A busy off-season continues with the Rays pulling off a couple of trades involving 11 players. First, they get C Rene Rivera, 1B Jake Bauers and P Burch Smith from San Diego along with P Joe Ross and IF Trea Turner in return for OF Wil Myers, C Ryan Hanigan and Ps Gerardo Reyes and Jose Castillo, then they flip Ross and Turner to the Nationals for OF Steven Souza and P Travis Ott .

A busy off-season continues with the Rays pulling off a couple of trades involving 11 players. First, they get C Rene Rivera, 1B Jake Bauers and P Burch Smith from San Diego along with P Joe Ross and IF Trea Turner in return for OF Wil Myers, C Ryan Hanigan and Ps Gerardo Reyes and Jose Castillo, then they flip Ross and Turner to the Nationals for OF Steven Souza and P Travis Ott .

In other deals, the Royals sign free agent P Edinson Volquez for two years and $20 million after a great comeback season with the Pirates and the Marlins add OF Michael Morse for two years and $16 million.

In other deals, the Royals sign free agent P Edinson Volquez for two years and $20 million after a great comeback season with the Pirates and the Marlins add OF Michael Morse for two years and $16 million.

The Yankees continue their off-season spending spree, signing free agent 2B Brian Roberts for one year and P Matt Thornton for two years. While those two deals are not particularly large, the team gets hit once again with the largest luxury tax payment in Major League Baseball at $28 million; the Dodgers are the only other team which has to pay the tax, being assessed at $11.4 million, while the Red Sox manage to just squeeze under the $178 million payroll threshold.

The Yankees continue their off-season spending spree, signing free agent 2B Brian Roberts for one year and P Matt Thornton for two years. While those two deals are not particularly large, the team gets hit once again with the largest luxury tax payment in Major League Baseball at $28 million; the Dodgers are the only other team which has to pay the tax, being assessed at $11.4 million, while the Red Sox manage to just squeeze under the $178 million payroll threshold.

In other deals, the Orioles sign P Grant Balfour for two years and $15 million as a replacement for Jim Johnson and the Cubs sign P Jose Veras for one year. However, Balfour’s deal will be cancelled on December 20th when he fails his physical exam.

In other deals, the Orioles sign P Grant Balfour for two years and $15 million as a replacement for Jim Johnson and the Cubs sign P Jose Veras for one year. However, Balfour’s deal will be cancelled on December 20th when he fails his physical exam.

In a seven-player swap, the Mets acquire highly-regarded minor leaguers Travis d’Arnaud, a catcher, and right-hander Noah Syndergaard, in addition to backstop John Buck and outfielder Wuilmer Becerra from the Blue Jays in exchange for right-handed pitcher R.A. Dickey and catchers Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas. New York decided to deal their 38 year-old knuckleballer, last season’s NL Cy Young award winner with a year remaining on his contract, to procure two of Toronto’s top prospects.

In a seven-player swap, the Mets acquire highly-regarded minor leaguers Travis d’Arnaud, a catcher, and right-hander Noah Syndergaard, in addition to backstop John Buck and outfielder Wuilmer Becerra from the Blue Jays in exchange for right-handed pitcher R.A. Dickey and catchers Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas. New York decided to deal their 38 year-old knuckleballer, last season’s NL Cy Young award winner with a year remaining on his contract, to procure two of Toronto’s top prospects.

The Padres send P Mat Latos to Cincinnati in return for Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal, Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger. Latos is considered one of the most talented young pitchers in the majors in spite of a mediocre 9-14 record last year.

The Padres send P Mat Latos to Cincinnati in return for Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal, Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger. Latos is considered one of the most talented young pitchers in the majors in spite of a mediocre 9-14 record last year.