With Opening Day happening today, expect plenty of players to be April fooled on breaking balls, but it’s all serious business on diamonds across the country this year. MLB is back with a full serving of baseball after the 60-game sprint in 2020, and it’s getting underway for everyone quick: All 30 teams are scheduled to take the field, and if they do, it’ll be the first time since 1968 that every squad in MLB started on the same day....

MLB announced Thursday it has hired executive search firm Korn Ferry to provide “support services” to candidates for baseball operations positions and assist teams in their search processes. MORE: These minority managerial candidates deserve a shot The firm will help job-seekers with resume and interview skills in addition to providing clubs with potential candidates for high-level positions on the baseball side: manager, general manager, assistant general manager, scouting director and player development director....

With Baltimore fans referring to it as “Re-Opening Day”, the Orioles beat the Blue Jays Monday night in their first home game since April 29. The Orioles had two games versus the White Sox postponed at the end of April before playing to an empty stadium on April 29 because of civil unrest in the city following the death of Freddie Gray. Baltimore then played a scheduled home series against the Rays in St....

MLB has elected not to warn players for any pace-of-play violations for the postseason due to the importance of the games. MORE: Lessons from KC vs HOU | 12 players with dubious postseason distinctions Even as commercial breaks in the postseason have increased, certain pitchers in the wild-card games still weren’t ready to pitch within the recommended time frame. For example, Pirates reliever Antonio Bastardo’s discussion with catcher Francisco Cervelli in Wednesday’s NL wild-card game lengthened the break between innings to nearly four minutes....

Trout is on some kind of roll. Not only did he win back-to-back All-Star Game MVP’s, but the dramatics of last night just add to the legend of Trout. With the game tied 0-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Trout smashed one deep on cue, almost as if scripted for some Hollywood remake of The Natural, to give LA a 1-0 win. MORE: AL’s best players under 25 | All-Star Game photos...

MLB odds: Current Las Vegas lines Boston has averaged 6.2 runs a game while allowing 5.6 runs, the highest combination in baseball, which has pushed eight of their nine games OVER the total. The Orioles aren’t far behind, as they’ve averaged 5.2 runs a game and allowed 5.1 runs, and have gone 6-2-1 to the OVER so far. While tonight’s total is set at 8.5 (OVER -120) at most Las Vegas sports books, CG Technology is dealing 9 (UNDER -120)....

Right now they’re in the scrappy mood as they attempt to win a season-high fifth game in a row and increase their 1.5-game lead over the Atlanta Braves for the second wild card spot. But prior to their current run, they lost four straight (swept at St. Louis), won four straight, lost two, won three and then had a season-high seven-game losing streak. Overall since the All-Star break, they’ve only had one one-game streak of anything....

MLB odds: Current Las Vegas baseball lines A fractured right foot held Sale out of the opening series, but through his first two starts, all indications are he’s back in top form, as he’s struck out 12 in 14 innings and allowed only two runs. He looks to start his season with three straight wins for the second year in a row. In 13 career starts against the Royals, Sale is 6-6 with a 2....

Owners are threatening to lock out players next week because, reportedly, talks are going too slowly for the owners’ liking. They’re making a leverage play a week before the Dec. 1 deadline for a new collective bargaining agreement. That’s sound negotiating, but it’s really bad optics for a $10 billion (give or take a few million) industry. MORE: Worst free-agent signings ever Let’s be frank: Owners want to nickel-and-dime their way to higher profits whenever possible, and they’re willing to go back to the bad old days to do it....

American League Shane Victorino, Boston vs. Detroit, Game 6 LCS, 2013 David Ortiz, Boston vs. Detroit, Game 2 LCS, 2013. Nelson Cruz, Texas vs. Detroit, Game 2 LCS, 2011. Robinson Cano, New York vs. Detroit, Game 1 LDS, 2011. J.D. Drew, Boston vs. Cleveland, Game 6 LCS, 2007. Johnny Damon, Boston at New York, Game 7 LCS, 2004. Vladimir Guerrero, Anaheim at Boston, Game 3 LDS, 2004. Ricky Ledee, New York at Boston, Game 4 LCS, 1999....

And after a unique game at Wrigley Field on Wednesday evening — all of the runs in the contest were scored via solo home runs — the Cubs and the Dodgers returned to their clubhouses armed with abundant amounts of it. The Cubs won Game 4 of the NLCS 3-2 behind two home runs by Javier Baez, who had been 0 for 20 in the playoffs entering this contest, and a strong effort from starting pitcher Jake Arrieta, a free-agent-to-be who might have made his last start for the Cubs at Wrigley Field....

Aside from the usual chorus of boos and jeers from the Bronx crowd, the “Imperial March” of “Star Wars” fame blares over the PA system, accompanying opposing players to the field. This was again the case Tuesday at Yankee Stadium prior to New York’s 8-4 AL wild-card win over the Twins. MORE: Three takeaways from the Yankees’ wild-card win What makes the choice interesting is the juxtaposition of self-awareness: For the longest time, the Yankees were known as the “Evil Empire,” ruling the galaxy with baseball destroyers and open checkbooks....

ALCS Game 4 final score: Yankees 6, Astros 4 (Series tied 2-2) The Yankees came roaring back in the late innings Tuesday to beat the Astros in Game 4 of the ALCS, tying the series 2-2 and giving themselves a chance to take the lead Wednesday in Game 5. What was a fairly ho-hum pitchers’ duel for the first five innings became an offensive showcase late, as both teams traded multi-run innings, with the Yankees eventually pulling ahead with a four-run eighth against the Houston bullpen....

You remember the intensity. You remember how close the teams came to launching into an all-out brawl. And you remember the fightin’ words that were spoken after the game. MORE: Six pivotal hitter-pitcher matchups in the series | Jays set ALCS rotation You’ll hear a lot about that over the next couple of days. But you won’t see it on the field. Not with a trip to the World Series on the line....

“I don’t think it got to me at all,” Grisham told reporters after the 4-3 loss to the Nationals. “I think I just ended up making an error. “It’s not my first, it’s not going to be my last, it just happened that way.” On the play in question, the bases were loaded with two outs with second-year left fielder Juan Soto up for the Nationals. The 20-year-old hit a line drive to right field which would almost definitely have scored two runs to tie the game at 3....

Atlanta may be young, but the Braves have a lot of talent. The Cardinals have a solid pitching staff and possibly the best right-hander in the NL. MLB playoffs 2019: One reason Dodgers, Braves, Cardinals could win World Series Dodgers: Matchups There is no reason to think what has carried the Dodgers to two straight NL pennants will not help them win again this year. Los Angeles matches up wonderfully with every NL team and honestly, also the American League....

The Oakland Athletics defeated the Chicago White Sox in the only American League Wild Card Series to go the distance, while the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves are the first National League teams to reach the Division Series. Here’s a round-up of which teams have punched a ticket to the next round and the state of play in both leagues. American League Tampa Bay Rays The Rays arrived into the playoffs as the No....

The Cubs’ Kris Bryant was the poster child for “Super Two” abuse when he was sent to Triple-A to open the 2015 season despite a blistering performance in spring training. The ensuing uproar highlighted clubs’ manipulation of the “Super Two” rules but didn’t do anything to change clubs’ behavior. While there are no “Bryant-esque” cases this season, there are a number of high-profile prospects who should see relatively rapid promotions once the unofficial deadline has passed....

Ronald Acuna Jr. and Shohei Ohtani broke out in 2018. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. were the big names in 2019. Luis Robert had his first year in 2020. Wander Franco and Randy Arozarena were critical to the Rays’ success in 2021. The rookie class in 2022 has the chance to be something extra special. Many of the consensus top prospects in the sport are opening the season on MLB rosters, and several others are considered not far behind....

That flurry of activity sets up a lot of emotional homecomings for those pitchers in 2020. The gatherings will be mostly bright and positive — get ready for video tributes, standing ovations and hugs between ex-teammates. SN 2019 AWARDS:Player of the Year | NL Rookie | AL Rookie | NL Manager | AL Manager | NL Comeback Player | AL Comeback Player | Executive of the Year It won’t be all smiles in those parks, of course....