2018

2018 – The Mariners come to an agreement on a four-year contract with Japanese pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who had been made available through the posting system.

2018 – Veteran DH Nelson Cruz ends an excellent four-season run with the Seattle Mariners by signing a one-year deal with the Twins for $14.3 million. The Mariners are in full rebuilding mode and have no room for the 38-year-old slugger, even though he was still one of their most productive hitters last season.

The Dodgers pull off a big trade with the Reds, sending four major leaguers – OFs Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, P Alex Wood and C Kyle Farmer, in return for P Homer Bailey and prospects Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs. The main purpose of the trade for L.A. appears to be to clear roster and salary space in order to sign free agent OF Bryce Harper, as they release Bailey immediately after acquiring him, buying off $28 million he is still owed on his contract.

The Associated Press reports that the average salary in the major leagues went down last season, for the first time since 2004, albeit by a very small amount, according to data provided by the Players Association. The typical player took home $4.095 million, down from $4.097 million the year before. The other times salaries had failed to rise were during collusion in the mid-1980s and after the devastating 1994 strike. In 2018, teams had been notably reticent to offer salaries to free agents, with a huge number being still unsigned when spring training opened and many forced to accept salaries below their previous market value.

In another big trade, the Rangers send utility player Jurickson Profar to Oakland in a three-team deal that also involves the Rays. P Emilio Pagan and five prospects also change uniforms in the deal, while Tampa obtains a supplemental 1st round pick in the 2019 amateur draft from Texas.

2018 – In free agent signings today, 2B Daniel Murphy joins the Rockies on a two-year contract worth $24 million, while the Padres sign 2B Ian Kinsler. also for two years, but at the relatively bargain price of $8 million.

2018 – Major League Baseball and the Cuban Baseball Federation reach a historic deal that will allow players from the island to be scouted and signed without having to defect. This recognizes the fact that there should be no going back to the days when players had to put their life and the well-being of their families at risk, and deal with unsavory criminal elements, in order to come to the United States. It creates a situation that is akin to that which prevailed before the Cuban Revolution in 1959. However, the Administration of President Donald Trump will kill the deal on April 8th as part of a policy of maintaining as hard a line as possible in dealing with Cuban authorities.

2018 – Rumors emerge that the Astros have signed three-time All-Star OF Michael Brantley to a two-year free agent contract.

2018 – The amounts due for luxury tax payments this year are announced, and the World Series champions Red Sox lead the pack, being assessed a penalty of almost $12 million for exceeding payroll limits. The only other team over the threshold are the Nationals, who owe $2.3 million. In addition to the amount of the fine, the Red Sox will see their top pick in the 2019 amateur draft drop by 10 places as a result of the assessment, under a newly-adopted clause.