Champions
Major League Baseball
Other champions Minor League Baseball AAA Championship: Sacramento River Cats (San Francisco Giants) International League: Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Indians) Pacific Coast League: Sacramento River Cats (San Francisco Giants) Mexican League: Acereros de Monclova AA Eastern League: Trenton Thunder (New York Yankees) Southern League: Jackson Generals (Arizona Diamondbacks) Texas League: Amarillo Sod Poodles (San Diego Padres) High A California League: Visalia Rawhide (Arizona Diamondbacks) Carolina League: Wilmington Blue Rocks (Kansas City Royals) Florida State League: No Champions A Midwest League: South Bend Cubs (Chicago Cubs) South Atlantic League: Lexington Legends (Kansas City Royals) Short Season A New York–Penn League: Brooklyn Cyclones (New York Mets) Northwest League: Hillsboro Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks) Advanced Rookie Appalachian League: Johnson City Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals) Pioneer League: Idaho Falls Chukars (Kansas City Royals) Rookie Arizona League: Arizona League Rangers (Texas Rangers) Dominican Summer League: DSL Royals 1 (Kansas City Royals) Gulf Coast League: No Champions Arizona Fall League: Salt River Rafters Independent baseball leagues American Association: St. Paul Saints Atlantic League: Long Island Ducks Can-Am League: New Jersey Jackals Empire League: Plattsburgh Thunderbirds Frontier League: River City Rascals Pacific Association: San Rafael Pacifics Pecos League: Alpine Cowboys United Shore League: Utica Unicorns Amateur College 2019 College World Series: Vanderbilt University NCAA Division II: NCAA Division III: NAIA: Tennessee Wesleyan University Junior College World Series: Central Arizona College Cape Cod League: Cotuit Kettleers Youth Junior League World Series: Golden Hill Little League (Fullerton, California) Intermediate World Series: McCalla Little League (McCalla, Alabama) Little League World Series: Eastbank Little League (River Ridge, Louisiana) Senior League World Series: Central East Maui Little League (Wailuku, Hawaii)
International competition National Teams U-12 Baseball World Cup: Chinese Taipei U-18 Baseball World Cup: Chinese Taipei Asian Baseball Championship: Chinese Taipei Europe/Africa Olympic Baseball Qualifier: Israel European Baseball Championship: Netherlands Pan American Games: Puerto Rico World Port tournament: Netherlands WBSC Premier12: Japan International club team competitions Caribbean Series: Toros de Herrera European Cup: Unipol Bologna Latin American Series: Leones de León Domestic Summer Leagues British League: London Mets China National League: Beijing Tigers Dutch Baseball League: Amsterdam Pirates French League: Huskies de Rouen Finnish Baseball Championship: Espoo Expos German League: Heidenheim Heideköpfe Irish Baseball League: Dublin City Hurricanes Italian Baseball League: Unipol Bologna Japan Series: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Pacific League: Saitama Seibu Lions Central League: Yomiuri Giants Philippine Baseball League (2nd Conference): Philippine Air Force Korean Series: Doosan Bears Spanish League: Tenerife Marlins Swedish League: Sölvesborg Firehawks Taiwan Series: Lamigo Monkeys Domestic Winter Leagues Australian Baseball League: Brisbane Bandits Colombian League: Caimanes de Barranquilla Cuban National Series: Las Tunas Dominican League: Estrellas Orientales Mexican Pacific League: Charros de Jalisco Nicaraguan League: Leones de León Panamanian League: Toros de Herrera Philippine Baseball League (1st Conference): Adamson University Puerto Rican League: Cangrejeros de Santurce Venezuelan League:Cardenales de Lara Veracruz Winter League: Tobis de Acayucan
Awards and honors
Major League Baseball Baseball Hall of Fame Honors
Events
January January 3 – Veteran shortstop Troy Tulowitzki signed a one-year contract with the New York Yankees after missing the entire 2018 season due to bone spurs. The Yankees will pay Tulowitzki the major league minimum salary for 2019 ($555,000), and the contract includes a no-trade clause.Troy Tulowitzki to the Yankees . New York Post. Retrieved on January 8, 2019. For the Yankees, Tulowitzki offered a lost-cost solution to their hole at shortstop, as Didi Gregorius will miss at least the first part of 2019 while he rehabs from Tommy John Surgery.Troy Tulowitzki will have chance to earn starting SS job, Yanks GM says . ESPN. Retrieved on January 8, 2019. January 11 – The Boston Red Sox and American League MVP Mookie Betts settled on a one-year deal worth $20 million. The salary figure is a record for a player in his second year of arbitration eligibility,Betts avoids arbitration with record $20M deal . MLB.com. Retrieved on January 11, 2019. with Betts still having one more year of arbitration-eligibility to go. Betts won his arbitration case with the Red Sox a year ago, securing $10.5 million, and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2021. January 15 – Longtime Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster and former pitcher Steve Blass announced that he would be retiring following the 2019 season, his 60th with the Pirates organization. Blass, 76, was signed as a player in 1960. He spent his entire ten-year career in the majors with the team. His most productive season came 1n 1972, when he posted a 19–8 record with a 2.49 ERA, 12 complete games and five shutouts, while earning an All Star berth and finishing as the runner-up in NL Cy Young voting. In addition, he pitched two complete games victories for the Pirates in Games 3 and 7 of the 1971 World Series triumph over the Baltimore Orioles. Afterwards, Blass joined the team's broadcast crew in 1983. Since 2005, he worked Pirates home games and select road trips, and the 2019 season will be his club-record 34th year as a color analyst for the organization.Steve Blass to retire as Pirates announcer . MLB.com. Retrieved on April 12, 2019.Steve Blass article . Bob Hurte. SABR Biography Project. Retrieved on April 12, 2019. January 21 – The Cincinnati Reds acquire veteran starting pitcher Sonny Gray from the New York Yankees, which was followed by signing him to a three-year extension of $30,500,000 that includes a $12 million club option for 2023. Reiver Sanmartin, a minor league pitcher, also came to Cincinnati along with prospect second baseman Shed Long winding up in Seattle after being traded by the Yankees. New York also received an undisclosed draft pick.Reds strike deal for Yanks' Sonny Gray after pitcher inks extension . ESPN. Retrieved on January 23, 2019. January 22 – For the second consecutive year, the Baseball Writers' Association of America elects four players into the Hall of Fame, including the first player ever selected unanimously, Mariano Rivera, Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader, who was listed on all 425 ballots cast. Rivera is joined by Roy Halladay and Edgar Martínez, both of whom receive 363 votes (85.4%), and Mike Mussina, who receives 326 votes (76.7%). Rivera and Halladay are both elected in their first year on the ballot, while Mussina is elected in his sixth year and Martínez in his tenth and last. Halladay, who died in a plane crash in November 2017, also becomes the first player to be elected posthumously by the BBWAA since Roberto Clemente in 1973. Also in his final year of eligibility, Fred McGriff was unable to receive enough votes to be elected in to Cooperstown by the BBWAA.Mo (Unanimous!), Edgar, Doc, Moose elected to HOF . MLB.com. Retrieved on January 23, 2019. January 26 – The Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent center fielder A. J. Pollock a four-year, $55 million deal, plus a $10 million player option for a fifth year. If Pollock declines that option, the Dodgers must buy out his fifth year for $5 million.Free-agent OF A.J. Pollock heading to Dodgers . ESPN. Retrieved on February 8, 2019.
February February 8 : MLB commissioner Rob Manfred indicated at the annual owners' meeting that the league is not open to the introduction of the designated hitter rule to the National League. It emerged recently that MLB and the MLB Players Association were exchanging proposals on a variety of significant potential rules changes before the upcoming season. Some of those, including the introduction of a twenty-second pitch clock and a rule requiring any pitcher that enters a game to face at least three hitters, were set forth by the league.No designated hitter or draft changes likely in MLB this season . ESPN. Retrieved on February 8, 2019. The Philadelphia Phillies acquired All-Star catcher J. T. Realmuto in a four-player transaction with the Miami Marlins. In exchange, the Marlins received right-handed pitcher Sixto Sánchez, catcher Jorge Alfaro, lefty-handed pitching prospect Will Stewart and international bonus slot money.Phillies land Realmuto for 3 players, int'l money . MLB.com. Retrieved on February 8, 2019. February 18 – San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced that the 2019 season would be his last. Bochy is ranked 11th in all-time managerial wins with 1,926 career victories.Bruce Bochy will retire after 2019 season . MLB.com. Retrieved on April 12, 2019. February 22 – The San Diego Padres announced the signing of free agent Manny Machado. The 10-year deal will pay Machado $30 million annually through the 2028 season, and contain a six-team no-trade clause. He will play at third base for San Diego.Padres still can't believe they landed Manny Machado . USA Today. Retrieved on February 24, 2019. February 26 – The Colorado Rockies and third baseman Nolan Arenado agreed to an eight-year, $260 million contract with an opt-out in three years. A four-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove Award winner, Arenado will receive the highest annual salary of $32.5 million, surpassing the $31 million of Detroit Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera, and behind the top earner in Major League Baseball, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Greinke, at $34.4 million, for the largest in MLB history.Arenado, Rox finalize record extension . MLB.com. Retrieved on February 26, 2019.
March March 2 – The Philadelphia Phillies reached an agreement to sign free agent outfielder Bryce Harper to a 13-year, $330 million contract.Harper, Phils agree to 13-year deal . MLB.com. Retrieved on March 2, 2019. Harper will receive a $10 million salary and a $20 million signing bonus for the upcoming season. He will then be paid $26 million annually from 2020 through 2028 and $22 million annually from 2029 to 2031.Phillies To Sign Bryce Harper . MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved on March 2, 2019. In addition, Harper received full no-trade rights and does not possess any opt-out opportunities. It now stands as the largest fully guaranteed contract in the history of North American team sports, surpassing the 10-year, $300 million contract that Manny Machado signed with the San Diego Padres just the previous week, as well as the 13-year, $325 million deal that Giancarlo Stanton signed with the Miami Marlins in 2014. Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez signed an 11-fight contract worth $365 million in 2018, but the contract is not guaranteed.Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez signs 'most lucrative' deal with sports service DAZN . BBC Sports. Retrieved on March 1, 2019. March 9 – In a 5–2 victory over Virginia Tech in the second game of a doubleheader, Mike Martin became the all-time winningest baseball coach in Florida State history with his 2,000th career win and the first ever coach to reach the 2,000 win mark.Mike Martin's Career Wins Total Stands Alone. Baseball America website. Retrieved on April 9, 2019. March 14 – Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association announced an agreement on significant changes to MLB roster rules that will take effect in 2020. Specifically: Active rosters, currently limited to 25 players prior to September 1 (with very limited exceptions), will increase to 26 players.