Laird signed a contract to play in Japan in 2015 for the Nippon Ham Fighters, the New York Post reports.

Laird played 25 games for Houston in 2013 and spent all of 2014 at Triple-A Syracuse where he struggled with a .584 OPS. At age 27, he could return to MLB if he revives his career in Japan.

Nationals acquired INF Brandon Laird from the Royals in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.

The 26-year-old appeared in 25 games with the Astros in 2013, slashing a meager .169/.224/.423 with five homers, 11 RBI and an astounding 26/3 K/BB ratio in 71 at-bats. He'll provide organizational depth for the Nationals, but is a non-factor in most fantasy leagues.

Royals signed 1B Brandon Laird to a minor league contract.

Laird was removed from the Astros' 40-man roster in October and elected to become a free agent. The infielder, whom the Royals described as a third baseman on their Twitter account, hit .169/.224/.423 in 71 at-bats with the Astros in 2013. The 26-year-old will serve as organizational depth.

Brandon Laird homered in Friday's loss to the Indians.

It was the only offense of the night for the Astros. Laird, who was filling in for Matt Dominguez (hand) at third base, is batting .196 with four homers and a .758 OPS in 19 games with the Astros this season and isn't an option in most fantasy leagues.

Astros recalled 1B Brandon Laird from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Laird hit .200/.243/.429 with two home runs in 35 at-bats in his first go-round with the club. He'll likely be a pinch-hitting option for the Astros over the final three weeks.

Astros optioned INF Brandon Laird to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Laird hit two homers in 11 games with the Astros, but he hit only .200/.243/.429 overall. He should get another shot later this season.

Brandon Laird homered, doubled twice and drove in four runs as the Astros rolled over the Mariners 10-3 on Wednesday.

Laird, who failed to make the Astros despite a little homer binge in spring training, now has two more bombs in four starts since being called up. He's not likely to hit for average, but the Astros will keep him in the lineup while he's hot and that will give him some value in AL-only leagues.

Astros recalled INF Brandon Laird from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Laird was batting .353 with a .932 OPS and two home runs in 12 games at the Triple-A level. He should see semi-regular playing time at the corner infield spots in Houston but probably won't be fantasy-relevant.

Coming off the bench, Brandon Laird hit his fourth homer Sunday against the Blue Jays.

Laird was bumped from the Astros' 40-man roster in December, but he went unclaimed on waivers and he's back in the running for a bench spot now. It still figures to be difficult for the team to find room for him.

Astros sent INF-OF Brandon Laird outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The move clears him from the 40-man roster. The 25-year-old hit .257 (9-for-35) with one home run and four RBI in 17 games with the Astros this past season and figures to serve as organizational depth in 2013.

Astros claimed INF-OF Brandon Laird off waivers from the Yankees.

Laird, the younger brother of Tigers' catcher Gerald Laird, was hitting .254/.307/.414 with 15 homers and 77 RBI though 130 games in his third season for the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate. It's a nice gamble for the Astros to take, as the 24-year-old could develop into a solid utility player at the major league level.

Yankees designated INF-OF Brandon Laird for assignment.

The younger brother of Tigers catcher Gerald Laird was batting just .254 with a .307 on-base percentage in 130 games this season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He could draw some interest on waivers because he's only 24 years old but Brandon is far from prospect status.

Yankees optioned INF-OF Brandon Laird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Laird was 2-for-17 with five strikeouts this spring in the Grapefruit League. The 24-year-old utilityman should see action in the big leagues at some point this year.

Yankees recalled INF-OF Brandon Laird from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Laird has been given only six at-bats this season on the major league level and probably won't see many more opportunities this month. He's simply bench depth.

Yankees optioned INF/OF Brandon Laird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

He was sent down to make room for Eric Chavez's return from the disabled list. Laird went 1-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored in his first taste of the big leagues. He'll likely be back as a September call-up.

Yankees recalled INF/OF Brandon Laird from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

He'll replace the injured Ramiro Pena on the active roster. Laird, 23, was batting .266/.296/.415 with 10 homers and 49 RBI over 362 plate appearances at the Triple-A level this season. Eduardo Nunez has been shaky defensively at third base, so Laird could sneak some playing time if he swings the bat well in his first taste of the bigs.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that Brandon Laird is in the mix for a roster spot.

Laird has come a long way in a brief time, improving his hitting and defense to become a legitimate prospect. He earned Eastern League MVP honors last season at Double-A Trenton, hitting .291 with 23 home runs and 90 RBI, and finished the season in Triple-A. New York is well covered at third base, but Laird could make the team as a pinch-hitter and spot starter.