Major League Baseball roundup

[December 12, 2014]  (The Sports Xchange) - The Cincinnati Reds traded two-fifths of their starting rotation on Thursday, sending right-hander Mat Latos to the Miami Marlins for right-hander Anthony DeSclafani and a minor leaguer, and shipping right-hander Alfredo Simon to the Detroit Tigers for infielder Eugenio Suarez and right-handed pitching prospect Jonathon Crawford.

Latos and Simon are both eligible for salary arbitration this winter and are expected to make a combined $13 million-$14 million next season.

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The Detroit Tigers acquired outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, right-handed reliever Alex Wilson and a minor leaguer from the Boston Red Sox on Thursday in a trade for right-hander Rick Porcello as baseball's Winter Meetings came to a close.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to trade outfielder Matt Kemp to division rival San Diego.

Kemp was part of a surplus of outfielders on the roster with the Dodgers and the highest-paid of the bunch. Los Angeles will offset some of the cost for the Padres by paying at least $31 million of the remaining $107 million remaining on Kemp's contract.

Los Angeles is to acquire catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitcher Joe Wieland and right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin for Kemp and catcher Tim Federowicz.

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The Kansas City Royals landed a replacement for departed Billy Butler on Thursday, signing free-agent designated hitter Kendrys Morales to a two-year, $17 million contract.

Morales slumped last season with the Seattle Mariners, batting .218 with eight home runs and 48 RBIs in 98 games. In the previous two seasons combined, Morales hit 45 homers and had 153 RBIs.

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Right-hander Ervin Santana reached an agreement on a four-year, $55 million contract with the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, according to multiple reports.

Ervin Santana pitched for the Atlanta Braves last season with a one-year contract and posted a 14-10 record with a 3.95 ERA in 32 starts.

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The St. Louis Cardinals reached a contract agreement with free-agent Mark Reynolds on Thursday, according to a CBSSports.com report.

The power-hitting Reynolds batted only .196 in 130 games for the Milwaukee Brewers last season but hit 22 home runs and had 45 RBIs.

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First baseman-outfielder John Mayberry Jr. and the New York Mets reached agreement on a one-year, $1.45 million contract, according to multiple reports Thursday.

Mayberry is a career .241 hitter who likely will be used in a utility role with the Mets as a fourth outfielder and a backup first baseman.

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Catcher Oscar Hernandez was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the first pick in the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday at baseball's Winter Meetings.

Hernandez was in the Tampa Bay Rays' farm system. The 21-year-old hit .249 with nine home runs in 94 games with Class A Bowling Green last season.

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Minor league catcher Rodney Daal was suspended for 100 games after testing positive a third time for a drug of abuse, the commissioner's office announced Thursday.

The suspension goes into effect immediately after Daal signs with another major league team. Daal last played for Eugene in the Class A Northwest League and for the Padres in the Arizona League.

(Editing by Frank Pingue)

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