Blue Jays' Robbie Ray wins AL Cy Young Award  —  Robbie Ray was elected as the American League Cy Young Award winner, the fifth time a Toronto pitcher has won.  —  Other Blue Jays winners were Pat Hentgen in 1996, Roger Clemens in 1997 and '98 and Roy Halladay in 2003.

Angels' Shohei Ohtani wins AL MVP unanimously  —  Shohei Ohtani, who starred as a hitter and pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, won the American League MVP Award unanimously, becoming the 11th player to sweep the voting in the AL.  —  The other unanimous winners in the AL: Hank Greenberg …

Yankees prefer to sign stopgap at shortstop over star free agent, sources say  —  The MLB offseason has been dominated by speculation.  —  Speculation about the impending lockout, speculation about labor issues affecting free agency signings, and especially, speculation about where the top shortstops on the market will land.

Commissioner Rob Manfred says lockout could move MLB collective bargaining agreement talks forward  —  CHICAGO — Major League Baseball owners have not yet decided to lock out players if there is no new labor deal after the Dec. 1 expiration of the current one, commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday …

Bucs' Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card  —  A former live-in chef also says Brown, who missed one game this season after testing positive for COVID, owes him $10,000.  —  Updated Just now  —  TAMPA — Bucs receiver Antonio Brown obtained a fake COVID-19 vaccination card …

Michigan State working on historic 10-year, $95 million contract extension for Mel Tucker  —  Chris Solari David JesseDetroit Free Press  —  If all goes as planned, Mel Tucker will become the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten. And Michigan State will make a major show of strength that it plans …

Noah Syndergaard, Los Angeles Angels reach 1-year, $21 million deal  —  Right-hander Noah Syndergaard and the Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a one-year, $21 million deal, pending a physical, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.  —  Syndergaard, 29, spent the first seven seasons of his career …

Boston Red Sox Owner Fenway Sports in Talks to Buy Pittsburgh Penguins  —  Deal for the NHL franchise could be finalized later this week  —  Fenway Sports Group LLC, the holding company that owns the Boston Red Sox, is in advanced talks to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team, according to people familiar with the matter.

Gabe Kapler wins NL Manager of the Year after leading Giants to 107 victories  —  Gabe Kapler, who guided the Giants to a franchise-record 107 victories, was named National League Manager of the Year.  Kapler jumped from eighth place on the 2020 ballot to the top spot in 2021.