Top News:
US Department of Justice:
Two Current Major League Baseball Players Charged in Sports Betting and Money Laundering Conspiracy — For Immediate Release — U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York — The Defendants Allegedly Rigged Pitches with Corrupt Sports Bettors, Who Placed Fraudulent Wagers Worth Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars
Discussion:
UPI, Los Angeles Times, KUSA-TV, CBS News, Yahoo Sports and Boston Herald
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Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Guardians' Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz indicted for pitch rigging — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were charged with fraud, conspiracy and bribery stemming from an alleged scheme to rig individual pitches that led to bettors winning hundreds of thousands of dollars …
Zack Meisel / The Athletic:
The alleged pitch-rigging scheme of 2 MLB players: Texts, calls and the money trail — At 3:16 p.m. ET on April 26, just before he entered the game in the eighth inning, Cleveland Guardians reliever Emmanuel Clase texted an associate who was sitting in the stands at Progressive Field.
Discussion:
CNN, Defector, Sox Machine, New York Post, Over the Monster, Plain Dealer, Covering the Corner, Yahoo Sports, MLB Trade Rumors and Amazin' Avenue
Adam J. Morris / Lone Star Ball:
Clase, Ortiz indicted, per report — Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges related to gambling shenanigans, according to Jeff Passan, with Ortiz having been arrested this morning. Clase has not been apprehended. — The two Cleveland Guardians pitchers …
ESPN:
Tatsuya Imai to become next Japanese pitcher to move to MLB — TOKYO — Tatsuya Imai is likely to be the next Japanese pitcher to move to a Major League team after his club, Seibu Lions, said Monday it would begin the process of making him available — a process called “posting.”
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet.ca, Yahoo Sports and The Athletic
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Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Sources: Japanese home run king Munetaka Murakami posts — Japanese star third baseman Munetaka Murakami is entering the posting system Friday, officially starting the process of one of the most anticipated free agencies of the winter, sources told ESPN. — Murakami, 25, owns …
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Japanese slugger Murakami set to be posted — The countdown for Munetaka Murakami's move to the Majors is officially underway. — All 30 Major League clubs will be informed on Friday that Murakami has been posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, with his official negotiating window set to open on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. ET.
D.J. Short / NBCSports.com:
Edwin Díaz Free Agent Profile: Contract prediction, best fits, stats — We covered Pete Alonso's free agent situation last week, but now it's time look at the Mets' other big-name free agent in Edwin Díaz. — The three-time All-Star closer is coming off another excellent season …
Discussion:
The Athletic
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
10 biggest MLB hot stove questions, from top free agents to latest trade rumors — They will gather this week at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Hotel playing cards, throwing dice, talking shop and trying to con their buddies. — It's the annual Major League Baseball General Manager Meetings …
Discussion:
NESN.com and Arizona Sports
Mike Petriello / MLB.com:
Ranking all 30 MLB rosters as the offseason gets going — Where does each team start the 2025-26 offseason? It's not necessarily the exact same place where they ended the 2025 regular season (or postseason). — Even though it's only been a few days since the conclusion of a thrilling World Series …
Discussion:
NESN.com
Aaliyan Mohammed / Newsweek:
Phillies' Bryce Harper Allegedly Threatened to ‘End Up In a Ditch’ by MLB Deputy: Agent — The Philadelphia Phillies had a strong regular season, but ultimately fell short of the World Series again. The Los Angeles Dodgers' superteam ended up defeating the Phillies in the postseason on their way to another World Series win.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Forbes, Lookout Landing, Crossing Broad, Bleed Cubbie Blue, New Jersey Online and The Good Phight
USA Today:
MLB free agent predictions: Where will these top players sign for 2026? — Jesse Yomtov Gabe Lacques Bob NightengaleUSA TODAY — As Major League Baseball's hot stove gets fired up for the winter of 2025-26, rumors are swirling about where the game's best free agents will be signing in the months to come
Discussion:
The Athletic and NESN.com
Jackson Roberts / Sports Illustrated:
Royals Waive 5-Year Veteran Lefty After Dismal Season — Second time was not the charm... Relief pitching is incredibly volatile in Major League Baseball. — The Kansas City Royals signed left-hander Sam Long to a minor-league contract last year, and he turned in the best season …
Discussion:
Kings of Kauffman, MLB Trade Rumors and Royals Review
Sports Illustrated:
MLB Free Agent Rankings and Signing Predictions — Baseball's offseason has officially begun. Where will Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and other premier free agents end up? — As the baseball world comes down from the high of what was an all-time great World Series, the MLB calendar waits for no one.
