Yankees, Torres agree to contract

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees have agreed to a $9.95 million, one-year contract with Gleyber Torres, avoiding an arbitration hearing with the infielder.

The team announced the deal on Sunday. The 26-year-old Torres hit .257 with 24 homers and 76 RBIs in 140 games for the AL East champions last year.

Torres had asked for a raise from $6.25 million to $10.2 million in arbitration, and the Yankees offered the second baseman $9.7 million.

Torres made his big league debut with New York in 2018. The two-time All-Star is a .265 hitter with 98 homers and 310 RBIs in 576 career games.

Cleveland drummer Adams dies

John Adams, who pounded a drum while sitting in Cleveland’s outfield bleachers during baseball games for five decades, has died. He was 71.

The Guardians announced Adams’ passing on Monday.

Adams first hauled a bass drum that he bought for $25 at a garage sale to a game at Municipal Stadium during the 1973 season. He’d bang out a steady beat whenever the home team was batting and wound up becoming a Cleveland sports icon.

“For nearly five decades the beat of John’s drum was the heartbeat of baseball here in Cleveland,” said Guardians Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Bob DiBiasio. “We are all saddened by John’s passing. His dedication, commitment and passion for our franchise, at both Cleveland Stadium and Progressive Field, was unmatched. John will forever remain a member of our team.”

Adams’ health had been in decline the past few seasons. No longer able to attend games, he was honored by the team last season with a replica bronze sculpture of his drum, which has a permanent place in the team’s Heritage Park area at Progressive Field.

There is also a plaque mounted on the wall next to his seat and above the top row of the left-field bleachers.

A Parma, Ohio native, Adams started his drumming gig with the team on Aug. 24, 1973, when Cleveland hosted the Texas Rangers. He was a fixture during the regular season and performed at three AllStar Games, three World Series and was there the night Len Barker pitched a perfect game for Cleveland in 1981.