The Chicago White Sox have signed outfielder Patrick Kivlehan and left-hander Wes Benjamin to minor league deals. The White Sox also signed pitchers Will Carter, Matthew McGarry and Bowen Plagge to minor league contracts. Kivlehan played in just five games for the San Diego Padres in 2021 and had one hit in eight plate appearances. In parts of four big league seasons with the Padres, Reds and Diamondbacks, he's hit .208/.308/.398 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI in 250 plate appearances. Benjamin spent the last two seasons with the Texas Rangers, recording a 6.80 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 40 strikeouts and 24 walks in 45 innings over 21 appearances (three starts). Both Kivlehan and Benjamin will give the White Sox some organizational depth.

DENVER (AP) — The virus-depleted San Diego Padres made a series of moves Wednesday to bolster a lineup that is missing outfielder Wil Myers and shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. after they tested positive for the coronavirus. Myers was added to the injured list before a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Joining him was first baseman Eric Hosmer, who's out due to Major League Baseball’s contact tracing health and safety protocols. The Padres have now had five players go on the injured list over the last two days due to virus concerns. To take their place, San Diego recalled infielder/outfielder Brian O’Grady from Triple-A El Paso and selected the contract of outfielder Patrick Kivlehan. Kivlehan was starting in right field for Myers in the first game and batting seventh. Kim Ha?seong was in the starting lineup at shortstop and Jake Cronenworth at first. Tatis was ruled out Tuesday afternoon after a positive test. Padres manager Jayce Tingler said he learned of the news... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Infielder Breyvic Valera was claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays off waivers from the San Diego Padres.Toronto also placed four players on the 10-day injured list in moves retroactive to Tuesday: right-handers Elvis Luciano and Hector Perez, third baseman Brandon Drury and center fielder Jonathan Davis.The 28-year-old Valera hit .234 in 17 games last season for the New York Yankees and the Blue Jays, who claimed him off waivers on Sept. 20. He hit his first career home run on the final day of the regular season.San Diego claimed him off waivers from Toronto on Feb. 12. Valera has a .223 average in 54 games over three seasons. He also has played for St. Louis, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore.Toronto announced the move Thursday and also added right-hander Bryan Baker, infielder Patrick Kivlehan and outfielder Josh Palacios to its training camp player pool.The Blue Jays have not said where their training camp will be. Most clubs start practice Friday.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) — Right-hander Anthony Bass and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year contract Monday that avoided salary arbitration.Toronto declined to offer contracts to right-hander Derek Law and catcher Luke Maile, allowing the pair to become free agents rather than have them be eligible for arbitration.Three Blue Jays remain eligible for arbitration: closer Ken Giles, second baseman Brandon Drury and right-hander Matt Shoemaker.Toronto also didn’t offer a contract to right-hander Jason Adam, who was not eligible for arbitration.Bass was 2-4 with a 3.56 ERA in 44 relief appearances for Seattle last season, then was claimed off waivers by Toronto on Oct. 29. A veteran of eight major league seasons, he also has pitched for San Diego (2011-13), Texas (2015) and the Chicago Cubs (2018). He spent 2016 in Japan with the Pacific League’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.Toronto also agreed to minor league contracts with Canadian right-hander Phillippe Aumont along with right-handers A.J. Cole and Justin Miller, second baseman Andy Burns and outfielder Patrick Kivlehan. They will all report to major league spring training.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Kyle Seager will be absent next week when the Seattle Mariners play the major league opener in Japan. Mike Foltynewicz will miss opening day for Atlanta, too.Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, meanwhile, is on the mend.The Mariners said Monday that Seager needs surgery on his left hand, sidelining the third baseman through at least April. The former All-Star and Gold Glove winner rolled his glove going for a grounder in a spring training game last week.Seattle is likely to move first baseman Ryon Healy across the diamond to third. The Mariners and Oakland begin the regular season on March 20 in Tokyo.The Braves had hoped Foltynewicz could start on March 28 when the NL East champions open at Philadelphia, but a sore elbow has slowed the All-Star righty.Foltynewicz has yet to make an appearance in an exhibition game because of discomfort that began about two weeks ago."We're just trying to figure out at what point do we get him up to five innings?" general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "He's not... [More]

Kyle Seager will be absent next week when the Seattle Mariners play the major league opener in Japan. Mike Foltynewicz will miss opening day for Atlanta, too.Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, meanwhile, is on the mend.The Mariners said Monday that Seager needs surgery on his left hand, sidelining the third baseman through at least April. The former All-Star and Gold Glove winner rolled his glove going for a grounder in a spring training game last week.Seattle is likely to move first baseman Ryon Healy across the diamond to third. The Mariners and Oakland begin the regular season on March 20 in Tokyo.The Braves had hoped Foltynewicz could start on March 28 when the NL East champions open at Philadelphia, but a sore elbow has slowed the All-Star righty.Foltynewicz has yet to make an appearance in an exhibition game because of discomfort that began about two weeks ago."We're just trying to figure out at what point do we get him up to five innings?" general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "He's not... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Dustin Pedroia's first game in nearly 10 months couldn't have gone much better — even if it lasted just one inning.Pedroia cleanly fielded a two-out grounder by Minnesota's Jake Cave, then singled off Kohl Stewart leading off the bottom half of Boston's 12-1 loss Thursday."It made me happy to run around the bases," Pedroia said. "It was really fun out there."A four-time All-Star and the 2008 AL MVP, Pedroia's knee problems began with a spikes-up takeout slide at second by Baltimore's Manny Machado on April 21, 2017. Pedroia went on the disabled list three times that season, twice because of knee inflammation, and had left knee surgery that Oct. 25.He played in five injury rehabilitation games at Triple-A Pawtucket last May 14-24, appeared in three games for the Red Sox from May 26-29, then went back on the disabled list for the rest of the season."I just need to keep building on this. I hadn't seen a pitch since May 29. Everything went well," Pedroia said.Cave and... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Dustin Pedroia's first game in nearly 10 months couldn't have gone much better — even if it lasted just one inning.Pedroia cleanly fielded a two-out grounder by Minnesota's Jake Cave, then singled off Kohl Stewart leading off the bottom half of Boston's 12-1 loss Thursday."It made me happy to run around the bases," Pedroia said. "It was really fun out there."A four-time All-Star and the 2008 AL MVP, Pedroia's knee problems began with a spikes-up takeout slide at second by Baltimore's Manny Machado on April 21, 2017. Pedroia went on the disabled list three times that season, twice because of knee inflammation, and had left knee surgery that Oct. 25.He played in five injury rehabilitation games at Triple-A Pawtucket last May 14-24, appeared in three games for the Red Sox from May 26-29, then went back on the disabled list for the rest of the season."I just need to keep building on this. I hadn't seen a pitch since May 29. Everything went well," Pedroia said.Cave and... [More]

Kivlehan is slashing .249/.296/.464 with 11 home runs and eight steals in 230 plate appearances with Triple-A Tacoma.

A .268 BABIP is contributing to Kivlehan's low batting average, but everything else about his numbers has to inspire some confidence. The 25-year-old has played at least six games at first base, third base, left field, center field and right field so far this season, so it's anybody's guess where he will fit in for the Mariners. His ability to play the outfield might be his best shot at getting a call-up this year, but the acquisition of Mark Trumbo might cloud that picture. Kivlehan will also be competing with Tacoma teammate Jesus Montero, who might be the preferred option if the Mariners seek a first baseman or DH.