5+ min ago (506+ words) For years, the Puerto Rico national team chased Nolan Arenado and came up empty. The St. Louis Cardinals star chose to wear "USA" across his chest in the last two World Baseball Classics, stacking gold gloves and silver medals while Puerto Rican fans wondered what might have been. Now, with the 2026 WBC headed to San Juan, the script has flipped: Arenado is the one calling Puerto Rico. According to Team Puerto Rico general manager Carlos Beltr'n, Arenado personally picked up the phone to express his desire to represent the Island in the next Classic, motivated by his family roots and a promise to honor his mother and grandmother. That interest is no longer just a feel-good headline. Puerto Rico's federation has now included Arenado on its refined list of 35 candidates for the 2026 roster, along with fellow star George Springer, as…...

8+ min ago (396+ words) THREE-TIME premiership midfielder Anne Hatchard is open to a potential trade, despite having two years remaining on her contract. The 27-year-old has played for Adelaide since the AFLW's beginning in 2017, winning three club best and fairests, a best-on-ground medal in the 2022 (season six) Grand Final, and has been selected for four All-Australian teams in that time. Should a trade eventuate, Gold Coast could be an option for Hatchard, given her long-standing connection with newly appointed head of footy, Erin Phillips. The pair played at the Crows together for six seasons. Adelaide confirmed "rival interest" in Hatchard in a brief statement on Friday afternoon, saying the midfielder is "open-minded" about continuing her career elsewhere, but that the Crows "hold her in the highest regard". "Given the 27-year-old is a contracted player for another two seasons, the club and Hatchard are now…...

19+ min ago (313+ words) The Philadelphia Phillies have a rich history of acquiring the best talent available on the free agent market, particularly in recent years. The team landed superstar slugger Bryce Harper with a $330 million mega deal in 2019. And it added perennial Cy Young Award candidate Zack Wheeler with a $118 million contract in the same year. Then, it handed out another $330 million contract to star shortstop Trea Turner in 2022. Phillies fans are hoping for more of the same as designated hitter Kyle Schwarber seeks a significant long-term deal to return in free agency. But despite the Phillies" willingness to dole out large contracts, they have struggled to secure talent from one global hotbed. And as star players from Japan like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga prove that talent from the country is only getting better, the Phillies" lack of a Japanese…...

27+ min ago (561+ words) Dec 5, 2025 | 9:30 AM EST Only a few days to go for Sunday's Winter Meetings in Orlando, and the Los Angeles Dodgers could be on the lookout for any upgrades they can make. It seems probable that the front office could explore moving right fielder Teoscar Hern'ndez. The Dodgers don't expect an immediate trade to materialize, but the idea itself does make some sense. Per Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, if the Dodgers were to move Hern'ndez, they could slide Andy Pages over to right field. That's a spot where he has the potential to be outstanding. Along with that, they can look to bring in a true center fielder. Only recently, Los Angeles has agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal with infielder Miguel Rojas. Even though their position-player group has been the oldest in the league since last…...

47+ min ago (501+ words) It's a bold move. It might even be a necessary move. But is it actually a good move? On paper, the Blue Jays have a problem every MLB team wishes it had. Cease, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, and Ponce give Toronto five legitimate rotation options before even mentioning Berr'os, Eric Lauer, Yariel Rodr'guez, Bowden Francis, or a healthy Ricky Tiedemann. That is depth bordering on absurd. But every front office knows the truth: there's no such thing as too many arms. Pitchers break, pitchers regress, and pitchers surprise you in either direction. And for a team pursuing Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, and a potential all-in window, having six or seven credible starters is not a luxury'it's insurance. Yet Toronto's willingness to move Berr'os isn't really about depth. It's about performance, money, timing, and future flexibility. Berr'os, now 31, struggled…...

48+ min ago (358+ words) The Los Angeles Dodgers will begin their quest for a third straight World Series championship shortly, with the bulk of their star-studded roster set to return. The team will have a chance to run it back with future Hall of Famers like Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts once again leading the charge. But even though there are only two months until pitchers and catchers report for spring training, there is some concern that things could go awry this winter. With Ohtani, the concerns are particularly pronounced, as he is the most valuable player in the sport and has endured several pitching injuries throughout his career. "We'll support them," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the trio, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. "But I do think that the pitching, it's a lot on the body, the arm. The…...

57+ min ago (74+ words) It's a Friday, so don't strain too many brain cells thinking about this one. The Winter Meetings are coming. How should the Braves go about their business during the busiest part of the offseason? I wonder how many people will post a free agent signing made in late December or something I've played in tons of rain but never in snow Wonder if Mason Miller will truly transition away from relief?...

58+ min ago (583+ words) The Toronto Blue Jays appear to be going all-in this season. Toronto has already signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal to bolster the rotation. Then, the Blue Jays signed Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million deal to add even more pitching depth to the roster. However, Toronto still needs another bat, and top free agent Kyle Tucker visited the Blue Jays" facility. Although many believe that if Toronto signs Tucker, it rules out the team re-signing Bichette, MLB insider Jon Heyman disagrees. Instead, Heyman thinks Bichette is likely to return to Toronto, and the Blue Jays could land both Bichette and Tucker. "To me, that is the team for him, as well," Heyman said on Bleacher Report on Thursday. "Could they do both? They tried for Ohtani, they tried for Soto, and they offered $600 million plus for Soto....

1+ hour, 4+ min ago (625+ words) The Toronto Blue Jays have been one of the busiest teams this winter. MLB's AL Champions have every right to be busy. After all, they came heartbreakingly close to winning their first World Series in several decades. To date, their pitching rotation has been an area of focus, evidenced by the new additions of free agents Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce. For all intents and purposes, the Blue Jays are far from finished. Recent news that Kyle Tucker toured the team's facilities shows that Toronto is doing more than the bare minimum in due diligence to improve its club. That's not to mention Bo Bichette's potential return to the team. In addition to their starting rotation, they are exploring the market for relievers. They have expressed interest in Pete Fairbanks, who served as the Tampa Bay Rays closer. Toronto has…...

1+ hour, 9+ min ago (390+ words) December 05, 2025 08:47AM EDT One of the teams that the MLB world is looking forward to seeing improve in the next regular season is the Philadelphia Phillies. Following their disappointing finish in 2025, their objective for 2026 is to become a main focal point by securing a spot in the World Series. In light of this scenario, a report from Phillies Tailgate states that Philadelphia has signed their first-ever Japanese amateur player directly from Japan. Alexandre Jun Yamauti Moreti has reportedly inked a minor league contract with the Phillies for the upcoming year. Born in Japan to Brazilian parents, Moreti is one of the standout players. He recently graduated from Homare High School in Komaki, Japan, and generated significant buzz this year representing Brazil in the U-23 Pan American Baseball tournament. At just 18 years old, Moreti has the potential to surprise many in the minors....