is going to get some help. Same for Aaron Judge and the rest of baseball’s corner outfielders. Major League Baseball has adjusted its policy for bat-and-ball kids this summer, clearing the way for ball boys and girls to return to the foul

1:00 AM ET Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas — Colorado Rockies rookie outfielder Sam Hilliard grew up going to Texas Rangers games with his dad, who two years ago was diagnosed with ALS. Hilliard’s dad, Jim, is now getting to watch his son as a big leaguer in their hometown team’s new stadium that otherwise is

8:04 PM ET Associated Press TORONTO — The Blue Jays’ front office has told its players that Pittsburgh and Baltimore are possibilities for where team will hold home games this year after Canada’s government barred the club from playing in Toronto amid the coronavirus pandemic, outfielder Randal Grichuk said Tuesday. Canada denied the Blue Jays’

7:00 AM ET Steve RichardsESPN It’s quite clear MLB’s 2020 season will be unlike any other, what with a 60-game schedule, no fans in attendance and numerous modifications to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which stopped the game — and so much else — in its tracks in March. Beyond all that, baseball will

10:28 PM ET Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler and several of his players knelt during the national anthem before Monday night’s exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics. Right fielder Jaylin Davis and first-base coach Antoan Richardson, both of whom are Black, also took a knee, with shortstop Brandon Crawford

4:25 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has doubled the isolated camera angles available for video review from 12 to 24 and arranged for high-frame rate cameras to stream directly to the new replay operations center and ballpark video rooms. As part of the changes announced Monday, the time each manager

7:00 AM ET Sam MillerESPN.com Close ESPN baseball columnist/feature writerFormer editor-in-chief of Baseball ProspectusCo-author of “The Only Rule Is It Has To Work” Back in the old days, the 2020 Houston Astros were scheduled to play two Opening Days: one at their park on the first day of the season and one in Anaheim for

8:00 PM ET There is baseball in just over four days. Real, live major league baseball, with standings and statistics and strikeouts. Max Scherzer will throw the first pitch of the abbreviated 2020 season when the Washington Nationals host the New York Yankees on Thursday night on ESPN. It’s going to look weird, with no

6:00 PM ET Major League Baseball and players have been in conversation about how to incorporate social justice elements into the sport, according to league and player sources, with the most recent conversation scheduled for Sunday. It’s unclear what form the elements will take, whether it be some kind of logo placed on uniforms or