Steve Berman
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Articles by Steve Berman
Steve Cohen Plans Front-Office Changes For Mets
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen said he plans to add new voices to the team's front office in the coming weeks, following consecutive playoff misses. Cohen shared his intentions during Saturday's broadcast of the Mets' 10-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. "I've been working with the front office, and I've identified some things that we can do better," said Cohen.
Mets owner Steve Cohen on plans to add front-office ‘voices,’ fan reaction to Pete Alonso
Based on what Cohen said on the team’s TV broadcast Saturday during the Mets’ 10-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, the next few weeks should be full of activity as well. “I’ve been working with the front office, and I’ve identified some things that we can do better,” Cohen said.
Oli Marmol says umpire ejected him after telling Cardinals reliever to fix his hat
During the St. Louis Cardinals’ 7-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday, home-plate umpire Doug Eddings ejected Cardinals manager Oli Marmol in the bottom of the sixth inning. Marmol had a unique explanation for the on-field conflict. “Some words exchanged there. Quite honestly, I thought it was pretty embarrassing on his end,” Marmol said on the Cardinals’ broadcast when asked about his run-in with Eddings.
An umpire told a Cardinals rookie pitcher to fix his hat. Moments later, his manager Oli Marmol was ejected
During the St. Louis Cardinals’ 7-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday, home-plate umpire Doug Eddings ejected Cardinals manager Oli Marmol in the bottom of the sixth inning. Marmol had a unique explanation for the on-field conflict. “Some words exchanged there. Quite honestly, I thought it was pretty embarrassing on his end,” Marmol said on the Cardinals’ broadcast.
Kyle Bradish, Orioles Sign Five-Year $90M Extension
The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a five-year, $90 million extension with right-handed starter Kyle Bradish. Bradish, 29, emerged as a potential star in 2023, finishing fourth in American League Cy Young voting during his second major-league season. Injuries limited him to just 14 combined starts over the following two seasons, but he has rebounded this year with a 3.61 ERA across 19 starts, leading Baltimore's pitching staff with 1.7 bWAR.
Orioles sign Kyle Bradish to 5-year, $90 million extension: Source Original
The Baltimore Orioles announced on Saturday that they’ve agreed to terms on a five-year extension with right-handed starter Kyle Bradish. A league source, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly to describe contract negotiations, confirmed an earlier ESPN report that the pact is for $90 million. Bradish, 29, looked like a potential star in 2023, when he finished fourth in the American League Cy Young Award voting in his second big-league season.
MLB names its first 2 All-Star starters: Shohei Ohtani and Ernie Clement
Major League Baseball has its first two All-Star Game starters, announcing that Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani will be an All-Star for the sixth time as the top vote-getter in the National League, and Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement earned his first All-Star nomination as the American League’s highest-voted player. Ohtani’s early inclusion comes as no surprise, as he’s a Cy Young Award contender and leads the NL in on-base percentage and OPS+.
MLB names its first 2 All-Star starters: Shohei Ohtani and Ernie Clement
Major League Baseball has its first two All-Star Game starters, announcing that Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani will be an All-Star for the sixth time as the top vote-getter in the National League, and Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement earned his first All-Star nomination as the American League's highest-voted player. Ohtani's early inclusion comes as no surprise, as he's a Cy Young Award contender and leads the NL in on-base percentage and OPS+.
MLB issues warning to Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on Pride Night caps
After three San Francisco Giants pitchers appeared in Friday's game with Bible verses written on their Pride Night caps, Major League Baseball issued a warning that similar behavior will not be tolerated. "The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations," Pat Courtney, MLB's chief communications officer, told The Athletic in a statement that Outsports first reported.
MLB issues warning to Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on Pride Night caps
After three San Francisco Giants pitchers appeared in Friday’s game with Bible verses written on their Pride Night caps, Major League Baseball issued a warning that similar behavior will not be tolerated. “The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations,” Pat Courtney, MLB’s chief communications officer told The Athletic in a statement that Outsports first reported.
MLB issues warning to Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on Pride Night caps
After three San Francisco Giants pitchers appeared in Friday’s game with Bible verses written on their Pride Night caps, Major League Baseball issued a warning that similar behavior will not be tolerated. “The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations,” Pat Courtney, MLB’s chief communications officer, told The Athletic in a statement that Outsports first reported.
Yordan Alvarez strikes first in battle of MVP favorites with 2 homers in first inning Original
Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez is a slight favorite to win his first American League MVP. The co-favorite, Bobby Witt Jr., plays for the team the Astros faced Friday, and Alvarez made a strong early case with two home runs in the first inning. The first homer was an opposite-field, two-run shot to start Houston’s onslaught.
Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski breaks his own velocity record for starting pitchers Original
With Milwaukee Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski starting Friday night’s series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, and Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez scheduled to pitch Sunday, Misiorowski had a chance to set the tone for a highly anticipated series featuring this season’s most dominant starting pitchers. The 24-year-old righty actually set a record earlier in the matchup with Schwarber.
Boston Red Sox fire manager Alex Cora after 10-17 start to season
The Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora on Saturday, the team announced, as the team's 17-1 win against the Baltimore Orioles wasn't enough to dissuade the club from making massive changes after a 10-17 start. kAm%96 #65 $@I 2=D@ A2CE65 H2JD H:E9 7:G6 >6>36CD @7 E96 >2;@C\=628F6 4@249:?8 DE277i 9:EE:?8 4@249 !6E6C u2ED6[ E9:C5\32D6 4@249 zJ=6 wF5D@?[ 36?49 4@249 #2>ó? 'áKBF6K[ 2DD:DE2?E 9:EE:?8 4@249 s:==@? {2HD@?
ABS hot mic: Umpire caught saying 'please be a strike' during pitch challenge
Major-league umpire Bill Miller has experienced the pitfalls of a hot mic before, but that didn't prevent him from getting caught again during a Saturday spring training game in Scottsdale, Ariz. kAm(:E9 E96 $2? uC2?4:D4@ v:2?ED =625:?8 E96 r=6G6=2?5 vF2C5:2?D b\_ :? E96 7@FCE9 :??:?8[ v:2?ED =67E\92?56C #@33:6 #2J 72465 vF2C5:2?D E9:C5 32D6>2? p=6I |@@?6J H:E9 EH@ @FED 2?5 CF??6CD @? 7:CDE 2?5 D64@?5] p7E6C |@@?6J E@@< 2?
Braves' Ha-Seong Kim to miss 4-5 months after undergoing finger surgery
The Atlanta Braves suffered a blow to their middle infield, announcing Sunday that Ha-Seong Kim will miss four to five months after undergoing surgery on Sunday to repair a torn middle finger tendon on his right hand after sustaining an injury while in South Korea. kAmz:> DF776C65 E96 :?;FCJ H96? 96 76== @? :46[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^I]4@>^>=33@H>2?^DE2EFD^a_`ahg_eahcgbabfg_hQm244@C5:?8 E@ |{q]4@>k^2m]k^Am kAm%96 qC2G6D 25565 z:>[ b_[ @? $6AE] ` 27E6C E96 %2>A2 q2J #2JD A=2465 9:> @?
John Means tears his Achilles the same day he was set to sign with a team
Though I tend to think it's usually a waste of space to devote a column to President Donald Trump's personality -- what more is there to say a…
John Means tears his Achilles the same day he was set to sign with a team
John Means finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2019 but has had poor luck with injuries since 2022. Mitchell Layton / Getty Images John Means can’t seem to catch a break. The lefty starter who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022 and 2024 after a strong start to his career with the Baltimore Orioles, announced Thursday that he tore his Achilles on Dec. 16. As if that weren’t painful enough, he said he was on the verge of signing with a new team the day he suffered the injury.
Tatsuya Imai says he’d rather pave his own way than follow Japanese stars to Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have targeted the biggest stars who began their professional careers in Japan, and have reaped the benefits with Shohei Ohtani winning consecutive National League MVPs and Yoshinobu Yamamoto earning the most recent World Series MVP award after his heroic performance against the Toronto Blue Jays. Even Roki Sasaki became a key postseason reliever after a rocky start to his major-league career.
Tatsuya Imai says he'd rather pave his own way than follow Japanese stars to Dodgers
NEW YORK -- The scion of the Kennedy family has a skeleton. It lurks in the corner of the living room of his Chelsea apartment, wearing a brow…
Blue Jays name rookie Trey Yesavage World Series Game 1 starter
Trey Yesavage’s rapid rise continues, as the Toronto Blue Jays announced Thursday that he will start Game 1 of the World Series Friday night at Rogers Centre. Yesavage will be the first rookie to start Game 1 of the Fall Classic since Justin Verlander and Anthony Reyes did it in Game 1 of the 2006 World Series for the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively. The 22-year-old rookie is doing it with much less big-league experience, however.
Blue Jays name rookie Trey Yesavage World Series Game 1 starter
Trey Yesavage's rapid rise continues, as the Toronto Blue Jays announced Thursday that he will start Game 1 of the World Series Friday night at Rogers Centre. kAm*6D2G286 H:== 36 E96 7:CDE C@@<:6 E@ DE2CE v2>6 ` @7 E96 u2== r=2DD:4 D:?46 yFDE:? '6C=2?56C 2?5 p?E9@?J #6J6D DBF2C65 @77 :? v2>6 ` @7 E96 a__e (@C=5 $6C:6D 7@C E96 s6EC@:E %:86CD 2?5 $E] {@F:D r2C5:?2=D[ C6DA64E:G6=J] *6D2G286 H:== 8@ FA 282:?DE {@D p?86=6D s@586CD =67EJ q=2<6 $?6==[ 2 ba\J62C\@=5 H9@ 92D H@?
Dodgers, Blue Jays to meet in World Series: Prediction, key players and more
From a historical perspective, the matchup in this year's World Series could not be more different. kAm~? E96 p>6C:42? {628F6 D:56 :D E96 %@C@?E@ q=F6 y2JD[ 2 7C2?49:D6 6DE23=:D965 :? `hff E92E 92D 2EE2:?65 >@56C2E6 DF446DD D:?46 E96?]%96 q=F6 y2JD H@? 324<\E@\324< (@C=5 $6C:6D :? `hha 2?5 `hhb 3FE 925 ?@E C6EFC?65 E@ E96 u2== r=2DD:4 F?E:= ?@H] %96J AF?4965 E96:C E:4<6E @? |@?52J ?:89E[ H96? v6@C86 $AC:?86CVD 5C2>2E:4 E9C66\CF? 9@>6C A@H6C65 2 c\b G:4E@CJ @G6C E96 $62EE=6 |2C:?6CD :?
Dodgers, Blue Jays to meet in World Series: Prediction, key players and more
From a historical perspective, the matchup in this year’s World Series could not be more different. On the American League side is the Toronto Blue Jays, a franchise established in 1977 that has attained moderate success since then.The Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series in 1992 and 1993 but had not returned to the Fall Classic until now.
Give Trump his Nobel Peace Prize
In 1978, the august members of the Nobel committee awarded the Peace Prize to Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin for their historic treaty, which still endures today. Belatedly, the committee awarded President Jimmy Carter the prize in 2002, titularly not for his Middle East work, but for his post-presidency legacy of the Carter Center. In 2009, President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for…umm…winning the election.
Pro-life is no longer the apple of Trump's eye as the FDA lets cheap abortion fly
President Donald Trump was the first president to personally attend and address the March for Life in Washington, D.C. That was the first term Trump, #45. Second term Trump, #47, doesn’t have the same devotion to the cause. His HHS secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is skeptical about many drugs, especially vaccines, but not about abortion drugs.
Athletics to wear ‘Sacramento’ alternate jerseys next season
In their first season after moving from Oakland, the Athletics made it clear that their time in Sacramento was not a permanent residency with a planned move to Las Vegas. On Sunday, after seeing how their current home city responded to their first season in their interim home, the A’s unveiled gold alternate jerseys with “Sacramento” across the front that they plan to wear “throughout the 2026 season,” according to a team statement.
MLB Playoff watch: Mariners grab West lead, Dodgers lock up spot; bracket, clinching scenarios
Entering play on Saturday, here’s where every contending team stands with nine days remaining in the regular season. Who’s in? Tickets already punched: The Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday joined the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs among the teams that have clinched postseason berths. The Dodgers will make their 13th consecutive trip to the playoffs, so you can’t blame them for being more concerned with Clayton Kershaw’s last regular-season start at Dodger Stadium.
MLB mandates ‘recovery period’ for scouting amateur players during offseason
In a memo sent to all 30 teams on Thursday, Major League Baseball listed newly prohibited activities for draft-eligible players based in the United States during MLB’s offseason, citing a need for “appropriate downtime” in response to a rise in injuries sustained by amateur pitchers. In-person and remote evaluations by MLB team personnel of high school players, along with coaching and the gathering of data and video, are no longer permitted from Oct. 15 to Jan. 15.
Rangers star Corey Seager to undergo appendectomy
Seager, 31, is having another strong season with a .271/.373/.487 slash line and 5.9 WAR per Baseball Reference. The five-time All-Star and two-time World Series MVP has been especially hot lately, with homers on Tuesday and Wednesday and a .400 average over his past 11 games. The Rangers are on the outside of the wild-card chase, 4 1/2 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the third spot.
The Cleveland Guardians announced Thursday that they have released Carlos Santana, ending the 39-year-old first baseman’s 11th season with the Guardians, who placed him on waivers on Tuesday. Santana has posted a .225/.316/.333 slash line in his 16th major-league season, with 11 home runs and seven stolen bases. He ranks second in franchise history in walks and fifth in home runs, and is the league’s leader in walks among active players.
New MLB award: BBWAA to start honoring relief pitcher of the year in 2026
In 1956, the Baseball Writers Association of America created the Cy Young Award when it became apparent that pitchers weren’t getting their proper due in MVP voting. That history is about to repeat itself. The BBWAA announced Saturday that it has voted to create a Relief Pitcher of the Year Award in each league, beginning in 2026. It will be presented every November, alongside the group’s other awards — MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year.
Giants place Landen Roupp on injured list with right elbow inflammation
The San Francisco Giants placed Landon Roupp on the injured list on Friday with right elbow inflammation, creating an even larger concern for a rotation that has struggled to get quality innings beyond the team’s two All-Star starters, Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. When the Giants sent Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks to the Boston Red Sox to acquire Rafael Devers, the reasoning seemed solid. The offense needed a jolt, and one of the team’s strongest areas was rotational depth.
Ketel Marte placed on restricted list after break-in at his home during All-Star break
Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte was placed on the restricted list on Friday. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Marte requested a few days off after a break-in at his Phoenix-area home during the All-Star Game. Marte, 31, was in Atlanta for the Midsummer Classic when his home was burglarized on July 15. Police said no one was at the home in Paradise Valley, Ariz.
Brewers phenom Jacob Misiorowski named to NL All-Star team after 5 starts
Brewers phenom Jacob Misiorowski named to NL All-Star team after 5 starts Jacob Misiorowski has pitched like an All-Star since the Milwaukee Brewers called him up a month ago. On Friday, after just five starts, he was named to the National League All-Star team. After going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA and 33 strikeouts, including a 12-strikeout start on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Misiorowski made history.
Matt Olson replaces Ronald Acuña Jr. in Home Run Derby
The Atlanta Braves will have a slugger representing them in the Home Run Derby, but it won’t be Ronald Acuña Jr., as Matt Olson will replace his teammate during Monday’s exhibition. Olson represented the Oakland A’s in 2021 in the Home Run Derby but was knocked out in the first round after Trey Mancini edged him with 24 homers compared to Olson’s 23. The Athletics dealt Olson to the Braves after that season, and Olson has hit 134 home runs for Atlanta while not missing a game.
Lee Elia, who managed the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs for two seasons apiece but is perhaps best known for a profane postgame rant critical of Chicago fans, died on Wednesday. He was 87. The Phillies announced his death in a statement on Thursday, though they did not say where he died or cite a cause. A middle infielder who played in parts of two seasons for the Chicago White Sox and the Cubs, Elia spent several years in a variety of coaching and scouting roles.
Shohei Ohtani throws fastest pitch of his MLB career Original
Shohei Ohtani is no stranger to lighting up the radar gun, either with his arm or the exit velocity when he connects with his bat. In his third pitching appearance for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, his arm unleashed a pitch at a speed he’s never reached before. Ohtani induced a double-play grounder from Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino in the first inning with a 101.7 mph fastball, the fastest pitch he’s thrown in the majors.
Diamondbacks' Corbin Burnes to undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his season
Arizona Diamondback right-hander Corbin Burnes will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery next week, and his recovery could cause him to miss most or all of next season as well, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters on Friday. The Diamondbacks placed Burnes on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with elbow inflammation after he exited Sunday's start against the Washington Nationals in the top of the fifth after experiencing tightness in his throwing elbow.
The one ideal all Americans agree on
Our greatest hero, George Washington, called New Englanders under his command “exceedingly dirty and nasty people,” though he figured they’d fight well “if properly officered.” One Virginia unit of riflemen rebelled against his military discipline so hard they had to be surrounded and disarmed.
Rockies fire Bud Black after brutal start, name Warren Schaeffer as interim manager
Share The Colorado Rockies fired manager Bud Black and bench coach Mike Redmond on Sunday. Third-base coach Warren Schaeffer is now the interim manager, and hitting coach Clint Hurdle will serve as the interim bench coach.“Our play so far this season, especially coming off the last two seasons, has been unacceptable. Our fans deserve better, and we are capable of better,” said Rockies owner Dick Monfort.
Rockies fire Bud Black after brutal start, name Warren Schaeffer as interim manager
The Colorado Rockies fired manager Bud Black and bench coach Mike Redmond on Sunday. Third-base coach Warren Schaeffer is now the interim manager, and hitting coach Clint Hurdle will serve as the interim bench coach. "Our play so far this season, especially coming off the last two seasons, has been unacceptable. Our fans deserve better, and we are capable of better," said Rockies owner Dick Monfort. "While we all share responsibility in how this season has played out, these changes are necessary.
Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. leaves game after pitch hits left forearm
San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. left Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after taking a pitch off his left forearm in the third inning from starter Mitch Keller. Immediately after making contact with the 93 mph fastball, Tatis' arm had visible swelling. Tatis is having an outstanding season thus far, hitting .345/.419/.602 with eight home runs and seven stolen bases.
Tigers, Mariners succeeding with patchwork lineups, Cubs thriving at Wrigley
The team that brought us pitching chaos last season is now playing hitting roulette. Call them cunning. Call them creative. Just know the Detroit Tigers are finding the right combinations again. At 18-11, the Tigers own the best record in the American League. They're 18-8 since getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in their opening series. And they're 13-3 at Comerica Park, their home start since 1911, when they played not at the old Tiger Stadium, but that old bandbox, Bennett Park.
Rockies fire Hensley Meulens, name Clint Hurdle as new hitting coach
The Colorado Rockies, owners of the worst record in baseball at 3-15, replaced Hensley Meulens as their hitting coach with Clint Hurdle "for the remainder of the season," the team announced on Thursday. "This has been an incredibly frustrating and disappointing start to the season, especially offensively," said general manager Bill Schmidt in a news release.
A's vs. Mets interrupted when medical cart runs breaks down on the field in Sacramento Original
The Athletics' time in Sacramento, where they share a ballpark with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, hasn't gone as well as planned. They had a 1-6 home record after a 7-6 loss to the New York Mets on Friday. Then, on Saturday, they experienced a different type of problem before the bottom of the second inning when a cart stopped running, requiring several Sutter Health Park workers to push it off the field.
'Our approach was wrong'
After releasing a video Thursday promoting the "Gold Diggers" as the team's alternate identity, the Sacramento River Cats canceled the campaign Friday. "Our recent marketing campaign for an alternative identity clearly missed the mark," said the San Francisco Giants' Triple-A team in an email to SFGate. "Our intention was to creatively reference the rich history of Sacramento and gold country, but our approach was wrong, and we are sorry for the mistake.
A fireable, prosecutable offense
In a former life, I worked as a USAF contractor, embedded with the military. I was responsible for maintaining communications systems that included rudimentary email and other IT functions, both unclassified and classified. The highest priority in dealing with classified data is OPSEC—Operational Security of troops, plans, movements, and the like.
Blue Jays sign Alejandro Kirk to 5-year extension: Source
The Toronto Blue Jays reached an agreement with Alejandro Kirk on a five-year extension worth $58 million, according to a league source. The 26-year-old catcher was previously set to hit arbitration after the 2025 season and become a free agent one year later. Kirk's best season came in 2022 when he was an American League All-Star and won a Silver Slugger award after hitting 14 home runs with a .786 OPS. He played in 103 games last season while slashing .253/.319/.359.
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