2:42 PM ET Associated Press PITTSBURGH — Gene Clines, part of the first all-minority lineup in Major League Baseball history and a line-drive-hitting outfielder for the 1971 World Series champion Pirates, died Thursday. He was 75. Clines’ wife, Joanne, told the Pirates that Clines died at his home in Bradenton, Florida, the team’s longtime spring

4:15 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Guardians have reached an agreement to extend their lease at their downtown ballpark through at least 2036 while making improvements to the facility, team owner and CEO Paul Dolan announced Thursday. Team officials said they’ve obtained financing to renovate Progressive Field, a ballpark that opened for

7:00 AM ET As the Baseball Hall of Fame prepares to enshrine David Ortiz, plus the six former players elected last month, let’s look ahead to see what might happen over the next three Baseball Writers’ Association of America elections. Oh, don’t worry — we haven’t heard the last of the Hall of Fame debates

7:33 PM ET Brianna Williams Longtime Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame for the Class of 2022. Ortiz, nicknamed “Big Papi,” was the only eligible candidate to receive at least 75% of votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Initially signed by the Seattle

6:30 PM ET The votes have been tallied and tabulated, and the Baseball Hall of Fame has a new class of one. Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz was inducted in his first year with 77.9% of the vote, with Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling all failing to make the 75% cutoff point

6:25 PM ET David Ortiz has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot with 77.9% of the vote. He put up huge numbers at the plate, and Big Papi proved to be a larger-than-life presence off the diamond as well, with a boundless charisma that affected teammates

6:25 PM ET With the process still tainted by the steroid era, David Ortiz was the lone player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year, while players like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were shut out. “Big Papi” was the only player to clear the required 75% threshold, according to results of this

2:53 PM ET Jesse Rogers Close ESPN Staff Writer Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com. Jeff Passan Close ESPN ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Major League Baseball indicated for the first time that it is open to

7:00 AM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” At the entrance to the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s plaque gallery, a sign hangs to help guide museumgoers through what they’re about to see. The first paragraph talks about how players

4:47 PM ET Jeff PassanESPN Close ESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports” Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association plan to meet again Tuesday after a Monday bargaining session led to the first sliver of progress between the sides since the league locked