Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball and the Astros both released statements prior to Game 1 of the World Series regarding a Sports Illustrated article published Monday night that detailed an inappropriate outburst by Houston assistant general manager Brandon Taubman in the Astros clubhouse following the ALCS-clinching victory on Saturday night. “This past...

Anne Rogers ST. LOUIS — Welcome to the first offseason edition of the Cardinals Inbox. A four-game sweep in the National League Championship Series was certainly not the way the Cardinals wanted to end their season, but an NL Central championship and a return to the postseason is something the...

Jamal Collier HOUSTON — The Nationals revealed their World Series roster on Tuesday afternoon, making a couple of tweaks in the bullpen but largely keeping the group intact as they prepare for Game 1 against the Astros at Minute Maid Park. HOUSTON — The Nationals revealed their World Series roster...

Anthony DiComo Of the handful of Mets managerial candidates receiving call-back interviews, none can quite replicate the quirks of Carlos Beltrán’s resume. Easily the most high-profile of the Mets’ inexperienced candidates, Beltrán played in Flushing from 2005-11 as part of a 20-year, Hall of Fame-caliber career. But he has no...

After a memorable 11-season run with the Giants that included four straight All-Star appearances and top-10 finishes in NL Cy Young Award voting (2013-16), as well as three World Series titles (2010, ’12 and ’14) and 2014 Fall Classic MVP honors, Madison Bumgarneris headed to free agency for the first...

The Astros set their 25-man roster for the 2019 World Series on Tuesday, heading into Game 1 against the Nationals. The big question — whether reliever Ryan Pressly would be on it — was answered in the affirmative. The 30-year-old setup man had felt pain in his right knee during...

Thomas Harrigan Who will be this year’s Taco Hero? That question will be answered soon, as Taco Bell’s “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion returns for the 2019 World Series. Who will be this year’s Taco Hero? That question will be answered soon, as Taco Bell’s “Steal a Base,...

Jamal Collier HOUSTON — It’s the night of Game 3 of the National League Championship Series and Juan Soto is not happy. His swing is betraying him. His timing is off, and he feels too far out in front of every pitch. In the dugout, he confers with hitting coach...

Will Leitch and Mike Petriello If you took all 50 players who will be on the World Series rosters for the Nationals and Astros, put them into a single group, and had two baseball writers draft teams from them, what would they look like? That’s exactly what MLB.com’s Will Leitch...

Paul Casella When the Nationals step the to the plate Tuesday to face Gerrit Cole and the Astros in Game 1 of the World Series, it will be Washington’s first game in exactly one week. • World Series presented by YouTube TV, Game 1: Tue., 8 p.m. ET on FOX...

Alyson Footer HOUSTON — How long has Joe Smith had to wait to finally make an appearance on a World Series roster? Long enough that Astros manager AJ Hinch toyed with the idea of playing a joke on the veteran reliever by calling him into his office to tell him...

Brian McTaggart HOUSTON — Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole is no stranger to the World Series. As a kid, he attended a game in Phoenix during the 2001 World Series between the Yankees and D-backs. He went to every home game of the Fall Classic during the Angels’ run to the...

Matt Kelly The 2019 World Series is packed with storylines (the Nationals’ Fall Classic debut, the Astros’ chase for dynasty status and the absolutely insane caliber of starting pitching for both sides, to name a few), and if this showdown between Houston and Washington meets the expectations going in, the...

Juan Toribio HOUSTON — As Yordan Alvarez shattered multiple rookie and team records during the regular season, it was often easy to forget that the Cuban slugger is just 22 years old. But postseason struggles have shown that even Alvarez isn’t immune to the rookie learning curve. HOUSTON — As...

Richard Justice HOUSTON — Welcome to a World Series featuring teams that are mirror images of one another in some important ways. You want Fall Classic storylines? We’ve got ‘em. There are Cy Young winners and MVP finalists and dominant starting pitchers on both sides. There are also bullpen questions...

Anthony Castrovince HOUSTON — Great teams tend to have great players, so it’s not unusual for a World Series to feature future Hall of Famers. But could this matchup between the superstar-laden Astros and Nationals one day stand out as an especially Cooperstown-stuffed Fall Classic? • World Series presented by...

Todd Zolecki PHILADELPHIA — Joe Girardi was the third and final candidate to have a second round of interviews for the Phillies’ managerial vacancy. He met Monday with Phillies managing partner John Middleton and other members of the front office at Citizens Bank Park. Dusty Baker had a second round...

Matt Kelly The Nationals are going with their horse to begin the 115th World Series, tabbing Max Scherzer as their starter for Game 1 on Tuesday in Houston (8 p.m. ET on FOX). Manager Dave Martinez announced Stephen Strasburg will go in Game 2 opposite Justin Verlander, but there’s no...

David Adler Here’s something crazy: Yuli Gurriel has played every inning of every game for the Astros this postseason, and he still hasn’t struck out. Here’s something crazy: Yuli Gurriel has played every inning of every game for the Astros this postseason, and he still hasn’t struck out. • World...

Astros co-aces Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander will start World Series Games 1 and 2, respectively, and righty Zack Greinke will start Game 3 when the series shifts to Washington, manager AJ Hinch announced on Monday. Hinch did not reveal the Astros’ plans for a Game 4 starter, which could...