Counsell, Cubs to finalize staff with addition of bullpen, catching coaches: Sources  —  Sources confirmed to The Athletic that Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has added bullpen coach Darren Holmes and catching coach Mark Strittmatter to his coaching staff.

Which teams could land top slugger Cody Bellinger?  —  When agent Scott Boras has multiple puns ready about a free agent of his, it usually means he has a good one.  That certainly is the case for 28-year-old Cody Bellinger, who possesses the best left-handed production of any player left available.

Red Sox hire former Yankees hitting coach as coordinator  —  Dillon Lawson, the New York Yankees' former big-league hitting coach, has joined the Boston Red Sox as a hitting coordinator, Lawson told The Athletic.  His focus will be on working with the club's upper-level minor leaguers.

2023 MLB Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool  —  The allocation of the 2023 Major League Baseball pre-arbitration bonus pool, as determined by the collective bargaining agreement.  An eligible player gets $2.5 million for winning a MVP or Cy Young Award, $1.75 million for second in the voting …

Gary Sheffield deserves to be in baseball's Hall of Fame: ‘He was a bad boy’  —  LOS ANGELES − He is the greatest hitter on this year's Hall of Fame ballot.  —  He is the most feared slugger on the ballot.  —  And he may be the most brutally honest player in baseball.  —  His name is Gary Sheffield.

Sources: D-backs bring back Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on $42M deal  —  The Arizona Diamondbacks and outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. have agreed on a three-year, $42 million contract with a club option for a fourth season, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel on Sunday.

How Yoshinobu Yamamoto became baseball's most coveted free agent  —  YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO'S BAG of tricks is an actual bag.  —  Inside it, he carries a yoga mat, wooden blocks, tiny soccer balls and mini-javelins.  When he's ready, the 25-year-old Yamamoto lays out his yoga mat …