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Each year at MLB’s winter meetings, the spotlight is on the players, the agents and the general managers. Trade buzz and free agent signings — we’re talking about you, Juan Soto, and all you starting pitchers — dominate the headlines.

But the event is also an opportunity for the managers of all 30 teams to gather under one roof. Last week, as baseball’s skippers descended upon Dallas, we asked a handful of them questions about MLB’s rule changes, the playoff format, their most feared opposing hitter and more.

Here is what they had to say.


If it were your call, what would MLB’s next major rule change be?

Dave Martinez, Washington Nationals: It definitely won’t be the golden [at-]bat. I like where the game is at right now, I really do. First with all the new rule changes, it took a minute, but definitely baseball is heading in the right direction.

Ron Washington, Los Angeles Angels: Give the pitchers all the time they need to make pitches. And I’d also like to get rid of that three-times-throwing-over-to-first-base junk. … Experienced pitchers can handle [the pitch clock] after they see what’s got to be done. But I think it just affects the young pitchers.

Derek Shelton, Pittsburgh Pirates: I think I would go to some sort of challenge — something that we’ve talked about with the strike zone, like we’ve tried in the minor leagues.

A.J. Hinch, Detroit Tigers: I think we’ve nailed the rules as an industry. … Naturally, we’re going to resist any sort of change or any sort of newness to the history of the game and things like that, but I haven’t heard or seen hardly any complaints.

Bruce Bochy, Texas Rangers: Just like us, me as a manager, or players, we’re always looking to get better. So you always are looking for ways you can make the game better. Tinkering a little bit is fine, but you have to draw a line somewhere.


How do you feel about MLB’s current expanded playoff format after seeing it for multiple seasons?

Brandon Hyde, Baltimore Orioles: I like the multiple games for the wild card. I think that’s better. I think the format is an improvement.

Washington: The teams that run away with the division and win their division big time — we gotta find a way to keep them active. Because if the other playoffs go the distance, they’re sitting long. It affected us pretty good [in Atlanta]. This year, I think it affected Cleveland.

Shelton: I like it. I think it provides a lot of excitement. I think anything we can do to have more teams having meaningful games in September is important for the game.

Rocco Baldelli, Minnesota Twins: I think it’s working well. I’m in favor of it, and I think it’s been good for the game. I think having a somewhat expanded format makes it competitive for basically the vast majority of the league, who are playing meaningful games as the season goes on.

Matt Quatraro, Kansas City Royals: I don’t give a lot of thought to the big, grand scheme of how it’s laid out. I like to be in it. I’ve been on the other side of that too when I was with Tampa and we lost the two games in Cleveland in that wild card. It’s tough. In baseball, it’s win or go home right out of the gate unless you win the division. So that puts a premium on winning the division. I think that’s great. But I like the fact that it’s expanded.

Terry Francona, Cincinnati Reds: The one thing I wish they were able to change is … you’re seeing too much bullpen games in the playoffs. That’s not the way teams are really built. Now, I would like to see after 162 games, I would like to see teams have to use their entire roster. I think you would find the true best teams that way. Not just maybe teams that are top-heavy with a couple of good pitchers and with days off you can throw your bullpen. I mean, I get it. They’re competing. I’m not saying they’re wrong to do it. Just don’t think that’s the way our game is built.


Which opposing hitter do you least want to face with the game on the line?

Hyde: There’s so many. [Shohei] Ohtani, Soto, [Aaron] Judge, [Mookie] Betts, Yordan Alvarez. Wrap them all up. I don’t want to face any of them.

Washington: Mookie Betts — because he bust my ass many times.

Shelton: I would probably still say Soto — just because of the quality of the at-bat, and you have to throw strikes. He can do damage in a bunch of different places, but he makes you throw the ball over the plate.

Baldelli: This isn’t rocket science — it’s Judge. I just would not want to face Judge. He’s just that good.


Which pitcher — not on your squad — would you most want to hand the ball to with your season on the line?

Hyde: I’ll give you a few. [Tarik] Skubal for sure. Can I go with a reliever? [Emmanuel] Clase. And [Zack] Wheeler.

Washington: Max Scherzer. Gritty. Never gives in.

Shelton: Probably Corbin Burnes. Maybe a little biased, just because I’ve seen him so much in the Central over the last couple years, but just the ability to execute pitches.

Baldelli: It’s probably Skubal. I have a really tough time saying anybody but Skubal.


Who — besides you — is the best manager in baseball?

Washington: Bruce Bochy — because he can manage a bullpen. Oh, and Terry Francona. Those two guys can manage a bullpen.

Shelton: With Tito [Francona] back, it’s hard not to say Tito, but Kevin Cash.

Baldelli: Because I also know him, played for him, I think Tito’s the one that I would have to say — because of the way that he gets the most out of all of his people. He makes people feel like they can do anything, and then they go out there and they actually do it, over and over again.

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Red Sox call up Fulmer in Tommy John return

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Red Sox call up Fulmer in Tommy John return

CHICAGO — Former American League Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer, returning from Tommy John surgery, was brought up from the minor leagues Sunday when the Boston Red Sox placed right-hander Richard Fitts on the 15-day injured list with a right pectoral strain.

A 32-year-old right-hander, Fulmer has not pitched in the big leagues since 2023 with the Chicago Cubs. He had Tommy John revision surgery on Oct. 18, 2023, signed a minor league contract with Boston the following Feb. 2 and did not pitch last year.

Fulmer had a 0.79 ERA in five spring training appearances for the Red Sox, striking out 12 and walking three in 11⅓ innings. He had a 3.09 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance for Triple-A Worcester, striking out 18 and walking six in 11⅔ innings. His four-seam fastball averaged 92.4 mph.

He won the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year with the Detroit Tigers, had Tommy John surgery on March 27, 2019, and returned to the major leagues on July 27, 2020, just after the start of the pandemic-shortened season.

Fulmer is 37-50 with a 3.94 ERA in 90 starts and 172 relief appearances for the Tigers (2016-22), Twins (2022) and Cubs (2023).

Fulmer’s contract was selected from Worcester. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he expects to use Fulmer out of the bullpen.

Fitts will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his injury, Cora said. The 25-year-old left Saturday’s game against the White Sox with shoulder discomfort as he was facing Miguel Vargas, Chicago’s first hitter in the sixth inning.

Making his seventh big league start, Fitts had a 2-0 lead and allowed two hits. He was in position for his first major league win when he was replaced by Zack Kelly with a 2-2 count on Vargas. Vargas walked, and two batters later Luis Robert Jr. hit a two-run homer,

Chicago went on to win 3-2 on pinch-hitter Brooks Baldwin‘s RBI single in the ninth.

Fitts has a 2.39 ERA in seven starts for the Red Sox over two seasons. He is 0-2 with a 3.18 ERA this year.

Fulmer has a contract paying a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues and $180,000 while in the minors.

He can earn $2 million in performance bonuses for innings and $500,000 for relief appearances. Fulmer would get $50,000 each for 75, 80, 85, 90 and 95 innings, $100,000 apiece for 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140, and $250,000 each for 150, 160, 170, 180 and 190. He would earn $100,000 each for 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 relief appearances.

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NFL draft hopeful, ex-LSU WR Lacy found dead

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NFL draft hopeful, ex-LSU WR Lacy found dead

Former LSU receiver Kyren Lacy was found dead Saturday night in Houston, an LSU official confirmed to ESPN on Sunday.

Lacy was accused of causing a crash that killed a 78-year-old man on Dec. 17 and then fleeing the scene without rendering aid or calling authorities. On Jan. 12, he turned himself in to authorities, was jailed and then released on $151,000 bail, according to police records.

Lafourche (Louisiana) Parish Sheriff’s Office records indicated that Lacy was charged with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run with death and reckless operation of a vehicle. According to WAFB-TV, a grand jury was to begin hearing evidence in the case Monday.

According to a news release from Louisiana State Police, Lacy was allegedly driving a 2023 Dodge Charger on Louisiana Highway 20 and “recklessly passed multiple vehicles at a high rate of speed by crossing the centerline and entering the northbound lane while in a designated no-passing zone.”

“As Lacy was illegally passing the other vehicles, the driver of a northbound pickup truck abruptly braked and swerved to the right to avoid a head-on collision with the approaching Dodge,” a Louisiana State Police news release said.

“Traveling behind the pickup was a 2017 Kia Cadenza whose driver swerved left to avoid the oncoming Dodge Charger. As the Kia Cadenza took evasive action to avoid impact with the Dodge, it crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a southbound 2017 Kia Sorento.”

Police alleged that Lacy, 24, drove around the crash scene and fled “without stopping to render aid, call emergency services, or report his involvement in the crash.”

Herman Hall, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, who was a passenger in the Kia Sorento, later died from injuries suffered in the crash, according to state police.

Lacy’s agent, Rocky Arceneaux, said in a statement that his client is “fully cooperating with the authorities.”

Lacy declared for the NFL draft on Dec. 19, two days after the crash, and did not play in LSU’s win over Baylor in the Texas Bowl. He participated in March at LSU’s pro day and was ranked as high as the No. 6 receiver prospect in the draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper in December. Lacy was not ranked among the top 10 available wide receivers in Kiper’s most recent Big Board, which was published last month.

Lacy played three seasons at LSU after starting his career at Louisiana. Lacy had his best season last year when he caught 58 passes for 866 yards and a team-leading nine touchdowns.

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Cubs feast in Dodgers’ worst home shutout loss

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Cubs feast in Dodgers' worst home shutout loss

LOS ANGELES — The Chicago Cubs had a big night against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

One night after being shut out, the Cubs broke out for 14 runs and 15 hits in the final three innings of a 16-0 victory Saturday night to hand the Dodgers their first home loss of the season and their worst home shutout defeat in franchise history.

The Cubs finished with 21 hits, including nine for extra bases.

“The boys came out swinging, and it was pretty cool to see,” said Chicago’s Carson Kelly, who homered twice among his three hits and drove in three runs. “Kudos to our guys for working at-bats, really working counts, getting good pitches to drive and not missing them. We also ran the bases well and took our walks. … I think it’s just the mentality of this team that we’re going to fight to the end no matter what the score is.”

Michael Busch, once a top prospect in the Dodgers’ farm system, had four hits, including a homer and two doubles, and drove in three runs. The first baseman is batting .308 (12-for-39) with three homers, six doubles and 11 RBIs in 10 career games against the Dodgers.

Ian Happ had three hits and scored two runs, and Miguel Amaya replaced the injured Seiya Suzuki (right wrist pain) in the fifth inning and homered among his two hits and drove in three runs.

Kelly keyed a five-run seventh inning with a homer 384 feet over the left-field wall against Dodgers reliever Ben Casparius and then crushed a 391-foot homer on a floater from infielder-turned-pitcher Miguel Rojas for a two-run shot in the ninth.

“You have to take a quick swing, not a big swing,” Kelly said, when asked how hard it is to homer off a 40-mph pitch. “You have to find the right timing of it.”

The Cubs pushed their major league-leading run total to 112, which is 21 more than the second-place New York Yankees (91), and they have outscored opponents by 41 runs, a margin nearly twice as much as any team.

Busch, who homered off Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki for a 1-0 lead in the second, came within inches of a monster game when he was robbed of a grand slam by center fielder Andy Pages to end the third.

“I saw him [make the catch] — unfortunately,” said Busch, a former minor league teammate of Pages. “He’s a good player. I didn’t want him to do that, so we’re going to have to have a conversation.”

Sasaki (0-1) left with a 1-0 deficit after allowing one run and four hits in five innings, striking out three and walking two. However, the Cubs broke through against a Dodgers bullpen that entered the contest with a 2.15 ERA, the fourth-best mark in baseball.

Busch doubled and scored on Justin Turner‘s RBI single off Casparius for a 2-0 lead in the sixth, and Amaya (single), Busch (single), Dansby Swanson (single) and Nico Hoerner (sacrifice fly) drove in runs after Kelly’s leadoff homer in the seventh.

Kyle Tucker had a two-run single and Amaya a two-run homer in the eighth, and the Cubs teed off on Rojas in the ninth.

The offensive outburst backed a superb start by Cubs right-hander Ben Brown, who used only two pitches — a four-seam fastball that averaged 95.6 mph and a knuckle-curve that averaged 86.9 mph — to blank the Dodgers on five hits in six innings, striking out five and walking none.

Brown (2-1) gave up five runs and seven hits in four innings of his previous start, a no-decision against San Diego.

“Just trying to do the exact opposite of last week,” Brown said. “This past week was a grind working on things, mentally going through things, but I put in that effort, and it obviously showed tonight.

“I was able to slow the game down, slow the heart rate down, execute pitch by pitch and go back to where I was last year … when my stuff is there, we can get through lineups like that.”

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