WASHINGTON (AP) — Ryan Zimmerman and the World Series champion Washington Nationals finalized a $2 million, one-year contract on Wednesday.The 35-year-old first baseman, who has spent his entire 15-year big league career with the Nationals, can earn $3 million in performance bonuses. He can earn $1.5 million based on games: $250,000 each for 65, 80, 95, 110, 125 and 140. He also can get $1.5 million for plate appearances: $250,000 apiece for 250, 300, 350, 500, 450 and 500.Zimmerman also gets a full no-trade provision. Since he already has the right to block trades as a 10-year veteran who has spent five years with his current club, the provision would matter only if he accepts a trade, then wants to block a deal to a different team.He had become a free agent last fall after the Nationals declined an $18 million option, choosing to pay a $2 million buyout.Injuries limited Zimmerman to 52 games and a .257 average with six homers and 27 RBIs last year, but he was a key contributor in the... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Free agent outfielder Nick Castellanos signed a $64 million, four-year deal Monday with the Reds, Cincinnati's latest big-money move to emerge from years of losing.The deal allows Castellanos to opt out and become a free agent after the 2020 or 2021 seasons. He gets salaries of $16 million in 2020, $14 million in 2021, and $16 million in 2022 and 2023. There's a mutual option for 2024 at $20 million with a buyout of $2 million.It was the fourth significant move by the Reds, among the most active teams in free agency since their sixth consecutive losing season.“This is an off-season where we have prioritized adding to the offensive side of the club,” said Dick Williams, president of baseball operations. “Nick was one of the most attractive options on the market. He has been a consistently elite producer offensively and that complements our existing team well.”The Reds have has committed $164 million to new players, including the two biggest free agent deals in club history.Cincinnati... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Free agent outfielder Nicholas Castellanos agreed to a $64 million, four-year deal in the Cincinnati Reds' latest big-money move to emerge from years of losing, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the club hadn't announced the deal, which would allow Castellanos to opt out and become a free agent after the 2020 or 2021 seasons. If he cuts the deal short after one year, he would receive $16 million.It was the fourth significant move by the Reds, among the most active teams in free agency since their sixth consecutive losing season. The Reds have has committed $174 million to new players, including the two biggest free agent deals in club history.Cincinnati signed second baseman Mike Moustakas to a $64 million, four-year contract and added left-handed starter Wade Miley on a $15 million, two-year deal. Japanese All-Star outfielder Shogo Akiyama got a $21 million, three-year deal.Castellanos'... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Free agent outfielder Nicholas Castellanos agreed to a $64 million, four-year deal in the Cincinnati Reds' latest big-money move to emerge from years of losing, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the club hadn't announced the deal, which would allow Castellanos to opt out and become a free agent after the 2020 season.It was the fourth significant move by the Reds, among the most active teams in free agency since their sixth consecutive losing season. The Reds have has committed $174 million to new players, including the two biggest free agent deals in club history.Cincinnati signed second baseman Mike Moustakas to a $64 million, four-year contract and added left-handed starter Wade Miley on a $15 million, two-year deal. Japanese All-Star outfielder Shogo Akiyama got a $21 million, three-year deal.Castellanos' deal raised the offseason total of contracts negotiated by agent Scott... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have formally reunited with catcher Robinson Chirinos and added third baseman Todd Frazier after completing one-year deals with the free agents.Chirinos and Frazier both got contracts that included club options for 2021. The deals were announced by the team Wednesday. Left-handed pitchers Kyle Bird and Jeffrey Springs were designated for assignment to clear spots on the 40-man roster. The Rangers have seven days to trade, release, or outright the players to the minor leagues. The 35-year-old Chirinos gets a $5.5 million salary this season, and his deal includes a $6.5 million club option for 2021 that includes a $1 million buyout. Frazier will make $3.5 million, and the Rangers have a $5.75 million option on the two-time All-Star for 2021 with a $1.5 million buyout. After Chirinos played 442 games with the Rangers from 2013-18, the team declined a $4.5 million option and he became a free agent. He spent last season on a $5.75 million deal with AL... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have formally reunited with catcher Robinson Chirinos and added third baseman Todd Frazier after completing one-year deals with the free agents.Chirinos and Frazier both got contracts that included club options for 2021. The deals were announced by the team Wednesday. Left-handed pitchers Kyle Bird and Jeffrey Springs were designated for assignment to clear spots on the 40-man roster. The Rangers have seven days to trade, release, or outright the players to the minor leagues. The 35-year-old Chirinos gets a $5.5 million salary this season, with a $6.5 million club option for 2021 that includes a $1 million buyout. Frazier will make $3.5 million, and the two-time All-Star's 2021 club option has a $1.5 million buyout. After Chirinos played 442 games with the Rangers from 2013-18, the team declined a $4.5 million option and he became a free agent. He spent last season on a $5.75 million deal with AL West rival Houston, where he caught AL Cy Young winner... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros suddenly have a couple more holes to fill.Less than a month before the start of spring training, the American League champions are without a manager and general manager after AJ Hinch and Jeff Luhnow were suspended by Major League Baseball and subsequently fired by team owner Jim Crane for the club's sign-stealing scheme.The penalties announced by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Monday came after he found illicit use of electronics to steal signs in Houston’s run to the 2017 World Series championship and again in the 2018 season. The Astros were also fined $5 million, which is the maximum allowed under the Major League Constitution, and must forfeit their next two first- and second-round amateur draft picks.Now that the punishment has been handed out and Hinch and Luhnow, the architects of Houston’s unprecedented success, the franchise must find a way to move forward. First the Astros must hire a manager and general manager who will try and continue the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Outfielder Brett Gardner and the New York Yankees finalized his $12.5 million, one-year contract on Saturday.New York agreed to the deal Dec. 13 during the winter meetings, and the 36-year-old took a physical on Tuesday. His addition, following last month's $324 million, nine-year contract with pitcher Gerrit Cole, raised the Yankees' projected luxury tax payroll to about $248 million — the threshold where the highest luxury tax rate starts.Gardner gets a $2 million signing bonus payable Jan. 30 and an $8 million salary for next season. The Yankees have a $10 million option for 2021 with a $2.5 million buyout.New York opened a roster spot by designating left-hander Stephen Tarpley for assignment.Gardner earned $7.5 million last season plus a $2 million buyout after New York declined his $12.5 million option for 2019 under his previous contract. He hit .251 and set career highs with 28 homers and 74 RBIs, a rare left-handed bat in a Yankees lineup dominated by right-handed hitters.Gardner is the senior member of the Yankees, having spent his entire 12-year big league career in the Bronx. He has a .260 average, 124 homers and 524 RBIs.He is expected to see time in center field during the first half of the season while Aaron Hicks recovers from offseason Tommy John surgery, then shift back to left when Hicks returns.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Outfielder Brett Gardner and the New York Yankees finalized his $12.5 million, one-year contract on Saturday.New York agreed to the deal Dec. 13 during the winter meetings, and the 36-year-old took a physical on Tuesday. His addition, following last month's $324 million, nine-year contract with pitcher Gerrit Cole, raised the Yankees' projected luxury tax payroll to about $248 million — the threshold where the highest luxury tax rate starts.Gardner gets a $2 million signing bonus and an $8 million salary for next season. The Yankees have a $10 million option for 2021 with a $2.5 million buyout.New York opened a roster spot by designating left-hander Stephen Tarpley for assignment.Gardner earned $7.5 million last season plus a $2 million buyout after New York declined his $12.5 million option for 2019 under his previous contract. He hit .251 and set career highs with 28 homers and 74 RBIs, a rare left-handed bat in a Yankees lineup dominated by right-handed hitters.Gardner is the senior member of the Yankees, having spent his entire 12-year big league career in the Bronx. He has a .260 average, 124 homers and 524 RBIs.He is expected to see time in center field during the first half of the season while Aaron Hicks recovers from offseason Tommy John surgery, then shift back to left when Hicks returns.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Robinson Chirinos and the Texas Rangers were close Wednesdayto a $6.5 million, one-year contract to reunite after the veteran catcher spent a season with the AL West rival Houston Astros.A person familiar with the deal said the agreement was contingent on a successful physical. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there had been no official announcement.Chirinos would have a $5.5 million salary this season. The deal includes a $6.5 million option for 2021 with a $1 million buyout. After six seasons with the Rangers, Chirinos became a free agent when Texas declined a $4.5 million option after the 2019 season and he signed a $5.75 million deal with Houston. He hit .238 with 17 homers and 58 RBIs in 114 games for the American League champions, while catching for AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander and runner-up Gerrit Cole. He homered in Games 3 and 4 of the World Series, including a pair in Game 4.The 35-year-old likely will become the Rangers starting... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán will miss the first 63 games of the 2020 season as part of an 81-game ban for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.The league announced the suspension Thursday. Germán has agreed not to appeal.Germán was put on administrative leave on Sept. 19 while MLB investigated an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, with whom he has at least one child. He missed the final nine games of the 2019 regular season and all nine of New York’s postseason games. Those missed games will count toward his ban.The right-hander was the Yankees’ winningest pitcher last season, going 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 24 starts and three relief appearances. The 27-year-old had a $577,500 salary but will not be paid for the time he missed after being placed on leave, costing him $35,153. He is expected to make a similar salary for 2020 but again will not be paid while suspended, losing out on more than $225,000.Germán will be eligible... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán will miss the first 63 games of the 2020 season as part of an 81-game ban for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.The league announced the suspension Thursday. Germán has agreed not to appeal.Germán was put on administrative leave on Sept. 19 while MLB investigated an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, with whom he has at least one child. He missed the final nine games of the 2019 regular season and all nine of New York’s postseason games. Those missed games will count toward his ban.The right-hander was the Yankees’ winningest pitcher last season, going 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 24 starts and three relief appearances. The 27-year-old had a $577,000 salary but will not be paid for the time he missed after being placed on leave. He is expected to make a similar salary for 2020 but again will not be paid while suspended.Germán will be eligible to return June 5 against Tampa Bay, barring any postponements.The... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán will miss the first 63 games of the 2020 season as part of an 81-game ban for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.The league announced the suspension Thursday. Germán has agreed not to appeal.Germán was put on administrative leave on Sept. 19 while MLB investigated an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, with whom he has at least one child. He missed the final nine games of the 2019 regular season and all nine of New York’s postseason games. Those missed games will count toward his ban.The right-hander was the Yankees’ winningest pitcher last season, going 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 24 starts and three relief appearances. The 27-year-old had a $577,000 salary but will not be paid for the time he missed after being placed on leave. He is expected to make a similar salary for 2020 but again will not be paid while suspended.Germán will participate in a treatment program and will also make a contribution... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Curt Flood set off the free-agent revolution 50 years ago Tuesday with a 128-word letter to baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, two paragraphs that pretty much ended the career of a World Series champion regarded as among the sport's stars but united a union behind his cause.St. Louis had traded the All-Star center fielder to Philadelphia just after the 1969 season. Flood broke with the sport's culture of conformity and refused to accept the Cardinals' right to deal him, becoming a pioneer and a pariah.After weeks of discussions with the Major League Baseball Players Association, Flood began the union's equivalent of Lexington and Concord, challenging the reserve clause in first shot of a labor war that would consume the sport for more than a quarter-century."After 12 years in the major leagues, I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes," Flood wrote in his Dec. 24 missive. "I believe that any system which produces that result... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Curt Flood set off the free-agent revolution 50 years ago Tuesday with a 128-word letter to baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, two paragraphs that pretty much ended the career of a World Series champion regarded as among the sport's stars but united a union behind his cause.St. Louis had traded the All-Star center fielder to Philadelphia just after the 1969 season. Flood broke with the sport's culture of conformity and refused to accept the Cardinals' right to deal him, becoming a pioneer and a pariah.After weeks of discussions with the Major League Baseball Players Association, Flood began the union's equivalent of Lexington and Concord, challenging the reserve clause in first shot of a labor war that would consume the sport for more than a quarter-century."After 12 years in the major leagues, I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes," Flood wrote in his Dec. 24 missive. "I believe that any system which produces that result... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Curt Flood set off the free-agent revolution 50 years ago Tuesday with a 128-word letter to baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, two paragraphs that pretty much ended the career of a World Series champion regarded as among the sport's stars but united a union behind his cause.St. Louis had traded the All-Star center fielder to Philadelphia just after the 1969 season. Flood broke with the sport's culture of conformity and refused to accept the Cardinals' right to deal him, becoming a pioneer and a pariah.After weeks of discussions with the Major League Baseball Players Association, Flood began the union's equivalent of Lexington and Concord, challenging the reserve clause in first shot of a labor war that would consume the sport for more than a quarter-century."After 12 years in the major leagues, I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes," Flood wrote in his Dec. 24 missive. "I believe that any system which produces that result... [More]

Hyun-Jin Ryu is headed north of the border to a Toronto Blue Jays team in dire need of starting pitching.One that was willing to pay for it, too.Ryu and the Blue Jays agreed to an $80 million, four-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke late Sunday night on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical after Christmas and had not been announced.Ryu was 14-5 with a major league-best 2.32 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. He started for the National League in his first All-Star Game and finished second in Cy Young Award voting to New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom.The 32-year-old left-hander from South Korea receives a $20 million salary each of the next four years, with no signing bonus. His deal raised agent Scott Boras' total to more than a billion dollars in guaranteed contracts — $1,016,500,000 to be exact — for seven players eligible for free agency since the start of November, agreements extending as many as nine... [More]

Hyun-Jin Ryu is headed north of the border to a Toronto Blue Jays team in dire need of starting pitching.One that was willing to pay for it, too.Ryu and the Blue Jays agreed to an $80 million, four-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke late Sunday night on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical after Christmas and had not been announced.Ryu was 14-5 with a major league-best 2.32 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. The 32-year-old left-hander from South Korea started for the National League in his first All-Star appearance and finished second in Cy Young Award voting to New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom.Ryu receives a $20 million salary each of the next four years, with no signing bonus. His deal raised agent Scott Boras' total to more than a billion dollars in guaranteed contracts — $1,016,500,000 to be exact — for seven players eligible for free agency since the start of November, agreements extending as many... [More]

Free agent pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to an $80 million, four-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke late Sunday night on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical after Christmas and had not been announced.Ryu was 14-5 with a major league-best 2.32 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. The 32-year-old left-hander from South Korea started for the National League in his first All-Star appearance and finished second in Cy Young Award voting to New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom.He receives a $20 million salary each of the next four years, with no signing bonus.Ryu's deal raised agent Scott Boras' total to more than a billion dollars in guaranteed contracts — $1,016,500,000 to be exact — for seven players since the start of November, deals extending as many as nine seasons. He previously negotiated agreements for pitchers Gerrit Cole ($324 million), Stephen Strasburg ($245 million), Dallas Keuchel... [More]

Free agent pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to an $80 million, four-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke late Sunday night on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical sometime after Christmas and had not been announced.Ryu was 14-5 with a 2.32 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. He made his first All-Star team and finished second in NL Cy Young Award voting to New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom.Ryu's deal raised agent Scott Boras' total to $1,016,500,000 in guaranteed contracts for seven players since the start of November, deals extending as many as nine seasons. He previously negotiated agreements for pitchers Gerrit Cole ($324 million), Stephen Strasburg ($245 million), Dallas Keuchel ($55.5 million) and Tony Watson ($3 million); third baseman Anthony Rendon ($245 million) and infielder Mike Moustakas ($64 million).___AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports