Update on Yankees' Juan Soto trade talks: Teams talking players, but not close on agreement  —  New York continues to explore a trade, and see if the sides can find a fit  —  POPULAR IN THE COMMUNITY  —  MORE FROM SNY  —  Knicks advance to Knockout Round of In-Season Tourney as a wild card

Reds, RHP Nick Martinez agree to $26M deal, sources say  —  Right-hander Nick Martinez and the Cincinnati Reds agreed on a two-year, $26 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season, sources told ESPN, capping a busy Wednesday in which the Reds bulked up their pitching staff …

Andre Dawson fighting the odds to get his Hall of Fame plaque's cap changed.  ‘My preference all along was as a Cub.’  —  Andre Dawson never has let the odds bother him.  —  The former Chicago Cubs slugger overcame 12 knee surgeries during his 21-year, Hall of Fame career …

Brewers discussing deal with top prospect Jackson Chourio that could influence team's direction  —  The Milwaukee Brewers are talking with top outfield prospect Jackson Chourio about a landmark contract that could influence the direction of their offseason and the makeup of their 2024 roster.

Retired Nelson Cruz joins Dodgers as adviser  —  Longtime major league outfielder Nelson Cruz has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as an adviser who is expected to work mostly out of the team's academy in his native Dominican Republic, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

What's behind the trade talks with Juan Soto, Bo Bichette and Alex Bregman  —  Anything can happen at this time of year, but the reported trade discussions involving star position players such as Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette and Astros third baseman Alex Bregman seemingly are more a reflection …

Oakland-area fans start Ballers, an independent baseball team  —  If the Oakland A's leave for Las Vegas, the East Bay will still have a baseball team to root for.  —  The Oakland B's.  —  A consortium of dozens of Oakland-area fans, led by a pair of high school friends …

Hendriks, Bellinger win Comeback Player of the Year Awards  —  Liam Hendriks and Cody Bellinger were named the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year in the American League and National League, respectively, on Tuesday.  They were honored for seasons that were triumphant for very different reasons.

Goold's chat: Does signing All-Star Sonny Gray cap Cardinals' rotation revival?  —  Bring your Cardinals questions and comments to the weekly baseball chat only at StlToday.com.  —  Follow along below in the window or the real-time transcript that appears below the chat interface.

MLB free agency 2023: Ten teams to watch as free agency picks up  —  For nearly a month now, baseball's offseason has operated at a relative standstill.  That soon will change.  Because the hard reality of every winter in baseball will win out, regardless of the pace at which transactions occur …

Sources: Bobby Petrino to be Arkansas offensive coordinator  —  Bobby Petrino has agreed to become the next offensive coordinator at Arkansas, and the two sides are finalizing the deal, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.  —  The former Razorbacks head coach is slated to be on campus in Fayetteville on Wednesday.

Detroit Tigers sign 24-year-old former prospect Ryan Vilade to minor-league contract  —  The Detroit Tigers signed utility player Ryan Vilade, a 24-year-old former prospect who had a .370 on-base percentage at the Triple-A level last season, to a minor-league contract.

Phillies, Jose Ruiz Agree To Minor League Deal  —  The Phillies and right-handed reliever Jose Ruiz have agreed to a minor league contract, reports Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors.  He'll be invited to major league spring training this year and compete for a spot on the roster.

Sources: Free agent Kenta Maeda, Tigers reach 2-year, $24M deal  —  Right-hander Kenta Maeda and the Tigers agreed Sunday on a two-year, $24 million contract, lengthening Detroit's rotation as it hopes to improve on a 78-84 finish in the winnable American League Central, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN.