2+ hour, 6+ min ago (400+ words) Could the Rangers" early season form be about to turn around? After struggling at home, but tearing it up on the road through the first 20 games, the Blueshirts went winless on their three-game road trip, then returned to the Garden Monday and got only their second home win of the season, beating the St. Louis Blues 3-2 to snap their four-game losing streak. Alexis Lafreniere tipped in a shot by Vladislav Gavrikov to break a 1-1 tie 40 seconds into the third period and Adam Edstrom banged in a pass from Gavrikov at 8:56 of the period to provide some welcome insurance. Edstrom"s goal turned out to be the game-winner when Brayden Schenn scored with 1:15 left in regulation. That goal came after the Rangers had killed off a four-minute power play by St. Louis after Brett Berard, called up Sunday from AHL Hartford,…...

7+ hour, 4+ min ago (702+ words) Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns. Credit: Jim McIsaac David Stearns opened Monday's Zoom call with a few minutes of effusive praise for Brandon Nimmo, previously known as the longest-tenured, widely admired and immensely popular leftfielder for the New York Mets. It was basically Nimmo's Flushing eulogy, a goodbye to the 2011 first-round draft pick, who famously said, upon signing his eight-year, $162 million deal, that he'd never have to take off his blue-and-orange jersey ever again. The choice was his, after all. That's the point of having no-trade protection built into a contract, and as someone who was around for most of Nimmo's days, I can confidently say he rarely,if ever,showed up for work at Citi Field without a smile. Not an easy feat when you're playing for the super-scrutinized Mets. Plenty of people have passed through that…...

8+ hour ago (744+ words) New York Yankees Hal Steinbrenner speaks during a press conference regarding changes to the Yankees facial hair policy during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. February 21, 2025. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara Hal Steinbrenner did a Zoom call with Yankees reporters on Monday at the same time that David Stearns did one with Mets reporters. Stearns had something to discuss: The shocking trade of Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien. Steinbrenner really didn't have anything to discuss. Not anything new, anyway. The Yankees changed baserunning coaches. Otherwise, the moves the Yankees are going to make to improve the team that got knocked out in the Division Series by the eventual American League champion Blue Jays have yet to happen. Why did Steinbrenner hop on the Zoom? Because it's customary for this owner to take questions heading into…...

18+ hour, 51+ min ago (411+ words) Yankees free agent Cody Bellinger homers in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Blue Jays on Oct 5. at Rogers Centre in Toronto. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara A year ago, Juan Soto benefited from being in the middle of the perfect storm, a Subway Series clash for the so-called Centurion, the term cleverly concocted by'agent Scott Boras to describe a generational talent that comes around every 100 years or so. That interborough clash of the titans helped Boras orchestrate a record 15-year, $765 million contract for Soto. And though Cohen won his highly celebrated staredown with Steinbrenner, all it got him this past season was a dark Citi Field in October with another expensive winter makeover on tap. Now get ready for Round Two. While there's no Soto in this year's free-agent market, the potential exists for Steinbrenner and Cohen…...

1+ day, 2+ hour ago (863+ words) New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns speaks to the media before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. Credit: Jim McIsaac The Mets shipping Brandon Nimmo to Texas four days before Thanksgiving isn't the typical winter upgrade move. Trading your longest-tenured core player and a verified clubhouse leader coming off a very productive season at the plate wasn't something that necessarily had to be done. But by sending Nimmo to the Rangers in a swap for second baseman Marcus Semien, as multiple sources confirmed Sunday evening, the Mets revealed one important detail about their offseason strategy: They're not kidding around when it comes to erasing the stench from last season's playoff-fumbling debacle. Zeroing in on Nimmo was a curious place to start. He was nearly everything the Mets could have wanted since…...

1+ day, 17+ hour ago (674+ words) Former Mets'player Darryl Strawberry, second from left, poses with some of the people who heard him preach on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, at Sheridan Church, in Tulsa, Okla. Credit: AP/Bobby Ross TULSA, Okla." Former Mets great Darryl Strawberry praised Jesus and thanked President Donald Trump for pardoning his past tax evasion and drug charges as he preached Sunday at a Tulsa church. Jackson Lahmeyer, founder of Pastors for Trump, welcomed the eight-time All-Star to the pulpit of Sheridan Church, where more than 400 worshippers cheered when Strawberry mentioned Trump's decision earlier this month to issue the pardon. "God just completely set me free when he gave me a pardon from President Donald J. Trump," said the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year. "Other presidents had opportunities, but they didn't do it." Strawberry hit 335 homers and had 1,000 RBIs and 221 stolen bases in 17 seasons with…...

3+ day, 13+ min ago (255+ words) CHICAGO " The Chicago Cubs added Phil Maton to their bullpen on Friday, agreeing to a two-year contract with the veteran right-hander. Maton played for St. Louis and Texas last season, going 4-5 with a 2.79 ERA and five saves in 63 games. He was traded from the Cardinals to the Rangers on July 31. The 32-year-old Maton could become the first of baseball's 175 XXB free agents to switch teams. All nine thus far have re-signed. Chicago made the playoffs this year for the first time since 2020. The Cubs eliminated San Diego in the first round before losing to Milwaukee in a five-game NL Division Series. Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz and Caleb Thielbar " three key relievers for Chicago this season " are free agents. Maton was selected by San Diego in the 20th round of the 2015 amateur draft out of Louisiana Tech University. He made his big…...

3+ day, 4+ hour ago (548+ words) Mark Vientos and Mr. Met at the'team's 11th annual MetsGiving Turkey Giveaway in Queens on Friday. Credit: Newsday/Laura Albanese Mark Vientos is well aware of the deficiencies in his defense, but with Pete Alonso's future with the Mets in flux, the young third baseman has tapped one of the team's newest hires to ease any potential transition across the diamond. Vientos, who's been mentioned as a first base possibility should Alonso sign elsewhere, has been working on his defense "every day," he said at the Mets turkey giveaway at Queensboro Community College Friday. He's also been in close contact with new bench coach Kai Correa, whom the Mets brought on specifically for his defensive coaching acumen. The new coaching staff "has been texting me and helping me out so early before the season even starts," Vientos said. "Kai is the…...

3+ day, 6+ hour ago (116+ words) SAN FRANCISCO " The San Francisco Giants acquired outfielder Joey Wiemer from the Miami Marlins on Friday for cash. SAN FRANCISCO " The San Francisco Giants acquired outfielder Joey Wiemer from the Miami Marlins on Friday for cash. Wiemer, 26, will join his fourth team after playing parts of three major league seasons for Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Miami. He played in 132 games in his first big league season for the Brewers in 2023 and had three home runs and 12 RBIs in 27 games this year for the Marlins. San Francisco, which missed the playoffs for a fourth straight year and hired new manager Tony Vitello from the University of Tennessee, designated catcher Andrew Knizner for assignment....

3+ day, 19+ hour ago (247+ words) ANAHEIM, Calif. " Brady Anderson will be the Los Angeles Angels' hitting coach next season, and John Mabry will be the club's assistant hitting coach. The Angels on Friday confirmed the hiring of Anderson, the longtime Baltimore Orioles slugger, for his first major league coaching job under rookie manager Kurt Suzuki. Anderson played baseball at UC Irvine in Orange County before his 15-year major league career, which included parts of 14 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. He was a three-time All-Star who hit 210 homers, including 50 in 1996, and drove in 761 runs. Anderson worked in the Orioles' front office for several seasons in the 2010s after his playing retirement. He will attempt to help an Angels lineup that led the majors in strikeouts and had the lowest batting average at .225, improbably finishing 25th in runs despite being fourth in homers. Los Angeles has 10 straight losing seasons…...