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Veteran Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis has reversed his opt out decision. Markakis will be rejoining the team despite opting out of the 2020 MLB season earlier this month , the team announced Wednesday. The timeline for his return to the lineup is not yet known, but he will soon be moved off the restricted list. Markakis is the first player to change his mind and return among the 15 MLB players who have opted out of the 2020 season . At the start of spring training 2.0, the Braves announced four cases of COVID-19 , including All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman . When asked about the thought process behind his opt-out decision, Markakis said talking to Freeman " opened his eyes " and also said playing without fans would be "tough." Welcome back, Nick! #ForTheA pic.twitter.com/VOSJvVqICA — Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 29, 2020 "I talked to my teammate and I talked to [general manager] Alex [Anthopoulos] and [manager] Snit [Brian Snitker] and … [Read more...] about Nick Markakis rejoins Atlanta Braves after initially opting out of 2020 MLB season

Colorado Rockies outfielder Ian Desmond joined Mike Leake , Ryan Zimmerman , and Joe Ross by announcing he would opt out of the Major League Baseball season. Desmond addressed his decision in an Instagram post on Monday that touched on an array of issues, including racism in baseball and society, his experience as a biracial person in America, and the role Little League played in his life as he was growing up in Sarasota, Florida. You can (and should) read Desmond's post by clicking here . For a taste, here's the conclusion, in which he outlines why he's staying home this summer. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this baseball season one that is a risk I am not comfortable taking. But that doesn't mean I'm leaving baseball behind for the year. I'll be right here, at my old Little League, and I'm working with everyone involved to make sure we get Sarasota Youth Baseball back on track. It's what I can do, in the scheme of so much. So, I am. With a pregnant wife and four … [Read more...] about Ian Desmond announces he’ll sit out 2020 MLB season in thoughtful message concerning race in America, baseball

Getty Images We are less than a month away from spring training, baseball fans. Here is each team's spring training reporting date . Now here are Thursday's hot stove rumors as you await baseball's return in a few weeks. Red Sox could add more infielders, pitchers? The Red Sox have already obtained one infielder this week, snagging Adalberto Mondesi in a trade with the Royals , but that doesn't mean they're finished making additions to that area of their roster. Indeed, top baseball executive Chaim Bloom told reporters ( including Chris Cotillo of MassLive ): "We'd still love to add if the opportunities are there." As it stands, the Red Sox will be without Trevor Story for at least a chunk of the season. That leaves Enrique Hernández as the projected starting shortstop, with Mondesi (who is recovering from an ACL tear) as a candidate to slot in at the keystone. The Red Sox also have Christian Arroyo hanging around, as well as Rob Refsnyder and youngsters … [Read more...] about MLB rumors: Red Sox still open to adding middle infielders after Adalberto Mondesi trade

Getty Images While I'd never include the word, "exactly" in a phrase like this, I'll keep it more generic and say that I have an idea how most die-hard Padres fans feel right now. If you don't know why, that's OK. This is no place to elaborate. I'll just ask you to trust me. I've been in a very similar spot as a fan and it worked out pretty damn well. What you just experienced, Padres fans, was the year before the year. This doesn't necessarily mean the Padres are going to win the World Series next year. Winning it all is very difficult and requires so much along the way, including getting lots of breaks. Ask the team that just extinguished the Padres' exciting 2020 season. The Dodgers have been one of the best teams in baseball for years and still don't have a ring. What I mean about the year before the year is that before 2020, there were still questions on if this Padres group could actually be the one to start making the leap. After all, there were some reasons for … [Read more...] about Padres leave the postseason on a sour note, but the best is yet to come for one of MLB’s most exciting teams

Getty Images Throughout the offseason the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we debated MLB's most improved team . This week we're going to discuss a player set to join the Hall of Fame ballot next year. Is Joe Mauer a Hall of Famer? R.J. Anderson: Absolutely. I think there needs to be some grace extended to players who move off catcher because of concussions. Mauer was an excellent hitter for a decade as a backstop, and he shifted off the position only to preserve his brain. I'm not willing to hold that against him. I don't have a … [Read more...] about Batting Around: Joe Mauer joins Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 2024 — will he make it to Cooperstown?

Getty Images The year is 2029. Graham Potter's vibrant Chelsea side are once more sweeping all ahead of them, swashbuckling in attack but with the defensive instincts that only come through years together on the training ground. Yet another Champions League is seemingly within reach for this side, who, for what feels like a generation, have grown together into a footballing force. That, perhaps, is the end vision underpinning Chelsea's radical new approach to the management of contracts at Stamford Bridge. In an era of dwindling patience and fast fixes, the Todd Boehly-led consortium that took control last summer are building a squad for the long term, whether they like it or not. Golazo Starting XI Newsletter Get your Soccer Fix from Around the Globe Your ultimate guide to the Beautiful Game as our experts take you beyond the pitch and around the globe with news that matters. I agree to receive the "Golazo Starting XI Newsletter" and marketing … [Read more...] about How Chelsea’s new spin on long-term contracts aligns with Todd Boehly’s approach as Dodgers minority owner

Getty Images Major League Baseball's offseason is in full swing, and that means everyone is thinking about the future. In most cities, that means next season; in some, though, it means the bigger picture, the next three to five years. You're either selling wins or you're selling hope, the old saying goes. We here at CBS Sports like to provide as much hope as we can around this time of the winter by evaluating each team's farm system. Of course, that doesn't mean every team has an equally good farm system -- some, as you'll find out throughout this process, are lacking in that respect. It does mean, nevertheless, that CBS Sports will be spending the next few weeks examining the top three prospects in each organization. We define "prospects" as retaining their rookie eligibility for the 2023 season, so if a young player is missing that's likely why. These lists and evaluations are formed following conversations with scouts, analysts, and player development types. There's also … [Read more...] about Seattle Mariners top prospects 2023: Harry Ford leads list of hopeful postseason supplements

247Sports It was a simpler time six years ago. The lone National Signing Day for the 2017 cycle was the first Wednesday in February, but that was before everything changed 10 months later with the introduction of the early signing period in December. Since that first early signing period during the 2017-18 recruiting cycle, we've witnessed a seismic shift in the timing of when top recruits announce their college choices and sign with their schools, a timeframe that has heavily shifted to December. Though the landscape has drastically changed, there remains a few uncommitted/unsigned players who have yet to make their decisions and will do so on Wednesday, Feb. 1. So there are still plenty of storylines to follow during the traditional National Signing Day which will take center stage next week, so let's break down some of the top ones to follow as the 2023 recruiting cycle quickly comes to a close. 1. Coach Prime's time In December 2021, Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter … [Read more...] about College football recruiting: Five key storylines to follow during National Signing Day 2023

USATSI For much of the 2022 NFL season, the Eagles and 49ers have stood tall as the apparent class of the NFC. Philadelphia's 13-1 start paved a relatively smooth path to the No. 1 seed. And San Francisco has now won 12 straight, with rookie quarterback Brock Purdy unbeaten in his first seven starts replacing an injured Jimmy Garoppolo . Set to square off in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, these contenders have also been among the conference elite for a while. Philly is making its seventh NFC title bid since 2001, racking up more conference championship appearances than all but the Patriots during that stretch. The 49ers, meanwhile, are in the NFC Championship Game for the third time in four seasons. We know both teams are talented. But which side is best suited to move on? Here's a position-by-position breakdown of where the Eagles and 49ers have the edge: QB Eagles: Jalen Hurts 49ers: Brock Purdy Jalen Hurts PHI • QB • #1 CMP% 66.5 … [Read more...] about 2023 NFC Championship: Eagles vs. 49ers position-by-position advantages, where each team has the edge

Getty Images The Baltimore Orioles have obtained left-handed starter Cole Irvin and minor-league righty Kyle Virbitsky from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for infield prospect Darell Hernaiz . The teams announced the trade on Thursday afternoon. Irvin, 29 years old in a matter of days, spent the past two seasons with the Athletics after being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies for cash considerations. In 62 starts out west, Irvin compiled a 4.11 ERA (96 ERA+) and a 3.24 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 359 innings pitched. He'll remain under team control through the 2026 season, though he's projected to qualify for arbitration for the first time in his career this upcoming winter. Irvin threw each of four pitches more than 15 percent of the time last season: a low-90s four-seamer and sinker, as well as a curveball and a changeup. He ranked in the 25th percentile in average exit velocity against and in the 12th percentile in whiff rate, according to Baseball … [Read more...] about Oakland Athletics trade starter Cole Irvin to Baltimore to compete for Orioles rotation spot