CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have exercised their 2019 option on left-hander Cole Hamels, solidifying their rotation for next year.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. The $20 million option makes Hamels' contract worth $158 million for seven years.Hamels gives manager Joe Maddon a deep group of starting pitchers as the Cubs try for their fifth consecutive playoff appearance. Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana and Yu Darvish also are expected to return, with Mike Montgomery and Tyler Chatwood waiting in the wings.The Cubs also traded left-hander Drew Smyly and a player to be named to the Texas Rangers on Friday for a player to be named.___More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs exercised their 2019 option on left-handed pitcher Cole Hamels on Friday, solidifying their rotation for next year, and traded left-handed pitcher Drew Smyly and a player to be named later to the Texas Rangers.The $19 million option makes Hamels' contract worth $157 million for seven years. 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. Had the Cubs declined the option and paid a $6 million buyout, the Rangers would have paid the Cubs an additional $6 million.Hamels gives manager Joe Maddon a deep group of starting pitchers as the Cubs try for their fifth consecutive playoff appearance. Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana and Yu Darvish also are expected to return, with Mike Montgomery and Tyler Chatwood waiting in the wings.Hamels, a former first-round pick, made his major league debut with Philadelphia in 2006. The left-hander is 156-114 with a 3.40 ERA in 13 big league... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — A person with knowledge of the deal says the Seattle Mariners and Marco Gonzales have agreed to a $1.9 million, two-year contract.The person spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the agreement.Gonzales is not arbitration eligible until 2021, but the Mariners chose to set his salary for the next two seasons and give him a pay increase after a solid first full season in Seattle. Gonzales will make $900,000 in 2019 and $1 million in 2020, and can earn additional bonuses. Gonzales will be under team control through the 2024 season.Gonzales went 13-9 with a 4.00 ERA last season. He was up and down, winning five straight starts in June and July when he was one of the top pitchers in the American League, but lost all four of his starts in August as he dealt with a neck injury.Gonzales' deal was first reported by Fancred.com.___AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers have made their first offseason move, agreeing to terms with infielder David Freese on a one-year contract.The team announced the deal Thursday night after the club option of $6 million was declined. The Dodgers will pay Freese a $500,000 buyout in addition to his new $4.5 million deal.The 35-year-old former World Series MVP joined the team in August after a trade from Pittsburgh.Freese was 8 for 22 with two home runs, six RBIs and a walk in 14 postseason games while platooning at first base.He hit .385 in 19 regular-season games with Los Angeles.With Chase Utley having just retired, Freese will fill his veteran leadership role in the clubhouse.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers are in ongoing negotiations with ace Clayton Kershaw, and they still need to resolve the future of manager Dave Roberts, too.According to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, the talks with Kershaw's camp are "ongoingly pleasant."The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and the team agreed to extend the deadline on Kershaw's opt-out decision by 40 hours until 1 p.m. PDT Friday.Kershaw can opt out of the last two years and $65 million of his contract to become a free agent for the first time in an 11-year big league career spent entirely with the Dodgers.If he chooses free agency, Kershaw could negotiate with any team, including the Dodgers."He's made as much of an impact as you can on an organization in terms of the success we've had," Friedman said Thursday. "Not just on the field but from a culture standpoint in terms of bringing up young pitchers and emulating the work ethic, the drive."Kershaw signed a $215 million, seven-year contract in January... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs exercised their $6.25 million option for Pedro Strop on Thursday, and fellow reliever Brandon Kintzler picked up his $5 million player option.Strop can earn $750,000 in performance bonuses next year based on games finished: $250,000 each for 45, 50 and 55 games. He has never finished more than 22 games in a single season.Strop would have received a $500,000 buyout if the option had been declined.The Cubs have to make another decision on one of their key pitchers by Friday when they face a deadline on whether to exercise Cole Hamels' option for 2019. 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.Hamels' option is for $19 million. If the Cubs decline the option and pay a $6 million buyout, the Rangers would pay the Cubs an additional $6 million.Chicago could decline the option and work out a new contract with the left-hander, who is 156-114 with a 3.40 ERA in 13 big league seasons.Kintzler... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers are in ongoing negotiations with ace Clayton Kershaw, and they still need to resolve the future of manager Dave Roberts, too.According to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, the talks with Kershaw's camp are "ongoingly pleasant."The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and the team agreed to extend the deadline on Kershaw's opt-out decision by 40 hours until 1 p.m. PDT Friday.Kershaw can opt out of the last two years and $65 million of his contract to become a free agent for the first time in an 11-year big league career spent entirely with the Dodgers.If he chooses free agency, Kershaw could negotiate with any team, including the Dodgers."He's made as much of an impact as you can on an organization in terms of the success we've had," Friedman said Thursday. "Not just on the field but from a culture standpoint in terms of bringing up young pitchers and emulating the work ethic, the drive."Kershaw signed a $215 million, seven-year contract in January... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have exercised their $6.25 million option for Pedro Strop, and fellow reliever Brandon Kintzler has picked up his $5 million player option.The 33-year-old Strop, one of the baseball's most consistent relievers since he was acquired in a July 2013 trade with Baltimore, went 6-1 with 13 saves and a 2.26 ERA in 60 appearances last season. He can earn $750,000 in performance bonuses next year based on games finished: $250,000 each for 45, 50 and 55 games. He would have received a $500,000 buyout if the option had been declined.Kintzler had a 7.00 ERA in 25 games with Chicago after he was acquired in a July 31 trade with Washington. The Cubs declined their $10 million team option on Tuesday.Chicago also claimed outfielder Johnny Field off waivers from Minnesota on Thursday. Field made his major league debut this year and hit .222 with nine homers and 21 RBIs in 83 games with the Twins and Tampa Bay Rays.___More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have exercised their $6.25 million option for Pedro Strop, and fellow reliever Brandon Kintzler has picked up his $5 million player option.The 33-year-old Strop, one of the baseball's most consistent relievers since he was acquired in a July 2013 trade with Baltimore, went 6-1 with 13 saves and a 2.26 ERA in 60 appearances last season. He can earned $750,000 in performance bonuses next year based on games finished: $250,000 each for 45, 50 and 55 games. He would have received a $500,000 buyout if the option had been declined.Kintzler had a 7.00 ERA in 25 games with Chicago after he was acquired in a July 31 trade with Washington. The Cubs declined their $10 million team option on Tuesday.Chicago also claimed outfielder Johnny Field off waivers from Minnesota on Thursday. Field made his major league debut this year and hit .222 with nine homers and 21 RBIs in 83 games with the Twins and Tampa Bay Rays.___More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — The last time Dave Dombrowski built a World Series champion, he had to start dismantling it before the celebratory champagne had a chance to dry.He's hoping to defend the title for real next year."It is significantly different than the last time," he said on Thursday, four days after the Red Sox won their fourth title in 15 years and Dombrowski earned a ring to go with the one he won with the binge-and-purge Florida Marlins of the late 1990s."This will be the first time in my career that we will be going to spring training as the defending champions," said Dombrowski, who avoided the term after selling off the stars that won it all in Miami in 1997. "Sometimes when guys become free agents they receive offers they can't refuse. But we'd like to keep this team together."After winning the Series in five games on Sunday night, flying back to Boston on Monday and then holding their increasingly routine duck boat parade through the city on Wednesday, the Red Sox are the last team... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have acquired catcher Raffy Lopez from the San Diego Padres in exchange for cash considerations.The 31-year-old Lopez hit .176 and hit three home runs in 37 games with the Padres in 2018. He also spent time with Triple-A El Paso.Lopez provides depth at catcher with Kurt Suzuki, who has split time with Tyler Flowers the past two seasons, headed toward free agency. Flowers signed a contract extension in August.Lopez has hit .184 over parts of four seasons with the Cubs, Cincinnati, Toronto and San Diego.The move made Wednesday night and announced by the Braves on Thursday, leaves 36 players on Atlanta's 40-man roster.___More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Willie McCovey, the sweet-swinging Hall of Famer nicknamed "Stretch" for his 6-foot-4 height and those long arms, died Wednesday. He was 80.The San Francisco Giants announced McCovey's death, saying the fearsome hitter passed "peacefully" on Wednesday afternoon "after losing his battle with ongoing health issues."A first baseman and left fielder, McCovey was a .270 career hitter with 521 home runs and 1,555 RBIs in 22 major league seasons, 19 of them with the Giants. He also played for the Athletics and Padres.McCovey made his major league debut at 21 on July 30, 1959, and played alongside the other Willie — Hall of Famer Willie Mays — into the 1972 season before Mays was traded to the New York Mets.McCovey batted .354 with 13 homers and 38 RBIs on the way to winning the 1959 NL Rookie of the Year award. The six-time All-Star also won the 1969 NL MVP and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986 after his first time on the ballot."You knew right away he wasn't an ordinary... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Willie McCovey, the sweet-swinging Hall of Famer nicknamed "Stretch" for his 6-foot-4 height and those long arms, died Wednesday. He was 80.The San Francisco Giants announced McCovey's death, saying the fearsome hitter passed "peacefully" on Wednesday afternoon "after losing his battle with ongoing health issues."A first baseman and left fielder, McCovey was a .270 career hitter with 521 home runs and 1,555 RBIs in 22 major league seasons, 19 of them with the Giants. He also played for the Athletics and Padres.McCovey made his major league debut at age 21 on July 30, 1959, and played alongside the other Willie — Hall of Famer Willie Mays — into the 1972 season before Mays was traded to the New York Mets that May.McCovey batted .354 with 13 homers and 38 RBIs on the way to winning the 1959 NL Rookie of the Year award. The six-time All-Star also won the 1969 NL MVP and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986 after his first time on the ballot."You knew right away he... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Willie McCovey, the sweet-swinging Hall of Famer nicknamed "Stretch" for his 6-foot-4 height and those long arms, died Wednesday. He was 80.The San Francisco Giants announced McCovey's death, saying the fearsome hitter passed "peacefully" on Wednesday afternoon "after losing his battle with ongoing health issues."A first baseman and left fielder, McCovey was a .270 career hitter with 521 home runs and 1,555 RBIs in 22 major league seasons, 19 of them with the Giants. He also played for the Athletics and Padres.McCovey made his major league debut at age 21 on July 30, 1959, and played alongside the other Willie — Hall of Famer Willie Mays — into the 1972 season before Mays was traded to the New York Mets that May.McCovey batted .354 with 13 homers and 38 RBIs on the way to winning the 1959 NL Rookie of the Year award. The six-time All-Star also won the 1969 NL MVP and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986 after his first time on the ballot."You knew right away he... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers want some more time to consider their possible future together.The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and the team agreed to extend the deadline on his opt-out decision by 40 hours until 1 p.m. PDT Friday.The team made the announcement a couple hours before the initial 9 p.m. PDT deadline Thursday.Kershaw can opt out of the last two years and $65 million of his contract to become a free agent for the first time in an 11-year big league career spent entirely with the Dodgers. They drafted him in 2006.If he opts out, he could negotiate with any team, including the Dodgers.He signed a $215 million, seven-year contract in January 2014 that calls for salaries of $32 million next year and $33 million in 2020.Kershaw was 9-5 with a 2.73 ERA this season.At 30, he remains one of baseball's premier pitchers. But the left-handed ace had two separate stints on the disabled list for the fourth time in five years this season, and his fastball... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Willie McCovey, the sweet-swinging Hall of Famer nicknamed "Stretch" for his 6-foot-4 height and those long arms, died Wednesday. He was 80.The San Francisco Giants announced McCovey's death, saying the fearsome hitter passed "peacefully" on Wednesday afternoon "after losing his battle with ongoing health issues."A first baseman and left fielder, McCovey was a .270 career hitter with 521 home runs and 1,555 RBIs in 22 major league seasons, 19 of them with the Giants. He also played for the Athletics and Padres.McCovey made his major league debut at age 21 on July 30, 1959, and played alongside the other Willie — Hall of Famer Willie Mays — into the 1972 season before Mays was traded to the New York Mets that May.McCovey batted .354 with 13 homers and 38 RBIs on the way to winning the 1959 NL Rookie of the Year award. The six-time All-Star also won the 1969 NL MVP and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986 after his first time on the ballot."You knew right away he... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers want some more time to consider their possible future together.The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and the team have agreed to extend the deadline on his option decision by 40 hours until 1 p.m. PDT Friday.The team made the announcement a couple hours before the initial 9 p.m. PDT deadline Thursday.Kershaw can opt out of the last two years and $65 million of his contract to become a free agenct for the first time in an 11-year big league career spent entirely with the Dodgers.He was 9-5 with a 2.73 ERA this season. The left-handed ace spent time on the disabled list for the fourth time in five years, too.The Dodgers lost in the World Series for the second straight year, falling 4-1 to Boston on Sunday.___More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Willie McCovey, the sweet-swinging Hall of Famer nicknamed "Stretch" for his 6-foot-4 height and those long arms, died Wednesday. He was 80.The San Francisco Giants announced McCovey's death, saying the fearsome hitter passed "peacefully" in the afternoon "after losing his battle with ongoing health issues."A former first baseman and left fielder, McCovey was a career .270 hitter with 521 home runs and 1,555 RBIs in 22 major league seasons, 19 of them with the Giants. He also played for the Athletics and Padres.McCovey made his major league debut at age 21 on July 30, 1959 and played alongside the other Willie — Hall of Famer Willie Mays — into the 1972 season before Mays was traded to the New York Mets that May.McCovey batted .354 with 13 homers and 38 RBIs on the way to winning 1959 NL Rookie of the Year. The six-time All-Star also won the 1969 NL MVP and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986 after his first time on the ballot."You knew right away he wasn't an... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Astros have declined their $15 million club option for 2019 on catcher Brian McCann.McCann spent the last two seasons with Houston Astros after a trade from the New York Yankees in November 2016. McCann made $17 million last season in the final guaranteed year of a five-year, $85 million contract he signed in with the Yankees in 2014.The option would have become guaranteed if he accumulated 1,000 plate appearances combined in 2017-18, made 90 starts at catcher last season and been active at the end of the season. McCann, who missed two months this year after knee surgery, made just 62 starts at catcher and had 615 plate appearances in two seasons in Houston.McCann hit just .212 with seven homers and 23 RBIs last season.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers pitching coach Derek Johnson is leaving the team, the third departure on manager Craig Counsell's staff since the end of the season.General manager David Stearns said on Wednesday that Johnson was leaving the NL Central champions. Johnson wrapped up his third season with the Brewers, overseeing a staff that was fifth in the majors with a 3.73 ERA.The Brewers' bullpen was fifth in the majors with a 3.47 ERA, but even better in September with a 1.98 ERA.Hitting coach Darnell Coles resigned last week, while bullpen coach Lee Tunnell was fired. The Brewers also fired head athletic trainer Dan Wright last week.Also Thursday, Milwaukee declined the $3.5 million club option on Jordan Lyles, making the right-handed pitcher a free agent. Lyles instead gets a $250,000 buyout.The Brewers selected Lyles off waivers on Aug. 5 from the San Diego Padres. He was 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA in 11 games, all in relief, with Milwaukee.Lyles went 3-4 with a 4.11 ERA in 35 games overall, including eight starts with San Diego.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports