Baseball

The St. Louis Cardinals locked in one of their key offensive players Wednesday, signing second baseman Kolten Wong to a five-year contract extension to avoid arbitration.

The Cardinals announced Tuesday that they had signed Wong to a five-year deal with an option for a sixth season.

LA PUENTE, California — Six months after knocking ignorance and intolerance out of the park, Milwaukee minor league slugger David Denson hops out of his father's white Dodge Charger in a parking lot here and smiles broadly.

Behind him are the shadows from which he emerged to declare himself to the world, finally brave and comfortable enough in his own skin to do something that no other active, affiliated professional baseball player ever has dared.

Major League Baseball reportedly will not suspend Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig for an alleged domestic violence incident involving his sister, per ESPN's Pedro Gomez.

New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman has been suspended 30 games by Major League Baseball for his alleged involvement in a widely publicized domestic violence incident, as first reported by Billy Witz of the New York Times.

The Kansas City Royals' task in 2016 is as simple as it is difficult: defend their World Series title.

But there's a larger plan brewing in Western Missouri—one that involves keeping the club's largely homegrown championship core intact for the long haul. By extending catcher and reigning Fall Classic MVP Salvador Perez at the outset of spring training, the Royals took a crucial step in that direction.

Catcher Salvador Perez has been an integral part of the Kansas City Royals lineup on a team-friendly deal since the 2012 campaign. Tuesday, the club announced it has rewarded him for his efforts with a new contract.  

JUPITER, Fla. — Is that coconut smell sunblock or a pina colada? Tough to tell in the Grapefruit League...

1. Yadier Molina Is All Thumbs

Along about December, Yadier Molina noticed his left hand just didn't feel right.

The Detroit Tigers mean to go places this season, so it sure would help if Justin Verlander pitches like an ace.

With the 33-year-old right-hander mired in a cycle of injuries and ineffectiveness, this would have been an iffy proposition a year ago. But after his finish to 2015, it might not be asking too much going into 2016.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez is a six-time All-Star and former Cy Young Award winner, and he is unquestionably considered one of the best pitchers in the game. He could even be on his way to Cooperstown one day if he continues to dominate opposing hitters late into his career.

However, the 29-year-old ace has one glaring omission on his resume—a postseason appearance. He plans to change that during the 2016 season.

The Colorado Rockies have gone without a winning season for five straight years, and not much is expected in 2016 for the team that has finished last in the National League West in three of the last four years.