MLB players

Average Major League Baseball game times are rising again, and ESPN reports that the introduction of the automated ball-strike system, known as robot umpires, is one contributing factor. The challenge system, in which players request reviews of calls, adds stoppages to games. The trend comes despite the pitch clock that had previously shortened games to record lows, prompting renewed debate about pace of play.

Major League Baseball is seeing average game times increase following the introduction of its automated ball-strike system, in which electronic umpires call balls and strikes. The rise runs counter to the league's recent push to speed up games through the pitch clock and other rule changes, prompting debate among fans, players and analysts about whether the technology is slowing play or altering pitcher behaviour.

Major League Baseball has announced the nominees for the 2026 All-MLB Team, its annual fan-voted honor recognizing the best players at each position across the league. Voting details and finalists are now the focus of discussion among baseball fans, who are debating which players deserve spots on the first and second teams.

The MLB postseason wild-card round is here, with previews and predictions circulating for four matchups: Red Sox-Yankees, Cubs-Padres, Phillies-Braves and White Sox-Astros. Coverage focuses on series picks, X-factors and key players who could decide each matchup, including renewed attention on the historic Boston-New York rivalry, as fans and analysts debate which teams will advance.

Oakland Athletics player Zack Gelof has filed a lawsuit against the Detroit Tigers over an injury he suffered in July at Comerica Park. Details of the claim have not been fully laid out, but the suit names the club in connection with the incident at their home stadium. It is unusual for an active player to sue another team over an in-game injury, which is drawing attention to the case.

Average Major League Baseball game times have increased following the introduction of the Automated Ball-Strike system, which allows players to challenge umpire calls using robot umpires. The challenge process and reviews appear to be adding minutes back onto games, a reversal of the pace-of-play gains MLB achieved with earlier rules changes like the pitch clock.

The MLB postseason begins Tuesday with the American and National League Wild Card Series, but several star players are dealing with injuries that could shape the outcomes. MLB.com takes a look at which key names are hurting, how serious the issues are, and what their availability or diminished production could mean for their teams' chances of advancing.

The Philadelphia Phillies are finalizing their roster ahead of the MLB wild-card round, with The Athletic publishing a projection covering the infield, bullpen and the final spots up for grabs. The report reflects reporting on what the team is hearing internally as it decides which bench arms and relief pitchers to carry into the postseason.

With the MLB postseason's Wild Card Series underway, attention has turned to how injuries will affect several star players in both the American and National League brackets. MLB.com examines the key names whose health status could shape their teams' chances, leaving clubs and fans weighing lineups and rotations around uncertain contributors.

Major League Baseball has launched the ballot for the 2026 All-MLB Team, the annual honor recognizing the top performances by players across the 2026 regular season. Fans can now submit their picks for the selected nominees at each position, with the resulting teams honoring the best hitters, pitchers and defenders from the year. Baseball fans are weighing in with their choices and debating which players deserve recognition.

A Japanese-language roundup lists the Los Angeles Dodgers' ten highest-paid players, comparing their performance this season with contract value, total money and annual average salary for the 2026 edition. Interest follows the Dodgers' star-studded, big-spending roster and debate over whether their expensive lineup is delivering results on the field.

A mental performance coach working in Major League Baseball has written about the gaps between formal training and the realities of the job. In a first-person account published by The New York Times, the coach describes what working with professional players has taught them that school never prepared them for, drawing attention to the growing role of mental skills work in elite baseball.

The mobile baseball game MLB 9 Innings RIVALS 26 has begun a large-scale in-game event marking the 2026 MLB postseason. The campaign offers players themed content and rewards tied to the playoffs, and coverage of the announcement is circulating among baseball and gaming fans in Japan.

A New York Times Athletic feature explores how Bryce Harper connects MLB players through shared childhood and travel-ball experiences, arguing that many of today's stars have known each other since they were kids in elite youth baseball circuits. The piece traces these early relationships across rosters, suggesting the sport's top talent came up through overlapping travel teams before reaching the majors.

Philadelphia Phillies coverage is focused on Luis Arraez, Jesus Luzardo and the team's wild card position as the MLB season moves toward the playoffs. Arraez, a batting champion known for his contact hitting, and Luzardo, a left-handed starter, are central to the club's plans. Fans are debating how the roster shapes up for a postseason run.

The Atlanta Braves are heading into the wild-card round with good health across their roster, and several players are returning from absences. That combination gives team management multiple options as they finalize their postseason roster. Reporting on the projected lineup and pitching decisions has drawn attention as fans await the official selections ahead of the playoffs.