The day before the season begins, A.J. Preller continues his makeover of the Padres, acquiring All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. from the Braves for outfielders Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin, minor league right-hander Matt Wisler, outfield prospect Jordan Paroubeck, and the 41st overall draft pick. The San Diego GM increases the club’s payroll significantly to pull off the stunning deal, with most of the cost involving taking on the remaining $46.35 million still owed Upton, who will now join his brother B.J. as a teammate.

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The day before the season begins, A.J. Preller continues his makeover of the Padres, acquiring All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. from the Braves for outfielders Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin, minor league right-hander Matt Wisler, outfield prospect Jordan Paroubeck, and the 41st overall draft pick. The San Diego GM increases the club’s payroll significantly to pull off the stunning deal, with most of the cost involving taking on the remaining $46.35 million still owed Upton, who will now join his brother B.J. as a teammate.

The opening game of the 2015 Major League Baseball season is a 3 – 0 win by the Cardinals over the Cubs as Adam Wainwright gets the better of marquee free agent signee Jon Lester. RF Jason Heyward has three hits, including a pair for extra bases, and scores his team’s first run in his first game for St. Louis, while LF Matt Holliday drives in two runs. For the occasion, venerable Wrigley Field unveils a new state-of-the-art video scoreboard.

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The opening game of the 2015 Major League Baseball season is a 3 – 0 win by the Cardinals over the Cubs as Adam Wainwright gets the better of marquee free agent signee Jon Lester. RF Jason Heyward has three hits, including a pair for extra bases, and scores his team’s first run in his first game for St. Louis, while LF Matt Holliday drives in two runs. For the occasion, venerable Wrigley Field unveils a new state-of-the-art video scoreboard.

2015 – Major League Baseball suspends P Ervin Santana, who signed the largest free agent contract in Twins history this off-season, for 80 games for testing positive to the anabolic steroid stanozolol. Santana claims he never knowingly took a banned substance.

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2015 – Major League Baseball suspends P Ervin Santana, who signed the largest free agent contract in Twins history this off-season, for 80 games for testing positive to the anabolic steroid stanozolol. Santana claims he never knowingly took a banned substance.

2015 – The Diamondbacks trade P Trevor Cahill to Atlanta for minor league OF Josh Elander in a move designed to allow top prospect Archie Bradley to join Arizona’s starting rotation.

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2015 – The Diamondbacks trade P Trevor Cahill to Atlanta for minor league OF Josh Elander in a move designed to allow top prospect Archie Bradley to join Arizona’s starting rotation.

Auction items featured in Sotheby’s “New York Sale” include the 1967 Mets’ bullpen cart, which is shaped like a baseball wearing a cap. The electric-powered vehicle, valued between $20,000 and $30,000, fetches an amazing high bid of $125,000.

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Auction items featured in Sotheby’s “New York Sale” include the 1967 Mets’ bullpen cart, which is shaped like a baseball wearing a cap. The electric-powered vehicle, valued between $20,000 and $30,000, fetches an amazing high bid of $125,000.

The White Sox sign 1B Adam LaRoche to a two-year free agent deal worth $25 million, where he will share the 1B and DH jobs with Rookie of the Year Jose Abreu.

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The White Sox sign 1B Adam LaRoche to a two-year free agent deal worth $25 million, where he will share the 1B and DH jobs with Rookie of the Year Jose Abreu.

To mark the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s enrollment at the university, UCLA announces it will retire the number 42 in his honor across all sports in which varsity teams compete and renames its athletic facilities the “Jackie Robinson Athletics and Recreation Complex.”

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To mark the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s enrollment at the university, UCLA announces it will retire the number 42 in his honor across all sports in which varsity teams compete and renames its athletic facilities the “Jackie Robinson Athletics and Recreation Complex.”

A number of trades are announced today, none involving big-name stars however: the Rays send Ps Joel Peralta and Adam Liberatore to the Dodgers for Ps Jose Dominguez and Greg Harris; the Cardinals send P Sam Gaviglio to Seattle for IF Ty Kelly; the Royals send P Kyle Bartsch to San Diego for OF Reymond Fuentes; and Texas trades OF Dan Robertson to the Angels for future considerations.

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A number of trades are announced today, none involving big-name stars however: the Rays send Ps Joel Peralta and Adam Liberatore to the Dodgers for Ps Jose Dominguez and Greg Harris; the Cardinals send P Sam Gaviglio to Seattle for IF Ty Kelly; the Royals send P Kyle Bartsch to San Diego for OF Reymond Fuentes; and Texas trades OF Dan Robertson to the Angels for future considerations.

Three-time All-Star backstop Russell Martin and the Blue Jays finalize a five-year, $82-million contract, the second-largest free-agent deal in franchise history. The acquisition of the 31 year-old Canadian-born catcher, who led the Pirates to playoff appearances for the past two seasons, signals Toronto intention of being a contender in the AL East next year.

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Three-time All-Star backstop Russell Martin and the Blue Jays finalize a five-year, $82-million contract, the second-largest free-agent deal in franchise history. The acquisition of the 31 year-old Canadian-born catcher, who led the Pirates to playoff appearances for the past two seasons, signals Toronto intention of being a contender in the AL East next year.