Suarez

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported on a recent podcast that the Pittsburgh Pirates are still interested in All-Star slugger Eugenio Suarez.

He hit .228 last season with 49 homers and 118 RBIs while playing with the Seattle Mariners and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“I would certainly expect, and actually know that the Pirates are interested in Eugenio Suarez and the problem they’re going to face is the problem they’ve faced with other free agents as well… If Eugenio Suarez has chance to play for a more competitive team, in his opinion, he’s going to choose that team. If Eugenio Suárez can go to Boston, if he can return to one of his former teams, Seattle or Arizona, that might be his preference,” Rosenthal said, stressing again they have a legitimate interest in him.

Rosenthal also covers baseball for MLB Network and Fox Sports.

Back in New York

Cody Bellinger became the last of the top free-agent hitters to reach a deal, agreeing Wednesday to stay with the New York Yankees for a $162.5 million, five-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.

Bellinger gets a $20 million signing bonus payable on April 1, $32.5 million in the first two seasons, $25.8 million in the next two and $25.9 million in 2030. He also has a full no-trade provision.

Bellinger has the right to opt out after the 2027 or 2028 seasons to become a free agent again, but if there is a work stoppage that leads to no games being played in 2027, the agreement specifies the opt outs will shift to after the 2027 and 2028 seasons.

A two-time All-Star acquired by the Yankees from the Chicago Cubs in December 2024, Bellinger hit .272 with 29 homers and 98 RBIs last year — including .302 with 18 homers and 55 RBIs at Yankee Stadium. A left-handed hitter, he played in 149 games in the outfield and seven at first base in his first season since 2022 without a stint on the injured list.

Voted the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL MVP, Bellinger has a .261 average with 225 homers and 695 RBIs in eight seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2018-22), Cubs (2023-24) and the Yankees.

He earned $57.5 million from the $80 million, three-year contract he reached with the Cubs before the 2024 season. Bellinger declined a $25 million option for 2026 in favor of a $5 million buyout.

MLB on ABC

BRISTOL, Conn. — Three regular-season weekend baseball games will air on ABC this year.

The San Francisco Giants will host the Chicago Cubs on June 14 at 3 p.m. Two weeks later, the New York Yankees will face the Boston Red Sox at 1 p.m.

ABC will air another rivalry on Aug. 16 when the Cubs host the St. Louis Cardinals at 3 p.m.

The games on ABC are part of ESPN’s three-year rights agreement with Major League Baseball that takes effect this season. ABC, like ESPN part of The Walt Disney Co., previously aired games during the wild card round, but those move to NBC and Peacock, along with the package of Sunday night games that ESPN had aired since its first MLB broadcasts in 1990.

Mets, Sox do deal

CHICAGO — The New York Mets have acquired center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.

New York sent speedy infielder Luisangel Acuna and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley to Chicago for Robert, who has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since a stellar 2023 season.

The Mets had been looking for outfield help since they traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien.

They were in the mix for Kyle Tucker before he agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Molina returns

ST. LOUIS — Yadier Molina is rejoining the St. Louis Cardinals as a special assistant to the general manager. The longtime catcher will offer insights on the club’s catching program, game strategy, and daily operations.

The Cardinals announced his new role on Wednesday. Molina, 43, anchored World Series championship teams in 2006 and 2011. He is the only player in baseball history to catch over 2,000 games with one club. After retiring in 2022, Molina quickly moved into coaching, achieving success in Puerto Rico and Venezuela.