Kris Bryant may have given manager Joe Maddon an idea for an inseason stunt — and also given Cubs fans a scare by swimming with sharks in Hawaii.

They said what they had to say. Then again, it’s Super Bowl Week, so if you’re linebacker Shaq Thompson of the Carolina Panthers and offensive lineman Ryan Harris of the Denver Broncos, this is neither the time nor the place to confess that your career path should have involved bats and gloves instead of blocking and tackling.

The Yankees announced on Friday that they have invited 25 players to Major League Spring Training, including outfielder Aaron Judge, infielder Jorge Mateo and right-hander James Kaprielian, who have been rated as the organization’s top three prospects by MLB Pipeline.

I’m glad Black History Month exists so the accomplishments of African-Americans in all walks of life can be acknowledged. But to me, it’s a shame that many of these achievements are not just part of history.

The addition of veteran right-hander Doug Fister to a one-year deal last month rounded out the Astros’ offseason moves, giving them another proven arm to add to what is the deepest starting rotation they’ve had in years.

National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta and the Cubs are reportedly scheduled for an arbitration hearing on Tuesday.

Pitchers and catchers open Spring Training for the Marlins on Feb. 19 at the Roger Dean Stadium complex in Jupiter, Fla. Full-squad workouts get underway on Feb. 23. As the workout dates approach, MLB.com takes a position-by-position look at the 2016 Marlins. The latest installment: Catchers.

The Blue Jays signed free-agent right-hander David Aardsma to a Minor League contract with an invite to Major League Spring Training on Friday.

“America’s Holiday” takes place on Sunday night, and the Rays will be tuning in when the Carolina Panthers play the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Let’s use Statcast™ to take a look at which clubs figure to boast the hardest-hitting overall lineups this season.

The clock is ticking, but the Blue Jays apparently have not abandoned hope that 2015 American League MVP Award winner Josh Donaldson can be signed to a multiyear contract extension before his arbitration case is heard later this month.

There were many positives to the NL Rookie of the Year’s 2015 season, but the obvious negative was his strikeout rate, which might be the biggest threat to his success going forward.

The Baltimore Orioles accounted for much of the offseason action Thursday, announcing a trade with the Padres, avoiding arbitration with one of their players and surfacing in free-agent rumors.

Second base is home to some of the best defensive players in all of baseball, providing countless highlight-reel plays each season. The position also features some of the game’s most steady and productive hitters. MLB Network chronicled many of these dual threats Thursday night, unveiling its top 10 second basemen.

Of all the players in MLB history, there is only one — Hank Aaron — who resides in the all-time top 10 in all of the following categories: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases, and extra-base hits. But there is one active player who has been matching strides with Hammerin’ Hank in a number of columns: Miguel Cabrera.

Venezuela’s Tigres de Aragua will enter Saturday’s semifinal game on a winning note after edging Cuba, 3-1, in the first game of the day at the Caribbean Series on Thursday.

The Blue Jays still don’t have natural grass at Rogers Centre, and whether they ever will remains a highly debated topic, but the installation of a dirt infield is at least a first step.