Sunday's MLB: Todd Frazier, Rangers agree to one-year, $5M deal
Veteran third baseman Todd Frazier and the Texas Rangers have reached an agreement on a $5 million, one-year contract, filling a significant need for the team.
The Associated Press reported Sunday that the agreement was pending a successful physical.
Frazier will make $3.5 million in 2020, and the deal includes a 2021 club option with a $1.5 million buyout for the two-time All-Star.
Third base is a primary need for the Rangers, who lost out in their pursuit of top free agent Anthony Rendon this offseason when the Texas native instead signed with the division rival Los Angeles Angels.
Frazier also provides a right-handed hitter in the middle of a left-leaning lineup, and could play first base if Texas adds other players.
Adrian Beltre, a four-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove third baseman who had 3,166 career hits, retired after the 2018 season. He played the last eight of his 21 big league seasons with Texas.
The Rangers added veteran Asdrubal Cabrera last offseason, and he hit .235 while starting 90 games before being released at the end of July. He then signed with the Washington Nationals, and played second base while part of their World Series title season, along with Rendon.
Five other players also started games at third base for Texas last season.
Frazier, a month shy of his 34th birthday, spent the past two seasons with the New York Mets. He hit .251 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs in 133 games last year.
The .243 career hitter also played for the Cincinnati Reds (2011-15), the Chicago White Sox (2016-17) and Yankees (2017) in his nine big-league seasons. He was twice an All-Star third baseman with the Reds.
Gardner-Yankees deal set
Outfielder Brett Gardner and the Yankees completed his $12.5 million, one-year contract on Saturday.
New York agreed to the deal Dec. 13 during the winter meetings, and the 36-year-old took a physical on Tuesday.
His addition, following last month’s $324 million, nine-year contract with pitcher Gerrit Cole, raised the Yankees’ projected luxury tax payroll to about $248 million — the threshold where the highest luxury tax rate starts.
Gardner gets a $2 million signing bonus and an $8 million salary for next season.
Wood back with Dodgers
The Dodgers and left-handed pitcher Alex Wood agreed to a one-year contract, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The deal is worth $4 million guaranteed and includes incentives that could boost Wood’s salary to $10 million.
Wood returns to Los Angeles after the Dodgers traded him to the Cincinnati Reds last offseason as part of a salary-dumping package that included Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp.
His stint with the Reds was injury-marred.
Wood, who turned 29 on Sunday, dealt with back trouble the entire season, beginning in spring training. He started the season on the injured list. He was activated in late July, but made only seven starts before his season ended in September. He had a 5.80 earned-run average and gave up 11 home runs over 35 2/3 innings.
He returns with a chance to crack the Dodgers rotation after being a steady presence in the group for parts of four seasons. Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda and Julio Urias are projected as locks for the rotation. Ross Stripling, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Wood and Jimmy Nelson, signed last week, are other options.
Wood enjoyed his best year as a Dodger in 2017 when he was 16-3 with a 2.72 ERA and was on the National League All-Star team. He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the World Series that October.