It’s a brand new Major League baseball season and hopes are high in every big league clubhouse as teams stare at a long season ahead with dreams of playing in October.

Dusty Baker will return as manager of the Houston Astros for a third season after agreeing to a one-year contract with the AL champions.

Shohei Ohtani hit his sixth homer in six games for the Angels, but Daz Cameron hit a two-run single in the 10th inning and the Detroit Tigers avoided a four-game series sweep with a 5-3 victory over Los Angeles.

AJ Hinch's success as Detroit's manager may ultimately hinge on the performance of a few highly regarded prospects. Detroit has five of the game's top 25 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline. Right-hander Casey Mize, the top pick in the 2018 draft, made his big league debut last year and went 0-3 with a 6.99 ERA in seven starts. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)AJ Hinch's success as Detroit's manager may ultimately hinge on the performance of a few highly regarded prospects. It's a little easier to avoid those expectations when a prospect is younger and isn't likely to make the big league roster yet.

Former GM Jeff Luhnow sues Astros, claims he was scapegoatedJeff Luhnow’s lawsuit against the Astros has been dismissed after both parties “resolved their differences,” sources confirmed to KPRC 2. Luhnow, former Astros GM, filed the lawsuit in November 2020. In it, he claimed he was the “scapegoat” of a biased investigation by MLB. Luhnow was fired, along with manager AJ Hinch, in January 2020 by Astros owner Jim Crane for what he said was their part in the sign-stealing scandal. In October 2020, Luhnow spoke exclusively with KPRC to share his side of the story.

Former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the team, seeking more than $22 million in salary owed under his deal when he was fired in January. Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were suspended for the season last Jan. 13 by Manfred and fired by the Astros later that day. The team was fined $5 million and stripped of its first- and second-round draft picks in both 2020 and 2021. The contract called for disputes to go to an arbitration with Manfred or his designee, but Luhnow asked that to be set aside because of Manfred’s involvement. The lawyers say Hinch later told Manfred he failed to disclose to Luhnow the use of electronic equipment.

In January, Major League Baseball suspended Hinch and Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow for this season, then the Astros immediately fired both. Casey Mize, the top overall pick in 2018, reached the majors this year, and Detroit used this year’s No. Left-hander Tarik Skubal made his big league debut this year along with Mize. Hinch, a big league catcher who played for the Tigers in 2003, managed Arizona from May 2009 until July 2010. Hinch joins the Tigers a day after another AL Central team made a big managerial hire.

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2019, file photo, Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch (14) reaches for a ball before Game 3 of baseball's American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees in New York. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)DETROIT – As he waited out his suspension this year, AJ Hinch knew he wanted to return to baseball. It was Detroit general manager Al Avila, telling Hinch to get on a plane. In January, Major League Baseball suspended Hinch and Astros GM Jeff Luhnow for the season and the Astros immediately fired both. Hinch is 570-452 as a major league manager.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow celebrates after Game 5 of the baseball team's AL Division Series against the New York Yankees, Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, in San Diego. Tampa Bay won 2-1 to advance to the AL Championship Series. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:___REVENGE RAYSThe Tampa Bay Rays have more revenge in mind heading to the AL Championship Series. FINAL PREPARATIONSBaseball's postseason gets a full day off from games before the AL Championship Series opens Sunday. Tickets are already sold out for the opener of the neutral-site NL Championship Series between the Braves and Dodgers, although plenty are available on the secondary market.

San Diego Padres pose for a photo after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 in Game 3 of a National League wild-card baseball series Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, in San Diego. First-year San Diego manager Jayce Tingler used nine pitchers, the most employed in a nine-inning shutout in any big league game since 1901. Next up is the Division Series, and all four matchups are intradivision -- AL West vs. NL West and AL East vs. NL East. New York hasn’t visited the San Diego ballpark since 2016. Detroit general manager Al Avila says the team isn’t ruling out the possibility of hiring Hinch or Cora for its managerial vacancy.

(AP) – Houston clinched the final spot in the expanded American League playoffs when the Los Angeles Angels lost about two hours after the Astros fell 5-4 to the Texas Rangers in 10 innings Friday night. Houston, which already had its three-year reign atop the division ended by Oakland, currently is the only AL playoff team without a winning record. The Angels' 9-5 loss to the Dodgers made Houston's Dusty Baker the first manager to lead five different franchises to the playoffs. UP NEXTThe Astros were waiting for the LA outcome to decide who would start the third game in the four-game series to finish the regular season. RHP Kyle Gibson (2-6, 5.87 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Rangers.

HOUSTON Dusty Baker isnt going anywhere. The Houston Astros announced Tuesday that it has exercised the 2021 contract option for Baker. Were excited to see him in an Astros uniform again next year.The Astros did the same for pitching coach Brent Strom and third base coach Gary Pettis. Strommie and Gary have had a tremendous impact on the recent success of the Houston Astros, Click said. Pettis has been with Houston since 2014, where the outfield has combined to post the highest fielding pct.

HOUSTON The Houston Astros spent the offseason reeling from a sign-stealing scandal that cost manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow their jobs. The change didnt stop the Astros from being the villains of baseball this spring. The Astros are preparing for the possibility of being without designated hitter Yordan Alvarez for the start of the season and potentially longer. The Astros are counting on McCullers to have a big season in his return after missing last season following Tommy John surgery. Tucker, who can play outfield and first base, has appeared in just 50 MLB games over the past two seasons.

HOUSTON – Walk into Gallery Furniture on I-45 and the first thing you’re greeted by is Astros memorabilia along with framed pictures of when the team won the World Series in 2017. Jim McIngvale, who is also known as “Mattress Mack,” is a huge fan and was in the same boat as many on Monday when he found out about the suspension and then firing of Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. From the Texans game yesterday to what happened today I’m still trying to process it all,” McIngvale said. In 2017, he had a “Win it All” promotion which promised customers who bought $3,000 or more in mattress refunds if the Astros won the World Series. Last year, he placed a $3.5 million bet on the Astros winning the World Series but lost.

Monday’s suspension -- and eventual firing -- of former Astros managers AJ Hinch puts him in the record books. Hinch is now one of just three baseball managers to be suspended by the MLB for a year or more. Jayson Stark, a senior baseball writer at The Athletic explained the significance of Hinch’s suspension in this tweet. And according to Baseballhall.org, Leo Durocher, manager for the Dodgers in 1947, was suspended for “accumulation of unpleasant incidents,” associated with gambling. He was a manager for 24 years, including a stint with the Astros.