Detroit News

By Paul Newberry  |  Associated Press Atlanta — Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s home run record and gracefully left his mark as one of baseball’s greatest all-around players, died Friday. He was 86. The Atlanta Braves, Aaron’s longtime team, said he died peacefully in his

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — This little anecdote from the recently completed Dominican Winter League finals will warm the heart of manager AJ Hinch. The championship game was Monday. Tigers left-hander Gregory Soto, pitching for Aguilas Cibaenas, already had pitched three scoreless innings in the playoffs. But before the final game, he approached

Kristie Rieken  |  AP Sports Writer Houston – Outfielder Michael Brantley has agreed to a $32 million, two-year contract with the Houston Astros, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the contract, which is pending a successful physical, had not

Ronald Blum and Rob Gillies  |  Associated Press Toronto — All-Star outfielder George Springer became the most prominent among baseball’s free agents to reach an agreement this offseason, a $150 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity

Beth Harris  |  Associated Press Los Angeles — Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda was memorialized during a private service at Dodger Stadium before his burial on Tuesday. Lasorda died Jan. 7 after a heart attack at age 93. His casket, covered with a huge assortment of blue and white flowers, was placed on the

Beth Harris  |  Associated Press Los Angeles — Don Sutton, a Hall of Fame pitcher who was a stalwart of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rotation spanning an era from Sandy Koufax to Fernando Valenzuela, died Tuesday. He was 75. The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, said Sutton died at his home in

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — The Tigers on Tuesday added another veteran pitcher to the mix. Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, entering his age-31 season with parts of 10 big-league seasons under his belt, was signed to a minor-league contract with an invitation to the Tigers’ big-league camp next month. Ramirez pitched in six games out

Mike Fitzpatrick  |  Associated Press New York — Jared Porter went from rising star to unemployed — literally overnight. Just more than a month after joining the New York Mets as general manager, Porter was fired Tuesday for sending sexually explicit, uninvited text messages and images to a female reporter in 2016 when he was

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — Tigers manager AJ Hinch, speaking on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM on Sunday, gave a little clue as to what general manager Al Avila might still be looking to add to the roster this offseason. “If you give an analysis of our team last year, we were

The Detroit News  |  The Detroit News The kid cats are coming on strong, and the rest of baseball is taking notice. The Tigers have five prospects in the top 31 of Baseball America’s preseason, which was released Monday (subscribers only). Detroit’s list is led by first baseman Spencer Torkelson, the slugger who was taken

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — There may not be a more fitting day to introduce — or reintroduce for fans of a more aged vintage — new Tigers bench coach George Lombard than on Martin Luther King Day. That’s because the late Posy Lombard, a white woman from a wealthy New England

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — The Tigers were busy on Saturday, adding organizational depth in the form of three more international signings and four minor-league free agents. Among the minor-league free agents, left-handed pitcher Robbie Ross comes with six seasons of big-league experience. The 31-year-old, a former second-round draft pick, pitched for

Ronald Blum  |  Associated Press New York — The New York Yankees made a pair of big moves on the free-agent market, reaching a deal with right-hander Corey Kluber worth $11 million for one year and agreeing to a $90 million, six-year contract to keep AL batting champion DJ LeMahieu, a person familiar with the negotiations

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — You have to hand it to general manager Al Avila and his lieutenants Sam Menzin and Jay Sartori. As the 1 p.m. deadline approached Friday, it didn’t seem possible that they’d get all nine arbitration-eligible players signed. But that’s exactly what they did. After signing pitcher Michael

Lynn Henning  |  Special to The Detroit News [embedded content] College football teams are invariably bubbly about their recruiting hauls on Signing Day, a festiveness the Tigers could appreciate as they joined what appeared to be 29 other MLB teams in cheering their initial haul of international baseball talent. The Tigers’ biggest celebrity teen secured

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — The first call on Friday came in around noon and it took him completely by surprise. It was Mickey Lolich. Suddenly it was 1968 all over again and the Tigers were celebrating winning the American League pennant. Pete Waldmeir, then a feisty sports columnist for The Detroit News,

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — The Tigers, by 4 p.m. Friday, had managed to avoid arbitration with five of the nine eligible players. After signing pitcher Michael Fulmer for one-year at $3.1 million on Thursday, they came to terms with pitchers Daniel Norris ($3.475 million), Buck Farmer ($1.85 million) and Joe Jimenez ($1.1 million)

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News [embedded content] Detroit — The Tigers have locked up the top two international prospects on their wish list. According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, the Tigers on Friday signed a pair of shortstops — 17-year-old Dominican Cristian Santana and 17-year-old Venezuelan Abel Bastides. The Tigers signed Santana, a slick-fielding, right-handed hitter

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News [embedded content] Detroit — The Tigers have locked up the top two international prospects on their wish list. According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, the Tigers on Friday signed a pair of shortstops — 17-year-old Dominican Cristian Santana and 17-year-old Venezuelan Abel Bastides. The Tigers signed Santana, a slick-fielding, right-handed hitter

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit – When he was bigger, when his weight got up over 220 pounds, Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer felt stronger, his fastball and sinker were firmer and heavier – 95-97 mph. But then his right knee, the one he uses to push off the mound, blew out in 2018. Last