Entering the 2013 season, many of the so-called baseball experts projected the Boston Red Sox to finish in the American League East basement for the second consecutive year. So far, the club has exceeded expectations with a 14-7 record and a perch atop the division. Though the Red Sox are demonstrating that they are a legitimate contender for a post-season berth, they have question marks that will need addr ...

The Oakland A's, which are ninth in the majors in hitting, could get a key part of their lineup back soon. Yoenis Cespedes, the 27-year-old outfielder whose bat helped the A's win the American League West in 2012, could begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday, according to manager Bob Melvin. Cespedes, who is recovering from a hand injury, batted .292 with 23 home runs, 82 RBI, 16 stol ...

With Zack Greinke, Chad Billingsley and Chris Capuano on the disabled list - and Aaron Harang recently traded to Colorado - the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting pitching depth has been zapped. On Wednesday, veteran left-hander Ted Lilly will become the eighth starting pitcher that the club has used in the young 2013 season. The 37-year-old Lilly underwent surgery to repair his left labrum on September 21, 2012 ...

The Atlanta Braves, which have the best record in the majors at 15-5, regained first baseman Freddie Freeman from the disabled list but will now be without outfielder Jason Heyward, who underwent an emergency appendectomy in Denver on Monday. Heyward has struggled at the plate in April, hitting .121 with two home runs and five RBI in 58 at-bats. The Braves lineup has been fueled by Justin Upton, who leads t ...

Buster Posey wanted to play his entire career with the San Francisco Giants. Understandably, the Giants wanted to make that happen. Posey and the Giants have agreed to a nine-year, $167 million contract, that covers his three remaining arbitration years and buys out his first five years of free agency. The deal includes a $22 million club option for 2022 and a full no-trade clause. CBSSports.com's Jon Heyma ...

With Thursday's announcement that the Boston Red Sox would not offer a Major League contract to outfielder Ryan Sweeney, it appears that top prospect Jackie Bradley Jr. will make the club's Opening Day 25-man roster. The 28-year-old Sweeney is a plus defender at all three outfield positions but hit just .260 with a .675 OPS and no home runs in 219 plate appearances last year for the Red Sox after he was acq ...

A few months after the Seattle Mariners locked up Felix Hernandez long term, the Detroit Tigers signed Justin Verlander to a five-year contract extension that will keep him with the Tigers through 2019 and even 2020 if a vesting option kicks in. The 30-year-old Verlander - who originally signed a five-year, $180 million extension for 2010-2014 - is now the highest-paid pitcher in Major League history with t ...

Who will be the Milwaukee Brewers opening day first baseman? That question is yet to be answered after Mat Gamel who will have surgery to repair a torn right ACL for the second time in less than a year. The 27-year-old Gamel was the team's Plan B for first base after Corey Hart had surgery on to address a torn meniscus and nerve damage in his knee. It was originally thought that the 30-year-old Hart would b ...

Left-handed slugger Ryan Howard has swatted his share of walk-off home runs, but one particular at-bat that ended a game and left him crumpled on the ground impacted the Philadelphia Phillies' 2012 season and will be sure to help determine how the club will perform this year. Now 33, Howard ruptured his left Achilles tendon while running out a ground ball that resulted in the final out of the 2011 NLDS. Whi ...

Troy Tulowitzki appears healthy again, Dexter Fowler was signed to a long-term deal and Carlos Gonzalez is entrenched in left field. Those names, along with catcher Wilin Rosario, give the Colorado Rockies a formidable core to build around. Based on his explosive performance this spring, 21-year-old third baseman Nolan Arenado could be adding to that core sooner than anticipated. So far, Arenado has swatted ...

Acquired from Toronto in the July 2010 deal that shipped Yunel Escobar to Toronto, 23-year-old Tyler Pastornicky emerged from last year's spring training as the Atlanta Braves' Opening Day shortstop. Then he struggled, batting just .248 through April and May, lost his job to fellow 23-year-old Andrelton Simmons and was optioned to the minors. This spring has brought a new challenge for the fifth round pick ...

With Felix Hernandez signed to a long-term deal, the Seattle Mariners have what most Major League teams lack - a premium ace who is one of the most dominant starters in the game. As Opening Day approaches, the club also has enviable rotation depth at the big league and minor league levels. Though the Opening Day rotation appears set with Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Joe Saunders, Blake Beaven and either Eras ...

Will Middlebrooks and the Boston Red Sox collectively breathed a sigh of relief Thursday afternoon when a hand specialist determined the 24-year-old third baseman did not need X-rays or additional tests on his right wrist. Amid a successful rookie campaign that saw him hit .288 with 15 home runs, 54 RBI and 14 doubles in 286 plate appearances, Will Middlebrooks saw his 2012 season abruptly end on August 10 ...

How many runs will the Tampa Bay Rays score? If the answer to that question is, "Significantly more than they did in 2012," then it is likely the club will secure a post-season berth.  if the Rays duplicate last year's anemic offensive display,  the performance of their formidable starting rotation will mean little, aside from some impressive numbers in the stat line. In 2012, the Rays rotation delivered on ...