Detroit News

Associated Press  |  The Detroit News Kansas City, Mo. — Free agent reliever Greg Holland stayed with the Kansas City Royals on Monday, signing a one-year contact for $2.75 million. The 35-year-old Holland was 3-0 with six saves and a 1.91 ERA this season for Kansas City. He made 28 appearances, pitching 28⅓ innings. The

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — The name may sound familiar. Tigers on Monday signed left-handed reliever Ian Krol to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training. Krol, who is entering his age-30 season, pitched in 78 games for the Tigers in 2014 and 2015. He’s also pitched for the Nationals

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — This is media week for managers across baseball. With no Winter Meetings, Major League Baseball is rolling out its managers in a series of Zoom conferences, as well as on radio, television and other digital platforms. Tigers new skipper AJ Hinch, who will meet with reporters across the

Tom Withers  |  Associated Press The Cleveland Indians are changing their name — they just don’t know to what or when. Expressing that “it’s time,” owner Paul Dolan said that after months of internal discussions and meetings with groups, including Native Americans who have sought to have the team stop using a moniker many deem

Tom Withers  |  Associated Press Cleveland — The Cleveland Indians are changing their name after 105 years. Citing three people familiar with the decision, the New York Times reported Sunday night that the team is moving away from a name considered racist. The Indians have been internally discussing a potential name change for months. ESPN and

Tom Withers  |  Associated Press Cleveland — The Cleveland Indians are changing their name after 105 years. Citing three people familiar with the decision, the New York Times reported Sunday night that the team is moving away from a name considered racist for decades. The Indians have been internally discussing a potential name change for

Derek Wallbank  |  Bloomberg News Cleveland’s baseball team plans to drop the word “Indians” from its name, the New York Times reports, citing three people familiar with the decision. ESPN later confirmed the decision. The team doesn’t have a plan for its new name yet, and could use the Indians name for the 2021 season

Jake Seiner  |  Associated Press Years before he became commissioner of the Alaska Baseball League, Chris Beck pointed to the 6-foot-7 slugger in the Anchorage Glacier Pilots’ uniform and told his son to say hello. Beck had a feeling about the freshman from Fresno State – a towering outfielder named Aaron Judge. “I told my

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — Cars were lined up for miles Friday afternoon, clogging Rosa Parks Boulevard on both sides of the freeway and wrapping around the site of old Tiger Stadium, waiting patiently to pull up to the big black semi-truck parked on Cochrane Street. The truck belonged to The Players

Rob Maaddi  |  Associated Press Philadelphia — Whether rebuilding or reloading, small market or large, Dave Dombrowski has been a big success at every major league stop. His next challenging project: a Philadelphia Phillies team that’s gone nine years without a winning record. Dombrowski is set to join the Phillies as president of baseball operations, according

Associated Press Philadelphia — The Philadelphia Phillies have hired longtime baseball executive Dave Dombrowski as president of baseball operations, according to two people familiar with the decision. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday night because the team hadn’t announced the move. An official announcement is expected Friday, according to

Lynn Henning   | The Detroit News ‘Tis the season for buying – and the Tigers hope they found a bargain Thursday when they grabbed Twins outfielder Akil Baddoo with the third pick in MLB’s Rule 5 Draft. Baddoo, 22, has a lyrical name destined for significant Tigers jersey sales should he find a season-long 2021

Lynn Henning   | The Detroit News With their outfield in need of any and all help, the Tigers added a low-cost candidate Thursday when they plucked Akil Baddoo from the Minnesota Twins as the third overall pick in the 2020 MLB Rule 5 Draft. Baddoo, who is from Conyers, Georgia, is a 22-year-old, left-handed hitter who

Lynn Henning   | The Detroit News Once again, it’s time for that (somewhat) blind gift-package grab known in MLB Land as the Rule 5 Draft. It happens at noon Thursday and the Tigers, as has been their annual habit, figure to be involved in the 2020 roster gamble, which enables big-league teams to select —

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — The Tigers’ player development ladder has maintained essentially the same rungs, but they will in a different order under Major League Baseball’s new agreement with minor league baseball.  The Tigers, as The Detroit News reported on Nov. 12, have invited four familiar affiliates to be part of their developmental system.

Lynn Henning   | The Detroit News Tigers fans are mad. And no one blames them. Chris Ilitch, who represents a family’s ownership, is sick about red ink that has spilled in such steady flow it could fill an Olympic-size natatorium. And, in fairness to a person whose money is happily spent by others, he has

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News “To create an inclusive culture within baseball and the community, where differences are leveraged to elevate racial equality and provide greater opportunity for the black community, both in our game and the places we live in and care about the most.” — Mission statement of the Players Alliance Detroit

The Detroit News  |  The Detroit News The Detroit Tigers’ minor league affiliates for 2021 will be Triple A Toledo, Double A Erie, High Single A West Michigan and Low Single A Lakeland. The Detroit News reported on the pending affiliation changes on Nov. 12. West Michigan and Lakeland switch in Single A hierarchy, as

Dave Skretta  |  Associated Press Kansas City, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals and first baseman Carlos Santana have agreed to a $17.5 million, two-year contract that plugs one of their biggest offensive holes while providing some clubhouse leadership for a rebuilding club. The 34-year-old Santana was an All-Star two years ago in Cleveland, when

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — The Tigers Tuesday night added the final piece of manager AJ Hinch’s coaching staff, hiring former Blue Jays outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. as assistant hitting coach. Just a few months back, the Tigers drafted Cruz’s son, shortstop Trei Cruz, in the third round. “We’re excited to round out our