ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rangers general manager Jon Daniels anticipates adding depth to his rotation. It remains unlikely that pitcher will be a front-line starter."We're not going to close the door on the chance to add premium talent. You always explore it," Daniels said Tuesday. "But if I had to handicap it, I don't think it's highly likely at this point."Yu Darvish, traded by the Rangers to the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers last July, is among several starting pitchers still available as free agents. Jake Arrieta, the 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner who went to nearby TCU, is also among that group.Daniels has consistently said the Rangers, who missed the playoffs last season after consecutive AL West titles, didn't plan to spend big this offseason."We're pretty realistic about where we are and what our goals are, both short- and long-term," Daniels said. "We've said from Day 1 we were not going to kind of go all-in from a standpoint of spending big dollars against this year."After a... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Right-handed reliever Addison Reed and Minnesota have finalized a $16.75 million, two-year contract, putting another pitcher with closing experience in the back of the Twins' bullpen.The deal, agreed to over the weekend, was announced Monday and calls for salaries of $8.25 million this year and $8.5 million in 2019. The Twins agreed to a deal with right-hander Fernando Rodney in the offseason.Reed has 125 saves in seven major league seasons. He started last season with the New York Mets, then was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2010 and took over the ninth inning for them two years later.Reed had a career-best 40 saves in 2013, with 72 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings and a 3.79 ERA. He was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks the following offseason, then to the Mets in 2015. He served as their primary setup man for two years, filling in as the closer when Jeurys Familia was suspended or injured.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Left-hander Wade LeBlanc has agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees and will report to major league spring training.The 33-year-old LeBlanc was 5-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 50 relief appearances last year for Pittsburgh, which declined his $1.25 million option for 2018.LeBlanc is 30-35 in nine seasons with a 4.40 ERA in 79 starts and 97 relief appearances for San Diego (2008-11), Miami (2012-13), Houston (2013), the Yankees (2014), Los Angeles Angels (2014), Seattle (2016) and Pittsburgh.He was claimed by the Yankees off waivers from Angels and pitched one game, on June 4, 2014, against Oakland. He allowed two singles, a one-out intentional walk, a hit batter and a sacrifice fly before getting out of the inning. LeBlanc was designated for assignment a week later.LeBlanc would get a $1 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster.His deal was first reported by ESPN.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Royals pitcher Danny Duffy has pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in a Kansas City suburb and has been placed on a year's probation.Sean Reilly, a spokesman for the city of Overland Park, Kansas, said Tuesday that Duffy entered the plea last week and will pay $1,220 in fines and court fees. Duffy must report to a probation officer once a month and abstain from drugs and alcohol. He also will be subject to random breath, urine or blood screenings.Royals spokesman Mike Swanson said the plea is a matter between Duffy, his representatives and the city.Police stopped and cited Duffy in August after he returned to Kansas City during a road trip for an exam on the elbow of his pitching arm. The left-hander underwent surgery in October and is expected to be ready for spring training next month.Duffy went 9-10 with a 3.81 ERA over 24 starts in the first season of a five-year, $65 million contract extension. He struck out 130 while issuing just 41 walks, and was expected to be the ace of a rebuilt starting rotation.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen didn't run from the challenge in Pittsburgh, he embraced it. A rising star on a franchise mired in two decades of losing, McCutchen bet on the Pirates in the spring of 2012 by signing a six-year contract, gambling that he could become one of the game's best while helping the city reconnect with a team it had long since abandoned.It paid off for all involved.The dynamic, charismatic outfielder became an MVP while ushering in a renaissance. Five All-Star games. Three playoff appearances. A ballpark packed with fans wearing his No. 22. Everything McCutchen and owner Bob Nutting talked about on that sun-dappled Florida day six years ago came to fruition.And on Monday, it all came to an end.Facing the certainty that they couldn't re-sign McCutchen when he hit free agency next winter, the Pirates traded him to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for right-hander Kyle Crick, minor league outfielder Bryan Reynolds and $500,000 in international signing bonus allocation.... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Giants found the outfielder they were looking for this winter, acquiring Andrew McCutchen from Pittsburgh on Monday to fill a key void.San Francisco parted with right-hander Kyle Crick, minor league outfielder Bryan Reynolds and $500,000 in international signing bonus allocation. The Pirates also sent $2.5 million to the Giants to cover part of McCutchen's $14.75 million salary."It's no secret that we were looking to further add run production to our lineup," said Brian Sabean, Giants executive vice president of baseball operations. "Anytime you have the opportunity to bring aboard someone with such a track record, you have to jump on it."The 31-year-old McCutchen, a former NL MVP and long the face of the Pirates' franchise, became the second star jettisoned by Pittsburgh in three days. Ace Gerrit Cole was traded to Houston on Saturday."Pittsburgh.My Home.My Fans.My City," McCutchen tweeted . "You will 4ever be in my heart."McCutchen added: "Now...I'm a Giant! Ive... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Nationals have agreed to a $7 million, two-year contract with outfielder Howie Kendrick, a deal subject to a successful physical.Agent Pat Murphy confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on Monday. USA Today was first to report the deal.Kendrick, 34, hit .293 with seven home runs and RBIs in 52 games with Washington after he was acquired from Philadelphia. The versatile right-handed hitter got just three plate appearances off the bench in the playoffs.In 12 major league seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Dodgers, Phillies and Nationals, Kendrick is a .291 hitter with a .755 OPS. He's now primarily an outfielder for Washington after playing left field, second base, first base and other positions throughout his career.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Free agent first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and the New York Mets have reached agreement on a one-year contract.The 35-year-old Gonzalez needs to pass a physical to complete the deal. He was limited to 71 games last season because of a herniated disk in his back, and was left off the Los Angeles Dodgers' postseason roster.Gonzalez is a five-time All-Star, hitting .288 with 311 career home runs. He batted just .242 last season and was traded to Atlanta in December. The Braves released him shortly after the deal.Gonzalez is owed more than $21 million next season, but the Mets would be responsible for just $545,000 if he makes the team. New York tried rookie Dominic Smith at first base late last season, but the rookie hit only .198.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — All-Star closer Brad Hand and the San Diego Padres have agreed to a three-year contract reportedly worth $19.75 million, pending the left-hander passing a physical.The Padres say the deal was reached Saturday. It includes a fourth-year option.Hand went 3-4 with 21 saves and a 2.16 ERA last season. He's been mentioned in trade talk since last summer."I'm 27 right now and have the chance to be a free agent again at a younger age, which is something we kind of wanted to keep in play," Hand said. "I don't think they're far off here from winning, maybe three or four years from now will be a very exciting time."The Padres are heading into the second year of a deep rebuild. They hope to be competitive by next season.The Padres signed Hand off waivers from the Marlins on April 8, 2016."Brad's a guy that's going to lead the bullpen and anchor the bullpen," manager Andy Green said. "He has the skill and the makeup to do those things. Resiliency, too. I've never been around a pitcher that takes the ball as willingly and as often as he does. He wants to be on the mound every single day. He loves to pitch."

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros already had two Cy Young winners on their staff. They're hoping Gerrit Cole can make it three.The World Series champions boosted their rotation with another big arm, acquiring Cole from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a five-player trade Saturday.The Pirates got right-handers Joe Musgrove and Michael Feliz, third baseman Colin Moran and outfielder Jason Martin for their 27-year-old ace.Cole will join All-Stars Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander on a team that just won its first crown. Houston breezed to the AL West title with 101 wins, and went on beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.Cole went 12-12 with a 4.26 ERA last season, by far the worst ERA of his five-year career. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft was an All-Star in 2015 but hasn't replicated those results the past two seasons. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow thinks pitching coach Brent Strom can help Cole recapture that form."We expect him to bounce back and be a Cy... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Spring training starts next month, and new Chicago Cubs hitting coach Chili Davis is already hard at work.Davis has been studying video of Jason Heyward and Kyle Schwarber, and he has had several one-on-one sessions with Heyward in Arizona."We started off in early November one day a week and we've graduated to Tuesdays and Thursdays," Davis said Saturday during the team's annual fan convention. "I think last Tuesday was our first on-the-field live BP. We've been in the cage most of the time."Davis was hired in October to replace John Mallee, who spent three seasons as Chicago's hitting coach. Davis played in the majors for 19 years and served as the hitting coach in Oakland and Boston for the previous six seasons, including the last three with the Red Sox."As far as I'm concerned, Mallee I look at as a really good hitting coach," Davis said. "It was surprising to me that a team that had been to the playoffs three years in a row and had won a World Series with him here was... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Outfielder-first baseman Scott Van Slyke has signed a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins after spending the past six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.Right-handed pitchers Jumbo Diaz, Javy Guerra and Tyler Cloyd and left-hander Mike Kickham also signed minor league deals with the Marlins. All five players received invitations to spring training.Van Slyke batted .122 in 29 games last year. He's a career .242 hitter with 29 homers.Diaz went 1-4 with a 5.70 ERA in 31 games as a relief pitcher for Tampa Bay last season. Guerra has a 2.99 ERA in 169 games of relief over a seven-year career with four teams, including the Marlins last year.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets have reached one-year deals with starters Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey and settled with five other players.Relievers Jeurys Familia, A.J. Ramos and Hansel Robles, catcher Travis d'Arnaud and infielder Wilmer Flores also agreed Friday to one-year contracts and avoided arbitration.Starter Zack Wheeler was the only Mets player who exchanged salary figures with the team. He asked for $1.9 million and the club offered $1.5 million.While many of his Mets rotation mates got hurt or hit hard last year, deGrom ($7.4 million) was a rock all season for a team that finished 70-92. He went 15-10 with a 3.53 ERA in 31 starts, emerging as the staff ace with Syndergaard injured.The 2014 NL Rookie of the Year, deGrom ranked second in the National League with 239 strikeouts last season and fifth with 201 1/3 innings — 81 more than any other New York pitcher. He set career highs in both categories, as well as wins, though his ERA was his highest in four... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Third baseman Josh Donaldson and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $23 million contract Friday, the largest one-year deal for an arbitration-eligible player.The 32-year-old, a three-time All-Star, topped the $21,625,000, one-year deal covering 2018 agreed to last May by outfielder Bryce Harper and Washington.Donaldson, the 2015 AL MVP, got a $6 million raise after rebounding from an injury-slowed 2016 to hit .270 last season with 33 homers and 78 RBIs in 113 games. The sure-handed infielder missed time from April 14 through May 25 with a calf injury, which also hampered him during spring training.Donaldson was coming off a $28.65 million, two-year deal. He is eligible for free agency after this season.Toronto also agreed to one-year deals with outfielder Ezequiel Carrera for $1.9 million, left-hander Aaron Loup for $1,812,500, outfielder Kevin Pillar for $3.25 million, right-hander Aaron Sanchez for $2.7 million, second baseman Devon Travis for $1.45 million and right-hander... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals agreed with reliever Kelvin Herrera and starter Nate Karns on one-year contracts Friday to avoid arbitration, leaving reliever Brandon Maurer as their only player still on track for a hearing next month.Herrera will make $7,937,500, an increase from $5,325,000. He would get a $50,000 bonus if he's an All-Star, which he was in 2015 and 2016.He was just 2-2 with a 4.25 ERA last season after taking on the full-time closer job.Karns will make $1,375,000 in his first year of arbitration eligibility, an increase from the $571,000 he made last season. He would get a $12,500 each for 15 and 20 starts and $50,000 if he's an All-Star.Karns missed most of last season after surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. He was 2-2 with a 4.17 ERA in nine games, eight of them starts, and is expected to compete for a rotation spot this spring.Maurer asked for a raise from $1.9 million to $3.5 million and was offered $2.95 million.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Closer Alex Colome and All-Star designated hitter/outfielder Corey Dickerson are among seven players who agreed to one-year contracts with the Tampa Bay Rays, avoiding salary arbitration.Infielders Matt Duffy and Brad Miller, outfielder Steven Souza, Jr., catcher Jesus Sucre and relief pitcher Dan Jennings also reached terms before Friday's deadline for players and teams to exchange proposed salaries for next season.Pitcher Jake Odorizzi and shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria are Tampa Bay's only arbitration-eligible players who didn't agree to deals. Odorizzi's case set to be settled by an arbiter for the second straight winter.The 27-year-old right-hander won his arbitration case last February, receiving a raise from $520,700 to $4.1 million. He went 10-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 28 starts last season.This time, Odorizzi is seeking $6.3 million while the Rays are offering $6.05 million.Hechavarria, acquired in a trade from Miami in June, is asking for $5.9 million after... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers have agreed to a one-year, $6.05 million contract with Nicholas Castellanos, avoiding arbitration.The Tigers also reached one-year deals with right-handers Alex Wilson ($1,925,000) and Shane Greene ($1.95 million). Shortstop Jose Iglesias is still eligible for arbitration. He is asking for $6.8 million and the team is offering $5.6 million.Castellanos hit .272 with 26 home runs and 101 RBIs last season. He started 128 games at third base and 20 in right field. He may play more in the outfield in 2018 if Jeimer Candelario can hold the third base job.In addition to his base salary, he has a $25,000 bonus for 500 plate appearances.Wilson went 2-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 66 relief appearances last year, and Greene was 4-3 with a 2.66 ERA and nine saves.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached one-year deals with center fielder A.J. Pollock, third baseman Jake Lamb and starters Robbie Ray and Taijuan Walker, avoiding salary arbitration with them and several other players.Right-hander Shelby Miller was the only Arizona player left in salary arbitration, asking for $4.9 million and being offered $4.7 million as the sides exchanged figures Friday. He lost in arbitration last year, getting $4.7 million instead of the $5.1 million he sought.The 30-year-old Pollock will get $7.75 million, up from the $6.75 million he made last season while hitting .266 with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs. An All-Star in 2015, he missed nearly the entire 2016 season after breaking his elbow in a headfirst slide at home plate near the end of spring training.Lamb received a $4,275,000 contract, Ray got $3.95 million and Walker received $4,825,000.Also reaching deals were left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin for $1,195,000; right-hander Brian Boxberger at $1.85... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers have avoided arbitration with all of their eligible players after reaching one-year agreements with pitchers Jimmy Nelson and Corey Knebel, as well as infielders Jonathan Villar and Hernan Perez.Nelson reached a $3.7 million deal for 2018 after a breakthrough season in which he went 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA and a team-leading 199 strikeouts. Knebel, who made the All-Star team in his first year as closer, gets $3.65 million.Villar's deal is for $2.55 million. The switch-hitter hit .241, 44 points lower than in 2016.Perez agreed to a $1,975,000 deal. He had career highs with 14 home runs, 19 doubles, 136 games and 432 at-bats last year.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a one-year, $9 million contract with newly acquired outfielder Marcell Ozuna, avoiding arbitration.The Cardinals also reached one-year deals on Friday with outfielder Randal Grichuk ($2.6 million), right-hander Michael Wacha ($5.3 million) and left-hander Tyler Lyons ($1.2 million).Ozuna is coming off a breakout season. He hit .312 with 37 homers and 124 RBIs for the Miami Marlins, then was traded to St. Louis in December.Grichuk batted .238 with 22 home runs and 59 RBIs last year, his second straight 20-homer season. Wacha was 12-9 with a 4.13 ERA in 30 starts, and Lyons was 4-1 with a 2.83 ERA in 50 relief appearances.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball