3:33 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” The Baltimore Orioles acquired left-hander Cole Irvin from the Oakland Athletics on Thursday, bolstering their rotation as they look to take a step forward in the ultracompetitive American League East. Irvin, who

7:00 AM ET Baseball eras come and go faster than you think. The game you remember as a child is played differently than the one you are now enjoying as an adult. It’s not unrecognizable but it has changed. That’s true now, and it’s probably always been true. The game is played much differently now

11:37 PM ET Associated Press HAVANA — Cubans signed with Major League Baseball organizations or other foreign clubs will for the first time join local stars on the national team that will play in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, officials announced Wednesday evening. The Cuban Baseball Federation long defended the idea of amateurism and punished

3:45 PM ET Left-hander Jeffrey Springs and the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a four-year, $31 million extension Wednesday, the team announced. The deal includes a club option for the 2027 season and can be worth up to $65.75 million if that option is exercised and Springs meets incentives for innings pitched and Cy Young

7:00 AM ET Congrats to Scott Rolen, who will join Fred McGriff on induction day in Cooperstown, New York, this July as the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rolen made electoral history with his selection: He now has the lowest first-year vote percentage — just 10.2% — of any player to eventually

6:27 PM ET Scott Rolen has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, sneaking over the threshold by the narrowest of margins. Rolen, one of the game’s great third basemen, was named on 76.3% of ballots cast in his sixth year of eligibility to earn enshrinement. Just missing was former Rockies first baseman Todd

3:22 PM ET Mike Clevinger, a starting pitcher who signed with the Chicago White Sox earlier this offseason, is under investigation for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy, a source told ESPN on Tuesday, confirming an initial report by The Athletic. The investigation stems from allegations made by a woman, Olivia Finestead, who accused

7:00 AM ET The Baseball Hall of Fame could see a new addition by the end of the night, when the results of the Baseball Writers Association of America balloting are revealed at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network. All 28 former players — 14 returnees and 14 newcomers — on this year’s ballot are

7:21 PM ET Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins acquired veteran Michael A. Taylor from the Kansas City Royals on Monday night, adding depth and defense to their outfield in exchange for two relief pitching prospects. The 31-year-old Taylor batted .254 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 414 at-bats last season for

4:25 PM ET Associated Press CHICAGO — When Chicago Cubs manager David Ross spoke with Trey Mancini about joining the team, the skipper mentioned playing first base, designated hitter and the corner outfield spots. For Mancini, the playing part was the key message. “I told him: ‘I don’t care where I play at all. I