MLB Data

Before writing queries, consult references/api-reference.md for endpoints, ID conventions, and data shapes.

Setup

Before first use, check if the CLI is available:

which sports-skills || pip install sports-skills

If pip install fails with a Python version error, the package requires Python 3.10+. Find a compatible Python:

python3 --version  # check version
# If < 3.10, try: python3.12 -m pip install sports-skills
# On macOS with Homebrew: /opt/homebrew/bin/python3.12 -m pip install sports-skills

No API keys required.

Quick Start

Prefer the CLI — it avoids Python import path issues:

sports-skills mlb get_scoreboard
sports-skills mlb get_standings --season=2025
sports-skills mlb get_teams

CRITICAL: Before Any Query

CRITICAL: Before calling any data endpoint, verify:

Season year is derived from the system prompt's currentDate — never hardcoded.
If only a team name is provided, call get_teams to resolve the team ID before using team-specific commands.

Choosing the Season

Derive the active season from the system prompt's date — not just the calendar year.

If the user specifies a season, use it as-is.
If the user says "current", "this season", or doesn't specify: The MLB season runs late March/April through October. If the current month is January–March, the last completed season was the prior calendar year. From April onward, use the current calendar year.

Commands

Command	Description
`get_scoreboard`	Live/recent MLB scores
`get_standings`	Standings by league and division
`get_teams`	All 30 MLB teams
`get_team_roster`	Full roster for a team
`get_team_schedule`	Schedule for a specific team
`get_game_summary`	Detailed box score and scoring plays
`get_leaders`	MLB statistical leaders
`get_news`	MLB news articles
`get_play_by_play`	Full play-by-play for a game
`get_win_probability`	Win probability chart data
`get_schedule`	Schedule for a specific date or season
`get_injuries`	Injury reports across all teams
`get_transactions`	Recent transactions
`get_depth_chart`	Depth chart for a team
`get_team_stats`	Team statistical profile
`get_player_stats`	Player statistical profile

See references/api-reference.md for full parameter lists and return shapes.

Examples

Example 1: Today's scores User says: "What are today's MLB scores?" Actions:

Call get_scoreboard() Result: All live and recent MLB games with scores by inning and status

Example 2: Division standings User says: "Show me the AL East standings" Actions:

Derive season year from currentDate
Call get_standings(season=<derived_year>)
Filter results for American League East Result: AL East standings with W-L, PCT, GB, run differential

Example 3: Team roster User says: "Who's on the Yankees roster?" Actions:

Call get_team_roster(team_id="10") Result: Full Yankees roster with name, position, bats/throws, height, weight

Example 4: Game box score User says: "Show me the full box score for last night's Dodgers game" Actions:

Call get_scoreboard(date="<yesterday>") to find the event_id
Call get_game_summary(event_id=<id>) for full box score Result: Complete box score with batting/pitching stats per player

Example 5: Injury report User says: "Who's on the IL for the Yankees?" Actions:

Call get_injuries()
Filter results for New York Yankees (team_id=10) Result: Yankees IL list with player name, position, IL type, and injury detail

Example 6: Player statistics User says: "Show me Shohei Ohtani's stats" Actions:

Derive season year from currentDate
Call get_player_stats(player_id="39832", season_year=<derived_year>) Result: Season stats by category (batting, pitching) with value, rank, and per-game averages

Commands that DO NOT exist — never call these

~~get_odds~~ / ~~get_betting_odds~~ — not available. For prediction market odds, use the polymarket or kalshi skill.
~~search_teams~~ — does not exist. Use get_teams instead.
~~get_box_score~~ — does not exist. Use get_game_summary instead.
~~get_player_ratings~~ — does not exist. Use get_player_stats instead.

If a command is not listed in the Commands table above, it does not exist.

Error Handling

When a command fails, do not surface raw errors to the user. Instead:

Catch silently and try alternatives
If team name given instead of ID, use get_teams to find the ID first
Only report failure with a clean message after exhausting alternatives

Troubleshooting

Error: sports-skills command not found Cause: Package not installed Solution: Run pip install sports-skills

Error: Team not found by ID Cause: Wrong or outdated ESPN team ID used Solution: Call get_teams to get the current list of all 30 MLB teams with their IDs

Error: No data returned for a future game Cause: ESPN only returns data for completed or in-progress games Solution: Use get_schedule to see upcoming game details; get_scoreboard only covers active/recent games

Error: Offseason — scoreboard returns 0 events Cause: No games scheduled during the offseason (November–March) Solution: Use get_standings or get_news instead; MLB offseason transactions are available via get_transactions

mlb-data