A Twitter user with the handle @ghostfadekillah tweeted out an image of an alleged DM exchange Cosart had with a colleague. MORE: If Pete Rose is reinstated, then what? Within an hour of the tweet gaining steam across the gambling world, Cosart deleted his Twitter account. It’s a bizarre circumstance, but MLB believes there’s enough there to look into the issue. The Miami New Times first reported MLB is investigating the claims and the Marlins have since confirmed the news....

Early last November, the Diamondbacks named Torey Lovullo as their manager, and a couple of days later the Rockies tabbed Bud Black as their new skipper. Both changes have worked well; Arizona has basically locked up a wild-card berth, and Colorado is holding onto the second wild-card spot heading into the home stretch. MORE: Every MLB team’s worst manager of the expansion era That relatively long stretch of managerial stability won’t last through the offseason, though....

The much-anticipated major league debut for Kris Bryant is just around the corner. The star third base prospect will be called up by the Cubs on Friday and make his MLB debut later in the day against the Padres. MORE: Bryant scouting report | Friday fantasy matchups | Five things to know about Kris Bryant While there is excitement in Chicago, there is worry in San Francisco. The defending World Series champion Giants are struggling badly....

MLB odds: Baseball lines from Las Vegas If the Dodgers were close to splitting the 11 games they’ve played against the Giants this season, Mattingly wouldn’t be on the hot seat. But having lost nine of the 11 games and on the verge of being swept by the Giants in two straight three-game series for the first time since 1954 is a big deal. Dropping out of first-place is also at stake for Mattingly, who has his Dodgers only a half-game in front in the NL West after Saturday’s loss....

MLB odds: Current baseball betting lines from Vegas Bauer has been nearly unhittable in his two starts, but he hasn’t exactly been throwing all strikes. He has struck out 19 batters in 12 innings and allowed only four hits, but he also has nine walks. He hasn’t been made to paid for the runner he’s let on base, because the two offenses he’s faced have yet to hit their stride....

For those following closely, there’s been a new level of anticipation for this season’s first official day of baseball. Not only is the March 29 start date the earliest MLB opener in history, all 30 teams will start on the exact same day for the first time since 1968 (minus the Reds and Nationals, whose Thursday game was postponed due to weather). MORE: Righteous dingers, epic moon shots on Opening Day...

Today’s biggest stars were all once kids, too, and they spent time watching and admiring the handiwork of the best players of their day. But even as they are in the midst of their own careers, they still take the time to learn from or just appreciate their counterparts. In other words, looking up to MLB players and finding little things to imitate is something that still happens once players reach the big leagues....

Josh Donaldson left Toronto’s 5-3 loss in Game 1 of the American League Division Series in favor of pinch hitter Ezequiel Carrera in the fifth inning, one frame after Donaldson took a knee to the head from a leaping Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor. Donaldson was slow to get up, but came off the field under his own power and played third base in the top of the fifth....

The series between these two teams, first and second in runs scored in the seconf half of the season, has all the markings of a shootout as a bevy of All-Stars take their hacks in the best-of-five series. MORE: Know your postseason graphics: Blue Jays edition | Get to know the Rangers The Rangers enter the ALDS as the No. 3 seed, clinching the AL West title with an improbable second half that saw the team go 46-28 after being four games under ....

Perez took the foul tip to the mask in the sixth inning Monday and was forced to watch the Royals’ improbable rally from the trainer’s room with ice around his neck, ESPN reported. MORE: Best photos from the ALDS | Mother, son sought in Dodger Stadium assault “They did a concussion test after the game (Monday) in the trainer’s room, but I passed everything,” said Perez, who also was hit by a pitch in the seventh....

MORE MLB PLAYOFFS: Sporting News’ Staff Brackets, World Series Picks | Full 2022 MLB playoff bracket As things currently stand, the Los Angeles Dodgers (+300) sit atop the World Series odds board after finishing the regular season with a 111-51 overall record. The reigning American League champion Houston Astros (+380) aren’t far behind as they’ve been just as dominant over a 162-game sample size. Outside of the favorites, there are several sleeper and long-shot candidates who figure to challenge the Astros and Dodgers....

There is no prize to offer the correct prognosticators other than the gift of watching the class of the National League duke it out for the right to play in the World Series. The matchup between the two teams that finished with the best records in the NL should provide more entertainment than both of the series that preceded it, which, to put it quite frankly, were dull. MORE: Craig Counsell opens up about managerial journey, style...

Obama said Wednesday he wants the U.S. to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba because isolating the communist Caribbean country has not worked. “Neither the American nor Cuban people are well-served by a rigid policy that’s rooted in events that took place before most of us were born,” Obama said. “I believe we can do more to support the Cuban people, and promote our values, through engagements. After all, these 50 years have shown that isolation has not worked....

His Vikings have won four state championships — in 2003, 2011, 2013 and 2016 — and have claimed 17 conference titles, 11 district titles, 10 sectional championships and eight total trips to the MSHSAA final four. He’s had 30 players named first-team All-State and 12 picked as All-Americans. Nearly 150 of his former players have gone on to play college baseball and eight of his players have been drafted. You get the picture....

The truth is, there just aren’t many third basemen available this offseason. Pablo Sandoval has already signed with the Red Sox. Hanley Ramirez, who could have been signed to play third, instead signed with the Red Sox to play left field. Josh Donaldson and Brett Lawrie were traded for each other. So Headley, who will be 31 next May, is a very wanted man. That would have made plenty of sense had he become a free-agent after the 2012 season, when he had a career-high ....

Detroit is focused on re-signing the former American League Cy Young winner, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. MORE: Cubs zooming toward future with Lester | Ten takeaways from Day 2 of the meetings | Top 10 free-agent pitchers (UPDATE: Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski denied Olney’s report Tuesday evening. “I don’t know where he got that from. That’s not accurate,” Dombrowski said, per MLB.com. “I’m not sure where it comes from, how it comes....

“Don’t try to strike everybody out,” Davis says. “Strikeouts are boring. Besides that, they’re fascist. Throw some ground balls. It’s more democratic.” What would he say now? That democracy is dead? MORE: Why Justin Turner always has a big stain on his jersey With the Rays and Dodgers contesting the 2020 World Series, the only part of that soliloquy that holds up 30-some years later is this: Strikeouts are boring....

Before you sarcastically guffaw and scoff at the idea, it’s a legitimate question to ask, especially after seeing the owners’ latest proposal to the MLBPA on Monday. MLB’s offer includes a 76-game schedule at 75 percent prorated salaries and a bigger playoff pool (that plays into the salaries), no compensation pinks given out for free agents this upcoming offseason and a playoff season that ends in October, per ESPN’s Karl Ravech....