At the last owners meeting chaired by outgoing Commissioner Bud Selig, owners decide to use a pitch clock during minor league games at the AA and AAA level this season in an experiment to quicken the pace of games.
Houston acquires slugger Evan Gattis, along with reliever James Hoyt, from Atlanta for pitcher Mike Foltynewicz and two minor leaguers. Gattis would go on to lead the Astros in home runs (27) and RBIs (88) that season.
Media reports, which will be confirmed quickly, indicate that the Braves have traded C Evan Gattis to Houston for three prospects, Ps Mike Foltynewicz and Andrew Thurman and IF Rio Ruiz. P James Hoyt accompanies Gattis to Houston.
The Arizona Diamondbacks sign Cuban pitching prospect Yoan Lopez to a bonus of $8.27 million, the highest ever for an international amateur signing. The 21-year-old defected from Cuba in 2014 and established residency in Haiti before being declared a free agent by Major League Baseball in November.
2015 – Two of the teams that have been the busiest this offseason, the Rays and the Athletics, complete another trade. Super utility player Ben Zobrist and SS Yunel Escobar head to Oakland, in return for C John Jaso, whose career began in Tampa, and prospects Boog Powell and Daniel Robertson.
2015 – The BBWAA elects four players to the Hall of Fame, one of the largest classes ever. Three dominant pitchers all make it on their first try – Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz – while 2B Craig Biggio makes the grade on his third attempt.
2015 – The Melbourne Aces beat the Canberra Cavalry, 9 – 8, behind two homers apiece from Adam Engel and Kellin Deglan. That gives Deglan 16 home runs on the year, breaking the Australian Baseball League record (for the ABL’s second run, when the schedule was shorter than its first decade). His record-setting dinger comes off Jake Brown.
It’s the Nation’s Capital’s turn to host the annual National Hockey League Winter Classic, with Nationals Park transformed into an outdoor hockey rink for the occasion. The Washington capitals defeat the Chicago Black Hawks, 3-2, thanks to a goal with under 13 seconds left to play. The game draws a crowd of 42,832.
The Braves and Yankees announce a trade in spite of the holiday, with Ps David Carpenter and Chasen Shreve headed to the Bronx in return for P Manny Banuelos.