Top News:
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Sources: Tarik Skubal wins arbitration over Tigers, to make $32M — Detroit Tigers star left-hander Tarik Skubal will be paid $32 million this year after a three-person salary arbitration panel ruled in his favor Thursday over the $19 million salary the team proposed, sources told ESPN.
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Tim Stebbins / MLB.com:
Framber, Tigers agree to 3-year deal worth $115 million (source) — A Tigers rotation already led by the best starting pitcher in the American League is about to become even more fearsome. — The Tigers have agreed to a three-year, $115 million deal with left-hander Framber Valdez, sources told MLB.com on Wednesday.
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Andrew Birkle / Detroit Free Press:
Tarik Skubal's message to Framber Valdez after signing with Tigers — Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal had a simple message for his new teammate Framber Valdez. — “Dinners on you” Skubal said in a post on his Instagram story shortly after the Valdez signing went public.
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Michael Baumann / FanGraphs Baseball:
Skubal Becomes Ta-Richest Player in Arbitration History — Seldom, if ever, has the baseball world waited on tenterhooks to hear the result of a salary arbitration case, but most arbitration-eligible players are not Tarik Skubal. On this point, the arbitrator seems to have agreed …
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Associated Press:
Tarik Skubal goes to arbitration with Tigers, asking for record $32 million instead of $19 million — Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal went to a record-setting salary arbitration hearing Wednesday, with the left-hander asking for $32 million and the Detroit Tigers offering $19 million.
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Evan Petzold / Detroit Free Press:
Javier Báez suspended from 2026 World Baseball Classic for marijuana — Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez won't play for Team Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic due to marijuana use. — Báez is not eligible to participate in the 2026 WBC because he is serving …
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Cody Stavenhagen / The Athletic:
Tigers' Javier Báez suspended from 2026 WBC for marijuana usage: Source — Share full article — Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez is ineligible to play for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic because of marijuana use, a league source confirmed Thursday.
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David Purdum / ESPN:
Guardians' Clase allegedly rigged pitches in 48 games, document says — Indicted Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase is accused of throwing suspicious pitches to benefit bettors in at least 48 games over two years, significantly more than was initially revealed by federal prosecutors …
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Yahoo Sports, Plain Dealer, New York Post and Fox News
Associated Press:
MLB players strike deal to be turned into AI characters that can chat with fans — Major League Baseball players have agreed to let a tech company create AI characters of themselves that can chat and interact with fans. Under an agreement announced Thursday between Genies and MLB Players Inc. …
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New Jersey Online and Yahoo Sports
Fabian Ardaya / The Athletic:
Can Dodgers' former top prospect Bobby Miller recapture his sizzle? — Share full article — LOS ANGELES — The restoration of Bobby Miller continues as a yearslong project. So much has changed since he was the Los Angeles Dodgers' top pitching prospect, a beacon of the organization's future.
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The Athletic:
Initial bids in Padres' sale process expected near end of February: Sources — Share full article — The San Diego Padres appear to be moving closer to a potential sale, with initial bids expected around the end of February, people briefed on the process told The Athletic.
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Bleacher Report, Bleacher Nation and Pro Football Rumors
Rogers Sports & Media:
Legendary Blue Jays Broadcaster Buck Martinez Announces Retirement … “Buck Martinez is a legend in baseball,” said Greg Sansone, President, Sportsnet. “His voice is synonymous with summer, and his passion for the sport and dedication to his craft are unrivaled.
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New York Post, Awful Announcing and Yahoo Sports
