TOKYO (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka is returning to pitch for his former team in Japan after seven seasons with the New York Yankees. The Rakuten Eagles of the Pacific League said Thursday the 32-year-old free agent had signed a two-year contract. Local media reported the deal was worth almost $9 million annually. “WELCOME HOME our HERO!!!!” the Eagles posted on Twitter. The Yankees in the past week added two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber and traded for Pittsburgh pitcher Jameson Taillon. New York appeared to have no room for Tanaka in its 2021 rotation and didn’t appear to be trying to re-sign the two-time All-Star. “I have decided to return to Japan and play for the Rakuten Eagles for the 2021 season,” Tanaka wrote on Twitter. “I wanted to make sure and touch base with you, and thank you for all the love and support you have given me for the past 7 seasons.” “I feel extremely fortunate for having the opportunity to take the field as a member of the New York Yankees, and play in front... [More]

TOKYO (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka is returning to pitch for his former team in Japan after seven seasons with the New York Yankees. The Rakuten Eagles said Thursday the 32-year-old free agent had signed a two-year contract. Local media reported it was worth almost $9 million annually. “WELCOME HOME our HERO!!!!” the Eagles posted on Twitter. The Yankees recently added two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and traded for Pittsburgh pitcher Jameson Taillon. New York appeared to have no room for Tanaka in its 2021 rotation and didn’t appear to be trying to re-sign the two-time All-Star. “I have decided to return to Japan and play for the Rakuten Eagles for the 2021 season,” Tanaka wrote on Twitter. “I wanted to make sure and touch base with you, and thank you for all the love and support you have given me for the past 7 seasons.” “I feel extremely fortunate for having the opportunity to take the field as a member of the New York Yankees, and play in front of all you passionate fans. it has been... [More]

TOKYO (AP) — Former New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka has signed a two-year contract with the Rakuten Eagles in Japanese baseball, the club said Thursday. The Eagles confirmed the deal but did not provide financial details. Local media reported it is worth almost $9 million annually. Tanaka last pitched for the same northern Japanese club in 2013 and then spent seven seasons with the Yankees, where he went 78-46. March 11 marks the 10th anniversary of an earthquake, tsunami and the resulting meltdown of three nuclear reactors in the northern Pacific coast area of Japan where the Eagles are based. That anniversary is sure to add to the drama around Tanaka’s return to Japan. Spring training starts next week for Japanese clubs, which have been able to play in stadiums with a limited number of fans attending. Japan, with a population of 126 million, has attributed just over 5,000 deaths to COVID-19. Cases have been surging recently, particularly in urban areas like Tokyo and Osaka. ___ More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — The retooling New York Yankees finalized a $90 million, six-year contract to retain AL batting champion DJ LeMahieu on Wednesday and completed an $11 million deal to add right-hander Corey Kluber. The Yankees also reached a $2.5 million, one-year deal with submarining right-handed reliever Darren O’Day. Combined with Sunday's trade to acquire right-hander Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates for four prospects, the moves accomplished many of New York's offseason goals following the loss to Tampa Bay in last year's playoffs. LeMahieu, who turns 33 in July, became the first player to win undisputed batting titles in both leagues. The infielder won his first AL batting title last year at .364, the highest average for an AL batting champion since Minnesota’s Joe Mauer hit .365 in 2009, after winning the NL championship with Colorado in 2016. LeMahieu gets $15 million per season. The deal includes a full-no trade provision during the first two seasons and a limited no-trade... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The retooling New York Yankees finalized a $90 million, six-year contract to retain AL batting champion DJ LeMahieu on Wednesday and completed an $11 million deal to add right-hander Corey Kluber. The Yankees also reached a $2.5 million, one-year deal with submarining right-handed reliever Darren O’Day. Combined with Sunday's trade to acquire right-hander Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates for four prospects, the moves accomplished many of New York's offseason goals following the loss to Tampa Bay in last year's playoffs. LeMahieu, who turns 33 in July, became the first player to win undisputed batting titles in both leagues. The infielder won his first AL batting title last year at .364, the highest average for an AL batting champion since Minnesota’s Joe Mauer hit .365 in 2009, after winning the NL championship with Colorado in 2016. A three-time All-Star, LeMahieu signed a $24 million, two-year contract with the Yankees in January 2019. He had 10 homers and 27... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees made another high-risk offseason addition to their starting rotation, acquiring right-hander Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday for four prospects. Pittsburgh received right-handers Roansy Contreras and Miguel Yajure, infielder Maikol Escotto and outfielder Canaan Smith. Taillon, 29, has not pitched since May 1, 2019, following his second Tommy John surgery. New York also has a pending $11 million, one-year deal with right-hander Corey Kluber, who has pitched just one inning since his right forearm was broken by a comebacker on May 1, 2019. He tore a muscle in his pitching shoulder in his season debut last season. They hope to join a rotation headed by Gerrit Cole, Taillon's former Pirates teammate, and projected to include Deivi García and Jordan Montgomery. In addition, Luis Severino is expected to return from Tommy John surgery last Feb. 27 and Domingo Germán is expected back from a domestic violence suspension that caused him to miss last... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees made a second offseason addition to their starting rotation, acquiring right-hander Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday for four prospects. Pittsburgh received right-handers Roansy Contreras and Miguel Yajure, infielder Maikol Escotto and outfielder Canaan Smith. Taillon, 29, would join a rotation headed by his former Pirates teammate Gerrit Cole. It also is projected to include Deivi García, Jordan Montgomery and Corey Kluber, who has a pending $11 million, one-year contract subject to a successful physical. In addition, Luis Severino is expected to return from Tommy John surgery last Feb. 27 and Domingo Germán is expected back from a domestic violence suspension that caused him to miss last season. “Bittersweet day for me over here!” Taillon wrote on Twitter. “Trying to process everything — have SO much to say to the city of Pittsburgh and my teammates. Also have SO much to say about this incredible opportunity and to the city/fans in New... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees made the second addition to their starting rotation of the offseason, agreeing to acquire right-hander Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates for four prospects, a person familiar with the trade talks told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Sunday because the agreement was subject to approval of medical records of the involved players by the teams. Taillon, a 29-year-old right-hander, would join a rotation headed by his former Pirates teammate Gerrit Cole. It also is projected to include Deivi García, Jordan Montgomery and Corey Kluber, who has a pending $11 million, one-year contract subject to a successful physical. In addition, Luis Severino is expected to return from Tommy John surgery last Feb. 27 and Domingo Germán is expected back from a domestic violence suspension that caused him to miss last season. This deal makes it less likely the Yankees will re-sign Masahiro Tanaka, who became a free agent. New York... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager were among 112 players who agreed to one-year contracts Friday, leaving just 13 to swap salary arbitration figures during a slow offseason in the aftermath of the financial carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The deals came on the deadline day for eligible players and teams to exchange proposed 2021 salaries. Lindor, the star shortstop acquired last week by the New York Mets from Cleveland, got the largest of the deals at $22.3 million. The Mets hope to sign him to a long-term contract that would prevent him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Lindor says he does not want to extend talks past when he starts spring training next month. Lindor's deal is the fourth-largest one-year contract for an arbitration-eligible player, trailing Mookie Betts ($27 million with Boston last year), Nolan Arenado ($26 million with Colorado in 2019) and Josh Donaldson ($23 million with Toronto in 2018).... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager were among 112 players who agreed to one-year contracts Friday, leaving just 13 to swap salary arbitration figures during a slow offseason in the aftermath of the financial carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The deals came on the deadline day for players and teams to exchange proposed 2021 salaries. Lindor, the star shortstop acquired last week by the New York Mets from Cleveland, got the largest of the deals at $22.3 million. The Mets hope to sign him to a long-term contract that would prevent him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Lindor says he does not want to extend talks past when he starts spring training next month. Lindor's deal is the fourth-highest one-year contract for an arbitration-eligible player, trailing Mookie Betts ($27 million with Boston last year), Nolan Arenado ($26 million with Colorado in 2019) and Josh Donaldson ($23 million with Toronto in 2018). Bryant agreed... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager were among 112 players who agreed to one-year contracts Friday, leaving just 13 to swap salary arbitration figures during a slow offseason in the aftermath of the financial carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The deals came on the deadline day for players and teams to exchange proposed 2021 salaries. Lindor, the star shortstop acquired last week by the New York Mets from Cleveland, got the largest of the deals at $22.3 million. The Mets hope to sign him to a long-term contract that would prevent him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Lindor says he does not want to extend talks past when he starts spring training next month. Bryant agreed to $19.5 million with the Chicago Cubs. He, too, can become a free agent after the season, falling one day shy of eligibility at the end of the 2020 season. The third baseman lost a grievance last offseason that claimed the Cubs delayed his call-up... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager were among 112 players who agreed to one-year contracts Friday, leaving just 13 to swap salary arbitration figures during a slow offseason in the aftermath of the financial carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The deals came on the deadline day for players and teams to exchange proposed 2021 salaries. Lindor, the star shortstop acquired last week by the New York Mets from Cleveland, got the largest of the deals at $22.3 million. The Mets hope to sign him to a long-term contract that would prevent him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Lindor says he does not want to extend talks past when he starts spring training next month. Bryant agreed to $19.5 million with the Chicago Cubs. He, too, can become a free agent after the season, falling one day shy of eligibility at the end of the 2020 season. The third baseman lost a grievance last offseason that claimed the Cubs delayed his call-up... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees made a pair of big moves on the free agent market, reaching a deal with right-hander Corey Kluber worth $11 million for one year and agreeing to a $90 million, six-year contract to keep AL batting champion DJ LeMahieu, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because each agreement is subject to a successful physical. Kluber, the 2014 and 2017 AL Cy Young Award winner, won 56 games for Cleveland over the 2016-18 seasons, then missed the rest of the 2019 season after he was hit on the right forearm that May 1 by a comebacker off the bat of Miami’s Brian Anderson. He finished 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA in seven starts. Traded after the season to Texas, Kluber tore a muscle in his right shoulder in his Rangers debut on July 26, finishing his season after one inning. The injury did not require surgery, and he held a workout for scouts on Wednesday. Kluber, who turns 35 on April 10, is a... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees made a pair of big moves on the free agent market, reaching a deal with right-hander Corey Kluber worth $11 million for one year and agreeing to a $90 million, six-year contract to keep AL batting champion DJ LeMahieu, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because each agreement is subject to a successful physical. Kluber, the 2014 and 2017 AL Cy Young Award winner, won 56 games for Cleveland over the 2016-18 seasons, then missed the rest of the 2019 season after he was hit on the right forearm that May 1 by a comebacker off the bat of Miami’s Brian Anderson. He finished 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA in seven starts. Traded after the season to Texas, Kluber tore a muscle in his right shoulder in his Rangers debut on July 26, finishing his season after one inning. The injury did not require surgery, and he held a workout for scouts on Wednesday. Kluber, who turns 35 on April 10, is a... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees manager Aaron Boone is treating DJ LeMahieu like he's any other member of the team this offseason. And he's hopeful that when New York gathers for spring training, the reigning big league batting champion will be there. A month and a half into baseball's offseason, LeMahieu remains a free agent. Although there's mutual interest in keeping the three-time All-Star in pinstripes, no deal has emerged. Boone routinely participates in sales pitches for free agents — including during last year's talks with ace Gerrit Cole — but he said Tuesday he's giving LeMahieu space to make his own decision. “This time of year, I text with guys every few weeks, check in with guys, and I’ve treated DJ in that same manner,” Boone said. “He knows I’m here if he needs to ask me anything.” The 32-year-old LeMahieu won his second batting crown last season by hitting .364, adding 10 home runs and 27 RBIs during the pandemic-shortened 60-game season. His .421 on-base percentage and 1.011 OPS... [More]

The free agent market received a small boost this week, although it remains to be seen whether teams will be eager to take advantage. A record 59 players became free agents when their teams declined to offer them contracts by Wednesday night's tender deadline. That group included a few well-known names like Kyle Schwarber of the Chicago Cubs and Eddie Rosario of the Minnesota Twins — but these additions to the free agent class did little to change the sense the market could be slow this offseason. Teams may be looking to cut costs amid the coronavirus pandemic, and so far there have been only a few short deals, such as Charlie Morton going to Atlanta on a one-year, $15 million contract and Mike Minor signing with Kansas City for two years and $18 million. As we enter the heart of the offseason calendar, here’s a look at the top free agents still available, broken down by position. The biggest names on the market are players who were already free agents well before the new group of non-tenders... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman and San Francisco starter Kevin Gausman accepted $18.9 million qualifying offers Wednesday, receiving one-year deals to stay with their teams rather than test what they could get in free agency. Four players declined qualifying offers at the 5 p.m. EST deadline: right-hander Trevor Bauer from Cincinnati, outfielder George Springer from Houston, second baseman DJ LeMahieu from the New York Yankees and catcher J.T. Realmuto from Philadelphia. If any of those players sign with a new team, his former club would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round of next year’s amateur draft or at the end of competitive balance round B. The placement depends on whether the new contract is worth $50 million or more and the revenue-sharing and luxury tax status of the team losing the player. A team signing the player would give up either its third-highest draft pick, its second-highest pick and $500,000 of international signing bonus allotment... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman and San Francisco starter Kevin Gausman accepted $18.9 million qualifying offers Wednesday, receiving one-year deals to stay with their teams rather than test what they could get in free agency. Four players declined qualifying offers at the 5 p.m. EST deadline: right-hander Trevor Bauer from Cincinnati, outfielder George Springer from Houston, second baseman DJ LeMahieu from the New York Yankees and catcher J.T. Realmuto from Philadelphia. If any of those players signs with a new team, his former club would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round of next year’s amateur draft or at the end of competitive balance round B. The placement depends on whether the new contract is worth $50 million or more and the revenue-sharing and luxury tax status of the team losing the player. A team signing the player would give up either its third-highest draft pick, its second-highest pick and $500,000 of international signing bonus... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman and San Francisco starter Kevin Gausman accepted $18.9 million qualifying offers Wednesday, receiving one-year deals to stay with their teams rather than test what they could get in free agency. Four players declined qualifying offers at the 5 p.m. EST deadline: right-hander Trevor Bauer from Cincinnati, outfielder George Springer from Houston, second baseman DJ LeMahieu from the New York Yankees and catcher J.T. Realmuto from Philadelphia. If any of those players signs with a new team, his former club would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round of next year’s amateur draft or at the end of competitive balance round B. The placement depends on whether the new contract is worth $50 million or more and the revenue-sharing and luxury tax status of the team losing the player. A team signing the player would give up either its third-highest draft pick, its second-highest pick and $500,000 of international signing bonus... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Houston outfielder George Springer, New York Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu and Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto were among just six free agents who received $18.9 million qualifying offers on Sunday from their former teams. Three right-handed pitchers also received the offers, Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer, the New York Mets’ Marcus Stroman and San Francisco's Kevin Gausman. Those six players have until 5 p.m. on Nov. 11 to accept the offers or press ahead as free agents, who could start negotiating contracts with all teams on Sunday night. They are the only ones subject to compensation among the 181 players who became free agents in a market that also includes pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, outfielder Marcell Ozuna, shortstop Didi Gregorius and designated hitter Nelson Cruz. A brutal market is expected, with many teams likely to cut payrolls following a regular season played with no fans in the seats due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. If a team makes a qualifying offer... [More]