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sports Thursday 7 april 2022
Locked in: MLB set for delayed openers after a long winter

By JAKE SEINER reviews.
AP Baseball Writer One they might not like: the
It'll end up being 157 days league now has the right to
between the moment place advertising patches
Freddie Freeman and the on team uniforms, thought
Atlanta Braves won last the earlest they would ap-
year's World Series and the pear is the postseason.
start of the 2022 baseball NEW THREADS
season. Everything in be- Cleveland is unveiling a
tween? Tough to sum that new team name and lo-
up quickly. gos this season, transform-
A record spending spree ing into the Guardians af-
on free agents. A bitter ter years of acrimony of
work stoppage that de- their former name, which
layed opening day. many considered offen-
Maybe most unthinkable of sive. They'll play their first of-
all: Freeman isn't even in At- ficial game as the Guard-
lanta anymore. ians on Thursday, when
A lot to catch up on before Shane Bieber likely toes the
the Chicago Cubs and Mil- mound at Kansas City. They
waukee Brewers open the play their first home game
season at Wrigley Field on April 15 against San Fran-
Thursday afternoon, the first cisco.
of seven games that day. ROOKIES TO WATCH
Certainly, the sport is ready Seiya Suzuki, Bobby Witt
to move forward and wash Jr. and Julio Rodríguez
off a winter when own- headline an exciting class
ers and players fought — of rookies set to debut on
fiercely and occasionally opening day.
publicly — over how to split Suzuki, a 27-year-old Japa-
the game's billions. Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after scoring nese star, will take his first
Luckily, the legal work is on a double by Trea Turner during the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Los crack at U.S. baseball with
now moved to the side, Angeles Angels Tuesday, April 5, 2022, in Los Angeles. the Chicago Cubs after
and the real fun can begin. Associated Press signing an $85 million, five-
What can Shohei Ohtani year deal. The outfielder
possibly do for an encore for Seattle, and the Blue over six years, then ac- direction, too, promoting has power, speed and has
after an unprecedented Jays replaced him with for- knowledged during his 35-year-old Oliver Marmol even shown off some per-
year of dominance on the mer Giant Kevin Gausman. introductory press confer- after Mike Shildt was stun- sonality despite the lan-
mound and at the plate? The Tigers ponied up for ence that he always fig- ningly fired despite being guage barrier, learning to
Will the many millions spent shortstop Javier Báez and ured on being a lifelong a finalist for NL Manager of say "Mike Trout, I love you"
by Mets owner Steve Co- starter Eduardo Rodriguez. Brave. The Minnesota Twins the Year. at his news conference.
hen bring a championship Even the Marlins tried mak- made another huge post- RULE CHANGES Witt is the game's top pros-
trophy to Queens? Can ing a splash, dropping $53 lockout deal, convincing Baseball's new collective pect and will start at third
anyone stop the Dodgers million on Avisaíl García. former Astros shortstop Car- bargaining agreement base for the Royals. He
after they lured Freeman Max Scherzer also signed los Correa to sign a $105.3 brought with it several could be a five-tool talent
back to his Southern Cali- early, joining Cohen and million, three-year deal with changes that fans will no- with exceptional power.
fornia home? the Mets on a $130 mil- player opt outs after the tice quickly. Most notably, Rodríguez, with Seattle,
Time to find out. lion, three-year deal. He first two seasons. His stay the designated hitter has ranks just behind Witt on
Before the first pitch is deliv- then turned his attention might be short, but Correa been adopted by the Na- the national radar and
ered Thursday, here's what to baseball's labor fight, has pledged to help instill tional League full-time. could be the key to ending
to know: where he was one of the a "championship culture" in The postseason field was the Mariners' 20-year post-
THE NEW GUYS lead voices for players at the Twin Cities, where the expanded to 12 teams season drought.
Baseball's unusual offsea- the table. He's back to his ball club has lost 18 straight from 10, with the top two Another name to know:
son was split into two seg- day job now — and good postseason games dating teams in each league get- Reds starter Hunter Greene,
ments — a flurry of action thing for New York, with to 2004. ting first-round byes and who reached 104 mph at
before the 99-day lock- two-time Cy Young Award- Other notable moves: Clay- a best-of-three wild-card Triple-A last year.
out began Dec. 2, and a winning teammate Jacob ton Kershaw went back to round replacing the old ONE MORE TIME
scramble to get rosters set deGrom beginning the the Dodgers, the rival Gi- one-game playoffs. The Cardinals are reunit-
when it lifted March 10. year on the injured list. ants locked up lefty Carlos The "zombie" runner is back ing Albert Pujols with Yadier
The Rangers were champi- When shops re-opened in Rodón, and the Rockies for extra innings for one Molina and Adam Wain-
ons of Part 1. Texas signed March, the most notable signed Kris Bryant. more season amid con- wright for what could be
Corey Seager and Marcus drama surrounded Free- Also new in the NL West is cerns over player health a special goodbye for
Semien for a combined man and the Braves. Atlan- San Diego Padres man- with the season condensed the trio that won the 2006
$500 million, solidifying their ta general manager Alex ager Bob Melvin, who was to fit in 162 games. The rule World Series together for St.
middle infield with two Anthopoulos appeared granted his release by Oak- automatically places a Louis. Molina has already
monster contracts. to end any hopes for a re- land after 11 years to lead runner at second base for said it will be his final season
Those deals were part of a union when he traded for Fernando Tatis Jr. and Co. each team to begin each and Wainwright hinted he's
one-day record $1.4 billion Oakland slugger Matt Ol- Melvin's old job went to inning after the ninth. likely done after 2022, too.
spent on free agents right son and gave him a $168 Mark Kotsay, getting his first One that fans may like: The 42-year-old Pujols is also
before the offseason went million, eight-year deal. crack at managing after a umpires will now be given likely to retire after playing
dark. Cy Young Award win- Freeman landed with the 17-year playing career. The microphones and asked to out a $2.5 million, one-year
ner Robbie Ray left Toronto Dodgers for $162 million Cardinals are under new explain rulings after replay deal.q