Tampa Bay, Morton agree on 2-year deal
The Rays are perfectly comfortable putting relief pitchers on the mound to begin games, but the chance to add an All-Star to their rotation was too good to ignore.
Coming off a careerhigh 30 starts, Charlie Morton reached agreement with Tampa Bay on a two-year, $30 million contract, a person familiar with the deal said Wednesday.
Morton, 35, was a first-time All-Star last season when he went 15-3 with a 3.13 ERA for Houston.
Morton helped the Astros win their first World Series championship in 2017. He started and won Game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees, then was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers with four innings of relief.
“He’s a good pitcher,” Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “You never like to have good pitching come into the division; prefer they go somewhere else.” Happ staying: Lefthander J.A. Happ has agreed to a two-year contract to remain with the Yankees, SportsNet New York reported.
Happ’s pact guarantees him $34 million and includes an option year, the New York Post reported.
Happ, 36, was 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 starts with New York this year after he was acquired from Toronto in July. Briefly: The Nationals dealt right-hander Tanner Roark to the Reds for right-hander Tanner Rainey. Roark, 32, was 9-15 with a 4.34 ERA this year. He was 64-54 in six years with Washington. Rainey, 25, posted a 24.43 ERA in eight relief outings this year after going 7-2 with a 2.65 ERA in 44 appearances at Triple-A. ... Shortstop Jordy Mercer agreed to a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Tigers. Mercer, 32, hit .251 with six homers and 39 RBIs this year . ... Right-hander Lance Lynn, who was 10-10 with a 4.77 ERA with the Twins and Yankees in 2018, agreed to a threeyear, $30 million deal with the Rangers, MLB.com reported . ... First baseman Justin Bour, who hit .227 with 20 homers and 59 RBIs for the Marlins and Phillies this year, agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Angels, Yahoo reported.