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MLB notebook: A-Rod joins ESPN's "Sunday Night" booth

[January 24, 2018] As Aaron Boone departs ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" crew to take over as manager for the New York Yankees, another former Bronx Bomber is set to take his place.

Alex Rodriguez will join Jessica Mendoza, Buster Olney and incoming hire Matt Vasgersian to form ESPN's new team for broadcasts, the network announced Tuesday. Rodriguez, 42, will continue to do postseason studio work for Fox Sports. The arrangement became possible when Disney, ESPN's parent company, paid $52.4 billion to acquire most of 21st Century Fox's assets, including regional sports networks.

Vasgersian will replace Dan Shulman on play-by-play. Shulman announced last year that he was leaving the "Sunday Night Baseball" broadcast team to spend more time with his family in Toronto.

--Former Minnesota Twins left-hander Glen Perkins has decided to retire, general manager Thad Levine told a Minnesota radio station.

Perkins, a three-time All-Star, struggled with a shoulder injury over the past 2 1/2 years. He made his third consecutive American League All-Star team in 2015 prior to the injury. He recorded 102 of his 120 career saves during that three-year span.

Perkins, 34, spent his entire 12-year career with Minnesota and went 35-25 with a 3.88 ERA in 409 career appearances (44 starts). His success picked up rapidly when he became a full-time reliever in 2011, eventually becoming the team's closer in 2013 when he compiled a career-best 36 saves.

--A pair of Houston Astros minor-leaguers received lengthy suspensions for the upcoming season, MLB announced.

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First baseman Jon Singleton was suspended 100 games under the drug prevention and treatment program after a third positive test, while right-handed pitcher Dean Deetz was suspended 80 games after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance dehydrochlormethyltestosterone.

Singleton, 26, has one year remaining on the five-year, $10 million extension he signed in June 2014, but the suspension will cost him more than 60 percent of his $2 million salary. Singleton has appeared in 114 games in the majors, and none since 2015, posting a .171 batting average with 14 homers, 50 RBIs and 151 strikeouts in 357 at-bats. Deetz, 24, was taken in the 11th round of the 2014 draft by Houston and has yet to make his major league debut.

--The Toronto Blue Jays made official their one-year deal with outfielder Curtis Granderson.

Granderson, who will be 37 when the season starts, is set to make $5 million in 2018. Granderson spent time with the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers last season. He had a .212 batting average but hit 26 home runs and drove in 64 runs.

For his career, the three-time All-Star has a .252 average and has hit 319 home runs. He has also played for the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees.

--Field Level Media

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