SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eric Hosmer and the San Diego Padres finalized their $144 million, eight-year contract Monday night.The team announced the signing after Hosmer passed his physical. The first baseman, who spent his first seven major league seasons with Kansas City before becoming a free agent this winter, can opt out of the deal after five years.The contract is the largest in Padres history.Hosmer gets a $5 million signing bonus payable within 30 days of the contract being approved by the commissioner's office. His salary is $20 million each year from 2018-22 and would be $13 million annually from 2023-25 if he doesn't terminate the deal.A four-time Gold Glove winner and 2016 All-Star, Hosmer will be introduced during a news conference Tuesday morning at Padres camp in Peoria, Arizona.In a statement, Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler and General Partner Peter Seidler called the move "a significant moment in Padres history.""The intangibles and experience that he brings to the table will... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eric Hosmer and the San Diego Padres have finalized their $144 million, eight-year contract.The team announced the signing Monday night after Hosmer passed his physical. The first baseman, who spent his first seven major league seasons with Kansas City before becoming a free agent this offseason, can opt out of the deal after five years.The contract is the largest in Padres history.Hosmer gets a $5 million signing bonus payable within 30 days of the contract being approved by the commissioner's office. His salary is $20 million each year from 2018-22 and would be $13 million annually from 2023-25 if he doesn't terminate the deal.A four-time Gold Glove winner and 2016 All-Star, Hosmer will be introduced during a news conference Tuesday morning at Padres camp in Peoria, Arizona.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Speedy outfielder Jarrod Dyson and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a $7.5 million, two-year contract Monday.Arizona announced the move shortly after the Boston Red Sox reached agreement on a $110 million, five-year deal with former Diamondbacks slugger J.D. Martinez. The right-handed-hitting outfielder had a big half-season with Arizona last year after being acquired from Detroit in a trade, and the Diamondbacks were hopeful they could work out some sort of agreement to bring him back. But in the end, he was out of Arizona's price range.Unlike Martinez, Dyson is no slugger. The left-handed hitter batted .251 and stole 28 bases for the Seattle Mariners last season. He had five home runs and 30 RBIs in 111 games.Dyson played all seven of his previous major league seasons with the Kansas City Royals.Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen has said all spring that the team's top priority was to add outfield depth, so Dyson might have been signed regardless of what... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Yo is into yoga.Trying to stay off the disabled list after he was hobbled by leg injuries last season, New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes took to yoga this winter."This year I did three things differently," Cespedes said through a translator Monday following the team's first full workout. "I ran. Then I did weightlifting, but not so much heavy weights. And then I did yoga trying to get ready for this."A two-time All-Star, Cespedes signed a $110 million, four-year contract before the 2017 season and bulked up in the weight room. He wound up on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain from April 28 until June 10 and then with a right hamstring strain from Aug. 26 through the end of the season. Cespedes hit .292 with 17 homers and 42 RBIs in 81 games."With yoga, my muscles are more flexible right now," he said. "I used to work out with heavy weightlifting. I had strength, but I wasn't flexible. Now I'm flexible because of the yoga. ... The yoga has been... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — As soon as Giancarlo Stanton touched down with their main rivals, the Boston Red Sox were eager to take on New York — the Yankees, or maybe even the Jets and Giants."They're fielding a football team out there is kind of what I was thinking," Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland said. "They're running a two tight-end set. They've got some big boys over there."The 6-foot-6 Stanton, who topped the majors in home runs and was the NL MVP last team, joins a lineup with 6-7 Aaron Judge, the AL homer leader. The Yankees got Stanton in a trade with the Miami Marlins in December."Job well done," Red Sox owner John Henry said Monday on the first day of full-squad workouts.Entering last season's camp, Boston was tabbed as the AL East favorite after landing one of the biggest prizes in ace lefty Chris Sale during the winter meetings. That prompted Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to reference another sport: "Boston's like the Golden State Warriors now in baseball," he said.The... [More]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Harper is focusing on his immediate future. But don't bother asking him about plans beyond this year."If you guys do talk anything about that, I'll be walking right out the door," he said Monday.Everyone around baseball knows the Washington Nationals slugger could be part of a huge free agent class after the coming season. But if teams are saving money by passing on currently available players in hopes of signing a big star next year, that doesn't sound like the best way to impress Harper."I think if I'm an organization or a team I want the best players on my team," Harper said. "My fans deserve that, the players deserve that."Harper, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, Charlie Blackmon and potentially Clayton Kershaw could be free agents next offseason.Some within the industry suggest this market is slow because teams have their eyes on 2019 — pitchers Jake Arrieta and Alex Cobb and third baseman Mike Moustakas are among the players looking for work with spring... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Hours after Red Sox owner John Henry said talk of collusion in free-agent negotiations was "ridiculous," his team made a splash by reaching agreement with slugger J.D. Martinez on a $110 million, five-year contract.About half the 166 players who exercised free-agency rights in November remain unsigned."There are a lot of factors, I think, driving it, and I think they've all been identified," Henry said Monday as Boston began full-squad workouts. "There's a lot of factors that have driven this offseason, and you just can't expect every season to be a feeding frenzy, so to speak."Jake Arrieta and Mike Moustakas were among the free agents still looking for a place to play."This one, it's surprised me," he said of the slow pace of agreements. "I think it's surprised all of us in baseball." ''But, I think probably next year will be quite different."By late afternoon, word had spread that Martinez was headed to the Red Sox.Next year's free-agent class includes Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Josh Donaldson, plus possible Clayton Kershaw.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Now that San Diego's first base position is in Eric Hosmer's $144 million hands, it seems as if there are 144 million candidates for the one remaining starting spot in the Padres' outfield.Wil Myers will move to one of the corner spots after playing first base the previous two seasons, manager Andy Green said, and Manuel Margot remains a fixture in center field after a notable rookie season in 2017.That leaves the other seven holdovers who made at least 20 starts in the Padres' outfield last year — including power bat and 2013 first-round draft pick Hunter Renfoe — in the mix for final starting position and the reserve roles."He's right in the thick of that competition," manager Andy Green said of Renfroe, adding, "we didn't have to have a (roster) move to cause that to happen."Green mentioned Alex Dickerson, Franchy Cordero, Travis Jankowski, Matt Szczur and Joel Pirela as others in the outfield competition, noting that Pirela also could spend time in the infield.Renfroe... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million deal with outfielder Jarrod Dyson.Arizona announced the contract late Monday afternoon, shortly after the Boston Red Sox reached agreement on a five-year, $110 million contract with J.D. Martinez. He had a big half-season with Arizona last year after being traded from Detroit and the Diamondbacks were hopeful they could work out some sort of agreement to bring him back. But he was out of the price range for Arizona.Dyson hit .251 and stole 28 bases for Seattle last season. He hit five home runs with 30 RBIs in 111 games with the Mariners. He played all of his seven previous major league seasons with the Kansas City Royals.___AP Baseball Writer Ron Blum contributed to this report

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — When Seattle traded for reliever David Phelps last July, Mariners manager Scott Servais believed his team was adding a player that could help the team reach the postseason."When we acquired him, first of all, I thought it was perfect, this was the piece," Servais said Monday.Seattle was contending for an AL wild-card spot and the talented righty added depth and experience to an overworked bullpen. Phelps helped Seattle go 6-1 in the first seven games he pitched in.That's when his season, as well as the Mariners' year, went sideways. An elbow injury sidelined him for a couple weeks in August. He returned later that month, but threw fewer than two innings before bone spurs in the same elbow ended his season. He had surgery to remove them in September."I think he was a key loss to us," Servais said, "if you look at last year's season when he went down."A check of the standings backs up Servais' claim. Seattle was 1 1/2 games back from a wild-card berth when Phelps first... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Ryan Braun has never been a fan of spring training, but he'll have plenty of work to keep him busy this year.The Milwaukee left fielder reported to camp Monday to prepare for his 12th big league season. And for the first time since his rookie campaign in 2007, he'll be taking groundballs as the Brewers try to get him work at first base.Moving Braun became an option when Milwaukee acquired outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich in January. Their additions created a logjam in an already-crowded outfield, so to help ease the situation, general manager David Stearns and manager Craig Counsell approached Braun about potentially playing first base.With the Brewers trying to build off their surprising 2017 season that finished a victory short of the postseason, Braun embraced the opportunity."I don't know exactly what the plan is yet as far as how often I'll be at what position, but it's definitely something I'm looking forward to," Braun said. "If I can be more versatile,... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million deal with outfielder Jarrod Dyson.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because there was no official agreement.Arizona made the deal shortly after the Boston Red Sox reached agreement on a five-year, $110 million contract with J.D. Martinez. He had a big half-season with Arizona last year after being traded from Detroit and the Diamondbacks were hopeful they could work out some sort of agreement to bring him back. But he was out of the price range for Arizona.Dyson hit .251 and stole 28 bases for Seattle last season. He hit five home runs with 30 RBIs in 111 games with the Mariners. He played all of his seven previous major league seasons with the Kansas City Royals.___AP Baseball Writer Ron Blum contributed to this report

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Justin Turner heard about it for weeks. He couldn't get away from talk about the Dodgers' seven-game loss to the Houston Astros in the 2017 World Series.Waiters asked Turner about it when he tried to order a meal. The Los Angeles third baseman even heard about it at a wedding. Of course, the wedding also happened to be in Houston about a week after a 5-1 loss in Game 7.Nevertheless, Turner began to think there was just no escape from the noise. Or the disappointment.Turner remembered that he just wanted the season to continue as he watched the Astros pour onto the field at Dodger Stadium to celebrate their dramatic victory on Nov. 1."I didn't want to stop playing," Turner said. "It's so disappointing. That never really goes away."But the game always resumes. For Turner and his teammates, there was relief in that as they began to play again Monday in their first full-squad practice at Camelback Ranch."Everybody has been talking about the World Series and that's OK,"... [More]

J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox have, at long last, come to an agreement.The slow dance between the free agent slugger and the power-deficient team wrapped up Monday when they settled on a $110 million, five-year contract.A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press about the deal, speaking on condition of anonymity because it was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced. Martinez has the right to opt out of the contract early and become a free agent again.Speculation Martinez and the AL East champions would eventually wind up together had been swirling ever since he became a free agent last November.Boston was seeking to add power to a lineup that hit an AL-low 168 home runs. The 30-year-old Martinez has changed his swing to improve his launch angle and become one of the top home-run threats in the majors.The move helps the Red Sox counter the huge deal their biggest rivals pulled off in December. The New York Yankees, who finished two games... [More]

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Chipper Jones says this spring will be wide open for the Atlanta Braves."Guys need to know that this team and this organization are tired of the last few years," the former Braves star after Monday's first full-squad workout. "We're a very proud organization. We went through a rough offseason with the changing of the (front office), but ... there's definitely a change in attitude. You see it in the way the coaching staff is putting together spring training."The 45-year-old Jones was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility this winter. His 19-year career, all with Atlanta, ended in 2012 and nearly coincided with the Braves' run of 14 straight division titles. They come into 2018 on a streak of four straight losing seasons, including last year's 72-90 mark.In his role as a special assistant, the star third baseman is hoping that competition for positions might spark a revival."It's a free-for-all," Jones said. "There are a few people who had big... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Jake Odorizzi joined the Minnesota Twins just in time for their first full-squad workout of spring training.He had a sense he'd land with them, actually, and it was a good feeling. Leaving behind the Tampa Bay Rays teammates he'd become close friends with wasn't fun, but leaving an organization cutting salary for one coming off a postseason appearance was a welcomed trade."I'm glad to have that closure now, where I don't have to worry about it each day waking up like, 'Is this could be the day I have a new team?'" Odorizzi said.That moment came on Saturday night, when the Rays sent the 27-year-old right-hander to the Twins for minor league shortstop Jermaine Palacios."It's kind of a foregone thing when you're there, to a certain point. Everyone ends up leaving, whether it's time or dollars," Odorizzi said on Monday afternoon, after putting on his Twins uniform for the first time. "I'm out, so I'm happy to go to be here to be on a contending team."The Rays, who let... [More]

A person familiar with the negotiations says slugger J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a $110 million, five-year contract.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.Boston was seeking to add power to a lineup that hit an AL-low 168 home runs. The 30-year-old Martinez has changed his swing to improve his launch angle and become one of the top home-run threats in the majorsHe hit .303 with 45 homers and 104 RBIs last year for Detroit and Arizona, which acquired him on July 18 for three prospects. He had 29 homers and 65 RBIs in 62 games with the Diamondbacks, and hit a record-tying four home runs in a game.Martinez figures to become the primary designated hitter for the AL East champion Red Sox, which would turn Hanley Ramirez into a platoon player at first with Mitch Moreland.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Mike Trout is hoping his 2018 season can match a tremendous offseason: He got married, watched his beloved Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl and participated in the Angels' successful recruitment of Japanese pitcher-hitter Shohei Ohtani.Trout, who took part Monday in the team's first full-squad workout, said he tried to persuade Ohtani that the Angels were a good organization to play for "and just told him that we wanted him.""You obviously want to make a good case to get him to come here. Obviously, it worked," he said. "Talking to him and talking to his interpreter, I knew there was a shot. We wanted him. We got him."Trout found out the Angels landed Ohtani at the rehearsal dinner for his wedding in December to Jessica Tara Cox."I called some buddies, called some of my teammates," said Trout, who praised Angels general manager Billy Eppler for putting in years of work to sign Ohtani. "We were all happy."Trout, who grew up in New Jersey as an Eagles fan, said that... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Beard and all, a most familiar face is back in the St. Louis Cardinals clubhouse."Once I walked in, seeing the guys, seeing the coaches, it's like being back at home," reliever Jason Motte said Monday. "This is where I started my career. This is where everything began."After signing a minor league deal over the weekend, Motte returned to the Cardinals for the first time since 2014.The 35-year-old Motte began his professional career as catcher in the Cardinals' organization before making the switch to the mound. He took over the closer's role late in 2011 and was on the mound that fall, inducing a flyball from Texas' David Murphy for the final out in Game 7 of the World Series."He's been there, got some big outs for the Cardinals," St. Louis pitching coach Mike Maddux said.Motte led the National League with 42 saves for the Cardinals in 2012. An elbow injury that required ligament replacement surgery caused him to miss all of 2013.Upon his return, Motte posted a 4.68... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton homered off the scoreboard in left-center and hit three opposite-field homers to right. Aaron Judge drove a pitch over the left-field walkway and also went deep to right.The New York Yankees' first full-squad batting practice of spring training drew about 2,000 fans Monday. The two sluggers took 30 swings each, and fans reacted whenever the ball was lifted into the air."The moment we touched the dirt, they're buzzing and ready for us to get into the cage and hit," Stanton said afterward, wearing a sleeveless shirt. "That was really cool. Nothing like that (I had) experienced in spring."Brooks Cook and his son Brody from New Port Richey positioned themselves in left field, about 375 feet from the plate."We might be too close," Brooks Cook said.Brooks Cook noted there were more than Yankees' fans in attendance."I have a friend who's a die-hard Red Sox who's coming to see them hit," Brooks Cook said. "A Red Sox fan."Judge set a big league rookie record... [More]