2016 – In a 6-6 tie between the Hanshin Tigers and Yakult Swallows, Hanshin rookie Shun Takayama goes 4 for 6. He leads off the game with a homer, becoming only the second NPB rookie to hit their first career homer on the first pitch of the game, following Yoshito Fujino way back in 1944. He takes Kyle Davies deep for the historic hit.

ByTom

2016 – In a 6-6 tie between the Hanshin Tigers and Yakult Swallows, Hanshin rookie Shun Takayama goes 4 for 6. He leads off the game with a homer, becoming only the second NPB rookie to hit their first career homer on the first pitch of the game, following Yoshito Fujino way back in 1944. He takes Kyle Davies deep for the historic hit.

2016 – In the second of two games played in Mexico City, the Padres take advantage of favorable hitting conditions at Fray Nano Stadium and explode for 5 homers and 21 runs in defeating the Astros, 21 – 6. Jabari Blash, Adam Rosales and Jon Jay all go deep off Astros starter Brady Rodgers in the 1st. The Padres also score 8 runs in the 7th, with Casey McElroy supplying a two-run blast, to seal the landslide win. For his part, Rodgers gives up 8 runs in only two-thirds of an inning and reliever Brendan McCurry is also lit up for 8 runs.

ByTom

2016 – In the second of two games played in Mexico City, the Padres take advantage of favorable hitting conditions at Fray Nano Stadium and explode for 5 homers and 21 runs in defeating the Astros, 21 – 6. Jabari Blash, Adam Rosales and Jon Jay all go deep off Astros starter Brady Rodgers in the 1st. The Padres also score 8 runs in the 7th, with Casey McElroy supplying a two-run blast, to seal the landslide win. For his part, Rodgers gives up 8 runs in only two-thirds of an inning and reliever Brendan McCurry is also lit up for 8 runs.

2016 – In the first of two exhibition games played in Mexico City, the Astros defeat the Padres, 11 – 1, thanks to back-to-back homers by Carlos Correa and Tyler White in the 4th. The series is part of an effort by Major League Baseball to increase its visibility in Mexico, whose growing middle class makes it a potential future location for a major league team.

ByTom

2016 – In the first of two exhibition games played in Mexico City, the Astros defeat the Padres, 11 – 1, thanks to back-to-back homers by Carlos Correa and Tyler White in the 4th. The series is part of an effort by Major League Baseball to increase its visibility in Mexico, whose growing middle class makes it a potential future location for a major league team.

|

2016 – Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes tries to convince umpire C.B. Buckner that an A.J. Reed drive to center is unplayable at the outfield fence but Buckner is not fooled. Reed jogs home with an inside-the-park homer to start an 8-5 victory. Dallas Keuchel tosses five shutout innings. 

ByTom

2016 – Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes tries to convince umpire C.B. Buckner that an A.J. Reed drive to center is unplayable at the outfield fence but Buckner is not fooled. Reed jogs home with an inside-the-park homer to start an 8-5 victory. Dallas Keuchel tosses five shutout innings. 

2016 – In his first professional pitching appearance since being freed from prison after serving 51 months for driving under the influence, driving without a licence and causing grievous bodily injury, former Number One Pick in the 2004 amateur draft Matt Bush has a spectacular outing, flashing a fastball that hits 98 mph and a devastating curveball in pitching two hitless innings for the Rangers against the Cubs.

ByTom

2016 – In his first professional pitching appearance since being freed from prison after serving 51 months for driving under the influence, driving without a licence and causing grievous bodily injury, former Number One Pick in the 2004 amateur draft Matt Bush has a spectacular outing, flashing a fastball that hits 98 mph and a devastating curveball in pitching two hitless innings for the Rangers against the Cubs.

The Rays defeat the Cuban national team, 4 – 1, in a historic exhibition game played at Estadio Latinoamericano in Havana, Cuba. Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro are in attendance as the ballgame, which is the first by a major league team in Cuba since the 1999 Baltimore Orioles-Cuban National Team Exhibition Series, and only the second since the 1959 Cuban Revolution.

ByTom

The Rays defeat the Cuban national team, 4 – 1, in a historic exhibition game played at Estadio Latinoamericano in Havana, Cuba. Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro are in attendance as the ballgame, which is the first by a major league team in Cuba since the 1999 Baltimore Orioles-Cuban National Team Exhibition Series, and only the second since the 1959 Cuban Revolution.

The Dodgers announce that OF Andre Ethier will be out at least three months with a fractured right tibia, the result of fouling a ball off his leg on March 18th.

ByTom

The Dodgers announce that OF Andre Ethier will be out at least three months with a fractured right tibia, the result of fouling a ball off his leg on March 18th.

2016 – Fans attending a Cactus League game between the White Sox and Royals at Camelback Ranch are treated to two rare occurrences, and both involve Sox LF Jason Coats. In the 5th inning, Kansas City’s Tony Cruz lines a ball to Coats, who catches it and throws to SS Jimmy Rollins to double off Reymond Fuentes for the second out; Rollins in turn relays to 1B Mike Olt before Dusty Coleman can return to the bag for a rare 7-6-3 triple play. Then, in the 7th, Drew Butera hits a line drive to left, but this time, the ball tips off Coats’s glove and the play ends as an inside-the-park homer.

ByTom

2016 – Fans attending a Cactus League game between the White Sox and Royals at Camelback Ranch are treated to two rare occurrences, and both involve Sox LF Jason Coats. In the 5th inning, Kansas City’s Tony Cruz lines a ball to Coats, who catches it and throws to SS Jimmy Rollins to double off Reymond Fuentes for the second out; Rollins in turn relays to 1B Mike Olt before Dusty Coleman can return to the bag for a rare 7-6-3 triple play. Then, in the 7th, Drew Butera hits a line drive to left, but this time, the ball tips off Coats’s glove and the play ends as an inside-the-park homer.

2016 – The Orioles reportedly sign free agent 1B/3B Pedro Alvarez for one year at $5.75 million. The 2013 National League home run champ had trouble finding a team after being let go by the Pirates last Fall because of concerns regarding his defensive play. He won’t have to worry about that as the Birds’ primary designated hitter this year.

ByTom

2016 – The Orioles reportedly sign free agent 1B/3B Pedro Alvarez for one year at $5.75 million. The 2013 National League home run champ had trouble finding a team after being let go by the Pirates last Fall because of concerns regarding his defensive play. He won’t have to worry about that as the Birds’ primary designated hitter this year.