2018 – The Yankees make a big trade, acquiring ace SP James Paxton from the Mariners for three players, including top prospect Justus Sheffield. Paxton struck out 208 batters and pitched a no-hitter last season.
OF Bryce Harper of the Nationals is a unanimous winner of the 2015 National League Most Valuable Player Award after leading the major leagues in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage. In the American League, Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson is honored after leading the circuit in runs scored and RBIs.
The trickle of defectors from Cuba is becoming a flood, following the recent major league success of Aroldis Chapman, Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig and others. Two more members of the Cuban national team, SS Erisbel Arruebarruena and P Raicel Iglesias are now in the Dominican Republic and Mexico respectively, training to be signed by a major league team, according to today’s Miami Nuevo Herald. These follow on the footsteps of the defections of Jose Dariel Abreu and Alexander Guerrero, who both signed lucrative contracts in recent weeks.
The Padres exercised their 2014-15 options on Bud Black’s contract, ensuring their skipper will remain with the club for the next three seasons. The 2010 National League’s Manager of the Year, who has the second-longest tenure in the dugout in franchise history, has compiled a 464-509 (.465) won-loss record during his six seasons with San Diego.
Commissioner Bud Selig gives final approval to the 12-player trade between the Marlins and Blue Jays first announced on November 13th. “After a thorough examination […], it is my conclusion that this transaction, involving established Major Leaguers and highly regarded young players and prospects, represents the exercise of plausible baseball judgment on the part of both Clubs, does not violate any express rule of Major League Baseball and does not otherwise warrant the exercise of any of my powers to prevent its completion,” Selig says in a written statement.
The Tigers finalize a $16.5 million, three-year deal with reliever Joaquin Benoit, with the 33 year-old right-hander getting $5.5 million a year. The contract for the former Tampa Bay setup man is similar to the one given to Brandon Lyon, who filled the same role for Detroit before going to Houston in the 2009 offseason.
At a news conference at Minute Maid Park, Astros owner Drayton McLane announces he is putting the club up for sale. The 74 year-old entrepreneur, who purchased the franchise for about $117 million in 1992, tells the gathering, “it’s time to change and move forward.”
The Pirates clean house, releasing three veteran players in one fell swoop – OF Delwyn Young, P Zach Duke and 3B Andy LaRoche. At the same time, the Pirates add five youngsters to their major league roster, illustrating the direction the team intends to take to attempt to end its multi-season losing streak.
The Rangers sign P Barret Loux as an amateur free agent. Loux was selected 6th overall in the first round of the most recent amateur draft by the Diamondbacks, but was not offered a contract after failing a physical due to shoulder and elbow issues. Commissioner Bud Selig declared Loux a free agent, while the D-Backs received an additional pick in the 2011 amateur draft as compensation.
Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants wins his second consecutive National League Cy Young Award in one of the closest races in the award’s history. Lincecum gets 100 points in the voting, Chris Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals 94 and Carpenter’s teammate Adam Wainwright collects the most first-place votes but finishes third with 90 points.