MIAMI (AP) — Derek Jeter is heading to his first spring training since his final season with the New York Yankees in 2014.Now the CEO of the Miami Marlins, Jeter says the franchise is on a path to long-term success following an offseason fire sale that purged the batting order of four starters, including slugger Giancarlo Stanton. The trades netted mostly prospects, making the immediate outlook bleak for a team that hasn't been to the playoffs since 2003.Jeter was a beloved five-time champion with the Yankees, but now he's a rookie owner who has been faulted for his handling of the Stanton deal and other offseason moves. Even so, Jeter said he has been encouraged by the reception he has received around baseball and from the South Florida business community.The Marlins open camp Wednesday in Jupiter, Florida.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PHOENIX (AP) — Toronto's Marcus Stroman and Tampa Bay's Jake Odorizzi went to hearings to begin the final week of what could be the busiest salary arbitration season since 1990.Stroman asked for a raise from $3.4 million to $6.9 million on Monday in a hearing before arbitrators Edna Francis, Elizabeth Neumeier and Gary Kendellan. The Blue Jays argued he should be paid $6.5 million.Odorizzi requested a hike from $4.1 million to $6.3 million instead of the Rays' $6.05 million offer in a case heard by Dennis Archer, Phillip LaPorte and Matt Goldberg.Players lead 7-6 with decisions pending until late this week for Stroman, Odorizzi and Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer. Six more hearings are scheduled, and 22 decisions would be the most since players won 14 of 24 cases in 1990.Baltimore and pitcher Kevin Gausman agreed Tuesday to a $5.6 million, one-year deal, avoiding a hearing scheduled for Wednesday.A 26-year-old right-hander, Stroman went 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA in 2017. He struck out 164, two... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Left-hander Craig Breslow has agreed to a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and will attend major league spring training.The 37-year-old reliever pitched for Minnesota and Cleveland last year, going 1-1 with a 5.09 ERA in 37 games.He is 23-30 with a 3.45 ERA in 12 big league seasons.Toronto announced the agreement Monday.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Orioles avoided an arbitration hearing with pitcher Kevin Gausman, agreeing to a $5.6 million, one-year contract.Gausman had asked for $6,225,000 and the Orioles had submitted $5.3 million when proposed salaries were swapped last month, making the settlement $162,500 below the midpoint. He earned $3.45 million last year in his first of four arbitration-eligible seasons.His deal includes bonuses of $50,000 each for 25, 30, 33 starts; $50,000 if he makes the All-Star team; and $50,000 if he earns a Gold Glove.Gausman's hearing had been scheduled for Wednesday. With the agreement announced Tuesday, Baltimore avoided arbitration with all seven arbitration-eligible players.Gausman went 11-12 with a 4.68 ERA last season, making a career-high 34 starts with a personal-best 179 strikeouts. The right-hander was 3-7 on June 21 before rebounding.The 27-year-old is 34-43 with a 4.18 ERA in five major league seasons, all with the Orioles.Gausman and Dylan Bundy are the only two clear starters in Baltimore's rotation.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PHOENIX (AP) — Toronto's Marcus Stroman and Tampa Bay's Jake Odorizzi went to hearings to begin the final week of what could be the busiest salary arbitration season since 1990.Stroman asked for a raise from $3.4 million to $6.9 million on Monday in a hearing before arbitrators Edna Francis, Elizabeth Neumeier and Gary Kendellan. The Blue Jays argued he should be paid $6.5 million.Odorizzi requested a hike from $4.1 million to $6.3 million instead of the Rays' $6.05 million offer in a case heard by Dennis Archer, Phillip LaPorte and Matt Goldberg.Players lead 7-6 with decisions pending until late this week for Stroman, Odorizzi and Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer. Seven more hearings are scheduled, and 23 decisions would be the most since players won 14 of 24 cases in 1990.A 26-year-old right-hander, Stroman went 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA in 2017. He struck out 164, two shy of his career high, and walked a career-worst 62 in 201 innings.Odorizzi, a right-hander who turns 28 next month, was 10-8... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Madison Bumgarner has been back on a bike, though it's hardly his first choice for fun. He rode a horse a handful of times this offseason.More than anything, Bumgarner is looking for a bounce-back season after the most forgettable one yet for the ace of the San Francisco Giants."I always worked hard but I spent a little bit more time getting myself in shape and getting stronger," he said in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of spring training. "I'm trying to be on the safer side, I guess. I definitely toned it down a little bit on my extracurricular activities."The 2014 World Series MVP missed nearly three months after a dirt bike accident April 20 during an off day in Colorado. It was an embarrassment, yet the left-hander took ownership of his mistake from Day 1.Bumgarner is focused on baseball, with Giants pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training Tuesday and set for their first workout Wednesday at Scottsdale Stadium. Riding doesn't interest... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — The way the New York Mets look at it, they have two catchers good enough to start in the majors.Some might say they have none.While the Mets focused on filling other holes this offseason, one thorny area where they didn't make a big move to mask their warts was behind the plate. They're still counting on once-touted prospects Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki — or at least one of them — to solidify the position."We like the potential of both players. We think the way they grade out against the rest of the league is at least a little above average, and looking at the alternatives available to us, we felt these two guys were our best option," general manager Sandy Alderson explained Monday, two days before New York's first formal workout at spring training.For this pitching-centric team trying to rebound from a 2017 flop, it's a leap of faith with the in-house guys.Time for them to catch on — for good."Both of us are very confident," d'Arnaud said.The incumbent... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Infielder Trevor Plouffe has agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers and will report to big league spring training.He would get a $1.75 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster under the terms of the deal announced Monday.Plouffe hit .198 with nine homers and 19 RBIs in 100 games for Oakland and Tampa Bay, which acquired him June 17. The 31-year-old was selected by Minnesota with the 20th overall pick in the 2004 amateur draft and played for the Twins from 2010-16. He has a .242 batting average with 105 homers and 376 RBIs in eight major league seasons.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PHOENIX (AP) — Toronto's Marcus Stroman and Tampa Bay's Jake Odorizzi went to hearings to begin the final week of what could be the busiest salary arbitration season since 1990.Stroman asked for a raise from $3.4 million to $6.9 million on Monday in a hearing before arbitrators Edna Francis, Elizabeth Neumeier and Gary Kendellan. The Blue Jays argued he should be paid $6.5 million.Odorizzi requested a hike from $4.1 million to $6.3 million instead of the Rays' $6.05 million offer in a case heard by Dennis Archer, Phillip LaPorte and Matt Goldberg.Players lead 7-6 with decisions pending until late this week for Stroman, Odorizzi and Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer. Seven more hearings are scheduled, and 23 decisions would be the most since players won 14 of 24 cases in 1990.A 26-year-old right-hander, Stroman went 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA in 2017. He struck out 164, two shy of his career high, and walked a career-worst 62 in 201 innings.Odorizzi, a right-hander who turns 28 next month, was 10-8... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Yoshihisa Hirano is not one for formalities."Please call me Yoshi," the new Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher said Monday to open his introductory news conference.The 33-year-old right-hander agreed in December to a $6 million, two-year contract with the Diamondbacks after 12 seasons with Orix of Japan's Pacific League.With his wife and two young children joining him, Hirano said he hopes the entire family will learn English."The D-backs were the first team that made me an offer," Hirano said through an interpreter. "When me and my family came over to visit Arizona in December, general manager Mike Hazen and field manager Torey Lovullo were there, greeted me and my family very warmly and made my family feel like home now already and that was the reason I chose the Diamondbacks."Arizona won 93 games and an NL wild card berth, then was swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series. The Diamondbacks have tried to improve their bullpen in the offseason, and Hirano... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Toronto's Marcus Stroman and Tampa Bay's Jake Odorizzi went to hearings to begin the final week of what could be the busiest salary arbitration season since 1990.Stroman asked for a raise from $3.4 million to $6.9 million on Monday in a hearing before arbitrators Edna Francis, Elizabeth Neumeier and Gary Kendellan. The Blue Jays argued he should be paid $6.5 million.Odorizzi requested a hike from $4.1 million to $6.3 million instead of the Rays' $6.05 million offer in a case heard by Dennis Archer, Phillip LaPorte and Matt Goldberg.Players lead 7-6 with decisions pending until late this week for Stroman, Odorizzi and Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer. Seven more hearings are scheduled, and 23 decisions would be the most since players won 14 of 24 cases in 1990.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — The way the New York Mets look at it, they have two catchers good enough to start in the majors.Some might say they have none.While the Mets focused on filling other holes this offseason, one thorny area where they didn't make a big move to mask their warts was behind the plate. They're still counting on once-touted prospects Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki — or at least one of them — to solidify the position."We like the potential of both players. We think the way they grade out against the rest of the league is at least a little above average, and looking at the alternatives available to us, we felt these two guys were our best option," general manager Sandy Alderson explained Monday, two days before New York's first formal workout at spring training.For this pitching-centric team trying to rebound from a 2017 flop, it's a leap of faith with the in-house guys.Time for them to catch on — for good."Both of us are very confident," d'Arnaud said.The incumbent... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Yoshihisa Hirano is not one for formalities."Please call me Yoshi," the new Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher said Monday to open his introductory news conference.The 33-year-old right-hander agreed in December to a $6 million, two-year contract with the Diamondbacks after 12 seasons with Orix of Japan's Pacific League.With his wife and two young children joining him, Hirano said he hopes the entire family will learn English."The D-backs were the first team that made me an offer," Hirano said through an interpreter. "When me and my family came over to visit Arizona in December, general manager Mike Hazen and field manager Torey Lovullo were there, greeted me and my family very warmly and made my family feel like home now already and that was the reason I chose the Diamondbacks."Arizona won 93 games and an NL wild card berth, then was swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series. The Diamondbacks have tried to improve their bullpen in the offseason, and Hirano... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Pitcher Jake Odorizzi and the Tampa Bay Rays have gone to salary arbitration with the sides $250,000 apart.The right-hander, who turns 28 next month, asked arbitrators Dennis Archer, Phillip LaPorte and Matt Goldberg for a raise from $4.1 million to $6.3 million. The Rays argued during Monday's hearing that he should be paid $6.05 million.Odorizzi was 10-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 28 starts last year. He struck out 127, his lowest total in four full major league seasons, and walked a career-high 61.He is eligible for free agency after the 2019 season and could be dealt by the low-payroll Rays.Infielder Adeiny Hechavarria beat the Rays in arbitration on Feb. 3 and will get $5.9 million instead of the team's $5.3 million offer.Players lead 7-6 with decisions pending for Odoruzzki and Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer. Eight more hearings are scheduled for this week.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PHOENIX (AP) — Pitcher Jake Odorizzi and the Tampa Bay Rays have gone to salary arbitration with the sides $250,000 apart.The right-hander, who turns 28 next month, asked arbitrators Dennis Archer, Phillip LaPorte and Matt Goldberg for a raise from $4.1 million to $6.3 million. The Rays argued during Monday's hearing that he should be paid $6.05 million.Odorizzi was 10-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 28 starts last year. He struck out 127, his lowest total in four full major league seasons, and walked a career-high 61.He is eligible for free agency after the 2019 season and could be dealt by the low-payroll Rays.Infielder Adeiny Hechavarria beat the Rays in arbitration on Feb. 3 and will get $5.9 million instead of the team's $5.3 million offer.Players lead 7-6 with decisions pending for Hechavarria and Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer. Eight more hearings are scheduled for this week.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Talk about a house divided.Giancarlo Stanton and AJ Ramos, former teammates with the Miami Marlins and still close friends, are looking into living together this season now that both play in New York. It would seem to be a convenient arrangement, with one on the road most of the time anyway — except when Stanton and the Yankees face Ramos and the Mets in the Subway Series."I'm going to be setting some traps for him. You know, might mess up his sleep a little bit, stuff like that," Ramos said. "But no, we're still looking. Nothing set in stone just yet."At spring training Monday, the Mets' reliever was asked how you split a grocery bill with a roommate who has a $325 million contract?"Oh, he buys it all. For sure," Ramos said with a smile. "I'm just playin'. Nah, it's good times, man."Ramos, a 2016 All-Star, was traded by the Marlins to the Mets last July. Stanton was dealt to the Yankees in December as part of Miami's payroll purge under new ownership.The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Stanton socked 59 home runs last year, most by a major leaguer since 2001, and won the NL MVP award. Now he moves from cavernous Marlins Park into hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, with its familiar short porch in right field."I mean, he can get jammed and hit a ball out there. That park is very small," Ramos said. "He can basically burp a ball out. So I think he's gonna do pretty good."___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Talk about a house divided.Giancarlo Stanton and AJ Ramos, former teammates with the Miami Marlins and still close friends, are looking into living together this season now that both play in New York. It would seem to be a convenient arrangement, with at least one player on the road most of the time anyway — except when Stanton and the Yankees face Ramos and the Mets in the Subway Series."I'm going to be setting some traps for him. You know, might mess up his sleep a little bit, stuff like that," Ramos said. "But no, we're still looking. Nothing set in stone just yet."At spring training Monday, the Mets' reliever was asked how you split a grocery bill with a roommate who has a $325 million contract?"Oh, he buys it all. For sure," Ramos said with a smile. "I'm just playin'. Nah, it's good times, man."Ramos, a 2016 All-Star, was traded by the Marlins to the Mets last July. Stanton was dealt to the Yankees in December as part of Miami's payroll purge under new ownership.The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Stanton socked 59 home runs last year, most by a major leaguer since 2001, and won the NL MVP award. Now he moves from cavernous Marlins Park into hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, with its familiar short porch in right field."I mean, he can get jammed and hit a ball out there. That park is very small," Ramos said. "He can basically burp a ball out. So I think he's gonna do pretty good."___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CLEVELAND (AP) — Free agent Ryan Hanigan has agreed to a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, a deal contingent on the catcher passing a physical.The 37-year-old played 33 games last season for the Colorado Rockies, batting .267 with two homers and 12 RBIs.With Yan Gomes and Robert Perez on the roster, it is unlikely Hanigan could win a spot with the Indians, but he does give them protection and another experienced catcher during training camp.Hanigan has also played for Boston, Tampa Bay and Cincinnati during an 11-year major league career.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PHOENIX (AP) — Atlanta pitcher Mike Foltynewicz and Oakland pitcher Kendall Graveman have lost to their teams in salary arbitration.The decisions Saturday left players with a 7-6 lead. There is one decision pending in the case of Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer and nine hearings scheduled for next week.Foltynewicz went to arbitration with the Braves over a difference of $100,000, the smallest gap in a hearing since 1994. He will get a raise from $544,000 to $2.2 million, rather than the $2.3 million he requested.Foltynewicz was 10-13 with a 4.79 ERA last year in a career-high 28 starts and one relief appearance for Atlanta.Graveman goes from $545,000 to $2.36 million, instead of the $2.6 million he sought. He was 6-4 with a 4.19 ERA in 19 starts and spent considerable time on the disabled list because of a strained right shoulder.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CHICAGO (AP) — The winter-long dance is over. Yu Darvish is joining the Chicago Cubs.Darvish has agreed to a $126 million, six-year contract with Chicago, giving the Cubs one of the deepest rotations in baseball and taking one of the top players off the slow-moving free agent market.The 31-year-old Darvish met with Cubs officials way back in December and the sides remained in contact while the right-hander listened to other potential suitors. Texas, Milwaukee, Minnesota and the New York Yankees also reportedly expressed some level of interest, but Chicago's approach paid off with the agreement just days before the start of spring training.A person with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed the contract to The Associated Press on Saturday on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement. The move was first reported by The Athletic.The addition of Darvish gives the Cubs a big boost as they try to return to the World Series after winning the title two years ago for the... [More]