Why doing interviews in English is part of Yu Darvish's comeback plan  —  MESA — His Chicago Cubs teammates and manager knew he would pass his first test, but Yu Darvish wasn't as confident.  —  The challenge in front of him had nothing to do with a bullpen session or throwing program.

The Indians Are Contenders.  But Could They Get Away With A Little Tanking?  —  It will come as no surprise to anyone following baseball that, when we ran an early preseason version of our 2019 MLB projections, the Cleveland Indians came out as heavy favorites to win the American League Central.

Rockies offer Nolan Arenado a record-breaking contract for average annual salary  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The man soon may be making baseball history, going where no player has ever gone before.  —  He is one of baseball's greatest players, and soon may be the first to earn at least $35 million a season.

Rangers add infielder Logan Forsythe on minor league deal  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Infielder Logan Forsythe has agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers and will be at major league spring training.  —  The addition of Forsythe on Tuesday provides infield depth.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Sonny Gray's sore elbow looking like a spring training blip now  —  GOODYEAR, Arizona - Sonny Gray's setback is looking like a spring training blip.  —  “Looking back, that's what you hope,” Gray said.  “I've still got some things to do.  It's been all good.”

The time is now for Twins' Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton  —  The three men sat down at a table next to the water on the elegant beach restaurant's huge outdoor patio.  A waiter brought them plates full of freshly caught fish, cooked on a bed of rice and vegetables, and the diners dug in.

Pitching prospect Jake Woodford making a name for himself in Cardinals camp  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • He is not the blazer like Jordan Hicks or Alex Reyes.  Or at the next level, Ryan Helsley.  But Jake Woodford, a 22-year-old Tampa area product, may be the Cardinals' next top pitching prospect, a righthander you don't really know.

Roberts: Kershaw “didn't feel so great” after playing catch  —  SHARE URL EMAIL FBMSNGR WHATSAPP SMS  —  GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw felt more soreness in his left shoulder playing catch Monday, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says the three-time Cy Young Award winner “didn't feel so great.”

Marlins prospect Mesa has hamstring strain  —  JUPITER, Fla. — Miami Marlins outfield prospect Victor Victor Mesa has been diagnosed with a Grade 1ne right hamstring strain and reassigned to minor league rehabilitation, a setback in the development of the highly regarded Cuban defector.

Mets 3B Todd Frazier sidelined with left oblique injury  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Mets third baseman Todd Frazier injured his left oblique muscle and will return to New York for a cortisone injection, the second Mets infielder to get hurt at spring training after fellow infielder Jed Lowrie.

All eyes on Kikuchi during his spring debut for Mariners  —  PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Yusei Kikuchi felt the nerves Monday that would normally accompany taking the mound in front of tens of thousands of fans in a major ballpark, not the few thousand who showed up for a spring training game in the desert.

It's time for pitch clocks — just not for everyone  —  There was a time when pitchers enjoyed free rein to deface baseballs — with mud, or streams of tobacco spittle, or maybe a belt buckle — to alter aerodynamic properties.  They did just about everything short of applying an ax …

Would you rather have a team of 25-homer hitters or all Gold Glovers?  —  This debate was a topic of discussion on last week's Baseball Tonight podcast with Buster Olney: Would you rather have a lineup of eight 25-homer players or eight Gold Glovers?  Fun question.

Royals take cautious approach with Danny Duffy's shoulder tightness  —  Royals veteran starting pitcher Ian Kennedy will make his first start this spring training on Tuesday, but veteran left-hander Danny Duffy likely won't make a start in the first week of Cactus League play.

Noah Syndergaard gets ‘goosebumps’ over endless Mets possibilities  —  WEST PALM BEACH - Noah Syndergaard didn't bother suppressing the heat in his Grapefruit League debut.  —  The flame-throwing right-hander clocked in at 98 mph on the first pitch and settled in the upper-90s across two shutout innings against the Astros on Monday.

Source: MLB commissioner mistakenly said Atlanta Braves were phasing out Tomahawk Chop  —  An 11Alive source said that Rob Manfred meant to praise the Braves for eliminating Chief Noc-A-Homa many years ago, but inadvertently referenced the Chop cheer.  —  ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves ostensibly phased …

Matt Barnes makes his case to become Red Sox closer  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — The question was a straightforward one: Why could you be the closer for the Red Sox?  —  Matt Barnes' answer was just as direct.  —  “Over the last few years, I've learned a lot about the league and about myself …