Major-league relievers play musical chairs

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida — Much like the post-season, the baseball winter meetings became a parade of relievers.

Steve Cishek and Fernando Rodney were on the move Thursday, joining Brandon Morrow, Luke Gregerson, Bryan Shaw, Joe Smith and other setup men, middlemen and specialists going to new teams this week.

The bullpen gates figure to keep swinging open, too. Closers Wade Davis and Greg Holland are still available.

“That’s probably the one area in which there’s been a lot of activity, at least on the free-agent market,” New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said.

Cishek and Morrow are going to the Chicago Cubs, who could lose Davis.

“You got to have that great bullpen to play the last game of the year and win it,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.

GMs, executives and scouts who packed a hotel lobby near Disney World for three days headed home, eager to continue their holiday shopping.

Big hitters J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer and Carlos Santana are in play, along with Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas. Yu Darvish, Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn certainly would help any rotation.

Overall, 12 major-league free agents have finalized contracts this off-season. At the same point last year, there had 42 deals.

The New York Yankees made the biggest splash at this annual swap shop, acquiring NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton from Miami. The Marlins, meanwhile, looked adrift under new CEO Derek Jeter, trading away a trio of AllStars — Marcell Ozuna, Dee Gordon and Stanton — to cut payroll.

The St. Louis Cardinals were busy, getting Ozuna and Gregerson and moving outfielder Stephen Piscotty to Oakland.

Philadelphia is boosting its bullpen with Pat Neshek and Tommy Hunter, the Washington Nationals are set to keep Brandon Kintzler and the Mets added Anthony Swarzak.