MLB notebook: Phillies retire No. 34 for 2018 season

[December 23, 2017]  The Sports Xchange

The Philadelphia Phillies will honor two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay by making certain that no player will wear the No. 34 jersey this season.

The Phillies, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, are making that gesture as part of a tribute to Halladay, who died when his plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico on Nov. 7. He was 40.

With the Phillies, Halladay threw a perfect game in 2010 against the Marlins. Less than five months later, he pitched the second no-hitter in postseason history when he defeated the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

Catcher Andrew Knapp wore No. 34 for the Phillies last season, but reportedly expressed reservations about taking Halladay's number. He switched to his college number (No. 15) after Halladay died.

It is not known if the Phillies will retire the jersey number for longer than the 2018 season.

--Omar Minaya, who served as general manager of the New York Mets from 2004 to 2010, is returning to the team and was named as the special assistant to GM Sandy Alderson.

Alderson succeeded Minaya as general manager in 2010.

Minaya initially joined the Mets in 1997 as senior assistant general manager in charge of the team's international scouting department. The Dominican held that post until 2002, when he became baseball's first Hispanic general manager when he took the helm of the Montreal Expos.

He then rejoined the Mets before serving as vice president of baseball operations for the San Diego Padres from 2011 to 2015.

--The Washington Nationals and first baseman/outfielder Matt Adams agreed to terms on a one-year contract, the team announced. The deal is reportedly worth $4 million.

Adams batted .274 with a career-high 20 homers and 65 RBIs in 131 games split between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves last season.

The 29-year-old also set personal bests in slugging percentage (.522) and OPS (.841), but is expected to back up Ryan Zimmerman in Washington.

--The Arizona Diamondbacks and Japanese reliever Yoshihisa Hirano agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract, the team announced.

Hirano recorded 29 saves this past season for the Orix Buffaloes of Japan's Pacific League. The 33-year-old owns a 48-69 career mark with a 3.10 ERA in 549 appearances (68 starts).

The Diamondbacks are in need of a closer after Fernando Rodney signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins last week. Incumbent Archie Bradley and new acquisition Brad Boxberger are also expected to be in the mix for closing duties in Arizona.

-----------------------------------------------

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.