A Baseball Man Who Was Best Viewed in Total

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports Gil Hodges struggled to make the Hall of Fame because voters had to consider him as a player or as a manager. Hodges was decidedly both and is finally headed to Cooperstown.https://nyti.ms/3doTbUP

He Was a Black Star 60 Years Before Jackie. Now He’s a Hall of Famer.

By BY BENJAMIN HOFFMAN from NYT Sports Elected by the Hall’s Early Days committee, Bud Fowler was a pioneer who played organized professional baseball against white players as early as 1878.https://nyti.ms/3rGFzfR

O’Neil, Hodges and Miñoso Are Among Six New Hall of Famers

By BY BENJAMIN HOFFMAN from NYT Sports A pair of committees asked to review candidates from previous eras elected Buck O’Neil, Gil Hodges, Minnie Miñoso, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat and Bud Fowler.https://nyti.ms/3Dra3EU

M.L.B.’s Lockout: What Is It? How Does It Work? What’s Next?

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports Players are locked out and transactions are frozen in baseball’s ninth work stoppage. But no one is missing any checks — yet.https://nyti.ms/3xS0xtg

M.L.B. Lockout: ‘We Understand It’s Bad for Our Business’

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports As the league and its players’ union settle in for a fight that the union called “unnecessary and provocative,” both sides went public to state their cases.https://nyti.ms/3xOAyTw

With No Deadline Deal, M.L.B.’s Lockout Begins

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports Players and owners continued to negotiate until the final day, but with the sides still far apart, baseball has its first work stoppage since the 1994-95 strike.https://nyti.ms/3d8HHoq

With No Deadline Deal, M.L.B.’s Lockout Begins

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports Players and owners continued to negotiate until the final day, but with the sides still far apart, baseball has its first work stoppage since the 1994-95 strike.https://nyti.ms/31midB6

‘The Pressure of This Is a Privilege’

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports As Max Scherzer was introduced by the Mets as baseball’s highest-paid player, he praised a team owner who was willing to spend to make his team better.https://nyti.ms/3Eec5K0

The Clock Is Ticking as Baseball Veers Toward a Lockout

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire this week, owners and players are negotiating over the sport’s future. A work stoppage seems inevitable.https://nyti.ms/3I5Fok9

Ready to Shine in the United States, a Star Waits in Japan

By BY BRAD LEFTON from NYT Sports Seiya Suzuki can hit for average and power, and plays solid defense. The only thing slowing his arrival is the possibility of an M.L.B. lockout.https://nyti.ms/3xEbEWX

Max Scherzer Smashes Salary Record in Deal With Mets

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports Showing off the team’s deep pockets, the Mets agreed to give Scherzer, a 37-year-old right-handed pitcher, a three-year contract that pays him $43.3 million a season.https://nyti.ms/3E0XnWx

Baseball’s Paradox: Money Is Flowing on the Brink of a Shutdown

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports Players are agreeing to huge contracts, and even struggling teams are getting in on the action. With a lockout looming, recalibration may be preferable to reinvention.https://nyti.ms/31aBgyu

The Mets Bolster Their Offense With Three Free Agents

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports With Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar and Mark Canha, the run-starved Mets addressed their biggest need while adding some defensive versatility.https://nyti.ms/3FPBZEf

A New Hall of Fame Ballot Is a Chance to Remember

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports A great deal of ink will be spilled on the candidacies of Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz. For a moment, stop to consider the 11 other new candidates instead.https://nyti.ms/2Zg05IG

A New General Manager Is a ‘Relief’ for Mets Leadership

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports A lengthy process landed Billy Eppler, formerly of the Angels and the Yankees. Steven Cohen says the deal received “universal praise” from his fellow owners.https://nyti.ms/3CBMY1Q

M.L.B. Finalizes Plan to Provide Housing for Minor Leaguers

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports An advocacy group called the deal a “historic victory,” but noted that there were issues that might need to be addressed.https://nyti.ms/3kV1qfr

M.L.B. Finalizes Plan to Provide Housing for Minor Leaguers

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports An advocacy group called the deal a “historic victory,” but noted that there were issues that might need to be addressed.https://nyti.ms/3qSJo1f

Everyone Agrees: Shohei Ohtani is A.L.’s M.V.P.

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports The Angels’ two-way star inspires extreme devotion from his most ardent supporters. Baseball writers agreed, unanimously giving him the A.L.’s Most Valuable Player Award.https://nyti.ms/329zvBT

Phillie Phavorite: Bryce Harper Wins N.L. M.V.P. Award

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports Snubbed at the All-Star Game, Harper exploded in the second half, earning his second career M.V.P.https://nyti.ms/3CtzQfh

Cy Young Awards Go to Pitchers Who Never Stopped Believing

By BY BENJAMIN HOFFMAN from NYT Sports Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes and Toronto’s Robbie Ray had hit rock bottom before they worked their way up to stardom.https://nyti.ms/3DviJel