Grandy agrees to 1-year, $5M deal with Blue Jays
Curtis Granderson isn’t ready to hang it up just yet – and he’ll be returning to the AL East in 2018.
The former Met and Yankee reached an agreement with the Blue Jays on a one-year, $5 million deal, according to multiple reports.
Granderson, who turns 37 in March, hit .212/.323/.452 in 147 games between the Mets and Dodgers with 26 homers and 64 RBIs last season.
L.A. acquired the veteran outfielder from New York on August 19 for Jacob Rhame. Granderson struggled in the playoffs, however, going 1-for-15 with eight strikeouts, and he was left off the Dodgers’ World Series roster.
After reaching the playoffs in 2015 and 2016, the Blue Jays went 76-86 in 2017.
Jose Bautista, 37, is a free agent and isn’t expected to return to Toronto. — Mike Mazzeo
Howie Kendrick was linked as a possible infield option for the Mets, but the versatile veteran will be staying with the NL East rival Nationals, agreeing to a two-year, $7 million deal with D.C., according to multiple reports.
Kendrick, 34, had an .844 OPS with nine homers in 305 at-bats with the Phillies and Nats last season. He is capable of playing both the infield and outfield positions.
The Mets are still looking for a starter at second, with Asdrubal Cabrera seemingly entrenched at third.
Last week, the Mets brought back Jay Bruce on a three-year, $39 million deal and on Saturday added veteran Adrian Gonzalez as insurance behind 22-year-old youngster Dominic Smith at first.
Justin Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP and Minnesota Twins first baseman whose career was derailed by concussion symptoms, is retiring after 1,603 hits and 247 home runs in 14 major league seasons.
The Twins confirmed Morneau’s retirement on Monday. They scheduled a news conference for Wednesday.
Morneau didn’t play in 2017. He appeared in 58 games for the Chicago White Sox in 2016.
After the Twins drafted the Canadian in 1999, Morneau became a four-time All-Star. His MVP-caliber performance in 2010 was halted by a knee to the head he took during a slide that cost him half of that season. He won an NL batting title with the Colorado Rockies in 2014. —AP