Yankees, Red Sox nearing agreement to play two-game series in London in 2019  —  TAMPA — London is calling — and the Yankees and Red Sox may finally take their rivalry across the Atlantic.  —  The two teams are closing in on an agreement to play a two-game, regular-season series June 29-30 …

A-Rod: Yankees' ‘breathtaking’ offense could break records  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez thinks the New York Yankees' “breathtaking” offense could break records this season.  —  Rodriguez arrived at spring training Monday and had high praise for a lineup led by Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorius.

This could be Willson Contreras' season to clean up as Cubs' No. 4 hitter  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Ian Happ downplayed the significance of his contributions this spring as manager Joe Maddon assesses various lineup options.  —  “It's not important who is going to be the leadoff guy,” Happ said.

Mets should use caution with Jason Vargas and use the one-time ‘Five Aces’ rotation for start of the season  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — Dust off the Five Aces posters from 2016 or ‘17.  The day may finally have arrived when the Mets’ five pitchers, formerly known as all aces, will be in the same rotation for at least one turn.

Tigers prospect Franklin Perez to miss 3 months  —  DETROIT — Detroit Tigers pitching prospect Franklin Perez is expected to miss at least three months with a right lat strain.  —  The Tigers say Perez was injured in a minor league game Sunday.  There is no surgery recommended at this point …

Spring training numbers matter for some but not all  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Spring training numbers can be deceptive - in both ways, good or bad.  —  Call it the Josias Manzanillo Rule.  Manzanillo was terrific for the Reds spring training of 2003.  He put up a 0.75 ERA and only allowed four hits in 12 innings that spring.

Jose Altuve finalizes 7-year, $163.5M deal with Astros  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — AL MVP Jose Altuve and the World Series champion Houston Astros have finalized a $163.5 million, seven-year contract that guarantees an additional $151 million over five seasons.

Arizona Diamondbacks spring training - 2018 … Steven Souza Jr. knows that part of the cost of doing business as a modern power hitter is striking out.  That does not mean he has to like doing it - or that he's comfortable striking out as often as he has in his career.

Detroit Tigers plug Clermont's Shane Greene into closer's role  —  Coming off reconstructive elbow surgery after his only season at the University of West Florida, Shane Greene was a man without a team.  —  The Clermont resident had lost his scholarship.  He had transferred …

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND: SATURDAY, MAY 26 - MONDAY, MAY 28  —  MLB's annual league-wide observance of Memorial Day will honor those who lost their lives while serving their country.  MLB again plans to participate in the National Moment of Remembrance through which ballparks on Memorial …

Inside the mask: An umpire crew chief on mound visits, mad managers and having your call overturned  —  Ted Barrett has been a major league umpire since 1994 and a crew chief since 2013.  He has worked nine postseason division series, eight championship series and three World Series.

Making a case for Cards' Martinez  —  St. Louis Cardinals infielder Jose Martinez hits soft toss balls to warm-up for live batting practice during St. Louis Cardinals spring training on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, in Jupiter, Fla. Photo by Chris Lee, clee@post-dispatch.com

Way-too-early MLB trade deadline preview: Which buyers should be all-in?  —  Last week, I peeked ahead at the still-distant trade deadline to identify teams that in a few months might be trying to exchange veteran talent for future assets.  If there are sellers, there have to be buyers, right?

Nationals' treasure: Victor Robles is key to the future, with or without Bryce Harper  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Back in 2005, Ryan Zimmerman was the first-ever draft pick of the newly minted Washington Nationals, an All-American from neighboring Virginia expected to steer the franchise through …

How Phillies pitcher Edubray Ramos regained his confidence  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. - Edubray Ramos, dejected after four rough weeks, left Citizens Bank Park last June and headed to the minor leagues.  Ramos said he never went through a stretch like the one he faced last summer when he retired …

Dodgers' Justin Turner is injured in Cactus League game  —  The Dodgers braced themselves Monday for the possibility of opening the season without one of their most valuable players.  —  Justin Turner was hit on the left hand by a pitch in the first inning of Monday's exhibition game.

With ‘problematic’ coaching staff gone, Pat Neshek left money on table to return to Phillies  —  Of The Morning Call  —  It will still be some time before the Phillies' decision to go with Gabe Kapler as manager can be truly evaluated.  —  But one thing is for sure, the Phillies …

A baseball scout and his hotel room: A love story spanning four decades  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - This eclectic 194-room hotel in Old Town has purple carpet, pink doors, and yellow and orange walls.  —  It has changed names nine times.  —  It has even changed addresses without moving.

Don't expect to see too much of Colome in the 8th inning this year  —  TAMPA - The Rays were not shy about using closer Alex Colome in the eighth inning last season, and he had more success than one would realize, given all the runners that seemed to be on base.  —  Colome led the majors with six saves of our or more outs.