SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have many jobs up for grabs, and nowhere is the competition less defined than in the infield.As the team held its first full-squad workout on Monday, only one infield position is secured — first base. Chris Davis is entering the fourth year of a seven-year, $161 million contract.Besides Davis, there are 13 players on the roster competing for the three starting positions, and a utility job or two.Davis, like the Orioles, had a horrid 2018 season. He hit just .168 with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs and 192 strikeouts in 128 games as Baltimore lost a franchise-record 115 games.There aren't any clear favorites early on.The Orioles obtained Jonathan Villar in their July remake from Milwaukee and he played both second and shortstop over the season's last two months. Villar was originally labeled as a shortstop by new general manager Mike Elias, but that was before Richie Martin was taken with the first overall pick in the Rule 5 draft.On Saturday, the Orioles... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Two-time All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera will get a chance to replace a likely Hall of Fame player in Texas by shifting to the corner on the left side of the infield.Cabrera finalized a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Rangers on Thursday to take over at third base for Adrian Beltre, who announced his retirement in November after 3,166 hits in 21 big league seasons, the last eight in Texas."Less time there than up the middle, but has obviously a lot of experience on the left side of the infield as far as seeing the ball, the angle," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "Has really good hands, really strong arm ... plenty strong enough arm to play there."The deal became official after the 33-year-old switch-hitting free agent successfully completed a physical. He can earn $100,000 in performance bonuses for plate appearances: $50,000 each for 500 and 550.Cabrera played 90 games at second base for the New York Mets last season before he was traded... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Two-time All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera will get a chance to replace a likely Hall of Fame player in Texas by shifting to the corner on the left side of the infield.Cabrera finalized a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Rangers on Thursday to take over at third base for Adrian Beltre, who announced his retirement in November after 3,166 hits in 21 big league seasons, the last eight in Texas."Less time there than up the middle, but has obviously a lot of experience on the left side of the infield as far as seeing the ball, the angle," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "Has really good hands, really strong arm ... plenty strong enough arm to play there."The deal, which includes performance bonuses, became official after the 33-year-old switch-hitting free agent successfully completed a physical.Cabrera played 90 games at second base for the New York Mets last season before he was traded to Philadelphia, where he played shortstop and third base.In... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Free agent Asdrubal Cabrera has finalized a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Texas Rangers to take over at third base for the retired Adrian Beltre.The deal was completed Thursday after the 33-year-old successfully completed a physical. The two-time All-Star shortstop played 90 games at second base for the New York Mets last season before he was traded to Philadelphia, where he also played third base.Cabrera is a .269 career hitter over 12 big league seasons with Cleveland, Washington, Tampa Bay, the Mets and Phillies. The switch-hitter hit .262 in 147 games overall last season, when his 23 homers and 75 RBIs were his most since career highs of 25 homers and 92 RBIs in 2011, his first All-Star seasons with the Indians.Infielder Jack Reinheimer was designated for assignment to make room on the Rangers roster.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs will have different hitting and pitching coaches for the second straight season after they announced Jim Hickey's departure Tuesday.Hickey is leaving the organization after one season as pitching coach because of personal reasons, according to the team. Hitting coach Chili Davis was fired last month after one season and replaced by Anthony Iapoce.With Hickey's help, Chicago ranked third in the majors this year with a 3.65 team ERA. The Cubs went 95-68 and lost to Colorado in the NL wild-card game."We thank Jim for his season with the Cubs and his positive impact on our pitchers," president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said in a statement. "Jim has our full support and we all wish him well."Chicago's uncertain situation with its coaching staff could affect its search for a replacement for the respected Hickey. Manager Joe Maddon is entering the final year of his contract, and Epstein has said the club will not be offering an extension before the start... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Catcher Jeff Mathis and the Texas Rangers finalized a $6.25 million, two-year contract Tuesday.Mathis, one of baseball's best defensive catchers, gets $3.25 million next season and $3 million in 2020.The Rangers later Tuesday added four players to their major league roster, protecting them from being available to other teams during the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings next month. They added right-handed pitcher Edinson Volquez and outfielder Scott Heineman from Triple-A Nashville, along with right-hander Wei-Chieh Huang and lefty Taylor Hearn from Double-A Frisco.Texas also acquired infielder Jack Reinheimer from the Chicago Cubs on a waiver claim, while right-handers Eddie Butler and Ronald Herrera were assigned outright to Triple-A Nashville.The 35-year-old Mathis spent the last two years with Arizona and hit .200 this season with one homer and 20 RBIs in 69 games. He threw out 18 of 53 runners attempting to steal this year, and his 17 defensive runs saved were... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs exercised their $20 million option on Cole Hamels on Friday, solidifying their rotation for next year, and traded fellow left-hander Drew Smyly to the Texas Rangers.Hamels, who turns 35 in December, went 4-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 12 starts after he was acquired in a July 27 trade with Texas — a frequent trade partner for Chicago since Theo Epstein took over the Cubs' front office in 2011. Had the Cubs declined the option and paid a $6 million buyout, the Rangers would have paid the Cubs an additional $6 million.The 29-year-old Smyly is heading to Texas after missing his only year in Chicago as part of his recovery from Tommy John surgery in June 2017. The Cubs also parted with a player to be named in exchange for a player to be named.Smyly signed a $10 million, two-year contract with Chicago last December. He was healthy at the end of last season, but the contending Cubs ran out of time in terms of bringing him back.Chicago also claimed infielder Jack Reinheimer... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jay Bruce is back in the lineup for the New York Mets and ready to try something different.The veteran outfielder was reinstated from the disabled list Friday after missing more than two months with an aching right hip, and the Mets plan to audition him at first base down the stretch.A three-time All-Star, the 31-year-old Bruce returned to the Mets as a free agent last winter and signed a $39 million, three-year contract. Also bothered by plantar fasciitis in his feet, however, he batted only .212 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 62 games before going on the DL. His paltry .613 OPS was well below his career mark of .783 in 11 major league seasons."Obviously, I've been injured and I've underperformed," said Bruce, who homered in his return to help the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 3-0. "Neither of those things were on my list of things to do coming back to New York. So it's not something I'm happy about or proud of, but I can only move forward."I have a little over a... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jay Bruce is back in the lineup for the New York Mets and ready to try something different.The veteran outfielder was reinstated from the disabled list Friday after missing more than two months with an aching right hip, and the Mets plan to audition him at first base down the stretch.A three-time All-Star, the 31-year-old Bruce returned to the Mets as a free agent last winter and signed a $39 million, three-year contract. Also bothered by plantar fasciitis in his feet, however, he batted only .212 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 62 games before going on the DL. His paltry .613 OPS was well below his career mark of .783 in 11 major league seasons."Obviously, I've been injured and I've underperformed," Bruce said. "Neither of those things were on my list of things to do coming back to New York. So it's not something I'm happy about or proud of, but I can only move forward."I have a little over a month this year and I have two more seasons to right the ship and be the player... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired switch-hitting infielder Eduardo Escobar from the Minnesota Twins on Friday for minor league right-hander Jhoan Duran and outfielders Gabriel Maciel and Ernie De La Trinidad.The 29-year-old Escobar hit .274 with 15 home runs, 63 RBIs and a major league-best 37 doubles in 97 games this season, his seventh with the Twins. From Venezuela, Escobar has played third base, shortstop and second base this season. In eight seasons in the majors with the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota, he has a .256 average with 63 homers and 287 RBIs."We're really excited about Eduardo Escobar," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said before the opener of a three-game series at San Diego. "He's got a tremendous track record in this game, he's a great teammate, he's a great player. He'll fit right in."The move came the same day the Diamondbacks placed third baseman Jake Lamb on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised left shoulder.Escobar will "get a lot of reps at third... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired switch-hitting infielder Eduardo Escobar from the Minnesota Twins on Friday for minor league right-hander Jhoan Duran and outfielders Gabriel Maciel and Ernie De La Trinidad.The 29-year-old Escobar hit .274 with 15 home runs, 63 RBIs and a major league-best 37 doubles in 97 games this season, his seventh with the Twins. From Venezuela, Escobar has played third base, shortstop and second base this season. In eight seasons in the majors with the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota, he has a .256 average with 63 homers and 287 RBIs."We're really excited about Eduardo Escobar," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said before the opener of a three-game series at San Diego. "He's got a tremendous track record in this game, he's a great teammate, he's a great player. He'll fit right in."The move came the same day the Diamondbacks placed third baseman Jake Lamb on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised left shoulder.Escobar will "get a lot of reps at third... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired switch-hitting infielder Eduardo Escobar from the Minnesota Twins on Friday for minor league right-hander Jhoan Duran and outfielders Gabriel Maciel and Ernie De La Trinidad.The 29-year-old Escobar hit .274 with 15 home runs, 63 RBIs and a major league-best 37 doubles in 97 games this season, his seventh with the Twins. From Venezuela, Escobar has played third base, shortstop and second base this season. In eight seasons in the majors with the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota, he has a .256 average with 63 homers and 287 RBIs.The 20-year-old Duran made 15 starts this season for Kane County in the Class-A Midwest League, going 5-4 with a 4.73 ERA. The 6-foot-5, 175-pounder is from the Dominican Republic.Maciel, 19, is from Brazil. In 68 games for Kane County this year, he hit .287 with 10 doubles, one home run, 16 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.The 22-year-old Trinidad hit .311 with eight homers and 56 RBIs in 91 games this season for Kane County. He played at UNLV.Arizona also recalled Ildemaro Vargas from Triple-A Reno and placed infielder Jake Lamb on the 10-day disabled list because of a left shoulder contusion. The Diamondbacks designated infielder Jack Reinheimer for assignment.

INF Jack Reinheimer was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Friday when INF Ketel Martel was reinstated from the bereavement list. Reinheimer went 0-for-5 in first two major league games, both against the Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday. He struck out three times.

INF Jack Reinheimer, 25, was recalled Tuesday from Triple-A Reno. He hit .283 with four home runs, 14 doubles, 44 RBIs and 70 runs scored in 101 games with the Aces this season. In the last nine games before the promotion, he batted .390 with 11 runs scored and an .873 OPS. He struck out in his first major league at-bat, a fourth inning pinch-hit appearance,