FAGAN: Why is MLB obsessed with giving runners a free trip to second base?

I will never understand why MLB is so insistent on gifting second base to runners.

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Albert Pujols’ quest for baseball immortality has entered its stretch run, as he sits just five home runs shy of joining the ultra-exclusive 700-home run club with 26 regular-season games left in his Cooperstown-bound career.

A look at fun facts and figures for baseball's Triple Crown winners

Paul Goldschmidt, you might have heard, is going to win the National League MVP award this season, and it’s pretty likely that he gets all 30 first-place votes. What is yet to be seen is how his run at the first NL Triple Crown since 1937 turns out.

Addressing three big baseball questions for September

Let’s say a particularly tired baseball fan decided to take a long, long power nap with the request to wake him up when September ends. What baseball questions would he want answered right away?

How Tommy Edman became 'the most valuable defender in baseball'

Tommy Edman is one of MLB's elite defenders by two important advanced metrics.

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There is always the chance — as minuscule as it might be — that any one of us baseball card collectors could one day luck into something special. That's the hope — and fun — of collecting.

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On the MLB.com ranking of the sport’s top 100 prospects, De La Cruz went from No. 76 in the preseason rankings all the way up to No. 15 in the midseason update.

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The Albert Pujols home run countdown has officially kicked into high gear. 

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Here is everything you need to know about the current state of the New York Yankees: Harrison Bader was trending on Twitter on Tuesday morning, and Brian Cashman was trending on Wednesday morning. 

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It’s far too much of a stretch to call this series a battle for the NL East. But this series is important for the Phillies, make no mistake.

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Austin Riley's red-hot July put him in the thick of the NL MVP race, but right now, Paul Goldschmidt is still on track to take home the award for the first time.

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Since the trade deadline, the Brewers' moves have backfired, and the red-hot Cardinals took advantage and stormed into first place.

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The home run numbers Aaron Judge are putting up, especially in the post-steroid era, still carry some serious sway.

Fagan: DeJong's game-winner a reminder that the past doesn't dictate the future in baseball

The St. Louis shortstop has had a terrible season, and he was facing one of the top relievers of 2022 in a huge spot Friday night. Of course he came through, because baseball.

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Which recently traded players could end up with surprising postseason MVP honors? Let's take a look.

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The trade deadline has come and gone, and Shohei Ohtani is still with the Angels. That's incredibly disappointing. 

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A.J. Preller grew up collecting baseball cards, right in the heart of the junk wax era. And he trades his actual players the way kids traded cards in the '80s.

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Ohtani? Soto? Montas? Will they stay or will they go? Know how the best part of any draft coverage, after the first six or seven picks, is the tracker they show at the bottom of the screen showing you the “best remaining players” on a scroll? Think of this list like that. 

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The four most iconic athletes in Phoenix's pro sports landscape added star power to the Valley of the Sun.

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These three trades might seem surprising, but actually make a lot of sense for both teams involved. 

Three MLB teams that could actually trade for Shohei Ohtani

Will the Angels trade Shohei Ohtani? Maybe here’s the better question: Should the Angels trade Shohei Ohtani?

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The four most iconic athletes in Denver's pro sports landscape never suited up for another franchise

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The Lakers are the thing in Los Angeles, and they dominate the L.A. sports Mount Rushmore, too.

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The sky is falling in Boston, where the Red Sox are just 6-15 in July and have been outscored by 70 runs in those 21 games. So, it makes sense for the Sox to be sellers heading into the Aug. 2 deadline, especially when you consider how many players are set to be free agents after the season anyway.

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The Nationals outfielder is all the buzz around MLB.

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Even by the lofty, unprecedented and, let’s be honest, downright insane standards Shohei Ohtani set during his breakthrough 2021 MVP season, his past month of baseball has been downright ridiculous. “It’s always something, every night,” Mike Trout said.

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Juan Soto won the Home Run Derby, but Julio Rodríguez stole the show Monday evening at Dodger Stadium. 

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Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello is joining the MLB Network crew for its broadcast of the 2022 MLB Draft. He was a natural choice; his Volunteers have three potential first-round picks, plus the most intriguing — and polarizing — player on teams’ draft boards. 

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Zac Veen finds himself in the Futures Game on Saturday just two years after being drafted in the top 10 by the Rockies.

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It was his 685th all-time, but only his 34th to occur in the second inning. It was his BP session that was of special interest.

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Sandy Alcantara, ace of the Miami Marlins, is the best starting pitcher in baseball. 

Frankie Montas to the Mets, plus other pitchers who should be traded

Maybe Angels should just trade Mike Trout or Shohei Ohtani

Every Angels fans in the country saw the video from late in the Angels' 11-4 loss to the White Sox on Tuesday, and it had to send a shiver up their collective spines. Mike Trout was frustrated. He seemed mentally exhausted. He wasn’t mad, he was just disappointed.

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The nominees for ESPN’s annual ESPY awards were announced on Tuesday, and the list for Best MLB Player includes Shohei Ohtani, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Jorge Soler. The last name feels … surprising, right?

Potential MLB All-Star snubs

While most of MLB's biggest stars are well represented near the top of the first All-Star voting update, there are several deserving candidates, including do-everything veteran Tommy Edman and rookie sensation Julio Rodriguez, who are being overlooked. We break down why these key players deserve more love.

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MLB's second Combine was a big upgrade from last year, as it almost doubled in size and moved into a Major League park and televised by MLB Network.

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Top shortstop prospect Oneil Cruz made a big splash with the Pirates on Monday and should give suffering Pittsburgh fans something to enjoy the rest of the season.

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If you've seen the 22-year-old dynamo pitch, you already know it’s appointment viewing. 

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Here are five position players, three starting pitchers and two relievers who deserve to make their All-Star debuts in Los Angeles next month.

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The top of the American League position player WAR leaderboard over at FanGraphs reads like a who’s who of baseball superstars. Still, Shohei Ohtani still stands out in a way others can't match.

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The ex-Phillies manager played the hand he was dealt to the best of his baseball-lifter abilities, with an outcome that was overwhelmingly unsurprising based on the cards he was given.

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Yep, Goldschmidt is quietly at it again.

How Lou Gehrig described his weakening condition, end of streak to TSN in 1939

Lou Gehrig played what would be his final big-league game on April 30, 1939, at 35 years old. A few days later, the Yankees legend known throughout his playing days as “Laruppin’ Lou” sat down with The Sporting News for an honest, in-depth look at the days and months leading up to the end of his historic streak of 2,130 consecutive games played.

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We’re nearly one-fourth of the way through the 2022 MLB season, and that means it’s time to take a look at some of the most disappointing performances of the season.

How your favorite MLB player’s signature wound up in your childhood baseball glove

Generations of youth baseball players have grown up using gloves with the stamped signature of their favorite players. That's part of the allure that's made baseball gloves special. It's more than a piece of equipment — it represents a relationship. This is how it all started.

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Through 10 games this season, the Yankees and Red Sox owned identical 5-5 records and were nestled a game behind the Blue Jays in the AL East standings. Thing have changed dramatically since then.

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The Reds' historically bad start is only mildly surprising after offseason sell-off of talent.

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Major League Baseball has made some pretty radical rule changes in the name of player safety the past few seasons. And now it’s time for MLB to introduce at least one more radical change in the name of player safety. It’s far beyond time, actually.

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Burger was a first-round pick in 2017, but played in zero regular-season games in 2018, 2019 or 2020. There isn’t much precedent for that. But he's making noise in Chicago this season.

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The Mariners won 116 regular-season games in 2001, winning their division by 14 games and tying the major league record for most wins in a season. They haven’t been back to the postseason since. 

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Long before he’d become known to baseball fans around the world as Junior or The Kid, young George Kenneth Griffey learned life lessons around the family dinner table.

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Kwan is a refreshing change of pace in today’s sport of sluggers and strikeouts.

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The Pirates’ slugger is just 25, but he’s already a leader in Pittsburgh.

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Injuries robbed us all of the chance to watch a lot of very talented MLB players put together complete seasons in 2021.

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The Mariners won 90 games last season and pretty much stunned everyone. Which teams could be poised for a similar exceeding-of-expectations in 2022?

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The No. 1 prospect in baseball has impressed his manager and teammates this spring both with his bat and his maturity.

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Madrigal’s been waiting a while to play for the North Siders.

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Regular-season results aren’t really important for the Dodgers. This team is going to make the playoffs, and its only goal is winning a World Series.

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There are lots of little questions about the Seattle baseball squad, but they all connect to the larger one: Will the Mariners get back to the postseason?

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The Final Four heads back to New Orleans for a record sixth time, and if this one is anything like its predecessors, the sport is in for a treat. Michael Jordan, Keith Smart and others created moments that have never been forgotten.

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Safe to say, Seiya Suzuki has made a good first impression in the Cubs clubhouse. With his power from the right side, Cubs fans are excited to see him at Wrigley Field soon — his teammates too.

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The Cardinals are in a unique situation in 2022. They are very capable of competing for the NL Central crown and a making a deep October run, but they’re also trafficking heavily in nostalgia this season. 

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White Sox fans are not satisfied with the roster. It’s not a stretch to say that it’s the most frustrated fan base for any team expected to win its division.

If Shohei Ohtani stays healthy and productive, can anyone else be AL MVP?

Can anyone other than Ohtani win the AL MVP in 2022? Or 2023? Or 2024? 

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Cody Bellinger is having trouble making contact with the baseball. But here’s the honest truth: It does not matter.

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Major League Baseball needs players like Julio Rodriguez. 

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Can four teams from the AL East make the postseason? It’s going to be a question all season as the Yankees, Blue Jays, Rays and Red Sox make noise.

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The MLB season’s a few weeks away and most of the key free agents have found new homes, so it’s time to start taking a look at the key questions in each division. Let’s start with the NL East. 

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Mark Adams was the general manager and part owner of the Lubbock Cotton Kings minor league hockey team for seven years in the middle of his basketball journey. Now he's at the helm of Lubbock's showcase hoops program, and in his first season, the 65-year-old will lead Texas Tech against Duke in the Sweet 16.

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You’ll have to excuse Reds and A’s fans if they miss the good ol’ days of the lockout that shut down the sport for 99 days this offseason. At least when nothing was happening, well, nothing was happening. 

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Indiana needs to go to Dayton first, but the Hoosiers have a shot at one of those 12-5 upsets.

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Here's a guide to picking the 6 vs. 11 matchups in your 2022 March Madness bracket. Which No. 11 seeds are most likely to pull off the first-round upset? 

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The storylines are plentiful, as always. It’s fitting this year’s tournament concludes in New Orleans, the city that’s produced some incredible Final Four and National Title games in the past. 

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Matt Chapman is not a better ballplayer than Freddie Freeman, the free-agent first baseman so many Toronto baseball fans wanted their favorite team to sign. Chapman, though, is a better fit for the Blue Jays.

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As of this very moment, a fully healthy Aaron Judge is only eligible to play in 70 of the Yankees’ 162 games on the 2022 regular-season schedule. 

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The greatest upset in the history of the NCAA Tournament happened on March 16, 2018, and I was lucky enough to be in the building.

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Major League Baseball has spent the past few months force-feeding its fans what felt like a never-ending stream of reasons to resent their favorite sport. It's time for MLB and its players to go heavy in the other direction.

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Seven more days and 93 more games were canceled because the MLB owners and players could not agree on how to table an issue that both wanted to table. 

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The game was an afterthought, until it wasn't. North Carolina's stellar second half and upset of Duke stole some thunder from Mike Krzyzewski's final game at Cameron, but there was still a heartfelt goodbye to one of the game's most historic figures.

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When will MLB players and owners meet next? How many more games could be canceled? There are more questions than answers.

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This lockout will be the final straw for some baseball fans. Truth is, I can’t blame them. 

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As much as I hate to admit this, I have reported to spring camp, and my jersey is hanging in my locker inside the #TeamPessimism clubhouse. 

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Even now, nearly three months after the Braves failed to make an offer good enough to re-sign Freddie Freeman before the MLB lockout started, it’s hard to imagine Atlanta’s franchise icon playing in a different uniform. 

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Because MLB and the MLBPA are meeting every day this week, we thought we’d take those notes and reports and try to add a little context and clarity, if you’re just now tuning in to the labor dispute.  

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Even now, 35 years later, opening a pack of 1987 Topps feels like home.

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If the MLB lockout steamrolls Opening Day, you don’t have to look much farther down the calendar to see the next potential casualty: Jackie Robinson Day, on April 15. That would be a terrible look for baseball.

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Baseball is getting down to crunch time. We’re not officially there yet, but we’re close.

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They were footnotes in MLB history, but the moments remain special.

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The program is designed to ensure that all card buyers who spend more than $750 actually get what they expect.

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Carlos Beltran’s Hall of Fame resume was pretty much completely wrapped up heading into 2017, his Age 40 season. But he's far from a no-doubter.

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The power of the thunder and lightning that accompanied the release of the class of the 2022 Hall of Fame ballot — and the discussion about the ballot and the reveal of the final vote totals — will be turned down a few notches when we do this all again next winter.

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The Rays are back in a familiar position. They need/want a new stadium in a new location, preferably in the Tampa Bay area.

34 crazy MLB statistical coincidences you need to know

Baseball is full of statistical oddities and factual coincidences. With the lockout still in full force, we thought we’d take the opportunity to compile a list of the most mind-blowing statistical/factual baseball coincidences we could find.

Why you shouldn't expect a flurry of trades immediately after MLB lockout ends

The rules of the MLB lockout prevent teams from discussing trades, at least officially.

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Here are the eight players I voted for, in alphabetical order by last name: Bobby Abreu, Barry Bonds, Mark Buehrle, Roger Clemens, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Scott Rolen and Gary Sheffield.

AL West post-lockout priorities: Rangers still need pitching

Texas spent big pre-lockout, but the pitching staff still needs reinforcements.

AL Central post-lockout-priorities: White Sox need 2nd baseman

The White Sox are off to a nice start this offseason but still have needs to address after the lockout.

AL East post-lockout priorities: Rays looking for big bat

The Rays need a bat, as do the Red Sox. The Yankees? They are slow-playing their roster build thus far.

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The list of the greatest sports seasons of all time could have been hundreds of seasons long, and still worthy seasons would have been left on the cutting room floor. These are the top 50.

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Baseball’s labor negotiations have entered the Temple of Doom this winter, and the hope is that the owners and players will quit stalling and find a mine cart that will carry them out of danger before spring training is threatened.

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Just because it’s going to be a while until the players and owners hammer out a resolution, that doesn’t mean we have to stop discussing what might/should happen when baseball eventually resumes.

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When the MLB lockout ends, you’re going to see a flurry of trades and free-agent signings. It will probably be a lot of fun, honestly.

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The expected long layoff until MLB and the MLBPA agree to a new collective bargaining agreement will be a lot colder for some teams and their fan bases than it will be for others.

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The default position of so many fans during a strike or lockout seems to place more blame on the “greedy” players than the owners. To understand why, we must look to psychology.

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The MLB lockout has arrived. Here’s what you need to know.

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MLB owners and players have spent the final few days before the anticipated lockout seeking certainty, and the hot stove was as hot as ever.

Fagan: Max Scherzer believes in the Mets

Max Scherzer believes in the Mets, it seems.

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The crop of free-agents on the market is solid, both in terms of quantity and quality. But for teams looking to upgrade — before or after the expected lockout — there are lots of options on the trade market, too.

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The 2021 National League Cy Young race was a fascinating study.

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MLB has a competition problem. Stripping a roster to bare bones and losing at historic levels is a massive detriment to baseball’s overall health. It doesn’t have to be this way.

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So your favorite team needs pitching? Join the club. To quote Yankees GM Brian Cashman at the GM meetings earlier this week: “Pitching, pitching, pitching.” There’s something for every team in this year’s market.

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There’s plenty of motivation in New York this offseason to add significant talent to what’s already a very talented roster.

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This is setting up to be quite an important offseason for the Dodgers.

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Instead of trying to guess what’s in Verlander’s plans, let’s instead take a look at which teams need a start of the caliber of Verlander to plug in near the top of their rotation. The greater the rotation need and the closer the team is to an October breakthrough, the higher they rank.

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Washington's impact on the World Series champion Atlanta Braves was undeniable, and it wasn’t just the pregame fungo routine that helped his infielders fine-tune their preparation every single day or his work as the third-base coach. No, the impact goes much deeper than that.

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There’s no doubt that, during his career, Buster Posey “felt” like a Hall of Fame player. But does he have the numbers in his relatively short career to back up the narrative?

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How will the uncertainty over baseball’s current CBA negotiations affect the free-agent market?

Fagan: Soler's legendary Game 6 blast tells tale of two offenses

Atlanta took over Game 6 with one mighty swing of the outfielder/DH's bat. It added two more long balls for good measure in its clinching victory.

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Of the Braves franchise's four World Series titles, this is easily the most unlikely of the four. Maybe that makes it the most special.

Max Fried and three more struggling stars who will shape World Series outcome

The World Series shifts to Houston for Game 6 on Tuesday.

Fagan: Maldonado improbable Game 5 hero as Astros stay alive

The light-hitting catcher is the guy opposing teams need to get out when they face the Astros. The Braves couldn't do it in an elimination game.

World Series Game 5 could mark end of eras as Freeman, Correa become free agents

It’s hard to imagine Atlanta baseball without Freddie Freeman. It’s also hard to imagine baseball in Houston without Carlos Correa. But this could be the end of the road in those cities for both players.

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Dansby Swanson and Jorge Soler hit historic back-to-back home runs as Atlanta moved within one win of a World Series title.

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Atlanta made good use of its bullpen in Game 3.

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At some point over the next three World Series games, a pitcher not named Shohei Ohtani will step to the plate for the final time as a pitcher. This moment will mark the end of a long, tradition-rich history in Major League Baseball. It is inevitable, and it is bittersweet.

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Ohtani was the easy winner of the Sporting News 2021 MLB Player of the Year award.

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The Astros and Braves leave Houston knowing what needs to happen in Atlanta for them to take control of the World Series. Making that happen, though, won’t be simple.

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Freese's homer gets all the love, but don't forget these other big moments that made the Cardinals' win possible.

Fagan: Morton adds to legacy, but how will Braves replace ace?

The question for Brian Snitker and the Braves is, where do they go from here after Charlie Morton’s injury?

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How will the Braves-Astros World Series play out? Let’s take a look.

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The Dodgers have built an organization that has no real “window” of contention. It’s a giant door that feels permanently wedged open, with the talent in the minors and the win-now, win-tomorrow-too mindset of the front office. But that doesn’t mean this will be a calm offseason.

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The Dodgers’ pitching philosophy in the 2021 postseason has probably backfired more than it’s benefited the team, which trails Atlanta 3-1 in the NLCS and is one loss from going home for the winter.

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In both the 2020 NLCS and the 2021 NLCS, the Braves grabbed a surprising 2-0 series lead against the favored Dodgers, and then Los Angeles responded with an emphatic momentum-shifting Game 3 victory. But things are far from over for the Braves.

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The Yankees are in the market for a shortstop for the 2022 season. Lucky for them, the crop of free-agent shortstops is deep this year, both with quality and quantity.

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I wasn’t sure exactly what was happening leading up to the first pitch of Game 6 of the 2013 NLCS between the Dodgers and Cardinals. But even in the moment, I knew I loved it.

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The stolen base is playing a huge role this postseason, and I am here for it.

Braves-Dodgers NLCS: What to watch, SN's prediction

What you need to know ahead of the NLCS between the Braves and Dodgers.

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What you need to know ahead of the ALCS between the Red Sox and Astros.

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Team president John Mozeliak confirmed Thursday that there are at least a few names already in mind.

Fagan: Bellinger embraces redemption opportunity

Cody Bellinger can put his awful 2021 regular season behind him after coming through in a must-win playoff game.

Buster Posey, Marlins legend? How four plays changed MLB history

It’s impossible to imagine this generation of Giants baseball without Buster Posey. He’s an inner-circle Bay Area legend and likely future Hall of Famer. And it’s crazy to think how close he came to being a Marlins catcher.

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As we head into the division series, here's a look at which teams have the best chance to make a deep run.

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Maybe Michael Jordan would have eventually made the big leagues. Probably not, but maybe.

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Albert Pujols knows how to play October hero.

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All five AL playoff teams are very capable of making a deep run into October and challenging for a World Series title. Here’s how it could happen.

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Every game on the final scheduled day of the MLB regular season starts at 3 p.m., with the hope that some sort of crazy, compelling scenarios play out, similar to what happened on the final day of the 2011 regular season.

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St. Louis manager Mike Shildt had a premonition, a feeling about his 2021 Cardinals.

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We have arrived at the last week of the 2021 regular season, and there are so many questions to be answered. It’s gonna be fun watching how everything plays out.

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Max Scherzer doesn’t need more accolades to beef up his already air-tight Hall of Fame resume, but he’s threatening to add one anyway.

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We haven’t seen a manager fired this season, but that feels certain to change in the next couple of weeks.

Fagan: Fringe playoff teams need to remember '11 Cardinals

A decade ago, the eventual World Series winners were in a need-a-minor-baseball-miracle situation, and they got it.

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For both New York and Philadelphia, the season has been full of gut-punch losses and inexplicable defeats.

Fagan: Will Smith has become Dodgers' overlooked star

Will Smith is both underrated and overlooked. Why? That’s hard to say.

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Entering play on Tuesday, there are 11 teams within 3 1/2 games of a wild card spot. We’re going to look at each team and try to figure out whether they have a chance at running the table.

Fagan: Scherzer's 3,000th K latest baseball milestone

More than any other sport, these round numbers hold significance in baseball.

The Dodgers have a Cody Bellinger problem

Over his last 21 games, the former NL MVP is 5-for-65 with zero extra-base hits, 14 strikeouts and one walk.

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If you refer to him only as The Captain and own multiple pieces of clothing with the word RE2PECT, any whisper of that four-syllable smear sends you into a diatribe about championships and the word “class.” If you hate the Yankees and hate Jeter, the mere idea of Jeter’s name appearing in the same sentence as inner-circle Hall of Famers probably makes you break out a chant of that four-syllable anthem.

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The crop of MLB rookies is solid this year. Not epic, but solid.

Fagan: Why does nobody believe in the Giants?

San Francisco’s consistent excellence is rather incredible. The Giants have produced a winning percentage of .600 — that’s a 97-win pace, by the way — or better every single month this season.

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The Cardinals lifer might not get to Cooperstown in his first year on the ballot, but Molina has my vote, and he’ll have the votes of plenty of my BBWAA colleagues when he appears on the ballot with the rest of the class of 2028.

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Will the teams that caught fire in August keep it up? Will the teams that struggled through the month find a way to recenter and turn around their season? Will Mets fans look at this season as a thumbs up or thumbs down?

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Let’s start with a little perspective. Yes, Javy Baez did a really dumb thing and said a pretty dumb (but honest!) thing this weekend. It wasn’t capital D dumb, though.

Fagan: Yankees run fueled by established stars

The reason the Yankees are 21-6 in August is the same reason the club was the preseason favorite. The superstars are playing like superstars, and it's been impressive to watch.

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The drills are important, reason enough to make the practice sessions a priority. The one-on-one time with Washington, a baseball lifer who knows everything and everybody in the sport, though? That’s the real motivation.

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The formerly lowly Tigers have the same record as the Red Sox since May 7, and a better record than the A’s (50-43), Mariners (51-43) and Padres (50-45), three other teams still in the heart of the race for October playoff spots this year.

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It wasn't the best day on the bases for Toronto.

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It’s not just that Ohtani has decent pitching numbers. He has pretty great pitching numbers. So let’s ask this question: Could Ohtani take home two pieces of award hardware this offseason?

Here's one simple request for new Fanatics baseball card company . . .

It’s crazy that people who want to buy baseball cards are not able to, unless they happen to get lucky and walk in shortly after a department store’s shelves have been stocked.

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At Sporting News, we wanted to sample a piece of that Brett Phillips joy, so we invited him to a one-on-one Zoom session to look back at some of his more memorable moments this season.

Fagan: How Adames went from struggling shortstop to MVP candidate

Milwaukee's season hasn’t been the same since the shortstop first suited up on May 22.

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It's impressive how the “old” guys in MLB are not only surviving in a young man’s sport, but thriving.

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Only two candidates remain in the race for the AL MVP award and, splitting hairs, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is having a better season at the plate than Shohei Ohtani.

Fagan: Sale provides needed shot in arm for fading Red Sox

Chris Sale's return after two years on the shelf couldn't have come at a better time for the Red Sox, who have gone from first place to a crowded wild card race.

Fagan: MLB needs to build on Field of Dreams concept

There are more opportunities for MLB to stage one-off games in historic locales, and then leave a beautiful stadium behind.

Fagan: White Sox enter Field of Dreams game planning to go the distance

The White Sox are finally at full strength and look like a legit World Series contender.

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Votto’s career has been fascinating. He fits exactly zero traditional baseball molds.

Fagan: Is Bryce Harper really the NL MVP favorite?

This one, should Harper pull it off, wouldn’t be nearly as dominating as his 2015 win, when he led the NL in homers and bWAR, but it would still be pretty impressive.

Fagan: Freeman on right track, but has ways to go

If Freeman retired tomorrow, would he make the Hall of Fame?

Fagan: Braves can still salvage season from hell

Despite the inconsistencies, despite the many injuries, there are signs that something is brewing in Atlanta.

Fagan: Each MLB contender's biggest issue

Let’s take a look at the biggest weaknesses for every MLB contender. We’re defining “contenders” as any team within four games of a playoff spot heading into Tuesday’s games.

MLB power rankings: Dodgers, White Sox check in as top NL, AL squads

In the years and decades to come, baseball’s storytellers will spin yarns about the unforgettable 2021 trade deadline.

11 biggest impact players traded ahead of trade deadline

Sporting News breaks down the 11 biggest impact players moved ahead of the 2021 MLB trade deadline.

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The greatest, most exciting MLB trade deadline in memory — maybe ever — was an exercise in how quickly baseball fans could refresh their Twitter homepage. And every click brought not just new rumors, but new news.

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Once again, the Dodgers’ rotation looks damn near unfair.

Fagan: Phils not good enough to go all-in

Let’s tell the truth: The Phillies are just OK. But the mediocrity is maddening.

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The Blue Jays will finally — finally — make their long-awaited return to playing baseball in Toronto on Friday. What better way to celebrate the return home than going all-in to win at the trade deadline?

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The 2021 Mets are a fascinating team, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.

MLB trade deadline superlatives: Best options

Instead of just ranking every player who could potentially be dealt over the next few days, let’s look at a few specific categories and figure out which players best fit those categories. Think of them as pre-trade deadline superlatives.

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Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer will almost certainly be traded before the July 30 trade deadline, and the team that lands him will see a huge boost to their World Series prospects.

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Here’s the thing that makes Kris Bryant such a desirable commodity on the trade market, now that it looks like the Cubs are officially going to be sellers: Pretty much every single contending team can look at Bryant and think, “Yep, we’ve got a spot for him!”

Predictions for MLB's second half: Can Ohtani, deGrom keep it up?

The first half of the 2021 MLB season included eye-popping performances from Shohei Ohtani and Jacob deGrom and plenty of Cubs trade rumors. Here's a look at what's in store for baseball's second half.

MLB trade rumors: Which All-Stars could be on the move?

There are a handful of All-Stars wondering what the next couple weeks might look like.

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For the first time since the inaugural All-Star Game in 1933, one player will be the starting pitcher and in the starting lineup as a hitter.

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Gorman was drafted as a third baseman, and that’s where the Cardinals saw him fitting into their future. But then they traded for perennial All-Star and Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado. Not only did Gorman lose his future position with the big-league club, but he wasn’t even the most high-profile Nolan in the organization anymore.

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The player taken first overall got the call way, way before he heard his name called by commissioner Rob Manfred.

MLB Draft 2021: What you need to know

The MLB Draft will be held on July 11-13 as a lead-up to the MLB All-Star game in Denver.

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The Cubs aren’t going anywhere in 2021, and lots of contending teams could use a closer. Kimbrel has a club option for $16 million that isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it if he pitches like he has so far in 2021.