Update on Yankees' Juan Soto trade talks: Teams talking players, but not close on agreement  —  New York continues to explore a trade, and see if the sides can find a fit  —  POPULAR IN THE COMMUNITY  —  MORE FROM SNY  —  Knicks advance to Knockout Round of In-Season Tourney as a wild card

Sonny Gray welcomes leading role in Cardinals' rotation.  ‘You want someone with edge.’  —  Before he took his seat on the dais at Busch Stadium or slipped on his new Cardinals No. 54 jersey, Sonny Gray set down the baseball he brought along on the trip and had been carrying around in his right hand.

Rangers face uncertainty in free agency, plus Yankees' payroll, White Sox's options for Cease  —  World Series champions almost always count on a boost in revenue, and often increase their payrolls accordingly.  The Texas Rangers, coming off their first Series title, still figure to follow such a path.

Andre Dawson fighting the odds to get his Hall of Fame plaque's cap changed.  ‘My preference all along was as a Cub.’  —  Andre Dawson never has let the odds bother him.  —  The former Chicago Cubs slugger overcame 12 knee surgeries during his 21-year, Hall of Fame career …

Brewers discussing deal with top prospect Jackson Chourio that could influence team's direction  —  The Milwaukee Brewers are talking with top outfield prospect Jackson Chourio about a landmark contract that could influence the direction of their offseason and the makeup of their 2024 roster.

Reds, RHP Nick Martinez agree to $26M deal, sources say  —  Right-hander Nick Martinez and the Cincinnati Reds agreed on a two-year, $26 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season, sources told ESPN, capping a busy Wednesday in which the Reds bulked up their pitching staff …

What's behind the trade talks with Juan Soto, Bo Bichette and Alex Bregman  —  Anything can happen at this time of year, but the reported trade discussions involving star position players such as Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette and Astros third baseman Alex Bregman seemingly are more a reflection …

Retired Nelson Cruz joins Dodgers as adviser  —  Longtime major league outfielder Nelson Cruz has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as an adviser who is expected to work mostly out of the team's academy in his native Dominican Republic, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

Oakland-area fans start Ballers, an independent baseball team  —  If the Oakland A's leave for Las Vegas, the East Bay will still have a baseball team to root for.  —  The Oakland B's.  —  A consortium of dozens of Oakland-area fans, led by a pair of high school friends …

Hendriks, Bellinger win Comeback Player of the Year Awards  —  Liam Hendriks and Cody Bellinger were named the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year in the American League and National League, respectively, on Tuesday.  They were honored for seasons that were triumphant for very different reasons.

Sources: Bobby Petrino to be Arkansas offensive coordinator  —  Bobby Petrino has agreed to become the next offensive coordinator at Arkansas, and the two sides are finalizing the deal, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.  —  The former Razorbacks head coach is slated to be on campus in Fayetteville on Wednesday.