Top News:
Ari Alexander / Click2Houston.com:
Sources: Astros and Bregman keep door open while team shops Pressly — HOUSTON - The Houston Astros and Alex Bregman are interested in a reunion, a league source tells KPRC 2 Sports. — The Astros “are keeping the door open, and so is Bregman,” the source told KPRC 2 Sports Thursday evening.
Discussion:
The Boston Globe, New York Times, MLB Trade Rumors, MLB.com, Bleacher Nation, Bless You Boys, Lone Star Ball, The Crawfish Boxes and NESN.com
RELATED:
New York Times:
Ryan Pressly weighing options as Astros and Cubs also pursue Alex Bregman: Sources — Ryan Pressly, an All-Star reliever with impressive postseason credentials, has not yet approved or rejected a potential trade from the Houston Astros to the Chicago Cubs, a league source told The Athletic on Friday.
Chandler Rome / New York Times:
Astros re-engage in talks with longtime third baseman Alex Bregman: Sources — HOUSTON — Conversations between the Houston Astros and free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman have resumed within recent days, according to three league sources, reigniting some hope of a reunion between the franchise and one of its cornerstones.
USA Today:
Mariano Rivera and wife Clara accused of covering up child sexual abuse, deny allegations — A teenage girl is seeking compensatory and punitive damages after claiming she was sexually assaulted on multiple occasions at events connected to a church where Clara Rivera, wife of New York Yankees Hall …
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports, New York Post, Associated Press and New Jersey Online
Evan Drellich / New York Times:
MLB institutes two rules changes for 2025, closing loopholes on shift violations, base running — Major League Baseball has made two on-field rule changes for 2025, both attempting to avoid rare instances where the old rules could have incentivized teams to try to game the system, The Athletic has learned.
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, MLB.com, MLB Trade Rumors and Purple Row
New York Times:
Exclusive: Audio reveals Ohtani's former interpreter impersonating Dodgers star in call with bank — Federal prosecutors on Thursday disclosed a nearly four-minute audio recording which they said showed Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter convicted of defrauding Los Angeles Dodgers superstar …
Discussion:
ESPN, True Blue LA, Associated Press, New York Post and Kyodo News+
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Jurickson Profar, Braves agree to 3-year, $42 million deal — Outfielder Jurickson Profar and the Atlanta Braves agreed on a three-year, $42 million contract Thursday, uniting the veteran coming off a career year with a team that has struggled in recent years to find a suitable left fielder.
Evan Drellich / New York Times:
New details emerge about MLB's upcoming test of robo-umps in spring training — Major League Baseball is preparing the automated ball-strike system, or ABS, for its biggest test yet this spring training. MLB has used the so-called robo-umps in the minors, but this will be the first time it's used by major-league players.
Discussion:
Arizona Sports, Covering the Corner, Marquee Sports Network and Bleed Cubbie Blue
New York Times:
Breaking: NHL has begun preparation for Gary Bettman retirement in ‘couple years’ — ST. PAUL, Minn. — The executive committee of the NHL's Board of Governors has begun planning for Gary Bettman's retirement in “a couple years” and has started the process of finding a successor …
Discussion:
Chicago Hockey Now, Pittsburgh Hockey Now, Bleacher Nation, Vegas Hockey Now and Sportsnet.ca
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Inside Dodgers' Roki Sasaki signing, spree that rocked MLB — SIX YEARS AGO, when the world knew next to nothing of a gangly 17-year-old pitcher in Japan, a Los Angeles Dodgers evaluator sat in the stands at his high school games with a video camera to capture the splendor.
Discussion:
Forbes, FanSided, New York Times, True Blue LA, Bleed Cubbie Blue, AZ Snake Pit, Pinstripe Alley and MLB Trade Rumors
Evan Petzold / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers interested in top relievers. Is the Alex Bregman market holding them back? — The Detroit Tigers want to sign a high-leverage reliever to rack up saves. The Tigers also want to sign Alex Bregman to play third base and hit in the middle of the lineup. — Bregman is the top priority.
Discussion:
Last Word On Baseball, Bless You Boys, MLB Trade Rumors and NESN.com
Baseball America:
2025 Top 100 Prospects — The Baseball America Top 100 Prospects rankings are our 36th edition of our flagship prospect ranking. We view this ranking as the culmination of all of our work all year, as we attempt to show how prospects are perceived by the industry right now, as well as project who will produce in the future.
Discussion:
Kings Of Kauffman, MLB Trade Rumors, Redleg Nation, redsminorleagues.com, Athletics Nation, MLB.com, Just Baseball, Royals Review, Covering the Corner, Pinstripe Alley, Mercer scores 2 …, NBC Sports Bay Area …, NESN.com, Brew Crew Ball, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Federal Baseball, Red Reporter, Bleacher Nation, New Jersey Online, Yahoo Sports, masslive.com, DRaysBay, True Blue LA, Boston Herald, Lone Star Ball and Amazin' Avenue
