Twins, Eduardo Escobar Avoid Arbitration

Minnesota Twins infielder Eduardo Escobar avoided salary arbitration Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $4.85 million deal, according to a source. Mostly a utility player for Minnesota, he wound up playing more than expected at shortstop and third base, and he hit a career-high 21 dingers in 129 games. A bloated fly-ball rate was responsible […]

Patrick Corbin Signs One-Year Deal With Arizona

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Patrick Corbin, who has been on the trade block this offseason, reached a one-year, $7.5 million deal Thursday. The talented left-hander went 14-13 last season with a 4.03 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 178 strikeouts in 189 2/3 innings, but he was better after the All-Star break (3.26 ERA). There is plenty […]

Nationals Re-Sign Edwin Jackson

The Washington Nationals re-signed starting pitcher Edwin Jackson to a minor league deal Thursday, but he can make $1.5 million if he's on the big league roster, plus another $1.4 million in potential incentives. Between the Orioles and Nats in 2017, Jackson went 5-6 with a 5.21 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 7.1 K/9 in 76 […]

Michael Fulmer On Track For Spring Training

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Fulmer (elbow) is doing fine and is on track for spring training four months after he had ulnar transposition surgery to reposition the ulnar nerve in his right elbow. "Everything is going fantastic," Fulmer told Tigers play-by-play broadcaster Dan Dickerson and Pat Caputo on Tuesday night on the TigerTalk Hot […]

Twins Waiting For Ruling On Miguel Sano

The Minnesota Twins are hoping that Major League Baseball comes to a resolution before spring training starts of their investigation against third baseman Miguel Sano. MLB is currently conducting their investigation into sexual-assault allegations against Sano, according to Twins general manager Thad Levine. Sanu issued a statement denying the allegations. MLB has made it clear […]

Giants Remain Interested In Andrew McCutchen

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the San Francisco Giants have remained in talks with the Pirates for outfielder Andrew McCutchen. Nightengale also notes that the Giants offered outfielder Jay Bruce a three-year deal before he signed with the Mets, but it was for $10 million less. The Giants have swung and missed on many […]

Zach McAllister And Indians Avoid Arbitration

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that relief pitcher Zach McAllister has avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.45 million contract with the Indians. McAllister had a strong season out of the bullpen last year for the Tribe. Over 62 innings, he had a 2.61 ERA with 66 strikeouts. He will be eligible to reach […]

Giants Still Searching For Outfield Help, Likely To Avoid Giving Up Draft Pick

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports suggests that the San Francisco Giants have targeted free-agent outfielder Lorenzo Cain. The Giants have knowingly been targeting outfielders all offseason. They missed out on trading for Marlins outfielders Marcell Ozuna and Giancarlo Stanton. They’ve been linked to Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen, but nothing has gained traction. Cain, 31, would […]

Yu Darvish Narrows List Of Teams

Max Wildstein of the Sporting News reports that free-agent starting pitcher Yu Darvish has narrowed his list to the Astros, Cubs, Rangers, Twins and Yankees. Darvish on Twitter replied to the post saying that "I know one more team is in." Darvish seems to be in the final stages of deciding where he will like […]

Jay Bruce Returns To Mets On Three-Year Deal

Jerry Cransick of ESPN.com reports that free-agent outfielder Jay Bruce has agreed to a three-year deal worth $39 million with the New York Mets. Bruce was acquired in 2016 at the trade deadline by the Mets and flipped by the Mets to the Indians during the 2017 trade deadline. In 153 games as a Met, he hit .245 […]

Braves Release Adonis Garcia

The Atlanta Braves released third baseman Adonis Garcia so that he can purse an opportunity in the Korean League in 2018. In his three seasons in Atlanta, Garcia had a slash line of .267/.300/.414 with 29 home runs and 110 RBI over 244 games. In his absence next season, expect some combination of Rio Ruiz […]

Nate Jones Expected To Be Ready For Opening Day

Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Nate Jones (elbow) has begun throwing and is expected to be ready by spring training. Jones made 11 appearances last year before having season-ending nerve repositioning surgery on his right elbow in mid-July. If Jones doesn’t suffer any setbacks, he is a candidate to be […]

Mets Touching Base With Jay Bruce

The New York Mets have spoken recently with the agent for free-agent outfielder Jay Bruce, and they remain a possibility to reunite with him. Twenty nine of Bruce's career-high 36 home runs in 2017 came with the Mets in the first half of the season. Familiarity may be a big selling point if the two […]

Matt Belisle, Twins Interested In Reunion

The Minnesota Twins and free-agent relief pitcher Matt Belisle are interested in a reunion in 2018, but no deal is close, according to sources. Belisle was a nice surprise for the Twinkies in 2017, going 9-for-11 in save chances, although he did sport a 4.03 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings. Belisle worked […]

J.J. Hoover Agrees To Minor League Deal With Brewers

Free-agent relief pitcher J.J. Hoover has agreed to a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hoover recovered with the Diamondbacks after a rough year with the Reds in 2016. This past season. he posted a 3.92 ERA and 1.77 WHIP over 41 1/3 innings. He will have a chance to earn a spot with […]

Phillies Avoid Arbitration With Cameron Rupp

The Philadelphia Phillies avoided salary arbitration with catcher Cameron Rupp by agreeing to a one-year, $2.05 million deal, according to a source. The right-handed hitting Rupp batted only .236 in 2017 but managed 14 home runs and 34 RBI in 88 games as a part-timer in Philly. He'll likely split time behind the plate in […]

Gerrit Cole To Astros Not Finalized

Updating a previous report, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that there is “no deal” and that rumors of Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Gerrit Cole being traded to the Astros is a “false rumor.” The story has been ongoing, as it was previously reported from multiple sources that a deal was done. Jake Kaplan of the Houston […]

Gerrit Cole Traded to Astros

Pittsburgh Pirates starter Gerrit Cole has been traded to the Houston Astros, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Several teams had been interested in acquiring the 27-year-old, but it was the defending World Champions who made it happen. Cole started a National League-best 33 games last season but struggled at times to finish with […]

Brad Brach Doing More Cardio Heading Into 2018 Season

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Brad Brach is changing his offseason workout routine to include more long-distance running in order to remain more effective deep into the season. With closer Zach Britton (Achilles) not expected to be ready until around midseason, Brach is expected to begin the year as Baltimore's primary closer. In the last two […]

Rangers Avoid Arbitration With Ryan Rua

The Texas Rangers avoided salary arbitration with outfielder Ryan Rua by agreeing to a one-year, $870,000 deal Tuesday. Rua will enter the 2018 season most likely as just outfield depth for the Rangers. In 63 games for Texas in 2017, he hit just .217 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 129 at-bats. He […]

Chris Young Signs Minor League Deal With Padres

Free-agent pitcher Chris Young has agreed to a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres. Should Young make the opening day roster, he will receive $1 million plus an extra $6 million in incentives. Young, 38, struggled this past season with a 7.50 ERA in 30 innings. Even if he makes the opening day […]

Lorenzo Cain Has Three-Year Offer From Cubs

Speaking on 670 The Score in Chicago, Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago reports that the Chicago Cubs have a three-year offer on the table for free-agent outfielder Lorenzo Cain. It’s the first known offer on the table for Cain, who remains one of the better position players on the market. Cain, 31, hit .300 with […]

Howie Kendrick Could Be A Potential Fit For The Mets

Free-agent infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick could be a potential fit for the New York Mets, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. Puma also notes that the team could look at Kendrick as a clubhouse leader and also as their second baseman. Kendrick played all over the diamond last year between the Nationals and […]

Cubs Are In On Greg Holland

Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe reports that the Chicago Cubs are “in the picture” for free-agent closer Greg Holland. The closer had a phenomenal comeback year for the Colorado Rockies this past year. The Rockies moved on after adding former Cubs closer Wade Davis. Holland has previously been linked to the Cardinals and Nationals. […]

Jason Kipnis Expected To Move Back To Second Base

Cleveland Indians second baseman/outfielder Jason Kipnis, who was moved to the outfield in 2017, is expected to move back to second base to start the 2018 season. Infielder Jose Ramirez can now move back to third base. 2017 was a lost season for Kipnis, as he missed the start of the year after straining his […]

Kazuhisa Makita Agrees With Padres

Japanese relief pitcher Kazuhisa Makita agreed to a two-year, $4 million deal with the San Diego Padres on Saturday, according to sources. Makita posted stellar numbers for the Seibu Lions the last two years overseas, but he's likely to have just a setup role in the San Diego bullpen in 2018, which means he is […]

Mets Considering Logan Morrison, Adam Lind

The New York Mets are open to adding free-agent first basemen Logan Morrison or Adam Lind as they look to give young first baseman Dominic Smith some competition in 2018. It's been a slow-developing free-agent market, so Morrison and Lind could fall into the team's lap on the cheap. However, Morrison may be too expensive […]

Dallas Keuchel Feeling Good

Houston Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel (foot) has been out of his walking boot for around a week and is feeling good. He also recently resumed throwing and said he expects to be pitching off a mound in early February. Keuchel struggled through a foot injury late in the year and aggravated it in the […]

Marlins Could Keep Starlin Castro

Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports that the Miami Marlins could keep second baseman Starlin Castro. Frisaro notes that a deal would only happen if “it absolutely made sense.” The initial reaction when the Marlins acquired Castro was that he would be on the block, but that does not appear to be the case. The 27-year-old […]

Mets And Jenrry Mejia Avoid Arbitration

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that the New York Mets and relief pitcher Jenrry Mejia avoided arbitration. Mejia will be paid $1.729 million, but he is unlikely to receive any of that due to a suspension. Mejia is currently on the permantly ineligible list after failing a third performance-enhancing drug test in 2016. The […]