ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols’ wife apparently disclosed that the Los Angeles Angels slugger will retire after the upcoming season, although she later amended her social media post to be less definitive. The 41-year-old Pujols, a three-time MVP and ten-time All-Star, reported to spring training with the Angels on Monday. In a post on her Instagram account later in the day, Deidre Pujols wrote: “Today is the first day of the last season of one of the most remarkable careers in sports!” Shortly afterward, she amended the statement with a parenthetical “based on his contract.” Pujols' 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels ends after this season, his 21st in the majors. But the fifth-leading home run hitter in major league history has repeatedly declined to say whether this season will be his last, and he repeated his uncertainty earlier this month in an interview with ESPN Deportes. Pujols is the oldest player in the majors, and he is a decade removed from his heyday in St.... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — For the all of the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Chicago Cubs, Anthony Rizzo is sure of one thing. The star slugger wants to stay put. Rizzo said Monday he is hopeful about signing a long-term deal with the club before his contract expires at the end of the season. “This city and everything I love about the city, I kind of wear on my sleeve,” he said. “And I still love it. I still love our team. I still love what we have going on here.” President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said last week he would discuss long-term contracts with Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Báez during spring training. All three players have expiring deals and are coming off difficult seasons. They also played huge roles in Chicago’s transformation from long-suffering, lovable losers to drought-busting champions. “If these guys go out and do what they are accustomed to doing, I think those things do take care of themselves,” manager David Ross said. “You can’t worry about what’s going to... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — If the Houston Astros want to sign shortstop Carlos Correa to a long-term contract, he says they need to do it before opening day. “I feel so good, my body feels so great and I feel like I’m going to have such a great season that once the season starts, I don’t want to be involved with or distracted with those conversations,” Correa said Monday after the Astros held their first full-squad workout of the spring. The Astros avoided arbitration with Correa, who can become a free agent at the end of the season, by signing him to a one-year, $11.7 million contract. Correa has spent his entire career with the Astros after they selected him with the first overall pick in the 2012 draft. He said he’d like to stay in Houston, but so far, the team hasn’t talked to him about an extension. “There’s no talks right now about that,” he said. “Talks are nowhere right now. I leave that up to my agent and the organization, but right now, there’s no talks about it. I haven’t heard from them... [More]

As far as Anthony Rizzo is concerned, Kevin Mather simply said the quiet part out loud. Mather, the CEO and president of the Seattle Mariners, resigned Monday after video surfaced of a speech he gave to a Rotary Club this month in which he made insensitive comments about several current and former players. He also spoke bluntly on a point of contention between teams and players when he said Seattle would likely keep top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Logan Gilbert in the minors at the start of the season to delay their right to file for free agency. The players' association has long complained about the practice. Cubs star Kris Bryant filed and lost a grievance against Chicago alleging the club intentionally manipulated his service time when it kept him in Triple-A for two weeks prior to his major league debut in 2015. Had Bryant been promoted one day earlier, he would have been eligible for free agency a year sooner. Bryant and the union lost their grievance because it couldn't prove the... [More]

For the Indians, the changes go beyond just dropping their debated name. As a new season dawns, the four-time All-Star shortstop and face of the franchise is long gone, traded to the New York Mets this winter along with one of Cleveland's most popular players and established pitchers. There are holes to fill at short, first and in the outfield. Manager Terry Francona, who zips around Cleveland on a scooter, is driving a golf cart after surgery. Fans can't escape the Midwest cold and watch the Indians field grounders or take batting practice in the warm Arizona sunshine. Things look a lot different. But despite their altered state, and gloomy projections about their win total 2021, the Indians are confident they can contend. Maybe even do more than that. “I know we’re going to make a lot of noise,” warned slugger Franmil Reyes. "Watch out!” Bounced by the New York Yankees in the wild-card round to end the shortened 2020 season, the Indians held their first full-squad workout in Goodyear,... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — In discussing options for a long-term deal with electrifying young shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., the San Diego Padres brought up the concept of “a statue contract.” As in, if the kid is as good as Hall of Famers Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman were, maybe in 15 or 20 years there will be a statue of “El Niño" alongside those Padres greats in a grassy area just beyond Petco Park. The options were year-to-year, a multi-year deal that bought out a year or two of Tatis' free agency or a contract in which Tatis was with the Padres for likely the rest of his career. “In typical Tati fashion, his only real comment was, ‘Why not my whole career?’" general manager A.J. Preller said Monday in announcing the two sides had finalized Tatis' $340 million, 14-year contract, the longest in baseball history. “He wanted to be one of those very unique players that plays his career in one spot,” Preller said. "He loves the franchise, he loves the city, he loves his teammates and he talked a lot... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — For the all of the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Chicago Cubs, Anthony Rizzo is sure of one thing. The star slugger wants to stay put. Rizzo said Monday he is hopeful about signing a long-term deal with the club before his contract expires at the end of the season. “This city and everything I love about the city, I kind of wear on my sleeve,” he said. “And I still love it. I still love our team. I still love what we have going on here.” President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said last week he would discuss long-term contracts with Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Báez during spring training. All three players have expiring deals and are coming off difficult seasons. They also played huge roles in Chicago’s transformation from long-suffering, lovable losers to drought-busting champions. “If these guys go out and do what they are accustomed to doing, I think those things do take care of themselves,” manager David Ross said. “You can’t worry about what’s going to... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Shortstop Bo Bichette has big expectations for the upgraded Toronto Blue Jays. “I believe in the team, just like I did last year,” Bichette said Monday as the Blue Jays held their first full-squad workout in Dunedin, Florida. “Obviously we added some new names." “I think this year, if we go home without a trophy, that’ll be disappointing,” he said. Toronto was among the busiest teams on the free-agent market, agreeing to a $150 million, six-year contract with outfielder George Springer; an $18 million, one-year contract with shortstop Marcus Semien; a $5.5 million, one-year deal with right-hander Kirby Yates; a $3 million, one-year contract with right-hander Tyler Chatwood and a $1.75 million, one-year contract with right-hander David Phelps. “We’re very excited, we all believe in ourselves, and we believe that we can play with the best teams,” Bichette said. Semien said he’s already impressed by the winning attitude at camp. “There’s a level of confidence I’m excited about,”... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — In discussing options for a long-term deal with electrifying young shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., the San Diego Padres brought up the concept of “a statue contract.” As in, if the kid is as good as Hall of Famers Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman were, maybe in 15 or 20 years there will be a statue of “El Niño" alongside those Padres greats in a grassy area just beyond Petco Park. The options were year-to-year, a multi-year deal that bought out a year or two of Tatis' free agency or a contract in which Tatis was with the Padres for likely the rest of his career. “In typical Tati fashion, his only real comment was, ‘Why not my whole career?’" general manager A.J. Preller said Monday in announcing the two sides had finalized Tatis' $340 million, 14-year contract, the longest in baseball history. “He wanted to be one of those very unique players that plays his career in one spot,” Preller said. "He loves the franchise, he loves the city, he loves his teammates and he talked a lot... [More]

Adam Frazier spent the winter watching the Pittsburgh teammates he came up through the minors with get flipped for prospects or flat-out released. Josh Bell. Jameson Taillon. Trevor Williams. The Pirates parted ways with all of three and a handful of others during the offseason as part of a top-to-bottom organizational overhaul. Their exits left Frazier as the team's second-highest-paid player ($4.3 million) and conceivably its last major-league-ready trade chip. While Frazier wasn't exactly sitting by the phone expecting general manager Ben Cherington or Derek Shelton to tell him he was headed elsewhere, it did cross his mind. More than once. “I wouldn’t say waiting, but I obviously read the internet so I see things like that," Frazier said Monday after the Pirates participated in their first full-squad workout in Bradenton, Florida. “You never know what’s going to come. I try to stay in conversation with Cherington and Shelton and try to expect what may be coming. None of that’s really... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is the likely starter starter for manager Aaron Boone in the season opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 1. Cole went 7-3 with a 2.84 ERA over 12 starts in last year’s abbreviated season, his first in pinstripes after signing a $324 million, nine-year contract as a free agent. Boone said Cole's appearance in the opener is “safe to say.” “I thought stuff was pretty good,” Boone said after Cole threw 26 pitches during a five-batter outing. “Command is not where it’s, obviously, going to be for Gerrit Cole. But just another good step for him. He used all of his pitches and I think did exactly what he needed to do today to take that next step in his progression to get ready for the season.” Right-hander Luis Severino, coming back from Tommy John surgery last February, expects to advance to throwing other pitches in addition to fastballs next week. He remains on target to return in June or July. “Mentally, physically, I feel pretty good,” Severino... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Right-hander Trevor Rosenthal finalized an $11 million, one-year contract with the Oakland Athletics on Monday, providing manager Bob Melvin with a new reliable ninth-inning option after former closer Liam Hendriks' departure in free agency. The 30-year-old Rosenthal went 1-0 with a 1.90 ERA with 11 saves over 23 2/3 innings for the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres last season. He made $1,510,887 in the shortened 2020 season, including a $740,741 prorated share of a $2 million base and $770,146 in earned performance bonuses. He also received a $1 million buyout as part of the 2020 mutual option in his previous contract with Washington, which released him in July 2019. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated outfielder Dustin Fowler for assignment. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Joey Votto is determined to be a power hitter again. “I want to get back to being dangerous,” Votto said Sunday from the Cincinnati Reds' spring training complex in Goodyear, Arizona. Besides, guys who crush the ball into the seats and punctuate it with a bat flip are just more fun to watch, the 37-year-old first baseman said. And he’s still all about the fun. Votto hasn't been the same — or had a great deal of fun — since 2017 when he hit 36 homers, drove in 100 runs and led the National League in walks (134), on-base percentage (.454) and OPS (1.032). Longevity in major league baseball is exceedingly difficult and sometimes requires reinvention. Votto said he tried too hard to be a different kind of hitter in order to be a tougher out as he reached his mid-30s, straying from what got him there in the first place. “I lost some of my strengths that I first came to the league with — hitting the ball all over the field with power, being difficult to defend,” Votto said. “I did that in exchange... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout is beginning a new season with the same old question. How long will the Los Angeles Angels' three-time AL MVP have to wait for his first playoff victory? “It's definitely weighed on me,” Trout said Monday before the Angels' first full workout of spring training in Tempe, Arizona. “I hear it every year. The only way to change that is to get to the playoffs, no matter how that is.” Trout has been waiting for his answer to that query for nearly a full decade since his major league debut in July 2011. After the Angels' latest failure last fall, Trout knows he won't win a postseason game before he turns 30 this summer. The big-budget Angels are tied with Detroit for the third-longest playoff drought in the majors at six seasons, trailing only Seattle and Philadelphia. Not even the expanded 2020 postseason helped Los Angeles, which finished 26-34 for its fifth straight losing campaign — the franchise's worst stretch since the 1970s. Yet the eight-time All-Star... [More]

Joey Votto is determined to be a power hitter again. “I want to get back to being dangerous,” Votto said Monday from the Cincinnati Reds' spring training complex in Goodyear, Arizona. Besides, guys who crush the ball into the seats and punctuate it with a bat flip are just more fun to watch, the 37-year-old first baseman said. And he’s still all about the fun. Votto hasn't been the same — or had a great deal of fun — since 2017 when he hit 36 homers, drove in 100 runs and led the National League in walks (134), on-base percentage (.454) and OPS (1.032). Longevity in major league baseball is exceedingly difficult and sometimes requires reinvention. Votto said he tried too hard to be a different kind of hitter in order to be a tougher out as he reached his mid-30s, straying from what got him there in the first place. “I lost some of my strengths that I first came to the league with — hitting the ball all over the field with power, being difficult to defend,” Votto said. “I did that in exchange... [More]

NL MVP Freddie Freeman won't report with the Atlanta Braves' position players on Tuesday following the birth of his twin sons. Manager Brian Snitker said Monday he supports Freeman arriving later in the week. Freeman and his wife, Chelsea, on Sunday used their Twitter accounts to announce the additions of twin sons by posting “Officially a family of five.” Their first son, Charlie, was born in 2016. The Freemans did not immediately reveal names of their twins. Due to coronavirus protocols in place at all Major League Baseball spring training sites, including the Braves' facility in North Port, Fla., Snitker said Freeman will have to spend “a couple days” away from his teammates after reporting. Other position players already have had their intake testing so they'll be cleared for the first full-squad workout on Tuesday. Even so, Snitker said it was “no big deal at all” for Freeman to arrive later in the week. “Actually, I’ll be honest with you, he doesn’t need to be here,” Snitker said.... [More]

Chris Archer is back in familiar surroundings, eager to re-establish himself with the Tampa Bay Rays. The 32-year-old right-hander is three seasons removed from a being a two-time All-Star and the ace of a rotation the AL champions are revamping after losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series last fall. Archer, who was with Tampa Bay from 2012 to 2018, signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract to rejoin the Rays after missing all of the 2020 pandemic-shortened season with the Pittsburgh Pirates while recovering from surgery to relieve symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. The Rays, who have made the playoffs the past two seasons, traded him to the Pirates on July 31, 2018, as part of a deal that brought Tampa Bay right-hander Tyler Glasnow, outfielder Austin Meadows and minor league pitching prospect Shane Baz. Archer hasn’t pitched in a major league game since August 2019. He went 6-12 with a 4.92 ERA over 33 starts with Pittsburgh and is excited to have a second... [More]

John Gant had just settled into his seat, with those flowing red locks and rust-colored beard giving the St. Louis Cardinals pitcher an unmistakable presence, when he was asked about how comfortable he's become working out of the bullpen. He went 11-1 as a reliever a couple years ago and was nearly as dominant during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. “I would really like to have a chance at that starting rotation," Gant replied, “and get out of that bullpen role.” So much for that line of questioning. “If that's where the team sees me,” Gant continued, “that's where they see me. I can't do anything about that. But I really want a crack at that rotation and get some starts again. ... I want to get an opportunity to go deeper into games, and go out there and play baseball for a couple of hours instead of a couple minutes." The problem for Gant is that the decision does not rest entirely in his hands, no matter how well he pitches in spring training. The Cardinals have four starters relatively... [More]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress agreed to terms with the Washington Nationals on a minor league deal that is pending the successful completion of a physical exam. “He’s got to come in, take his intake test, take a physical, and then we’ll know more after that. But if everything goes well, I’m excited that we’ll have him,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Monday. “A veteran guy that knows how to pitch out of the back end of the bullpen.” He's another addition to the back end of a Nationals relief corps that already included Brad Hand, Daniel Hudson, Will Harris and Tanner Rainey. The 33-year-old Jeffress was taken by Milwaukee in the first round pick of the 2006 amateur draft and has pitched for five teams over 11 years in the majors. He was an NL All-Star in 2018 for the Brewers. Last season, Jeffress went 4-1 with a 1.54 ERA and eight saves in 10 chances for the Chicago Cubs. “The guy takes the ball every day. He’s a competitor. You never have to ask him whether he’s OK to pitch,” Martinez said. “What we liked is, he pitched well last year. He got back to that form like he was when he was an All-Star.” NOTE: RHP Max Scherzer threw from 60 feet on flat ground Sunday as he deals with an ankle injury, Martinez said. “He said he’s about 80 to 85 percent. I know he worked out today, said he felt no pain,” Martinez said.

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball contracts worth $300 million or more. Figures were obtained by The Associated Press from player and management sources and include all guaranteed income but not income from potential incentive bonuses. There is no distinction for deferred money: Player, ClubYearsTotalMike Trout, LAA2019-30$426.5millionMookie Betts, LAD2021-32$365millionFernando Tatis Jr., SD2021-34$340millionBryce Harper, Phi2019-31$330millionGiancarlo Stanton, Mia-NYY2015-27$325millionGerrit Cole, NYY2020-28$324millionManny Machado, SD2019-28$300million