JED HOYER

Despite an offseason that figures to be different than any since baseball’s last labor stoppage in 1994-95, the general manger meetings went on as planned in Southern California.

If the universal designated hitter returns to the National League for good next season as many people believe, don’t be looking for the role to be filled with prototypical aging superstars who no longer play a position.

Dodgers ace Max Scherzer got the last three outs in the thrilling Game 5 of the NL Divsion Series and is now lined up to throw the first pitch for Los Angeles in the NL Championship Series.

Cubs Cardinals Baseball Chicago Cubs' Frank Schwindel, right, scores past St. Louis Cardinals catcher Andrew Knizner during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (Jeff Roberson)CHICAGO — (AP) — The Chicago Cubs hired Carter Hawkins as general manager on Friday, dipping into Cleveland's front office in an effort to bolster their own player development system. The 37-year-old Hawkins spent 14 seasons with Cleveland, including the last five as an assistant general manager. The Cubs plan to formally introduce Hawkins as the franchise's 16th general manager at a news conference on Monday. “I am thrilled to bring Carter into our organization,” Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer said in a release.

CORRECTION Pirates Cubs Baseball CORRECTS UMPIRE NAME TO TOM HALLION, NOT PHIL CUZZI - Chicago Cubs bench coach Andy Green heads to the clubhouse after he was ejected by umpire Tom Hallion during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, in Chicago. Green took the helm of the team since manager David Ross and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer have tested positive for COVID-19. Green took over as manager after Ross and Hoyer tested positive for COVID-19, but he was thrown out in the sixth inning of Chicago's 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. Green, who is in his second season on the job, is running the team while Ross is away. “This guy’s really strong,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said.

CORRECTION Pirates Cubs Baseball CORRECTS UMPIRE NAME TO TOM HALLION, NOT PHIL CUZZI - Chicago Cubs bench coach Andy Green heads to the clubhouse after he was ejected by umpire Tom Hallion during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, in Chicago. Green took the helm of the team since manager David Ross and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer have tested positive for COVID-19. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) (Charles Rex Arbogast)CHICAGO — (AP) — Chicago Cubs manager David Ross and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer missed the team's 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday after they tested positive for COVID-19. A spokesman for the team said Ross and Hoyer are feeling fine and quarantining. Bench coach Andy Green is running the team while Ross is away.

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer missed the team’s 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates after they tested positive for COVID-19.

Cubs White Sox Baseball Chicago Cubs manager David Ross, left, looks at Rafael Ortega during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (Nam Y. Huh)CHICAGO — (AP) — Chicago Cubs manager David Ross and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer have tested positive for COVID-19. A spokesman for the team said Ross and Hoyer are feeling fine and quarantining. Bench coach Andy Green will run the team while Ross is away, beginning with Friday afternoon's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs are among a handful of big league teams that have failed to reach the 85% vaccination threshold required for the relaxation of Major League Baseball's COVID-19 protocols.

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer have tested positive for COVID-19.

Luis Urías tied a major league record with five extra-base hits and Manny Piña drove in six runs, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 17-4 romp over the Chicago Cubs.

Brewers Cubs Baseball Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws to a Milwaukee Brewers batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (Nam Y. Huh)CHICAGO — (AP) — Jake Arrieta, who won a Cy Young Award and helped the Chicago Cubs capture a drought-busting World Series championship in his first stint with the club, was released Thursday after struggling in his second go-round. His return to Chicago had a chance to be a feel-good story, but it ended on a rough note. The Cubs also placed catcher Willson Contreras on the 10-day injured list because of sprained right knee. They selected right-handed pitcher Ryan Meisinger from Triple-A Iowa, reinstated catcher catcher Austin Romine from the 60-day IL and designated left-hander Kyle Ryan for assignment.

Right-hander Jake Arrieta has been released by the Chicago Cubs.

Athletics Astros Baseball Houston Astros' Carlos Correa, left, and Jose Altuve celebrate the team's win over the Oakland Athletics in a baseball game Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Houston. The Astros beat New York in the 2017 AL Championship Series on their way to the World Series championship, and topped them again in the 2019 ALCS on Altuve’s game-ending home run. Fans attending the series opener in Houston this weekend will get a replica 2019 AL champions trophy. The Saturday game includes a 2019 AL champions replica ring and the Sunday matchup offers an Altuve jersey. Altuve and Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, meanwhile, will not play in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

The Houston Astros have planned a weekend of giveaway items at Minute Maid Park that’s sure to pique the interest of the visiting New York Yankees.

Phillies Cubs Baseball Philadelphia Phillies' Brad Miller watches his home run off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Adbert Alzolay during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 8, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) (Charles Rex Arbogast)CHICAGO — (AP) — Brad Miller hit three home runs in a game for the first time in his career, and the Philadelphia Phillies routed the sinking Chicago Cubs 8-0 on Thursday night. Miller hit a solo drive in the third inning and added two-run homers in the fifth and seventh innings. With a chance at joining the other 18 players who have hit a record four home runs in a game, Miller popped up in the ninth. It was 24th time a Phillies batter hit three homers in a contest and the first since Jayson Werth tagged Toronto for three in May 2008.

Brad Miller hit three home runs in a game for the first time in his career, and the Philadelphia Phillies routed the sinking Chicago Cubs 8-0.

Athletics Astros Baseball Houston Astros' Carlos Correa, left, and Jose Altuve celebrate the team's win over the Oakland Athletics in a baseball game Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Houston. The Astros beat New York in the 2017 AL Championship Series on their way to the World Series championship, and topped them again in the 2019 ALCS on Altuve’s game-ending home run. Fans attending the series opener in Houston this weekend will get a replica 2019 AL champions trophy. The Saturday game includes a 2019 AL champions replica ring and the Sunday matchup offers an Altuve jersey. Altuve and Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, meanwhile, will not play in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Two more Major League Baseball teams have been able to relax coronavirus protocols after 85% of their players and other on-field personnel completed vaccination, raising the total to 14 of the 30 clubs.

CHICAGO — (AP) — Chicago Cubs executive Jed Hoyer is disappointed with the team's COVID-19 vaccination rate, and he isn't sure if it will ever reach Major League Baseball's threshold for relaxing some of its coronavirus protocols. Despite the team's vaccination advocacy and education program, the Cubs remain shy of 85% for their Tier 1 players and staff. Reaching the 85% threshold means fully vaccinated players can go without masks in the dugout and bullpens. Fully vaccinated players and staff are able to eat and drink on flights. “There's no denying the fact that ... it is a competitive advantage to get to 85%,” Hoyer said.

Chicago Cubs executive Jed Hoyer is disappointed with the team’s COVID-19 vaccination rate, and he isn’t sure if it will ever reach Major League Baseball’s threshold for relaxing some of its coronavirus protocols.

Whatever the future holds, Kris Bryant is giving the Chicago Cubs plenty of production so far in 2021.

Hoyer insisted the Chicago Cubs are taking a different approach this time. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)CHICAGO – Jed Hoyer insists this time won't be like 2011 for the Chicago Cubs. Along the way, Cubs fans endured a painful rebuild that included a 101-loss 2012 season. “We know that we're coming to the end of this group of players — a wildly successful, franchise-changing run with this group of players,” Hoyer said. "We haven't gotten extensions, and as a result, there are contractual realities to how long we control some of these players,” Hoyer said.

The San Diego Padres traded for another big arm on Tuesday night, Dec. 29, acquiring Darvish in a blockbuster deal with the Cubs. The Padres got Darvish, catcher Victor Caratini and cash from the Cubs for right-hander Zach Davies and four young minor leaguers. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)San Diego Padres general manager A.J. The aggressive Padres got Yu Darvish in a trade with the Chicago Cubs, adding another ace to their rotation after announcing a deal for Blake Snell earlier in the day. San Diego also completed a big trade with Tampa Bay for Snell.

FILE - In this Friday, March 15, 2019 file photo, Chicago Cubs' Kyle Schwarber bats during a spring training baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Glendale, Ariz. Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. became free agents Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020 when the Chicago Cubs declined to offer contracts to two key players from their historic 2016 World Series championship. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)CHICAGO – Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. became free agents Wednesday when the Chicago Cubs declined to offer contracts to two key players from their historic 2016 World Series championship. While Schwarber, Almora, slugger José Martínez and pitcher Ryan Tepera were non-tendered, the Cubs offered 2021 contracts to infielders Kris Bryant and Javier Báez, catchers Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini, and outfielder Ian Happ. He also played in the 2016 World Series after missing most of the season with a left knee injury. Almora then scored the go-ahead run on Ben Zobrist's double in the Cubs' 8-7 victory over the Indians.

CHICAGO – Listening in on fans' conversations during his walks home from Wrigley Field, Theo Epstein could sense their excitement as the Chicago Cubs set themselves up to capture that long-awaited World Series championship. “It became really clear that we'd be facing some significant long-term decisions this winter, decisions with long-term impacts,” Epstein said. Epstein, who won’t be paid for 2021 by the Cubs, said Ricketts did not bring up his salary when they discussed his future. The Cubs fell behind 3-1 to the Indians in the World Series before beating them in seven games, ending a title drought dating to 1908. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Chicago won the NL Central but got swept by Miami in the first round of the playoffs.

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger delivers in the first inning in a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Cleveland. Mike Clevinger, Starling Marte, Archie Bradley and Todd Frazier were on the move. Baseball's pandemic-delayed trade deadline was quite a day. The contending Padres got Clevinger in a multiplayer trade with Cleveland, bolstering their rotation Monday in a rare deadline deal between contenders. The trade deadline is normally July 31, but it was pushed back when the start of the season was delayed because of the coronavirus.