MLB

Bob Horner, a legendary baseball player with the Atlanta Braves and the first overall pick in the 1978 MLB draft, is dead.

The Braves announced Bob's death Tuesday in a social media post. The cause and manner of death are unclear.

Bob was the first Braves player to go straight from the amateur ranks to the Major Leagues without ever playing a Minor League game ... and he played for the Braves from 1978 to 1986 ... earning one All-Star Selection.

Wander Franco was found criminally responsible for sexually and psychologically abusing a minor ... but the MLB star will not serve jail time.

A judge in the Dominican Republic ruled Monday the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop was responsible in the case involving a girl who was 14 years old at the time of the alleged relationship.

Still, the judge granted Franco a judicial pardon reportedly determining he had also been the victim of extortion and blackmail by the minor's mom.

Bobby Cox -- the Hall of Fame manager who was ejected more times than any other manager in MLB history -- has died ... the Atlanta Braves announced Saturday.

The team took to X to pay tribute Cox -- who managed the team from 1978 to 1981 and then again from 1990 to 2010 -- calling him a "wealth of knowledge on player development and the intricacies of the game."

The Braves add his passion for baseball was only exceeded by his passion for his family ... and their offer their condolences to his widow, Pam, and their children and grandchildren.

Trevor Bauer once signed a $102 million contract to play baseball, but that was years ago, and with the Cy Young award winner desperate to once again toe the rubber for a team in the Majors, he's got an idea ... he'll play for free!

35-year-old Bauer -- who hasn't played Major League Baseball since the 2021 season -- hit up social media on Friday, where he pitched an interesting, seemingly risk-free, idea.

"Hypothetical: You’re the owner of an MLB team. I offer to take $0 salary and sign a minor league contract and go to Low A," Trevor wrote. "If the 'he sucks now' crowd is right and I get lit up, you cut me, lose $0 and there’s no risk to the big league club."

Jake Reiner is leaning on Dodgers baseball to help carry him through unimaginable grief ... returning to cohost his podcast this week for the first time since the shocking murders of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner.

The emotional comeback episode of "The Incline: Dodgers Podcast" dropped Wednesday ... with Jake opening up about the overwhelming support he's received since the tragedy -- you can check out how he's been flooded with love from friends, family and even the Dodgers fan community online.

"I’ve seen all the love, all the support out there," Jake said. "I really feel the love."

Angels legend Garret Anderson's cause of death has been revealed ... with officials stating the World Series champion passed away due to complications with his pancreas.

The 53-year-old's tragic death was due to "acute necrotizing pancreatitis." Gallstone disease and alcohol use are the two leading factors for the complication, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

As TMZ Sports previously reported, Anderson suffered a medical emergency at his home in Newport Beach, CA on Thursday ... and dispatch audio detailed an unconscious male amid the request for service.

One of Garret Anderson's oldest friends, actor Tyrin Turner, tells TMZ Sports he was shocked to learn of the MLB great's passing ... because as far as he knew, GA wasn't dealing with any medical issues prior to his death.

The "Menace II Society" star grew up with the World Series champ in Los Angeles ... and said he knew Anderson was destined for greatness on the diamond at a young age.

Their bond was strong over the years ... and it remained that way for decades, with the ball player even serving as Turner's best man at his wedding.

Longtime Angels star Garret Anderson -- the franchise's all-time hits leader -- tragically died on Thursday ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told the 53-year-old had a medical emergency at his home in Newport Beach, CA ... and dispatch audio details an unconscious male amid the request for service.

Anderson, born and raised in Los Angeles, was drafted by the Angels in 1990 ... and went on to play for the big league club from 1994 to 2008, becoming one of the greatest players in franchise history.

Garret had a ton of personal as well as team success in Anaheim ... making three All-Star teams and winning a World Series in 2002. He also won the Silver Slugger Award twice, in 2002 and 2003.

It's only mid-April, but it could've been October for Alex Vesia ... the Dodgers reliever was emotional on the mound after closing out the game in front of dozens of doctors and nurses who treated his late daughter, Sterling Sol, last year.

Tuesday night was the Dodgers' annual Healthcare Appreciation Night, and the 30-year-old pitcher invited almost 30 hospital workers who helped the family navigate the most difficult period of their lives in late 2025.

So, when Vesia entered the 2-1 game vs. the Mets in the 9th inning -- with closer Edwin Diaz unavailable -- Alex didn't squander the opportunity, striking out the side, getting the save, and sealing the win for Los Angeles.

The wait is over … Tampa Bay Rays fans finally returned home to The Trop after Hurricane Milton nearly wiped their ballpark off the map.

A sold-out crowd of roughly 25,000 fans packed Tropicana Park Monday for the long-awaited comeback against the Chicago Cubs -- and the vibes were way bigger than a typical Opening Day.

This wasn’t just a baseball game … it was a comeback story nearly 561 days in the making.

S.F. Giants rookie Daniel Susac will never forget his MLB debut, going 3-for-3 in a win over the Mets ... but a member of his in-stands watch party had a different experience -- his little nephew went viral for his reaction as the fam celebrated!

Cameras followed the family as they had the time of their lives watching Susac tee off against New York. At one point, one of them was holding Susac's nephew when he got a hit, jumping up and down and flinging the kid around.

He seemed less than thrilled to be in the situation, crying and flailing around while dad was over the moon watching Susac. Eventually, the kid's mom stepped in to save the day, grabbing her child so dad could keep celebrating.

Royals rookie Carter Jensen has learned the hard way in the big leagues … the alarm clock is undefeated.

The 22-year-old backstop was a late scratch for the Kansas City Royals just before their matchup with the Minnesota Twins on Thursday -- and not because of injury, but because he straight-up slept through his alarm.

Manager Matt Quatraro kept it real postgame, saying Jensen “overslept” and didn’t make it to the ballpark in time to properly prep ... a big no-no, especially for a catcher expected to handle the pitching staff.

Tuesday night marked the 2026 MLB debut for Shohei Ohtani ... but he was arguably the second biggest attraction at the stadium that night -- 'cause it was Yoshi bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium, and fans lined up for hours to get their hands on 'em!

Videos shared on social media show lines snaking around Chavez Ravine as fans tried to scoop up one of the 40,000 Yoshis being given away for the price of admission.

The man of the hour was also in attendance for the big night, with the Nintendo character posing for pics with his adoring fans. When he was done meeting fans ... Yoshi made his way down to the Dodgers' clubhouse -- where Yoshi met Yoshi and Yoshi.

The L.A. Dodgers may have won their opening day game against the Arizona Diamondbacks ... but some of their fans were big losers getting into a video-recorded brawl.

All the madness began Thursday afternoon at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, but the video above surfaced Friday on Instagram, and the footage is quite eye-popping.

Check it out ... in the clip, two women and two men go toe-to-toe in the stands, wrestling each other, pulling hair and throwing punches. During the brawl, one of the men falls backward, slamming into a metal railing ... but it doesn't seem like he or anyone else was seriously injured.

Shohei Ohtani’s first World Series homer ball is up for grabs … and it’s expected to bring in a monster payday!

SCP Auctions tells TMZ Sports the historic baseball -- crushed by Ohtani in the 7th inning of Game 1 of the 2025 World Series -- could fetch $250,000 or more when bidding wraps Sunday.

The two-run shot came at Rogers Centre in Toronto … where a lucky fan ended up with the ball after it bounced off another spectator’s hands and dropped right to him in the outfield crowd.

Barry Bonds pulled back the curtain on one of the wildest near-misses in baseball history ... revealing he was on the verge of joining the New York Yankees before a high-pressure call from George Steinbrenner sent the whole thing off the rails.

The home run king shared the story during Wednesday's Opening Night matchup between the Yankees and San Francisco Giants … when Bonds joined the Netflix broadcast and decided to finally share how close he came to heading to the Bronx.

“George isn’t here anymore, so I can tell the truth, right?” Bonds said, before explaining how Steinbrenner personally reached out during his 1992 free agency.

At the time, Bonds was already one of the biggest stars in the game, coming off two MVP seasons with the Pirates -- and the Yankees were ready to make him the highest-paid player in baseball.

But the offer came with a major condition: Bonds said he had to agree to the deal by 2 PM that same day -- and that didn’t sit well with him.