JAMES MCCANN

A rough season for former Detroit Tigers catcher James McCann just got even worse as the nine-year veteran will need surgery to repair a broken wrist bone, according to reports. The New York Mets catcher last played on May 10 and will likely not return to action for six weeks following the surgery on his hamate bone. Before the injury, McCann had struggled at the plate all season, never batting higher than .196 in 56 at bats. McCann spent his first five seasons with the Tigers from 2014-18, batting .240 during his time in Detroit. This is McCann’s second season with the Mets after spending the previous two seasons with the White Sox.

Taijuan Walker pitched seven no-fuss innings and the New York Mets remained unbeaten in 10 series this season, cruising past the sloppy Washington Nationals 4-1.

Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Joe Davis shared a classic Miguel Cabrera story this weekend, seconds before the Detroit Tigers star blasted his first home run of the season.

Chris Bassitt pitched six strong innings, and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 for their franchise-best sixth straight series win to start a season.

A benches-clearing interruption after Mets star Francisco Lindor was hit by a pitch overshadowed Max Scherzer’s return to Nationals Park even as the three-time Cy Young Award winner pitched New York to a 7-3 victory over Washington.

Benches and bullpens emptied and the Mets and Nationals confronted each other on the infield grass after Francisco Lindor was struck by a pitch from Steve Cishek in the fifth inning.

Luis Rojas has been let go as manager of the New York Mets after two losing seasons.

Aaron Judge tied it with his second homer of the game in the eighth inning, Mets infielder Javier Báez gave away the lead with an error a few at-bats later and the New York Yankees beat their crosstown rival 8-7 at Citi Field following a stirring ceremony on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Kevin Pillar hit a three-run home run in the 12th inning, lifting the New York Mets over the San Francisco Giants 6-2 hours after the team’s owner called out its hitters for a lack of production.

Brad Miller homered twice and the first-place Philadelphia Phillies withstood a ninth-inning rally for their seventh straight victory, 5-3 over the sinking New York Mets.

Jeff McNeil laced his second go-ahead hit in two days Monday night, when his RBI double in the fifth inning sent the New York Mets to a 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves and a doubleheader split.

Taijuan Walker took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Brandon Nimmo provided a spark in his return from the injured list and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 8-3 to open a three-game Subway Series.

Kyle Schwarber homered twice, becoming the first player in major league history to hit 15 home runs in a 17-day span, and the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 8-4.

Bryce Harper blew kisses at a booing crowd to punctuate his home run, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 2-1 in eight innings for a doubleheader split after Aaron Nola matched a long-standing major league record with 10 straight strikeouts in the opener.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola has struck out 10 straight New York Mets batters, tying a major league record that stood alone for more than five decades.

New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom was pulled after six scoreless innings with right flexor tendonitis, a troubling diagnosis for the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner amid a historically dominant season.

Pinch-hitter James McCann drove in the game’s first run with a double, Tomás Nido had three hits and the New York Mets overcame more injuries to beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom was pulled after five innings with right side tightness in his return from an injury to a similar area, but the bullpen closed out a four-hitter as New York beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 for its fifth straight win.

Taijuan Walker allowed one hit in seven innings, the Mets scored three runs on bases-loaded walks and beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 on Thursday.

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)What’s that piece of advice Little League coaches always tell their kids -- keep your eye on the ball, right? After giving up a single to San Diego leadoff man Jurickson Profar and then walking Tommy Pham, Bauer posted a shutout. Bauer wound up pitching three scoreless innings with the creative approach, striking out three while allowing two hits and a walk. Known for speaking his mind and going his own way, Bauer said he regularly shuts one eye during bullpen sessions and other workouts. Sandy Alcantara made his second start for Miami, striking out six in 2 1/3 innings.

The two-time AL Central champion Twins are hoping Happ can give them a veteran presence at the back of their rotation. Ian Anderson pitched two scoreless innings, allowing three hits and a walk. Houston piggy-backed a pair of starters with Framber Valdez yielding McNeil's homer in the first two innings, striking out two. AdBLUE JAYS 4, PHILLIES 2 (6)Steven Matz allowed a hit in two scoreless innings, striking out three without a walk. CUBS 3, ROYALS 2 (7)Outfielder Rafael Ortega, who signed a minor league deal with Chicago after playing 34 games for Atlanta last season, hit a bases-loaded triple.

When the Detroit Tigers parted ways with James McCann after the 2018 season it was both understandable and relatively uncontroversial. TIGERS IN 2021: This is the ninth in a series of profiles on the Detroit Tigers’ organizational depth heading into the 2021 season. CATCHERS IN THE SYSTEMOn the 40-man roster: Wilson Ramos, Grayson Greiner, Jake Rogers. Detroit Tigers catchers Grayson Greiner, left, and Jake Rogers talk during their Summer Training 2020 at Comerica Park in Detroit, on Friday, July 3, 2020. Detroit Tigers catcher James McCann takes the field before a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Detroit, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo enters his fifth year with the Diamondbacks and the final year of his current contract under a substantial amount of scrutiny. The protocols have been tightened even further from what they experienced during the abbreviated 2020 season. Players underwent a five-day at-home quarantine before reporting, with exceptions for essential activities and approved outdoor workouts and exercise. AdThey’ll need to stay in their living quarters throughout spring training except for baseball activities, medical care, grocery shopping, takeout food pickups and outdoor physical activity. Mozeliak believes knowing which players already have at least some measure of protection from the coronavirus can help in preventing an outbreak during spring training.

FILE - Philadelphia Phillies' J.T. The Philadelphia Phillies and two-time All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto agreed on a $115.5 million, five-year contract, two people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. Realmuto agreed Tuesday on a $115.5 million, five-year contract, two people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. Realmuto gets $20 million next season, of which $10 million is deferred, with $5 million each payable in 2026 and 2027.

In this screen grab taken from video, Major League baseball player Francisco Lindor answers questions during a virtual press conference introducing him as the New York Mets new shortstop, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, in New York. (New York Mets via AP)NEW YORK – Francisco Lindor smiled widely for a full 40 minutes, enthralled to join a New York Mets team bulking up under new owner Steven Cohen. I’m not against it,” Lindor said in a news conference from Florida, wearing his new team’s royal blue cap. But the Indians did not think they could afford a multiyear contract with the 27-year-old, so they chose to make the trade. If Lindor agrees to a long-term deal, it likely would become the largest in Mets' history, surpassing the $138 million, eight-year agreement of captain David Wright that covered 2013-20.

The Cleveland Indians have agreed to trade four-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets, a person with direct knowledge of the deal told the Associated Press on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. The cash-strapped Indians sent Lindor and Carrasco to the Mets on Thursday for young infielders Andrés Giménez and Amed Rosario, and two minor league prospects: right-hander Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene. "They did not come cheaply,” Mets president Sandy Alderson said of Lindor and Carrasco. One of his next big-ticket items figures to be trying to sign Lindor to a long-term contract, something the Indians couldn't do. New York also signed injured right-hander Noah Syndergaard to a $9.7 million, one-year deal, avoiding arbitration.

So why did the Tigers let McCann go for nothing after the 2018 season? McCann was coming off an awful season and the Tigers were going nowhere fast. McCann was drafted by the Tigers in the second round out of the University of Arkansas in 2011. In 452 games with the Tigers, he hit .240/.288/.366 with 40 home runs, 58 doubles and eight triples. McCann had the best offensive season of his career in 2019 and followed it up with a solid short season in 2020.

Free agent catcher James McCann and the New York Mets were close to completing a $40 million, four-year contract Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, as the team continues to upgrade its roster under new owner Steve Cohen. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)NEW YORK – Free agent catcher James McCann and the New York Mets were close to completing a $40 million, four-year contract Saturday as the team continues to upgrade its roster under new owner Steve Cohen. McCann was an All-Star with the White Sox in 2019 when he hit .273 with 18 home runs and 60 RBIs. Last week, the Mets signed free agent reliever Trevor May to a $15.5 million, two-year deal. He was regarded as the second-best catcher on the free agent market behind J.T.

No one really knows who will be the Detroit Tigers’ Opening Day catcher in 2021. But if recent reports surrounding James McCann are correct, one thing is all but certain: There will be no reunion forthcoming. No one was overly outraged or surprised when the Tigers let McCann go for nothing two years ago. One year ago this month, the Tigers signed free-agent catcher Austin Romine, the longtime New York Yankees backup. The Tigers have three internal options in Greiner, Rogers and Eric Haase.

The Detroit Tigers announced Wednesday that they had offered 2021 contracts to all nine of their arbitration-eligible players. Wednesday was the deadline for teams to “tender” contracts to those players, who generally have more than three years but fewer than six years of Major League service time. Players who are not offered a contract are said to be “non-tendered.” They become free agents and can sign with any team. In recent years, the Tigers non-tendered catcher James McCann and relievers Alex Wilson and Bruce Rondon. The nine players should cost the Tigers roughly $20 million in 2021.

Two Detroit Tigers who were finalists for Gold Glove Awards didn’t take home any hardware on election night. Former Tigers catcher James McCann of the Chicago White Sox got beaten out by the Indians' Roberto Perez. The last Tigers shortstop to earn the honor was Alan Trammell in 1984. Schoop, 29, signed a one-year contract with the Tigers last winter and started 44 games at second base before a late-season injury. Goodrum, 28, was a utility man for the Tigers in 2018 and 2019 before getting the starting shortstop job in 2020.

Detroit Tigers second baseman Jonathan Schoop and shortstop Niko Goodrum are finalists for 2020 American League Gold Glove awards. The last Tigers shortstop to earn the honor was Alan Trammell in 1984. Goodrum, 28, was a utility man for the Tigers in 2018 and 2019 before getting the starting shortstop job in 2020. For that reason, the defensive metric will be used exclusively in 2020, with no human voting. Each player qualifies at the position he has played at most.”The full list of 2020 finalists can be found here.

Oakland stopped a nine-game losing streak in winner-take-all postseason games, a major league record that dated to the 1973 World Series. “I woke up this morning feeling like this was going to be a hard game and it was a hard game,” Melvin said. The low-budget A's had not captured a winner-take-all postseason game since beating Hall of Famer Willie Mays and the New York Mets. That prompted White Sox star Tim Anderson to say, “I guess they haven’t done their homework.”“It’s a tough one to swallow but we've got to keep going,” Anderson said. HURLING ITThe 17 pitchers, nine by Chicago, were the most in a nine-inning postseason game.

Giolito simply dazzled in his postseason debut, stymieing the Oakland Athletics through six perfect innings and sending the White Sox to a 4-1 victory in the opener of their best-of-three wild-card series Tuesday. “It was a different feel though because throwing a perfect game, no-hitter is a great personal accomplishment, but we’re in the playoffs, the goal is to win the game,” Giolito said. They lost in the AL wild card game each of the past two seasons after 97 wins both times. No big deal for the White Sox, apparently. RHP Chris Bassitt, drafted by the White Sox before being traded to Oakland in December 2014, takes the ball for the A's with victories in his last three decisions.

Twenty players who were once part of the Detroit Tigers system will play for 13 of the 16 teams participating in the 2020 MLB playoffs. Oakland Athletics pitcher Joakim Soria throws against the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, July 19, 2019, in Minneapolis. In 2020, he’s posted a career-low 3.32 ERA in 21 2/3 innings. Minnesota Twins catcher Alex Avila plays during a summer camp intrasquad baseball game Friday, July 16, 2020 in Minneapolis. Detroit Tigers' Trevor Rosenthal throws to the Texas Rangers in a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019.

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dane Dunning delivers during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dane Dunning delivers during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in Chicago. The AL-best White Sox also moved 16 games over .500 for the first time since they were 71-55 on Aug. 26, 2012. Byron Buxton hit his third career inside-the-park homer for Minnesota, but the Twins finished with just four hits. But the White Sox went ahead to stay with three runs in the bottom of the third. White Sox: LHP Jace Fry threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings after he was reinstated from the 10-day injured list.

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (27) reacts with catcher James McCann after closing out a no-hitter in a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, in Chicago. The White Sox won 4-0. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)CHICAGO Lucas Giolito pitched the first no-hitter of the pandemic-delayed major league season, striking out 13 and permitting just one runner in leading the Chicago White Sox over the Pittsurgh Pirates 4-0 Tuesday night. The right-hander threw 101 pitches and made quick work of the Pirates -- Pittsburgh came into the game batting just .229 this season and has the worst record in the majors. Giolito pitched the 19th no-hitter in White Sox history and first since Philip Humber threw a perfect game at Seattle in 2012.

Chicago White Sox's Tim Anderson reacts after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)CHICAGO Leury Garca homered from both sides of the plate, helping Dallas Keuchel and the Chicago White Sox pound the Minnesota Twins 10-3 on Saturday. Keuchel allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings in his White Sox debut after agreeing to a $55.5 million, three-year contract in December. McCann singled in Adam Engel before Garca belted a three-run drive off left-hander Devin Smeltzer in the seventh, making it 10-3 White Sox. It also was the 11th time a White Sox player had connected from both sides of the plate in a single game. WORTH NOTINGThe White Sox announced right-hander Carson Fulmer had been claimed off waivers by Detroit.

After all, the defending World Series champions spent nearly four months apart before resuming workouts last week. Had to stop myself today from almost spitting in my mask because I drank some water. Youre just used to it.Things sure will be different when it's time to play ball in two weeks. If you're superstitious, you're probably going to be in big trouble right now. He's not sure players or even umpires will be able to follow the new rules.

When major leaguers report next week for spring training 2.0 or perhaps more accurately, baseball's first summer camp time will be one precious commodity with about three weeks to go before opening day. Day 1 and Day 2. Theres a reason why we have six weeks of spring training, in a typical spring training.There is particular concern for starting pitchers, who take great care in building up their arms over an extended period. Thats probably the thing Ill think about the most.While spring training was suspended March 12, players haven't exactly been sitting around this whole time. The Diamondbacks are going to use Chase Field and their spring training facility in Scottsdale, just a short drive away from their home ballpark.