The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Melancon signs with Giants
His four-year, $62M deal is a record contract for closers.
After a season undermined by blown saves, the San Francisco Giants made a decisive call to the bullpen at baseball’s winter meetings on Monday. They agreed to terms with three-time AllStar Mark Melancon for a reported $62 million over four years, which would be a record deal for closers. However, with Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen still available in free agency, it’s a mark unlikely to survive the week.
Melancon saved 47 games (in 51 chances) during a season split between the Pirates and Nationals. The righthander posted a 1.64 ERA over 71⅓ innings.
His 145 saves since July 24, 2013, are the most in MLB during that span.
Giants relievers went just 43 for 73 in save opportunities last season. The 30 blown saves set a franchise record.
Dodgers: Free agent lefthander Rich Hill re-signed to a three-year, $48-million contract. Hill, 36, went 3-2 with a 1.83 ERA in six starts for the Dodgers, who acquired him from Oakland in August. He was limited by a series of blisters on his left hand.
Blue Jays: Utility player Steve Pearce signed a twoyear, $12.5 million contract, which could spell the end of Edwin Encarnacion’s tenure in Toronto as Pearce primarily plays first base and first baseman Kendrys Morales and Justin Smoak are also on the roster. Pearce hit .288 with 13 home runs in 85 games for Tampa Bay and Baltimore last season.
Phillies: Reliever Joaquin Benoit agreed to a $7.5 million, one-year contract. Benoit, a 39-year-old righthander, had a 0.38 ERA after the Blue Jays acquired him from Seattle on July 26 for reliever Drew Storen.
Cubs: The team said the average season ticket price at Wrigley Field will climb 19.5 percent next season. The best seats will go up the most: 31 percent for club box infield seats and 22 percent for bleacher seats.
Pirates: Third baseman Jung Ho Kang’s arrest Friday was his third DUI charge in South Korea since 2009, Seoul police told Yonhap News Agency. Under a “three strikes” law, Kang’s driver’s license will be revoked, and he will not be allowed to be reissued another license for two years.
Red Sox: Boston exercised the 2018 option on manager John Farrell’s contract. Farrell won the World Series in his first season with the Red Sox in 2013 and led them back to the playoffs last season. He’s 339-309 in four seasons in Boston.
Noteworthy: Daily meal money for MLB players is being cut from $100.50 to $30 under the sport’s new collective bargaining agreement, but teams are assuming the cost of providing clubhouse food spreads for home games and road trips.