Top News:
Alex Speier / The Boston Globe:
Is Alex Bregman worth a long-term gamble by the Red Sox? That's a tough one to answer. — Free agent Alex Bregman's fit with the Red Sox seems so obvious. So why hasn't the team signed him? — According to multiple industry sources, the Red Sox' conversations this offseason with Bregman …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Yahoo Sports, Boston.com, Last Word On Baseball, masslive.com, Bleacher Nation and NESN.com
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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.
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:
New York Times, MLB Trade Rumors, Bleacher Nation, MLB.com, Bless You Boys, Lone Star Ball, NESN.com, The Crawfish Boxes and New York Post
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.
Aarif Deen / Colorado Hockey Now:
Avalanche Trade Mikko Rantanen To Carolina in 3-Way Deal For Martin Necas and Jack Drury — The Avalanche have pulled off a stunner. — Mikko Rantanen is heading to the Carolina Hurricanes in a stunning and complex Friday night deal also involving the Chicago Blackhawks.
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, Sportsnet.ca, New York Post 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
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:
New York Times, Forbes, FanSided, True Blue LA, Bleed Cubbie Blue, AZ Snake Pit, Pinstripe Alley, MLB Trade Rumors and Orange County Register
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, Marquee Sports Network, Covering the Corner 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
