Jays' Guerrero Jr. out of World Baseball Classic

Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has withdrawn from playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic due to inflammation in his right knee.

Toronto manager John Schneider said that an MRI showed no structural damage in Guerrero's right knee. Guerrero left the Blue Jays' spring training game on Friday with discomfort in the knee after taking some awkward steps into second base following a hit.

The 23-year-old Guerrero played 160 games last season and hit .274 with 32 homers and 97 RBIs.

He is the third Blue Jays player to withdraw from the WBC joining catcher Alejandro Kirk (Mexico) and pitcher Jordan Romano (Italy). RANGERS SIGN SMITH >> Left-handed reliever Will Smith agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year contract with the Texas Rangers.

The 33-year-old was 0-3 with a 3.97 ERA and five saves in 65 appearances last year for Atlanta and Houston, which acquired him on Aug. 2 for current Ranger Jake Odorizzi. The Astros declined a $13 million option on Nov. 9.

He was an All-Star with the Giants in 2019, the final season with the Giants for current Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. Smith had a career-high 37 saves for Atlanta in 2021.

Smith has 91 saves in 513 outings over 10 seasons for Kansas City (2012-13), Milwaukee (2014-16), the Giants (2016, 2018-19), Atlanta (202022) and Houston (2022).

Boston Red Sox left-hander James Paxton has a grade 1 strain of his right hamstring and seems unlikely to be on the opening day roster.

Paxton left Friday's game after 1 2/3 innings after feeling discomfort in his leg.

The outing was his first in nearly two years. Paxton missed nearly the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery while pitching for Seattle. He signed with Boston before last season but spent the entire year on the injured list with a series of setbacks while recovering from the elbow surgery.