6:52 PM ET Dan HajduckyESPN Close Hajducky is a reporter/researcher for ESPN. He has an MFA in creative writing from Fairfield University and played on the men’s soccer teams at Fordham and Southern Connecticut State universities. A baseball glove personally donated by Babe Ruth to St. Louis Browns third baseman Jimmy Austin sold Saturday at

Nov 12, 2022 Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Reliever Rafael Montero agreed to a three-year, $34.5 million contract that will bring the right-hander back to the Houston Astros‘ dominant bullpen a week after the team rode its pitching staff to

7:02 PM ET Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays hired longtime Texas Rangers executive Jon Daniels as a baseball operations senior adviser on Friday. Daniels spent the previous 21 seasons with the Rangers, including the last 17 overseeing their baseball operations department. He was the longest-tenured top executive in team history.

Nov 10, 2022 Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Fourteen free agents received qualifying offers from their former teams Thursday as Major League Baseball free agency officially began and players were free to sign with any organization. Among those tendered the

6:22 PM ET Associated Press SAN DIEGO — Right-hander Nick Martinez opted out of his contract with the San Diego Padres and became a free agent after going 4-4 with a 3.47 ERA in his return from Japanese baseball. Martinez turned down a $6.5 million player option Thursday, instead triggering a $1.5 million buyout that

10:13 PM ET The Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw are nearing agreement on a one-year deal that would bring the future Hall of Fame left-hander back to Los Angeles for a 16th season, a source confirmed to ESPN on Thursday night. The Athletic first reported the development. Kershaw’s deal is expected to be of similar value

1:02 PM ET Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have declined a $13 million club option on centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier for next season, triggering a $2.5 million buyout and making the defensive whiz a free agent on Thursday. Kiermaier, 32, spent parts of 10 seasons with the Rays, who drafted him

3:13 PM ET Associated Press LAS VEGAS — The New York Mets exercised a $14 million option on right-hander Carlos Carrasco and a $775,000 option on reliever John Curtiss, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery. Carrasco, 35, was 15-7 with a 3.97 ERA in his second season with the Mets, who acquired him

7:15 PM ET Associated Press ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves re-acquired left-hander Kolby Allard, their former first-round draft pick, from the Texas Rangers on Wednesday for right-hander Jake Odorizzi and cash. Allard, 25, was Atlanta’s top choice, No. 14 overall, in the 2015 draft. He was 1-2 with a 7.29 ERA in 10 relief appearances

2:44 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” In a news conference to welcome back Dusty Baker as manager of the Houston Astros, team owner Jim Crane tiptoed around questions regarding general manager James Click, saying he was “in discussions”