Carlos Correa and the Minnesota Twins dodged a major problem this past week.
There were initial concerns that Correa might have a broken finger after Thursday night's game at Baltimore, but instead it was only bruised.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tony Gonsolin knew he hadn't allowed a hit to the Atlanta Braves. He was more focused on not getting ahead of himself.
The right-hander threw his slider for strikes and attacked the Braves with an array of secondary pitches while going six shutout innings for the third time in his big league career and first in two years.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman is crafting a Hollywood beginning to his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez homered twice after missing five games because of COVID-19 protocols, and the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 in their home opener Monday night.
Houston second baseman Jose Altuve exited in the eighth inning with a strained left hamstring.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman arrived at Dodger Stadium and headed to the visiting clubhouse for an emotional reunion with his former Atlanta Braves teammates. Once the game began, he reminded them of what they're missing by slugging his first home run for his new team.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman and Andrew Heaney were aware of the high standards they would be expected to reach when they joined the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason.
Freeman has fit right in with his usual excellence, while Heaney looks better than ever so far.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman stood on second base, removed his helmet, patted his heart with it and nodded his head in appreciation.
The crowd of 52,995 was chanting “Freddie! Freddie!” for, of all things, a ground-rule double by the newest Dodger.
DENVER (AP) — Freddie Freeman's biggest play at first base in the season opener may have been a supportive hug.
The new Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman knew all too well the feelings Colorado's José Iglesias was experiencing.
DENVER (AP) — Freddie Freeman's Dodgers debut included reaching base three times, scoring a run and providing a comforting shoulder.
Colorado's José Iglesias was emotional standing at first base following an early RBI single.
ATLANTA (AP) — Don't count Ronald Acuña Jr. among the Atlanta players who will be missing Freddie Freeman as the Braves open their season.
Acuña said in an Instagram Live interview he had no feelings for Freeman, the former longtime Braves first baseman who helped lead Atlanta to the World Series championship last year and then signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It'll end up being 157 days between the moment Freddie Freeman and the Atlanta Braves won last year's World Series and the start of the 2022 baseball season. Everything in between? Tough to sum that up quickly.
PHOENIX (AP) — Madison Bumgarner was a key part of three World Series championship teams during his time with the San Francisco Giants, so he knows what good baseball looks like.
He was also a part of the Arizona Diamondbacks last season, so he's well aware of what bad baseball looks like.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — After notching their second 106-win season in three years, the Dodgers came up short in a bid to defend their World Series title. They reloaded by luring Freddie Freeman from the champion Atlanta Braves, giving Los Angeles a fourth MVP.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have so many stars this season that Clayton Kershaw is just one of the guys.
But there's little doubt the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner is still an extremely important piece to one of MLB's best teams.
VENICE, Fla. (AP) — Atlanta's trade for Matt Olson was designed to ensure the defending World Series champion Braves will be contenders in 2022.
Many familiar faces with impressive resumes are in new places following one of major league baseball’s wildest free-agent frenzies.
Max Scherzer and Corey Seager got megadeals before the lockout.
PHOENIX (AP) — Trevor Story and Nick Castellanos are among the newest $100 million men during a Major League Baseball offseason full of big contracts.
There's been a robust market for the sport's star players, even with a 99-day lockout that froze negotiations from December until mid-March.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and five players from the World Series champion Atlanta Braves are among 31 players headed toward salary arbitration hearings that will occur during the regular season after they failed to reach contracts and exchanged figures with their teams.
ATLANTA (AP) — It was a 1-2 punch to the gut for Atlanta's sports fans.
In the space of an extraordinary week, two of the city's most beloved sports figures — Freddie Freeman and Matt Ryan — were gone.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Freddie Freeman admits he's still baffled and hurt by the way his 15 years with the Atlanta Braves ended.
The star slugger is also thrilled that the messy breakup allowed him to start the next chapter of his impressive career close to home with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — It may look a little weird for a few days, but Freddie Freeman officially put on Dodger blue and Kris Bryant donned the purple and black of the Colorado Rockies.
A few miles away in Mesa, Japanese star outfielder Seiya Suzuki also was in camp Friday, ready to bolster the Chicago Cubs.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts used to imagine what what it might be like to have Freddie Freeman on his side.
He doesn’t have to wonder anymore.
All the speculation about Freeman joining the Dodgers went from rumor to real when the five-time All-Star, former Atlanta Braves first baseman and free agent agreed to a six-year deal worth $162 million late Wednesday.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona pitcher Zac Gallen already knew he was probably going to face Mookie Betts multiple times this season. Manny Machado, too. He also wasn't particularly surprised when Freddie Freeman joined the Dodgers.
Freddie Freeman is headed home to Southern California and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The first-time free agent and the Dodgers have agreed to a $162 million, six-year contract, according to a person familiar with the deal.
NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Rizzo is staying with the New York Yankees, agreeing Tuesday night to a $32 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.
ATLANTA (AP) — One day after cutting ties with Freddie Freeman, the Atlanta Braves signed new first baseman Matt Olson to a $168 million, eight-year contract on Tuesday.
Olson was not eligible for free agency until after the 2023 season, but the World Series champions quickly locked down the 27-year-old slugger through at least 2029.
PHOENIX (AP) — Patience is often rewarded for both free agents and general managers during most Major League Baseball offseasons.
But probably not this one.
As expected, free agents are flying off the market and trades are getting done at a breakneck pace following MLB's 99-day lockout that froze the league's transactions for more than three months.
VENICE, Fla. (AP) — Freddie Freeman's name wasn't in the Atlanta Braves' megadeal Monday. Standing in front of microphones, general manager Alex Anthopoulos refused even to say it.
The tears welling in Anthopoulos' eyes explained it all.
VENICE, Fla. (AP) — Braves manager Brian Snitker held court in front of a “2021 World Champions” banner, peaking occasionally at the nearby bullpen, where World Series hero Charlie Morton threw a side session.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Vogt ended last season as a World Series champion with the Atlanta Braves, then became a minor league free agent through a quirk of roster management.
Unlike Carlos Correa, Freddie Freeman and more than 100 other players on the market, Vogt would have been allowed to sign a contract in recent months given he was a minor league free agent and had interest from a half-dozen teams.
It's been three months since Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Max Scherzer found new homes amid an unprecedented free agent spending spree.
Three long months of nothing, at least for fans used to filling their winters with updates off the hot stove.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves tendered a contract to slugger Adam Duvall, ensuring the National League RBI leader returns to the World Series-winning club for another season.
The tendering of Duvall by the Tuesday night deadline was among a flurry of moves for the Braves, who also reached contract agreements with bench players Orlando Arcia and Guillermo Heredia.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have extended qualifying offers to free agent All-Stars Corey Seager and Chris Taylor, but not Clayton Kershaw.
Seager and Taylor were among 14 players offered $18.4 million, one-year qualifying offer deals before the deadline Sunday night.
NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman has won the Babe Ruth award as postseason MVP in a vote by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Freeman hit .304 with five homers and 11 RBIs in 16 postseason games, helping the Braves win their first World Series title since 1995.
NEW YORK (AP) — Freddie Freeman, World Series MVP Jorge Soler and Eddie Rosario of the champion Atlanta Braves were among 160 players who became free agents Wednesday as an uncertain offseason started with a lockout threat looming.
ATLANTA (AP) — A celebration 26 years in the making was still going strong when a jarring dose of reality hit the Braves.
Has Freddie Freeman, the face of the franchise for the past decade, played his last game in an Atlanta uniform?
Brian Snitker borrowed plenty from Bobby Cox learning to lead a clubhouse.
Now, he's matched his mentor in chasing down the game's greatest prize, joining Cox as the only Atlanta Braves managers to win the World Series.
HOUSTON (AP) — Freddie Freeman thrust both arms in the air, let out a scream, and tucked the baseball into his back pocket. A moment later, he was in the middle of the celebration, swarmed by his Atlanta Braves teammates.