Talented 2021 NY Mets hope to make a run and win World Series  —  The Mets are entering a new era.  —  In November, owner Steve Cohen vowed to make the team a sustainable winner, one that would make fans proud.  He brought president Sandy Alderson and, together, they overhauled the roster and parts of the organization.

Major League Baseball relaxing COVID-19 protocols for fully vaccinated players, staff  —  PHOENIX — Major League Baseball is getting back to normal.  Players can now travel with their families.  They can go to restaurants.  They can play cards and move around on planes and buses.

Sources: Former No. 1 pick Mark Appel attempting comeback with Phillies  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Three years after he stepped away from baseball as a rare No. 1 pick to have never reached the majors, Mark Appel has been preparing for a comeback.  —  Appel, 29, will soon report to the Phillies' complex …

Still curious?  Catching up with those who brought Sidd Finch to life  —  The day the famous Sports Illustrated story about the Mets and a phenom pitcher hit newsstands, telephones all over New York and Florida started ringing.  In Jay Horwitz's office, a furious sports editor …

New York Yankees 1B Luke Voit going on IL with partial tear in meniscus  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Major league home run champion Luke Voit needs knee surgery to repair a partial meniscus tear, an injury that opened a New York Yankees roster spot for Jay Bruce on Saturday as a first baseman.

Cincinnati Reds GM Nick Krall: ‘Looking like’ Eugenio Suárez will be starting shortstop  —  GOODYEAR, Arizona - Over the last few days of spring training, as the rest of the National League Central finalizes their Opening Day rosters and their starting lineups, the Cincinnati Reds are still waiting on a few answers.

MLBPA chief open to talk with MLB about moving All-Star Game out of Georgia following new voting laws  —  Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark said Friday that he “would look forward” to discussing moving the All-Star Game from Atlanta in the wake …

Minnesota Twins coach Mike Bell, brother of Reds manager, dies of cancer at 46  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Minnesota Twins bench coach Mike Bell, the younger brother of Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell, died Friday of kidney cancer.  He was 46.  —  At the request of Bell's family to take the field …

Oberg undergoes surgery to remove clots  —  Rockies right-handed relief pitcher Scott Oberg underwent surgery on Thursday night to treat a recurrence of blood clots in his right elbow that have kept him out of Major League action since August 2019.  It is his fourth bout with the condition.

St. Louis Cardinals mourn loss of ‘Smokey’ Joe Cunningham  —  ST. LOUIS — Joe Cunningham, who got off to a smashing start with the St. Louis Cardinals and later became a minor league manager, major league coach, key figure in their front office and team ambassador, has died.  He was 89.

The Celtics made a run at All-Star center Nikola Vucevic, but will now focus on Andre Drummond  —  The Celtics bolstered their roster at the trade deadline on Thursday by adding Magic sharpshooter Evan Fournier, but their sights had been set considerably higher while dealing with Orlando.