MLB Player News

A three-team deal involving the White Sox, Diamondbacks and Angels has been completed, according to the azcentral.com.

The Angels will receive pitcher Hector Santiago from Chicago and pitcher Tyler Skaggs from Arizona. The White Sox will receive outfielder Adam Eaton, and the Diamondbacks will get outfielder Mark Trumbo. Arizona will also receive two PTBNL, one from Chicago and one from Los Angeles.

The White Sox are involved in a three-team deal involving the Angels and Diamondbacks, according to ESPN.

The Angels and Diamondbacks have been discussing a potential deal for outfielder Mark Trumbo, and now the White Sox are said to be involved. Chicago would offer pitcher Hector Santiago to the Angels, and receive outfielder Adam Eaton from Arizona. The Angels would ship Mark Trumbo to the Diamondbacks, and would likely receive a pitcher, possibly Tyler Skaggs or Trevor Cahill.

According to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman, the Cubs, Orioles and Mariners have all expressed an interest in free agent reliever John Axford. Each of these teams is looking for a closer and could view Axford as a candidate for the role.

Axford did not get any saves for the Brewers and Cardinals in 2013, as he registered a 4.02 ERA and 19 holds.

Though left-hander Will Smith, who the Brewers acquired from the Royals in exchange for outfielder Norhichika Aoki Thursday, appeared to break through as a reliever last year, posting a 2.45 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings over 18 appearances after successfully transitioning in the minors, the Brewers are open to using him in the starting rotation, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"I told him to come to camp as a starter and then we'll see," said general manager Doug Melvin. "He has pitched some good games in relief with a lights-out breaking ball. We'll take a look at him and see where he fits best."

Smith has a 5.48 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 6.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 17 career starts. The Brewers already have Tyler Thornburg, Jimmy Nelson, Johnny Hellweg and Hiram Burgos to compete for their final rotation spot.

The Marlins non-tendered two of their arbitration-eligible players Monday, as the team opted to allow outfielder Chris Coghlan and reliever Ryan Webb to hit free agency.

Coghlan was arbitration-eligible for the first time as a Super 2 player. He hit just .256 with a .672 OPS in 195 at-bats last season, and has been plagued by injury and struggles with his play in four seasons since winning the Rookie of the Year in 2009.

Webb made $975,000 in a deal to avoid arbitration, and was likely looking for a raise after posting a 2.91 ERA in 80 1/3 innings of work.   

The Diamondbacks non-tendered pitcher Daniel Hudson Monday, but intend to continue negotiating to try and bring the 26-year-old back, according to a statement by general manager Kevin Towers.

Hudson was unable to pitch last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He posted a 3.49 ERA in 222 innings in 2011, his last full season. 

Faced with a bevy of arbitration-eligible players ahead of Monday's non-tender deadline, the Braves opted to bring back all but three of them. Only one was actually signed to a contract, as the team agreed to undisclosed terms on a one-year deal with infielder Ramiro Pena, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

The team also tendered contracts to nine other players, whose salaries for 2014 will be determined by the arbitration process, unless contracts can be agreed upon. Pitchers Craig Kimbrel, Brandon Beachy, Kris Medlen, Mike Minor and Jordan Walden; infielders Freddie Freeman and Chris Johnson and outfielders Jason Heyward and Jordan Schafer will all return to the team next season. 

The Cardinals opted to non-tender just one of their four arbitration-eligible players prior to Monday's deadline, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Reliever John Axford will become a free agent, despite posting a 1.74 ERA for the Cardinals in 13 appearances at the end of last season.

Axford made $5.0 million last season in a contract signed with the Brewers prior to arbitration. He finished the season with a 4.02 ERA in 65 innings in his time with both teams. 

The Cardinals are unlikely to tender a contract to pitcher John Axford, MLB.com reports. Axford earned $5 million is 2013 due to his history as a closer, and he would earn a minimum of $4 million through arbitration if the team decided to tender him a contract.

Axford could return to the team on a reduced salary depending on the market he finds for his services in free agency. He went 7-7 with a 4.02 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 65:26 K:BB ratio in 65 innings between the Brewers and Cardinals last season.

The Diamondbacks and pitcher Daniel Hudson are in contract discussions, MLB.com reports. The two sides would avoid arbitration if they could agree to a deal, and the team has until Monday to decide whether to offer the pitcher arbitration.

"Hopefully we'll get something done in the next few days or over the weekend," Hudson said. "Obviously my wife and I have our roots set down here. We'd like to be here for the long run, and I'd like to have a long career with the Diamondbacks."

Hudson is recovering from multiple Tommy John surgeries, last pitching in 2012 before re-injuring his elbow in June. He's planning to wait until about six months after the most recent surgery to begin throwing.