Three-team trade sends Santana back to Indians
Star hitters Edwin Encarnacion of Cleveland and Carlos
Santana of Seattle were dealt for each other Thursday, part of a three-team trade that also involved Tampa Bay.
The Rays got infielder
Yandy Diaz and minor league right-hander Cole Sulser from Cleveland. The Indians also acquired first baseman
Jake Bauers from Tampa Bay, while the busy Mariners wound up with a draft pick. Tampa Bay will send $5 million to Seattle and the Mariners will pay $6 million to Cleveland.
Coming off their third straight AL Central title, the Indians had been expected to make a move at the meetings, presumably with ace Corey Kluber or pitcher Trevor Bauer.
Instead, they jettisoned Encarnacion — the designated hitter has averaged 108 RBIs over the last seven seasons — and brought back the popular Santana.
Rangers sign Lance Lynn to three-year deal
Free agent right-hander Lance Lynn and the Texas Rangers reached agreement on a $30 million, three-year contract during the winter meetings, a person with direct knowledge of the agreement said.
The deal is pending a physical, the person said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract isn't complete.
Texas was in the market for a steady starting pitcher to join a rotation that lost Cole Hamels midseason when he was traded to the Cubs before the July deadline.
The 31-year-old Lynn has double-digit wins in all six seasons he has been a regular starter since after his rookie year of 2011. He went 10-10 with a 4.77 ERA in 31 appearances with 29 starts in 2018 pitching for the Twins and Yankees.
Bobbleheads to be made of Negro League stars
Fans of the former Negro Leagues are being asked to help a campaign to create bobbleheads of 30 stars from the league — with a goal of commemorating the league's upcoming centennial.
Organizers of the effort, which was unveiled Wednesday, have created a team of 30 Negro Leagues stars who would be honored with bobbleheads if the campaign raises enough money. The first bobblehead of pitcher Satchel Paige of the Kansas City Monarchs has already been produced.
The Paige bobblehead stands on a baseball-shaped base in front of a replica of the Kansas City YMCA at 18th Street and the Paseo, where the Negro National League was organized on Feb. 13, 1920, The Kansas City Star reported .
Production of the rest of the licensed, limited-edition bobbleheads will depend on a Kickstarter campaign launched Wednesday by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum and Dreams Fulfilled, which was formed to promote the Negro League centennial.
Brewers add lefty to bullpen
The Milwaukee Brewers have added another reliever to their strong bullpen, getting durable left-hander Alex Claudio from the Texas Rangers for a draft pick.
Claudio was 4-2 with a 4.48 ERA and one save in 65 relief appearances and one start this year.