Top News:
Jeff PassanESPN / ESPN:
Passan: Inside the wild, wonky world of MLB salary arbitration — With $3 million at stake, the Boston Red Sox wanted to create the most compelling argument possible against Mookie Betts without alienating or insulting him. So last January, as they tried to convince a three-person arbitration panel …
RELATED:
Wallace Matthews / New York Daily News:
Yankees still in on Manny Machado, but if he wants more than Stanton, ‘good luck’ — The Yankees pursuit of Manny Machado may have hit a roadblock. — Then again, it may not have. — A team source told the Daily News that while the team has still not presented a formal offer …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
Bob Brookover / Philly.com:
Manny Machado and Bryce Harper still have us (and the Phillies) waiting | Extra Innings — You've probably taken down the Christmas tree, put away the lights, lawn displays and menorahs, and come to the conclusion that the holidays are finally over. You've obviously forgotten about the holiday …
Mike Cole / NESN.com:
Bryce Harper's Free Agency Should Be Of Interest To Mookie Betts, Red Sox
Bryce Harper's Free Agency Should Be Of Interest To Mookie Betts, Red Sox
Discussion:
The Athletic, Over the Monster, NBCSports.com and Union-News
Bruce Levine / 670 The Score:
Momentum Growing For Sox In Machado Sweepstakes
Momentum Growing For Sox In Machado Sweepstakes
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley, NESN.com and New Jersey Online
Mike Chiari / Bleacher Report:
Manny Machado Rumors: Decision Coming Within a Week amid Yankees Links
Manny Machado Rumors: Decision Coming Within a Week amid Yankees Links
Discussion:
NESN.com and New Jersey Online
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Brewers Reach Agreement With Yasmani Grandal — 10:16pm: Yahoo's Tim Brown reports that Grandal will be guaranteed $18.25MM in 2019 (Twitter link). — 10:06pm: The Brewers are in agreement on a contract with free-agent catcher Yasmani Grandal, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter).
Discussion:
Bleacher Report, NBCSports.com, MLB Daily Dish, Lone Star Ball, Mile High Sports, True Blue LA, Brew Crew Ball and Al's Ramblings
RELATED:
Tom Haudricourt / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Brewers reach agreement on one-year, $18.25 million deal with catcher Yasmani Grandal — With so many players returning from their 2018 NLCS squad, Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell said recently the margins are thinner for improving the team's talent base.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Associated Press:
Shelby Miller signs 1-year deal with Texas; Jaime Garcia retires; Grandal to Brewers — Free agent righthander Shelby Miller, who won 15 games as a rookie with the Cardinals in 2013, signed a $2 million, one-year contract with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. He can make another $3 million in performance bonuses.
Jeff PassanESPN / ESPN:
Sources: Yasmani Grandal agrees to 1-year, $18.25M deal with Brewers — Free-agent catcher Yasmani Grandal agreed to a one-year, $18.25 million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, league sources told ESPN, joining the reigning National League Central champions on a short-term deal …
Discussion:
Deadspin and The Crawfish Boxes
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
A's expect top pick Kyler Murray to enter NFL draft — The A's expect Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray, the team's top pick in June, to declare for the NFL draft Sunday, multiple sources told The Chronicle on Wednesday. — Declaring for the draft does not guarantee that Murray …
Associated Press:
Dustin Ackley returning to Mariners with minor league deal — SEATTLE — Former No. 2 overall pick Dustin Ackley is returning to the Seattle Mariners on a minor league deal after spending the past two seasons in the minors with the Los Angeles Angels, according to a person familiar with the deal.
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Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Mariners, Dustin Ackley Agree To Minor League Deal
Mariners, Dustin Ackley Agree To Minor League Deal
Discussion:
sports.MyNorthwest.com and MLB Daily Dish
Associated Press:
Mets, Travis d'Arnaud agree to $3.5 million deal — NEW YORK — Catcher Travis d'Arnaud got a $40,000 raise from the New York Mets to $3,515,000 despite missing nearly all of last season following Tommy John surgery. — D'Arnaud, who turns 30 on Feb. 10, has been on the disabled list …
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
SF Giants' home now called Oracle Park after AT&T split — Tell AT&T Park goodbye, Giants fans. — Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and their mates henceforth will play ball at Oracle Park. — The Giants on Thursday will announce a 20-year agreement with the Redwood City technology company …
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles, CBS San Francisco, MLB Baseball News …, Bloomberg and Forbes
Wallace Matthews / New York Daily News:
Ed Kranepool is waiting on a miracle, but the Mets great knows all about Amazin' finishes — Ed Kranepool has beaten seemingly insurmountable odds before. — As a member of the 1969 Miracle Mets, Kranepool completed a seven-year journey that started with a team that lost 120 games in its inaugural season …
RELATED:
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Mariners To Sign Tim Beckham — The Mariners have agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent infielder Tim Beckham, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The Wasserman client will earn a $1.75MM base salary and can take home another $250K worth of incentives as part of the deal.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Lookout Landing