The start of the season is getting closer.
It’s a new week, friends, and we’re getting ever closer to the start of the 2025 season. This week’s news recap doesn’t have a lot of preamble, but here’s what you can expect below: Dave Roberts pranking Shohei Ohtani; Max Scherzer venting about the new ABS challenges; Pete Rose potentially being reinstated, and which former-Royal signed a one-day contract to retire with his old club?
Let’s just get right into it.
Quick Hits
- Mookie Betts is ready to prove he can play shortstop.
- The recent breakup between MLB and ESPN might not last, as ESPN is willing to negotiate a new deal.
- Dave Roberts pranked Shohei Ohtani, and even Ohtani’s dog Decoy got involved.
- Max Scherzer has a lot of opinions about the new ABS challenges.
- A wild story about how three Twins players were involved in a harrowing car incident .
- Should we be preparing for a lockout in 2026?
- Jose Altuve looks all wrong in the outfield.
- What will the upcoming era hold for the A’s now that they’re out of Oakland?
- Rob Manfred is considering a bid from Pete Rose’s family to reinstate the banned player posthumously.
- Nestor Cortes is certain the Yankees were the better team in the World Series.
- Chase Dollander manages to make Justin Verlander (and me) sound ancient.
- How did Trea Turner troll Justin Verlander?
- Albert Pujols will return to the World Baseball Classic in 2026 as a manager.
- Sammy Sosa opens up about the steroid era .
- Jake Burger was back to work shortly after his daughter’s surgery and hit a home run while wearing her hospital bracelet .
- The Nationals are looking to sell stadium naming rights and uniform branding.
- Here’s the schedule for Friday baseball on Apple TV that stars later this month.
- Mike Moustakas signed a one-day contract with the Royals so he can retire with them.
Social Media Highlights
Umps now have to see how bad their call is in front of everyone. Respect pic.twitter.com/693L36bBwC
— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) February 23, 2025
People often gush about how much sports team appreciate. The Cleveland Guardians were bought in early 2000 for $323 million and are now worth $1.48B, per @sportico.bsky.social. Good, right?
If the Dolans had put $323M into the S&P 500, and reinvested dividends, that would be $2.1 billion today.
— Eben Novy-Williams (@ebennovywilliams.bsky.social) 2025-02-25T17:37:55.788Z
Crazy pitching matchup in Sarasota today pic.twitter.com/qSCyXNP8rH
— MLB (@MLB) February 25, 2025
The Jefry Yan Experience pic.twitter.com/yHbZ5r5rB4
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) February 25, 2025
In the 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, the better team lost — at least that’s what former Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes believes
Read more on what Cortes had to say here ⬇️https://t.co/urYlsG8CSa pic.twitter.com/p5zSae2z94
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) February 27, 2025