|
 News of the signing was first reported by Ken Rosenthal of Fox
Sports and confirmed by Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
The deal is pending a physical. Garza, 30, spent time on the
disabled list in each of the past three seasons, including six weeks
in 2013 with a rib-cage strain. In 2011 and 2012, he missed starts
with elbow issues.
He was the top starting pitcher left on the market after Masahiro
Tanaka signed with the New York Yankees on Wednesday. The
right-hander was 10-6 with a 3.82 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 155 1/3
innings last season with the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers in 24
starts.
___ The Tampa Bay Rays and free agent closer Grant Balfour
reached an
agreement on a two-year, $12 million deal, multiple media outlets
reported Thursday.
After a three-year hiatus in Oakland, the All-Star closer is headed
back to Tampa Bay. The deal is pending a physical.
Balfour saved 38 games in 41 chances with a 2.59 ERA and 72
strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings last season for the Athletics.
___ The Cleveland Indians signed free agent right-handed pitcher
David Aardsma on Thursday to a minor league contract with a non-roster
invitation to spring training camp.
Aardsma, 32, spent most of the 2013 season in the New York Mets'
bullpen, going 2-2 with a 4.31 ERA in 43 relief appearances.
___
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The Seattle Mariners signed free agent outfielder Endy Chavez
to a
minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, ESPN.com reported Thursday.
Chavez, 35, played in 97 games with the Mariners last season,
hitting .267 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 266 at-bats. He
played all three outfield positions last season. He is a .269 hitter
with 101 stolen bases in 12 seasons with the Montreal Expos, New
York Mets, Mariners and four other organizations.
___ Masahiro Tanaka should fit right in when he arrives in New York to
put on Yankees pinstripes.
Asked Thursday to share his motive for joining baseball's winningest
franchise, Tanaka is already talking the talk.
"To become world champions," he said at a news conference in Tokyo,
where the right-hander confirmed the Yankees made the biggest offer.
"I'm going there to win the World Series."
___ The Hall of Fame announced on Thursday cap selections that will
appear on the plaques for the six-man 2014 class, and pitcher Greg Maddux and manager Tony La Russa have opted for no team logo.
Manager Bobby Cox, left-hander Tom Glavine, La Russa, Maddux, first
baseman Frank Thomas and manager Joe Torre will be formally inducted
into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, July 27 in
Cooperstown, N.Y.
Glavine and Cox will be inducted as Braves, Thomas as a White Sox
and Torre as a Yankee. (Editing by Frank Pingue)
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