Inside MLB's financials fight — and the numbers to solve it  —  There are simple solutions for baseball's return.  They're right there, waiting for owners and players to embrace before the parties unleash more damage on the sport.  —  Already they have taken what could have been a triumphant return …

A's owner John Fisher reverses course, apologizes: team will pay minor-leaguers  —  After a significant backlash greeted his decision to end stipends to minor-leaguers, A's owner John Fisher is reversing course, he said in a conversation with The Chronicle on Friday.

Sources: MLB inclined to allow local governments to decide if fans are allowed at potential games  —  On Wednesday, Texas ruled its teams could now allow attendance up to 50% of stadium capacity.  —  Call it home state advantage.  —  As Major League Baseball and its Players Association wobble towards …

2020 OOTP sim: A five-run eighth inning surges the White Sox to victory  —  CHICAGO — It's a new day, which means it's new game and a new series.  After a short three-game, but disappointing road trip to Kansas City, the Chicago White Sox are back home against the Detroit Tigers to start their six-game, seven-day homestand.

A costly year for Seranthony Domínguez, who returns to U.S. for delayed surgery  —  A year ago Friday, Seranthony Domínguez threw a 97 mph fastball off the inside corner of the plate.  “Boy, that was a close pitch,” Tom McCarthy said on the TV broadcast.  “Ball four.”

Mike King will be the first young pitcher the Yankees call on  —  TAMPA — Mike King was anxious to build off his 2019 season.  It wasn't a great season for the Yankees' young right-hander, who suffered an injury in spring training and was limited to just 12 games.

Sides deadlocked after MLB rejects latest Players Association proposal  —  Major League Baseball on Wednesday rejected the Players Association's proposal of a 114-game season and told the union it would not send a counter, again leaving the parties deadlocked in their quest to begin the 2020 season.

Minor League Transactions  —  Correction: In the original post, the Red Sox's RHP Colten Brewer, RHP Chris Mazza, LHP Josh Osich, LHP Jeffrey Springs, the Mets' RHP Franklyn Kilome, RHP Paul Sewald, the Rays' LHP Anthony Banda and the Nationals' RHP Kyle Finnegan were listed as released when they actually had been optioned.

Chris Archer Undergoes Thoracic Outlet Surgery  —  The Pirates announced Wednesday that right-hander Chris Archer underwent surgery yesterday to relieve symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.  The surprising, out-of-the-blue announcement rules Archer out for any games that are played in 2020.

Reigning CL MVP Hayato Sakamoto one of two Giants players to test positive for COVID-19  —  Two Yomiuri Giants players have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the Central League team announced Wednesday, casting a shadow over Nippon Professional Baseball's plan to start the 2020 season on June 19.

Updated 2020 MLB draft rankings: The latest on the top 150 players  —  It's just about a week from MLB draft day, and that means the picture on how this year's prospects stack up is really starting to come into focus.  Below you'll find my ranking of the top 150 players for the shortened five-round MLB draft starting June 10.

Cubs' Tom Ricketts says most revenue goes right back into team  —  Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts pushed back on the perception that baseball teams are cash cows, telling ESPN on Tuesday that yearly revenues are mostly put right back into the team.  —  “Here's something I hope baseball fans understand,” Ricketts said.