‘I needed a new challenge’: Craig Counsell explains why he went to Chicago Cubs  —  Roughly 24 hours after the shocking news broke that Craig Counsell was named manager of the Chicago Cubs, the former Milwaukee Brewers skipper made himself available Tuesday for a short question-and-answer session …

Press-Telegram Boys Athlete of the Week: Jason Parra, Millikan  —  Parra set a 3-mile course record at Heartwell Park in the Moore League Finals meet.  —  PRESS-TELEGRAM BOYS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK  —  Name: Jason Parra  —  School: Millikan  —  Sport: Cross country  —  Year: Senior

JuJu Watkins scores 32 in debut to lead No. 21 USC women past No. 7 Ohio State  —  LAS VEGAS — The JuJu Watkins Era got off to a roaring start.  —  The former Sierra Canyon High star scored 32 points in her college debut, lifting the No. 21 USC women's basketball team to an 83-74 victory …

Shohei Ohtani dominates the conversation at the MLB GM Meetings  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Everywhere you looked, every place you turned, everything you heard, and all you could imagine Tuesday, was all about Shohei Ohtani.  —  Ohtani was nowhere in sight.  His agent, Nez Balelo, wasn't available.

Cody Bellinger at top of Yankees' free-agent list to fix 2023 mess  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Yankees higher-ups finally broke their month of silence, which apparently served as a properly protracted moment of silence for a dreadful season that deserves a proper burial.

11-7 Bruce Bochy joins Murph and Mac to compare his World Series win with the Rangers to his 2010 World Series victory with the Giants, and says why Bob Melvin was a great hire  —  Bruce Bochy joins Murph and Mac to compare his World Series win with the Rangers to his 2010 World Series victory …

Votto, Suarez on Blue Jays' radar as search for multiple bats begins  —  The Blue Jays are in search of productive bats.  It's been clear for months the team needs more at the plate, and at the GM Meetings on Tuesday, Ross Atkins offered the clearest look yet at how they plan to make sure that happens in 2024.

Derek Falvey: Twins expect to carry lower payroll in 2024 season  —  The loss of the Diamond Sports Group TV contract means there will be less money to spend than this season, when the team had a record $156 million payroll.  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — When Derek Falvey assessed the Twins roster …

2023 MiLB Free Agents  —  The following are minor league players who have been granted free agency.  Players are granted MiLB free agency after seven years of service, unless they are added to a team's 40-man roster.  There are 573 MiLB free agents that have come across the MLB transactions so far.

World Series 9-inning games clocked in as fastest since 1996  —  NEW YORK — If you think the World Series sped by, it did.  —  Nine-inning games in the Series averaged 3 hours, 1 minute, the fastest since 1996, according to Elias Sports Bureau data.  The first postseason of the pitch clock …