Giants pluck Soler from free agent list

The San Francisco Giants and slugger Jorge Soler agreed to a $42 million, three-year deal on Tuesday, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations, taking one of the remaining marquee free agents off the market as most of the 30 teams reported for spring training in Arizona and Florida.

But there’s still plenty of talent available — especially considering its mid-february.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, lefty Jordan Montgomery, third baseman Matt Chapman, slugger J.D. Martinez and former MVP Cody Bellinger are all still looking for homes as camps got underway.

Eighteen teams start workouts today and the final 10 begin Thursday. The Dodgers and Padres began early because of their March 20 opener at Seoul, South Korea.

After a flurry of big signings early this offseason — most notably Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Aaron Nola — MLB’S hot stove cooled.

Soler’s deal with the Giants was confirmed by a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a successful physical.

The veteran provides the Giants with a formidable power threat. He made his first All-star team with the Marlins last season, hitting .250 with 36 homers, and led the American League with 48 homers in 2019 while with the Royals.

The well-traveled Cuban was the 2021 World Series MVP for the Atlanta Braves after hitting .300 with three homers. He also won a championship with the Chicago Cubs in 2016.

San Francisco hopes to contend in the NL West after hiring Bob Melvin from division rival San Diego to replace Gabe Kapler following two straight years missing the playoffs. The Giants won a franchise-record 107 games and the division crown in 2021.

A’S MAKE HISTORY >> Jenny Cavnar is the new primary play-by-play announcer for the Oakland Athletics, hired by NBC Sports California.

Cavnar becomes the first woman to handle primary play-by-play duties in major league history — set to be the voice for most of the A’s games during the upcoming 2024 season.

She has covered baseball for 17 of 20 years in the media business, most recently calling Colorado Rockies games the past 12 years as a backup play-by-play announcer while also hosting pregame and postgame shows and regional coverage.

She became the first woman in a quarter-century to handle play-byplay for an MLB game in 2018.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and two-time Allstar catcher Yasmani Grandal have agreed to terms on a one-year contract worth $2.5 million.

Pittsburgh is searching for depth at catcher with Endy Rodríguez — who started 57 games in 2023 as a rookie — ruled out for 2024 after Tommy John surgery in December.

Grandal, 35, joins a catching situation that includes former No. 1 overall pick Henry Davis, Jason Delay and Ali Sánchez.