Alex Bregman and Red Sox agree to $120 million, 3-year contract, AP source says

Alex Bregman and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a $120 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. Bregman can opt out after the 2025 and 2026 seasons to become a free agent again. He might need to shift from third base to second with the Red Sox, who already have All-Star slugger Rafael Devers at the hot corner. A two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion during nine years with Houston, the 30-year-old Bregman hit .260 with 26 homers and 75 RBIs in 2024.

Nick Pivetta agrees to $55 million, 4-year contract with San Diego Padres, AP source says

A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that Nick Pivetta has agreed to a backloaded $55 million, four-year contract with the San Diego Padres. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal, first reported by ESPN, was subject to a successful physical. Pivetta gets a $3 million signing bonus and salaries of $1 million this year, $19 million in 2026, $14 million in 2027 and $18 million in 2028. He can opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons to become a free agent again.

Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff eager to take next step in his comeback after missing 2024 season

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff will face hitters for the first time in more than a year Friday as he continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury. Woodruff will throw live batting practice, the latest step forward in the two-time All-Star's comeback after he missed the 2024 season while recovering from surgery. The 32-year-old Woodruff hasn't faced a batter since a game against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 23, 2023. The Brewers shored up their pitching depth Wednesday by signing former Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Tyler Alexander.

Relief pitcher John Brebbia agrees to $2.75 million, 1-year contract with Detroit Tigers

Relief pitcher John Brebbia and the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a $2.75 million, one-year contract, a deal that could be worth up to $14.25 million over two seasons. A 34-year-old right-hander, Brebbia gets a $2.25 million salary this year as part of a deal that includes a $4 million team option for 2027 with a $500,000 buyout. The deal includes an escalator and performance bonuses. Brebbia began last season with the Chicago White Sox and was acquired by Atlanta on Aug. 31. He was 0-6 with a 6.28 ERA in 54 relief appearances.

MLB Free Agent Signings List

MLB Free Agent Signings

Mets finalize Pete Alonso deal and re-sign injured reliever Drew Smith

Pete Alonso and the New York Mets have finalized their $54 million, two-year contract on the same day spring training opened with the team's first formal workout for pitchers and catchers. New York also re-signed injured reliever Drew Smith to a one-year deal with a club option for 2026. Smith is expected to miss all or most of the upcoming season while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. Alonso and the Mets agreed to financial terms last week, subject to a successful physical. The four-time All-Star first baseman gets a $10 million signing bonus and salaries of $20 million this year and $24 million in 2026. He can opt out after the 2025 season to become a free agent again.

With Arenado not yet traded, Cardinals' Mozeliak calls third baseman `pink elephant in the room'

After spending much off the offseason trying to trade Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak admits it would be awkward if the third baseman arrives in camp Monday. He says "obviously, the pink elephant in the room is what are we going to do with Nolan Arenado." An eight-time All-Star, Arenado hit .272 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs last year, his poorest season in a decade. A 10-time Gold Glove winner, the 33-year-old has a .285 career average with 341 homers and 1,132 RBIs for the Cardinals and Colorado Rockies.

Left-hander Tyler Alexander agrees to $1 million, 1-year contract with Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers added a rotation candidate, agreeing to a $1 million, one-year contract with 30-year-old left-hander Tyler Alexander. He can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses for innings. Alexander went 6-4 with a 5.10 ERA in 23 games for Tampa Bay last season. He struck out 90 and walked 24 in 107 2/3 innings. Selected by Detroit in the second round of the 2015 amateur draft, Alexander is 17-28 with a 4.55 ERA in 143 appearances over six big league seasons with Detroit and the Rays.

After brief offseason opt out, Gerrit Cole says he always intended to remain with Yankees

Gerrit Cole says he always intended to remain with the New York Yankees. The 34-year-old right-hander exercised his right to opt out of his contract on the third day after the World Series, giving up $144 million over four years and starting a two-day window for the team to void the opt by adding a $36 million salary for 2029. New York decided not to add the year, and Cole then elected to keep his contract. Cole says on the first day of spring training workouts: "The intention wasn't to do anything other than stay."

Roki Sasaki flashes big fastball, wicked splitter and a few nerves in first bullpen with the Dodgers

Roki Sasaki was warming up for his bullpen on a cool, breezy Wednesday morning at Camelback Ranch, when the right-hander let loose a fastball that sailed past catcher Austin Barnes and clanged against the chainlink fence. Turns out the Japanese phenom was a little nervous. The 23-year-old Sasaki threw his first bullpen as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of several dozen members of the media, flashing an explosive fastball, a diving splitter and a little bit of wildness as he tries to makes the transition to Major League Baseball. Manager Dave Roberts said earlier on Wednesday that Sasaki could pitch in the team's second game of the regular season, which will be in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs on March 19.

Shohei Ohtani expects to throw first bullpen this weekend as he prepares for return to the mound

Shohei Ohtani plans to throw his first bullpen this weekend as he aims to return to the mound from a one-season pitching layoff caused by elbow surgery. The reigning National League MVP hasn't pitched in a big league game since Aug. 23, 2023, with the Los Angeles Angels. He had surgery on his elbow that Sept. 19, which limited him to a hitting role during his first season with the Dodgers in 2024. Ohtani threw off flat ground and is eager to get back on a mound.

Right-hander Cal Quantrill agrees to $3.5 million, 1-year deal with Marlins

Right-hander Cal Quantrill and the Miami Marlins have agreed to a $3.5 million, one-year contract. Quantrill can earn an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses. He went 8-11 with a 4.98 ERA over 29 starts with Colorado last season, leading the club in wins and ranking third on the pitching staff in starts, innings and strikeouts (110). It was his most starts since 2022 with Cleveland after making only 19 starts in 2023.

Pirates 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes is nearly pain-free after chronic back issues cost him in 2024

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes is optimistic he's got a firm grasp on how to deal with the back problems that forced him to miss more than 60 games in 2024. The former Gold Glove winner spent most of the offseason working on strengthening his core to take some of the pressure off his back when he swings. Hayes hit a career-low .233 last season and had just 13 extra-base hits. Hayes he knows for the Pirates to contend he needs to return to the form he showed in 2023 when he was one of the best players at his position in the majors.

Cardinals split first two arbitration cases, beating Donovan and losing to Nootbaar

The St. Louis Cardinals split their first two salary arbitration cases, beating Brendan Donovan and losing to Lars Nootbaar in results that left teams ahead 4-3 with two decisions remaining. Donovan will earn $2.85 million instead of his $3.3 million request. Nootbar was awarded his $2.95 million request rather than the team's $2.45 million offer. A decision is expected Thursday on Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante. Washington first baseman Nathaniel Lowe is scheduled this week for the final hearing.

Yamamoto, Sasaki are the likely starting pitchers when the Dodgers play in Tokyo next month

Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki are the likely starting pitchers for the Los Angeles Dodgers when they face the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo next month, according to manager Dave Roberts. The two Japanese pitchers along with two-way star Shohei Ohtani  will be the main attraction for Japanese fans during the two MLB games on March 18 and 19. The Cubs also have Japanese players in Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki. Roberts said Sasaki could theoretically pitch in one of the Dodgers' exhibition games earlier in the week in Tokyo, but the plan is for him to be ready for the second regular season game.

Griffin Jax embraces the chaos of late-inning relief for the Twins, letting go of his starting goals

The breakthrough season Griffin Jax produced for the Minnesota Twins last year wasn't enough by itself to convince the right-hander to fully accept his status as a relief pitcher and abandon his goal of being a starter. Candid conversation and a receptive perspective were the keys to bringing back Jax and him embracing his late-inning role for 2025. Jax initiated a call with his agent and the Twins about halfway through the offseason to reach a decision once and for all. The Air Force graduate realized his personality fits well with the back of the bullpen for high-pressure situations.

Angels' Anthony Rendon out long term because of upcoming hip surgery

Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon will undergo hip surgery and be out for an extended period, his latest injury setback since joining Los Angeles. General manager Perry Minasian told reporters that Rendon will be out "long term." Rendon is in the sixth season of a seven-year, $245 million deal. He has played in just 205 games over the past four seasons and appeared on the injured list 12 times since 2021.

Tigers expect RHP Alex Cobb to miss start of season with hip injury after signing $15M, 1-year deal

The Detroit Tigers are expecting Alex Cobb to miss the start of the season. The team's injury report at the start of spring training Wednesday included Cobb, who had an injection last week to treat hip inflammation that developed as the right-hander was throwing. Cobb has had hip surgery twice. He signed a $15 million, one-year contract two months ago. The Tigers added him to join a rotation led by AL Triple Crown and CY Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and recently signed Jack Flaherty. Cobb was an All-Star with the San Francisco Giants in 2023.

Veteran reliever JT Chargois in Texas Rangers spring training on a minor league deal

Veteran reliever JT Chargois has agreed to a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. The deal came before the team's first workout of spring training Wednesday in Surprise, Arizona. The 34-year-old right-hander split last season between Miami and Seattle, going 3-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 36 games. Chargois has a career 3.35 ERA with a 16-7 record over 244 big league games with five teams since his MLB debut in 2016 with Minnesota.

New Pirates 1B Spencer Horwitz to miss at least 6-8 weeks following wrist surgery

New Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz is expected to miss most of spring training after undergoing surgery on his right wrist. Horwitz, acquired in a trade with Cleveland in December, will be out at least 6-8 weeks. Pirates general manager Ben Cherington says while Horwitz remains a part of the team's plans in 2025, he did not put an exact timetable on a possible return. The 27-year-old Horwitz hit .265 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 97 games with Toronto last season. The Blue Jays shipped him to Cleveland in December and hours later the Guardians sent him to Pittsburgh in exchange for pitcher Luis Ortiz and two prospects.

Baseball welcomes another season, with most pitchers and catchers reporting Wednesday

There's a new No. 2 in the New York Yankees' rotation behind Gerrit Cole. A familiar face is getting a fresh start leading the Cincinnati Reds. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani & Co. are preparing title defense. There was plenty to see as baseball returned for most big league clubs, with pitchers and catchers working out at sites across Arizona and Florida. The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers got an early start ahead of their opening series in Tokyo on March 18 and 19, and a few clubs won't get going until Thursday.