2019 – The Rockies and Nolan Arenado agree on a one-year deal worth $26 million, thus avoiding an arbitration hearing. The amount sets a record for an arbitration-eligible player, topping the $23 million obtained by Josh Donaldson a year ago.
2019 – The Dodgers sign OF A.J. Pollock for four years at $55 million. Most observers thought they were looking to sign another free agent, Bryce Harper, after trading OFs Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig earlier this off-season, but this signing likely means that they will cease pursuing Harper.
The Mariners offer a minor league contract to 45-year-old outfielder and living legend Ichiro Suzuki. While the Mariners released him last May, Ichiro has not officially retired and has made it clear that he would love to play for the M’s when they open the season in his native Japan on March 20th.
2019 – Mariano Rivera becomes the first unanimous inductee in the Hall of Fame, being named on all 425 ballots cast by members of the BBWAA in the 2019 Hall of Fame Election. Joining him are fellow pitchers Roy Halladay, who becomes a posthumous first-ballot Hall of Famer, and Mike Mussina, and DH/3B Edgar Martinez, the latter in his 10th and final year of eligibility.
2019 – The Yankees get rid of an unwanted member of their pitching staff by sending veteran starter Sonny Gray to the Reds in return for minor league infielder Shed Long and a Compensation Round A pick in the 2019 amateur draft. They then turn around and trade Long to the Mariners for OF Josh Stowers. For their part, the Reds immediately sign Gray to a three-year contract extension worth $30.5 million.
2019 – The 2019 Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame Election results are announced. Kazuyoshi Tatsunami, the all-time NPB doubles leader, is elected on the players ballot. The veterans committee selects Hiroshi Gondo while the special committee picks high school federation executive Haruo Wakimura.
Mel Stottlemyre Sr., the Astros’ pitching coach from 1994-95, passes away from cancer at age 77. In an 11-year career with the Yankees, the righthander won 164 games and was a five-time All-Star. He owned another footnote in Houston history as the opposing starting pitcher for the first game in the Astrodome.
2019 – Kyler Murray, Oakland’s top pick in the 2018 amateur draft and winner of the Heisman Trophy as a star quarterback for the University of Oklahoma, announces that he has declared for the upcoming NFL draft hours before the midnight ET limit for doing so. He is expected to be selected early in the first round, but the A’s could still convince him to forgo a football career by sweetening the contract they reached with him last summer.
On January 11, 2019, the Boston Red Sox come to an agreement with reigning MVP Mookie Betts, signing him for $20 million, the most ever given to a player in his second year of arbitration eligibility; in fact, the amount beats that given to any player in his third year of eligibility. Betts…
Sponsor this Page On January 11, 2019 — Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom reaches a one-year deal with the Mets for $17 million. The $9.6 million raise is the largest ever for a player eligible for salary arbitration. DeGrom will repeat as the Cy Young award winner in 2020 when goes 11-8 with…
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