The hot stove was fired back up when Major League Baseball’s lockout ended Thursday, as teams scramble to make moves with Opening Day less than a month away.
Marquee free agents are still available and trade talks are underway across the league, with a flurry of moves expected in the weeks to come.
Catch up on some of the latest moves since the start of the day on Saturday:
Mets get Chris Bassitt in trade with Oakland
The Mets bolstered their starting rotation on Saturday, striking a deal with the Oakland Athletics for right-hander Chris Bassitt.
The 33-year-old Bassitt came back to make two starts in late September, just more than a month after he took a 100 mph liner to the face on Aug. 17 in Chicago. The drive came off Brian Goodwin’s bat in the second inning of a 9-0 loss to the White Sox.
Bassitt wound up 12-4 with a 3.15 ERA in 27 starts, including his first career complete game. He had been an AL Cy Young candidate when he got hurt, going 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA before the injury.
– Associated Press
White Sox sign Joe Kelly, infielder Josh Harrison
Blue Jays fill out rotation with Yusei Kikuchi
Before the lockout, Toronto signed free agent Kevin Gausman to a five-year, $110 million deal and locked up Jose Berrios with a seven-year, $131 million extension. On Saturday, they added left-hander Yusei Kikuchi to the rotation.
Kikuchi, 30, was an All-Star for the Mariners in 2021 but finished the season with a 4.41 ERA in 29 starts.
Phillies adding Jeurys Familia to bullpen
Philadelphia is set to sign Familia, the longtime Mets right-hander to a one-year deal worth $6 million. Familia, who saved 51 games in 2016, had a 3.95 ETA in 65 games last season.
He joins Corey Knebel and Jose Alvarado at the back end of the Philadelphia bullpen.
Rockies sign Jose Iglesias, Alex Colome
With Trevor Story on his way out, Colorado found a new shortstop in Iglesias, signing the 32-year-old to a one year, $5 million deal. Iglesias hit .271 with a .701 OPS in 137 games with the Angels and Red Sox in 2021.
Colome has a 2.91 ERA in 342 appearances with 155 saves since 2016. He posted a 4.15 ERA in 67 games with 17 saves for the Twins in 2021.
Rangers, Twins make MLB’s first post-lockout trade
The Texas Rangers traded Isiah Kiner-Falefa, their starting shortstop last season who was supplanted by the blockbuster addition of Corey Seager, to the Minnesota Twins for catcher Mitch Garver.
Kiner-Falefa won a Gold Glove playing third base during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season for the Rangers. It appeared that Kiner-Falefa would get the opportunity to be their starting third baseman again this season, especially after top prospect Josh Jung had shoulder surgery last month. Now it looks like Kiner-Falefa, the Hawaii native who turns 27 later this month, will be at his preferred position of shortstop in Minnesota.
Garver had a breakout season in 2019 with 31 homers in 93 games while winning a Silver Slugger award, but the 31-year-old catcher has had injurie issues the past two years. He struggled through the pandemic season in 2020, then missed most of the 2021 season after taking a foul tip to the groin area and needing surgery.
– Associated Press
Orioles ink veteran starter Jordan Lyles
Lyles and the Baltimore Orioles finalized a $7 million, one-year contract on Saturday night.
The 31-year-old Lyles went 10-13 with a 5.15 ERA for the Texas Rangers last season. The right-hander joins a Baltimore staff that posted a 5.84 ERA last year, by far the worst in the major leagues.
Lyles set career highs in starts (30) and innings (180) last season.
The deal is worth $5.5 million in 2022, plus a $500,000 signing bonus. It includes an $11 million team option for 2023 or a $1 million buyout.
– Associated Press
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