4:20 PM ET ESPN News Services NEW YORK — The average time of a nine-inning major league game dropped for the first time since 2018, likely helped by the introduction of the PitchCom electronic device to signal pitches. The average this season was 3 hours, 3 minutes, 44 seconds, the commissioner’s office said Monday. The

Oct 5, 2022 ESPN News Services NEW YORK — Jeff McNeil stayed on top without taking a swing. Nursing a four-point lead in the big league batting race, McNeil was not in the New York Mets‘ lineup Wednesday for their regular-season finale against Washington. He only played defense after entering late and finished with the

7:00 AM ET The 2022 MLB playoffs are here — and for the first time there are 12 teams battling for World Series glory. With an extra round to begin the postseason and the possibility that this year’s Fall Classic extends to a Game 7 on Nov. 5, it will be a very short October

4:08 PM ET NEW YORK — The odds of New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte making the roster for the wild-card series are getting slimmer and slimmer. Speaking before Wednesday’s 9-2 win over the Washington Nationals in the regular-season finale, Mets manager Buck Showalter admitted the outfielder’s availability seems like a long shot when the

3:15 PM ET Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels have hired Phil Nevin as manager for the 2023 season, removing his interim title and giving him a one-year contract Wednesday before the final game of the regular season. The Angels will miss the playoffs for an eighth straight year. Nevin was promoted

6:23 AM ET Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas — As he walked through a concourse in the outfield at Globe Life Field, high-fiving other fans and surrounded by a sea of cameras, it was almost as if Cory Youmans had hit a huge home run. Instead, he had hit the jackpot. Youmans made the catch of

8:09 PM ET Move over, Roger Maris: New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has hit his 62nd home run of the 2022 MLB season, setting the single-season record for the American League. His 62nd home run — which came off Texas Rangers righty Jesus Tinoco on Tuesday in the Yankees’ final series of the regular

1:56 AM ET ESPN News Services SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners will start their first playoff trip in two decades on the road after a costly 4-3 loss Monday night to the Detroit Tigers. Sam Haggerty singled with two outs in the ninth inning and hurt his left groin while sliding into second base on

8:55 PM ET Following Monday’s announcement that Tony La Russa is stepping down as Chicago White Sox manager due to health concerns, general manager Rick Hahn has begun the search for a new skipper. Hahn’s criteria for the next manager included recent dugout experience as a coach or manager for a winning organization, good communication

6:19 PM ET ESPN News Services ST. LOUIS — Reliever Giovanny Gallegos and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed Monday to an $11 million, two-year contract, a deal that includes a club option for 2025 and escalators that could make it worth $20.5 million over three seasons. The 31-year-old right-hander is 3-5 with a 2.91 ERA