MIAMI (AP) — Right-hander Anthony Bass is guaranteed $5 million in his two-year contract with the Miami Marlins and could make $8.5 million over three seasons if a 2023 team option is exercised and he is used extensively as a closer during the first two years. Bass gets $1 million this year and $3 million in 2022 under the deal agreed to last week. Miami's 2023 option is for $3 million with a $1 million buyout. Bass's deal includes $750,000 is possible escalators for 2022 and 2023, based on games finished in the previous year: $125,000 each for 30, 35, 40 and 45, and $250,000 for 50. Bass led the Toronto Blue Jays with seven saves last season, when he went 2-3 with a 3.51 ERA in 26 games. He earned $555,556 in prorated pay from a $1.5 million salary. Bass has pitched for six major league teams and has a career ERA of 4.32 with 15 saves in nine seasons. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jurickson Profar, who played five positions for San Diego last season, signed a $21 million, three-year contract Wednesday to remain with the Padres. Profar had been a free agent. He chose to return to San Diego, which improved significantly this offseason with the additions of starting pitchers Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove, and South Korea slugger Kim Ha-seong. The versatile Profar likely will be coming off the bench. He started last season as the second baseman but was supplanted by rookie Jake Cronenworth and moved to left field, where he filled in for injured Tommy Pham. He also played two games in right field and one each in center and at first base. Kim is expected to compete with Cronenworth at second base. “I don't think it matters anymore," Profar said. “I'm ready to help the team win a World Series.” Profar said he wasn't surprised the Padres still had money and the desire to bring him back after making the other moves this offseason. “I think I did... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jon Lester has been a part of three World Series champions and collected nearly 200 wins in the majors. He's been a five-time All-Star and a Cy Young runner-up. Now 37 and heading toward his 16th season in the big leagues, the left-hander is looking forward to being a member of a stacked Washington Nationals rotation that features three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin. “I’ll tell you what: It's going to be nice to just kind of sit back and watch these guys work. I mean, obviously, I’ve seen them from afar and got to compete against them for a long time. I’m excited to work with them. It’s always nice when you go to another team and you get to see how guys work,” Lester said Wednesday on a video conference after finalizing a $5 million, one-year contract that brings him to the Nationals after six seasons with the Chicago Cubs. Lester and Washington had a 2021 agreement in principle in place last week, pending... [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. 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) — In a deal between two of baseball's busiest teams this winter, the New York Mets traded left-hander Steven Matz to the Toronto Blue Jays for three young pitchers Wednesday night. New York received reliever Sean Reid-Foley and minor league right-handers Josh Winckowski and Yennsy Díaz in a move that could signal the Mets are pursuing a pricey free agent. Matz, a New York product, is set to earn $5.2 million this year and can become a free agent after the season. He is coming off a miserable 2020, when he went 0-5 with a 9.68 ERA and lost his rotation spot during the pandemic-shortened season. Matz spent the final month of the season on the injured list with shoulder discomfort. He made six starts and three relief appearances. Beset by several injuries during his career, the 29-year-old lefty is 31-41 with a 4.35 ERA and 552 strikeouts over 579 2/3 innings in six major league seasons, all with the Mets. Toronto is hoping Matz can regain his early form and strengthen a suspect pitching staff as the Blue Jays look to complement a talented group of hitters that includes free-agent newcomer George Springer. ___ More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jurickson Profar, who played five positions for San Diego last season, signed a $21 million, three-year contract Wednesday to remain with the Padres. Profar had been a free agent. He chose to return to San Diego, which improved significantly this offseason with the additions of starting pitchers Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove, and South Korea slugger Kim Ha-seong. The versatile Profar likely will be coming off the bench. He started last season as the second baseman but was supplanted by rookie Jake Cronenworth and moved to left field, where he filled in for injured Tommy Pham. He also played two games in right field and one each in center and at first base. Kim is expected to compete with Cronenworth at second base. “I don't think it matters anymore," Profar said. “I'm ready to help the team win a World Series.” Profar said he wasn't surprised the Padres still had money and the desire to bring him back after making the other moves this offseason. “I think I did... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Mets added a left-hander to their bullpen, agreeing to a one-year contract with Aaron Loup, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. Loup, 33, was 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA in 25 innings over 24 games for AL champion Tampa Bay last season, allowing 17 hits while striking out 22 and walking four. Once considered a lefty specialist, he held right-handed batters to a .192 average with three home runs in 58 plate appearances and left-handed batters to a .212 average with no home runs in 38 plate appearances. Loup did not allow a run in eight of nine postseason appearances. Leading 5-4 in the seventh inning of World Series Game 4, he gave up a single to Corey Seager and a double to Justin Turner, then struck out Max Muncy. Joc Pederson hit a two-run single off Nick Anderson with two outs, but the Rays rallied in the ninth inning to beat the... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jon Lester has been a part of three World Series champions and collected nearly 200 wins in the majors. He's been a five-time All-Star and a Cy Young runner-up. Now 37 and heading toward his 16th season in the big leagues, the left-hander is looking forward to being a member of a stacked Washington Nationals rotation that features three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin. “I’ll tell you what: It's going to be nice to just kind of sit back and watch these guys work. I mean, obviously, I’ve seen them from afar and got to compete against them for a long time. I’m excited to work with them. It’s always nice when you go to another team and you get to see how guys work,” Lester said Wednesday on a video conference after finalizing a $5 million, one-year contract that brings him to the Nationals after six seasons with the Chicago Cubs. Lester and Washington had a 2021 agreement in principle in place last week, pending... [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 Mets added a left-hander to their bullpen, agreeing to a one-year contract with Aaron Loup, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. Loup, 33, was 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA in 25 innings over 24 games for AL champion Tampa Bay last season, allowing 17 hits while striking out 22 and walking four. Once considered a lefty specialist, he held right-handed batters to a .192 average with three home runs in 58 plate appearances and left-handed batters to a .212 average with no home runs in 38 plate appearances. Loup did not allow a run in eight of nine postseason appearances. Leading 5-4 in the seventh inning of World Series Game 4, he gave up a single to Corey Seager and a double to Justin Turner, then struck out Max Muncy. Joc Pederson hit a two-run single off Nick Anderson with two outs, but the Rays rallied in the ninth inning to beat the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees completed one of their primary offseason objectives, finalizing a $90 million, six-year contract on Wednesday to retain AL batting champion DJ LeMahieu. New York also has a pending $11 million, one-year contract with right-handed starter Corey Kluber and a $2.5 million, one-year deal with submarining right-handed reliever Darren O’Day. Both those deals are subject to successful physicals. 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 RBIs in the shortened 2020 season after hitting .327 with 26 homers and 102 RBIs in his first season in New York. LeMahieu started his big league career with the Chicago Cubs in 2011, then was traded to Colorado. He has a .305 average with 85 homers and 478 RBIs in 10 big league seasons, and he has won three Gold Gloves at second base. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — Left-handed starter Jon Lester and the Washington Nationals finalized a $5 million, one-year contract Wednesday, giving the team a fourth member of a rotation led by Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin. Lester and the team had an agreement in principle in place last week, pending the successful completion of a physical exam. The five-time All-Star and Nationals manager Dave Martinez know each other well: Martinez was the bench coach for the Chicago Cubs when Lester helped that club win the 2016 World Series for its first title in 108 years. Coming off a last-place finish in the NL East in 2020, Washington has had a busy offseason that already includes adding outfielder Kyle Schwarber — like Lester, from the Cubs — and lefty reliever Brad Hand via free agency, first baseman Josh Bell in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates and re-signing Ryan Zimmerman after he sat out last season because of the coronavirus pandemic. Lester turned 37 this month and will be... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees quickly found a replacement for their bullpen, agreeing to a $2.5 million, one-year contract with submarining right-hander Darren O’Day, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The deal includes player and club options for 2022, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement is a subject to a successful physical. O'Day takes the spot vacated when the Yankees traded right-hander Adam Ottavino to Boston on Monday, a move that cut $7.15 million from New York’s payroll. O’Day figures to join left-hander Zack Britton and right-hander Chad Green as the primary setup men for closer Aroldis Chapman. O’Day, 38, was 4-0 with a 1.10 ERA in 16 1/3 innings over 19 games last year with Atlanta, striking out 22 and walking five while allowing eight hits. While his fastball averaged just 86 mph, his low arm angle creates deception; right-hander hitters batted .143 (7 for 49) off him with one home run, by Boston’s... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees quickly found a replacement for their bullpen, agreeing to a $2.5 million, one-year contract with submarining right-hander Darren O’Day, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The deal includes player and club options for 2022, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement is a subject to a successful physical. O'Day takes the spot vacated when the Yankees traded right-hander Adam Ottavino to Boston on Monday, a move that cut $7.15 million from New York’s payroll. O’Day figures to join left-hander Zack Britton and right-hander Chad Green as the primary seteup men for closer Aroldis Chapman. O’Day, 38, was 4-0 with a 1.10 ERA in 16 1/3 innings over 19 games last year with Atlanta, striking out 22 and walking five while allowing eight hits. While his fastball averaged just 86 mph, his low arm angle creates deception; right-hander hitters batted .143 (7 for 49) off him with one home run, by Boston’s... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — George Springer thinks Toronto's promising young core is similar to the group he played with that led Houston to its first World Series title in 2017. Springer and the Blue Jays agreed last week to a team-record $150 million, six-year contract. He joined a roster that includes young sluggers Vladimir Guerrero and Bo Bichette, The three-time All-Star outfielder was 2017 World Series MVP when he played with José Altuve, Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa. “This lineup reminds me a lot of them,” Springer said, wearing a Toronto cap and jersey during a video news conference. “It is a young lineup but it’s a very talented, advanced younger lineup. From everything I’ve seen, they’re very, very ambitious. They want to win, they work hard. That’s awesome to see.” Toronto went 32-28 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, finishing third in the AL East behind Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees and qualifying for the expanded postseason. The Blue Jays swept in two games during a first-round... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Braves added depth by agreeing to a minor league contract with utility player Ehire Adrianza. The 31-year-old Adrianza would receive a $1.5 million, one-year contract if added to the Braves' 40-man roster. Adrianza has played eight seasons with the San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins. He hit .191 in 44 games with the Twins in 2020 after batting .272 with Minnesota in 2019. He has a .244 career batting average with 16 homers. Adrianza has played more games at shortstop and third base than any other position but also has seen time at second base, first base and in the outfield. The agreement with Adrianza followed third baseman Pablo Sandoval's minor league deal with the Braves this week. Sandoval would receive a $1 million, one-year contract if he is added to the 40-man roster. The 34-year-old Sandoval hit .214 in 84 at-bats with the Braves and San Francisco Giants in 2020. Austin Riley enters spring training as the favorite to start at third base for the Braves. Riley also is an option in left field. ___ More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins and slick-fielding shortstop Andrelton Simmons agreed Tuesday night to a $10.5 million, one-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal is subject to a physical exam. The 31-year-old Simmons, a four-time Gold Glove winner, played the last five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels after spending his first four years in the major leagues with the Atlanta Braves. His fielding ability has been so superb that he received MVP award votes in 2013, 2017 and 2018 despite essentially average production at the plate. Provided that third baseman Josh Donaldson, last year's prize free agent landed by the Twins, can overcome the calf injury that limited him in 2020, the defense on the left side of the infield in Minnesota ought to be a pitcher's dream. The arrival of Simmons will likely move Jorge Polanco to second base and Luis Arráez into a multi-positional... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins and slick-fielding shortstop Andrelton Simmons agreed Tuesday night to a $10.5 million, one-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal is subject to a physical exam. The 31-year-old Simmons, a four-time Gold Glove winner, played the last five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels after spending his first four years in the major leagues with the Atlanta Braves. His fielding ability has been so superb that he received MVP award votes in 2013, 2017 and 2018 despite essentially average production at the plate. Provided that third baseman Josh Donaldson, last year's prize free agent landed by the Twins, can overcome the calf injury that limited him in 2020, the defense on the left side of the infield in Minnesota ought to be a pitcher's dream. The arrival of Simmons will likely move Jorge Polanco to second base and Luis Arráez into a multi-positional... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Brian Snitker choked back tears as he remembered Hank Aaron’s affection for those who didn’t possess his unparalleled talent on the baseball field. During his post-playing career running the Atlanta Braves farm system, the Hammer had a penchant for looking beyond the can’t-miss prospects. “He always wanted to move a player up, and he preferred that it wasn’t the so-called bonus babies," said Snitker, who has managed the Braves since 2016 and got his start in the dugout thanks to Aaron. "He wanted to get that grinder guy, the guy who was overachieving.” Snitker was among those who spoke Tuesday at a memorial service honoring Aaron, who died last week from natural causes at the age of 86. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, Hall of Famer Chipper Jones and former Braves outfielder Marquis Grissom were among those who spoke at the ceremony, which was held before a small, socially distanced crowd — including Aaron’s widow, Billye, and other family members — on the concourse directly... [More]

The Orioles filled a hole in their infield by agreeing Tuesday with free agent Freddy Galvis to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Galvis broke into the big leagues with Philadelphia in 2012 and spent the last two years with Cincinnati. The 31-year-old hit .220 with seven homers and 16 RBIs during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Galvis is expected to take over as Baltimore's shortstop from José Iglesias, traded to the Los Angeles Angels in December. Galvis played 33 games at shortstop last season and 16 at second base. He would receive a $250,000 assignment bonus the first time he is traded. Galvis had a $5.5 million salary last season — the option year of his previous contract — which wound up as $2,037,037 prorated during the shortened season. Galvis has a .247 career batting average with 95 home runs and 386 RBIs. A journeyman who's headed to his fifth big league team, Galvis started with the Phillies, made a one-year stop with San Diego in 2018 and played in Toronto before joining Cincinnati during the 2019 season. His best season offensively was in 2019, when he hit 23 homers with 70 RBIs. Baltimore signed him primarily for his ability to deftly play in the middle of the infield. He has a .984 fielding percentage as a shortstop over 801 games. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports