Hosmer to honor late teammate
Eric Hosmer has joined the San Diego Padres, and will wear a jersey number to honor late Kansas City teammate Yordano Ventura.
Hosmer and the Padres completed their $144 million, eight-year contract Monday night. The first baseman joined the team hours after it held its first full-squad workout of spring training.
Hosmer will wear No. 30 in honor of Ventura, a pitcher who died in an auto accident in the Dominican Republic last year. Hosmer asked Padres third base coach Glenn Hoffman for the number.
"It really meant a lot to me, and 'Hoff' was more than open to letting me carry on the number," Hosmer said Tuesday. "And like I told him, I'll wear it with pride each and every day."
Hosmer has been asked to play a leadership role with the Padres after his experience in Kansas City, where he won a World Series with the Royals in 2015.
3-team transaction sends Drury to Yankees
The Arizona Diamondbacks sent infielder Brandon Drury to the New York Yankees and received outfielder Steven Souza Jr. from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade Tuesday that included five players.
The deal was announced one day after former Diamondbacks outfielder J.D. Martinez agreed to a $110 million, five-year contract with Boston, pending a physical.
Drury gives the Yankees a new option at third base and second base, where New York was projected to start a pair of rookies.
Arizona pitching prospect Anthony Banda goes to the Rays, who also get minor league second baseman Nick Solak from the Yankees and two players to be named from the Diamondbacks. Minor league right-hander Taylor Widener goes from New York to Arizona.
Mattingly responds to Harper's criticism
Marlins manager Don Mattingly says Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper should not be critiquing Miami's offseason moves.
Harper said Monday he was shocked the Marlins traded their entire outfield during the offseason. He added that Miami could have become a formidable team by adding a couple of pitchers.
Harper joined a chorus of critics questioning the direction of the Marlins under new CEO Derek Jeter.