MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NOTEBOOK

Tigers, Báez agree to $140 million, 6-year deal

Javier Báez is taking his high motor to Motor City.

Báez has agreed to a $140million, six-year contract with Detroit, giving the Tigers a dynamic bat for the middle of their order. Báez, who turns 29on Wednesday, hit .265with 31homers and 87RBIs in 138 games with the Cubs and Mets this season. The move likely puts Báez back at shortstop after he finished the year at second base while playing alongside good friend Francisco Lindor in New York. The contract is pending a physical, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been finalized.

Báez and Detroit reached an agreement right before what likely will be Major League Baseball’s first work stoppage since 1995. The five-year collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59p.m. EST Wednesday, and owners are expected to lock out the players if the sides can’t reach a new labor deal in time. Detroit had been looking for a shortstop since it went 77-85this season, finishing third in the AL Central behind Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox.

White Sox sign reliever Graveman to $24 million, 3-year deal Kendall Graveman talked to Lance Lynn and Dallas Keuchel, and he exchanged text messages with Liam Hendriks.

All that homework led him to the Chicago White Sox.

Graveman agreed to a $24million, threeyear contract with Chicago on Tuesday, giving the White Sox additional flexibility with their bullpen.

The 30-year-old Graveman is expected to pitch in front of Hendriks, who had 38 saves and a 2.54ERA in his first season with Chicago. The defending AL Central champions also have Craig Kimbrel, but he could be on the move after he faltered in a setup role with the White Sox. Chicago also brought back veteran utilityman Leury García with a three-year contract. The 30-year-old García batted .267with five homers and a career-high 54 RBIs in 126 games this season.

A person with direct knowledge of the contract confirmed García’s deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it hadn’t been finalized. The White Sox have an opening at second base after trading Nick Madrigal to the Cubs in the Kimbrel deal in July, and García could get the job if the team isn’t able to bring in a better alternative.

MLB Network was the first to report García’s deal.

Marlins, Alcantara complete 5-year, $56million contract

The Miami Marlins completed the signing of right-hander Sandy Alcantara to a fiveyear contract on Tuesday.

The sides agreed Sunday to a deal worth $56million. The Marlins said the deal also includes an option for a sixth season. It’s a record-setting deal for the Marlins in a couple of different ways. It’s the longest and richest for in history for any first-year arbitration eligible pitcher, according to the Marlins, and the longest deal that the current team ownership group — led by Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter — have given a player.

The 26-year-old Alcantara went 9-15with a 3.19ERA in 33games, all of them starts, this past season. He was one of only three pitchers in baseball with at least 200 innings and 200strikeouts, and had an MLB-leading six starts in which he went at least eight innings while allowing no more than one run.

He has been Miami’s opening-day starter in each of the last two seasons. If he starts the opener in 2022, he will be the third Marlins pitcher to do that three times in row — joining only Josh Johnson and Josh Beckett.

Rays land Raley for $10M, trade Wendle to Marlins, sign Choi

The Tampa Bay Rays signed reliever Brooks Raley to a $10million, two-year contract Tuesday with a club option for 2024. The defending AL East champions also traded All-Star infielder Joey Wendle to the Miami Marlins for minor league outfielder Kameron Misner, and agreed with first baseman Ji-Man Choi on a $3.2million, one-year deal that avoids arbitration. The Rays tendered contracts to their 13 remaining arbitration-eligible players. They are right-handers Nick Anderson, Yonny Chirinos, Tyler Glasnow, Andrew Kittredge and Matt Wisler, left-handers Ryan Yarbrough, Jalen Beeks and Jeffrey Springs, catcher Francisco Mejía, infielder Yandy Díaz, and outfielders Manuel Margot, Austin Meadows and Brett Phillips.