Dodgers' Seager plays SS for 1st time since April  —  GLENDALE, Ariz. — Corey Seager played shortstop in a game for the first time since April 29, logging three innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a minor league exhibition.  —  The 2016 NL Rookie of the Year had surgery May 4 to repair …

Theo Epstein is impressed by the Cubs' bullpen depth, and they'll need it after so many injuries  —  Who does what for the Cubs?  A look at the franchise's organizational flowchart, from the front office to the dugout to the bullpen.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  After their pleas …

Jordan Roberts' game-winner completes Long Beach State's comeback win over Hawaii at Big West Tournament  —  ANAHEIM — An 18-point deficit in the opening minutes seemed to spell doom for Long Beach State against Hawaii in the Big West Tournament quarterfinals Thursday night.

MLB's new rule could force pitching specialists to become extinct  —  MESA, Ariz. — The left-handed relief pitchers, particularly the specialists, fear it will cost them their jobs.  —  The managers believe it will ruin strategy.  —  And baseball traditionalists despise it.

Predicting the next top-100 player for all 30 teams  —  This won't shock you if you have last year's standings memorized, but the premium talent in baseball isn't exactly spread evenly across the sport.  The Yankees had nine players crack the MLB Rank top 100, the Astros had seven …

The Pete Alonso Dilemma: games in April count as much as games in September  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — Pete Alonso is the type of slugger Mets fans would pay to see from Opening Day to the end of his tenure.  —  The reality is, if the Mets hold Alonso in the minors until a few weeks into the regular season …

Manny Machado and the Padres already feels like a solid marriage  —  Photos of Manny Machado, one of the top free agents this season.  —  The Washington Post  —  The world at large, the greater baseball community and the members of the 2019 San Diego Padres all found out at roughly the same time …

Masahiro Tanaka is headed in the right direction toward Yankees' opening day start  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Above all, Masahiro Tanaka felt that Wednesday's start gave him an indication that things are moving in the right direction.  —  Nearly two weeks away from his scheduled opening day start …

MLB eliminates multiple trade deadlines, 40-man September rosters  —  After a winter of bickering about the distribution of the sport's wealth, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Assn. announced a series of rule changes to be made over the next two seasons …

Nathan Eovaldi explains why there was little doubt he would land back with Red Sox  —  Nathan Eovaldi has been one of the revelations of Red Sox camp thus far.  And to think some thought it would be a longshot that the pitcher would actually find himself living life in Fort Myers this time of year.

CHEAPSEATS: Improved discipline at the plate paying off for Blue Jays' Teoscar Hernandez  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — Teoscar Hernandez did absolutely nothing at the plate on Thursday.  —  He didn't hit, he didn't walk.  And, for the first time in 11 Grapefruit League games, he did not even reach base.

Life after Harper?  Juan Soto can be what Bryce was ... and more  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — If you think Juan Soto is feeling pressure, think again.  —  Last May, Soto exploded onto the scene as a 19-year-old outfielder with the Washington Nationals.  Due to injuries in D.C. …

Is Estevan Florial ‘a young Bernie Williams’ or a future bust?  —  TAMPA, Fla. — When the prospect rankers began unveiling their annual lists of baseball's best up-and-comers, a common theme emerged regarding one of the New York Yankees' prized players.  —  Estevan Florial …