Braves agree to 1-year deals with left-handers Fried, Minter

ATLANTA (AP) — The Braves agreed Friday to one-year deals with left-handers Max Fried and A.J. Minter but have exchanged salary arbitration figures with right-hander Mike Soroka and shortstop Dansby Swanson. Fried gets $3.5 million and Minter $1.3 million. Soroka has asked for $2.8 million and Atlanta has...

Rangers sign IF/OF Charlie Culberson to minor league deal

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers signed utility player Charlie Culberson to a minor league deal Monday and invited the veteran to big league spring training. The 31-year-old Culberson played for Atlanta the past three seasons. He batted .143 in nine games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season,...

Baseball Hall of Famer, knuckleballer Phil Niekro dies at 81

ATLANTA (AP) — Phil Niekro threw a pitch that baffled hitters and catchers. Heck, he didn’t even know where it was going most of the time. But the knuckleball carried Niekro to more than 300 wins, earned him a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame and gave him a nickname that stuck for the rest of his...

Atlanta Braves say Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, a knuckleballer who baffled hitters for more than two decades, dies at 81

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves say Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, a knuckleballer who baffled hitters for more than two decades, dies at 81.

Braves bring back largely same coaching staff for 2021

ATLANTA (AP) — The three-time NL East champion Atlanta Braves will bring back largely the same coaching staff in 2021. Manager Brian Snitker will again be assisted by bench coach Walt Weiss (fourth season with the Braves), hitting coach Kevin Seitzer (seventh season), pitching coach Rick Kranitz (third...

White Sox-Angels open ESPN Sunday night slate on April 4

ESPN will open its “Sunday Night Baseball” schedule on April 4 when the Los Angeles Angels host the Chicago White Sox. The game will feature the last two American League MVPs, with the Angels' Mike Trout facing reigning MVP and White Sox first baseman José Abreu. The following week will feature...

Rays sign pitcher Michael Wacha to $3 million, 1-year deal

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The American League champion Tampa Bay Rays signed right-hander Michael Wacha to a $3 million, one-year contract on Friday to fill a void in the rotation with the departure of Charlie Morton. The 29-year old Wacha has a 60-43 record with a 4.01 ERA over eight seasons. After...

Freeman among trio of Braves on All-MLB first team

NEW YORK (AP) — National League MVP Freddie Freeman was one of three Atlanta Braves selected to the All-MLB first team on Wednesday night. The slugging first baseman was joined by Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna and starting pitcher Max Fried. Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was chosen for...

Freeman, Abreu win Hank Aaron Awards for offense

NEW YORK (AP) — First basemen Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves and José Abreu of the Chicago White Sox have won Hank Aaron Awards as the outstanding offensive performers in each league as voted by MLB.com. Freeman, 31, was second in the NL in batting .341, OBP (.462), slugging percentage (.640)...

Bauer, LeMahieu, Springer top list of available free agents

The free agent market received a small boost this week, although it remains to be seen whether teams will be eager to take advantage. A record 59 players became free agents when their teams declined to offer them contracts by Wednesday night's tender deadline. That group included a few well-known names like Kyle...