Top News:
Associated Press:
Athletics Nick Kurtz wins AL Rookie of the Year award, Braves' Drake Baldwin wins NL honor — Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz is the unanimous winner of the American League Rookie of the Year, and Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin is the winner of the National League honor.
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BBWAA:
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz wins Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year unanimously — Nick Kurtz of the Athletics was unanimously selected as the 2025 American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year. — Kurtz is the 14th player to win the AL award by a unanimous vote and the second for the A's, joining Mark McGwire (1987).
Discussion:
Boston Herald, MLB Trade Rumors, Yahoo Sports, Lone Star Ball and baseballmusings.com
BBWAA:
Braves' Drake Baldwin becomes first catcher since 2010 to win Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year — Braves' catcher Drake Baldwin was named National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year. — Baldwin is the seventh catcher to win the NL award and the second for the Braves.
Discussion:
Marquee Sports Network, MLB Trade Rumors and baseballmusings.com
Manny Randhawa / MLB.com:
Emerging A's slugger, burgeoning Braves backstop named Rookies of the Year — Facing Major League pitching is as difficult as it's ever been, and the adjustment that hitters face coming from the Minors is a difficult one. But you wouldn't know it by looking at what Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, NESN.com, True Blue LA, Chicago Sun Times, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports and Battery Power
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 …
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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:
Boston Herald, Sportico, UPI, Los Angeles Times, KUSA-TV and Yahoo Sports
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:
Defector, CNN, Sox Machine, Over the Monster, New York Post, Covering the Corner, Plain Dealer, Amazin' Avenue, Yahoo Sports and MLB Trade Rumors
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 …
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
Associated Press:
Bruce Bochy returns to San Francisco Giants in advisory role — Bruce Bochy and the San Francisco Giants are reuniting after all, with the club's beloved former manager taking on a special advisor role on both the baseball and business sides following 28 seasons on the dugout's top step.
Discussion:
NBC Sports Bay Area …, Deadspin and McCovey Chronicles
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
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, The Athletic and baseballmusings.com
