The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
BRAVES WILL PART WITH UTILITYMAN CULBERSON
The Braves declined to tender 2020 contract offers to three players, including utilityman Charlie Culberson, on Monday. The team also non-tendered catcher John Ryan Murphy and outfielder Rafael Ortega. The three become free agents and are immediately eligible to sign with any team.
The Braves’ 40-man roster stands at 37 players. Monday was the deadline to non-tender arbitration eligible players.
Culberson, 30, would have made $1.8 million in arbitration. His season was cut short by a fractured cheek bone when he was hit in the face by a pitch in September. He appeared in 108 games last season and hit .259 with five home runs and 20 RBIs in 144 plate appearances. He hit .267 in two seasons with the Braves. The seven-year veteran has also played for the Giants, Rockies and Dodgers.
Murphy, 28, appeared in one game with one at-bat with the Braves last season after he was acquired at the trade deadline. Ortega, 28, played in 34 games with the Braves last season, hitting .205. The Braves have seven remaining arbitration-eligible players: Johan Camargo, Grant Dayton, Adam Duvall, Mike Foltynewicz, Shane Greene, Luke Jackson and Dansby Swanson.
REDS: All-Star infielder Mike Moustakas agreed to a $64 million, four-year contract, a person familiar with negotiations told The Associated Press. For a second straight offseason, the Reds are making a splurge in free agency as they try to break out of a rut of six straight losing seasons. Their first move involves getting a player from NL Central rival Milwaukee. The 31-year-old could fill a hole at second base. Moustakas hit .254 with 35 homers and 87 RBIs in 2019.
PHILLIES: Second baseman Cesar Hernandez and third baseman Maikel Franco became free agents when the Phillies did not offer them contracts Monday.
RED SOX: Tendered outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. a 2020 contract, preserving their rights to him.
CUBS: Chicago did not offer a 2020 contract to shortstop Addison Russell Monday, making the 2016 All-Star a free agent one year after he was suspended for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.
WHITE SOX: All-Star catcher James McCann agreed to a $5.4 million, one-year contract, more than doubling his salary. McCann set career highs with a .273 batting average, 18 homers and 60 RBIs.
INDIANS: Acquired catcher Sandy Leon in a trade from the Red Sox for minor league RHP Adenys Bautista.
PADRES: Second baseman Jurickson Profar was acquired from Oakland for catcher Austin Allen and a player to be named. Profar matched his career high with 20 home runs and batted .218 with 67 RBIs over 139 games.
MARINERS: Seattle failed to offer 2020 contracts to infielder Tim Beckham and outfielder Domingo Santana on Monday, making them free agents. Beckham, who turns 30 in January, was suspended 80 games in August after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug.