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    Juan Soto’s arrival is a sign the New York Yankees want stars to help them rebound from their worst season in three decades. Acquiring the three-time All-Star outfielder from San Diego was a vintage George Steinbrenner move. The Yankees got Soto and Gold Glove center fielder Trent Grisham for right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Drew Thorpe along with catcher Kyle Higashioka.

      The New York Yankees have acquired All-Star slugger Juan Soto in a blockbuster trade with the cost-cutting San Diego Padres. San Diego received right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Drew Thorpe along with catcher Kyle Higashioka. In addition to Soto, the Yankees get Gold Glove center fielder Trent Grisham. 

        Big-name free agents appear in no hurry to strike deals at the winter meetings, biding time until Shohei Ohtani potentially breaks the record for richest contract set 4 1/2 years ago by Mike Trout. And Japanese free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto could be holding up the starting pitching market. Ohtani, the two-way unicorn who has won two of the last three AL MVP awards for the Los Angeles Angels, is expected to get a deal topping $500 million — Trout’s contract was for $426.5 million over 12 years.

          Jim Leyland, who led the Florida Marlins to a World Series title in 1997 and won 1,769 regular-season games over 22 seasons as an entertaining and at-times crusty big league manager, was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame. Now 78, Leyland received 15 of 16 votes by the contemporary era committee for managers, executives and umpires. He becomes the 23rd manager in the hall.

          Andre Dawson says he sent a letter to baseball Hall of Fame chair Jane Forbes Clark asking to change the cap on his plaque from the Montreal Expos to the Chicago Cubs. He disagreed with the decision by the hall as soon as it was made over his objection 13 years ago. Dawson tells the Chicago Tribune: “I don’t expect them to jump on something like this" and adds "if they elect to respond, they’ll take their time.” 

          The St. Louis Cardinals agreed with AL Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray on a three-year contract Monday to anchor their staff heading into next season. The 34-year-old Gray went 8-8 with a 2.79 ERA for Minnesota last season. He turned down a qualifying offer from the Twins, and St. Louis will lose its second-highest draft pick next year for signing him. 

          Right-hander Kenta Maeda and the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a $24 million, two-year contract, according to an AP source. The agreement was subject to a successful physical. Maeda, who turns 36 on April 11, spent the past three years with the Minnesota Twins. He was 6-8 with a 4.23 ERA in 20 starts and one relief appearance this year in his return from Tommy John surgery on Sept. 1, 2021.

          The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired slugger Eugenio Suárez on Wednesday from the Seattle Mariners in a trade for reliever Carlos Vargas and catcher Seby Zavala. The 32-year-old Suárez was a 2018 All-Star for the Cincinnati Reds. He has been a consistent power hitter for the past decade, slugging 246 homers since 2012. He fills a need for the D-backs at third base, which was manned mostly by Evan Longoria and Emmanuel Rivera last season.

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          Three-time All-Star relief pitcher Willie Hernández, who won the 1984 Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards as part of the World Series champion Detroit Tigers, has died. He was 69. Tigers spokesman Chad Crunk said on Tuesday that the franchise confirmed Hernández’s death with his family. No cause was immediately provided. The left-handed Hernández had a 13-year career but is mostly known for his role as the closer on one of the most dominant teams in the past 40 years. 

          The St. Louis Cardinals began the retooling of their starting rotation Monday by agreeing to a one-year deal with Lance Lynn that brings the right-hander back to the club that drafted him, a person with knowledge of the contract told The Associated Press.

          Aaron Nola is returning to the Philadelphia Phillies on a seven-year deal, according to a person familiar with the agreement. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday on condition of anonymity because the deal is pending a physical. ESPN and others reported the right-hander's contract is worth $172 million. 

          Two-way star Shohei Ohtani is not only great for baseball — he’s also a blessing for Japan’s newspaper industry. He was named the first two-time unanimous Most Valuable Player when he won the American League honor on Thursday. This immediately set off a scramble around Tokyo’s Shibuya station for extra editions announcing the award.

          Ronald Acuña Jr. was a unanimous winner of his first National League Most Valuable Player award after becoming the first big leaguer with 40 homers and 70 stolen bases in a season. Los Angeles Angels two-way star star Shohei Otani won the American League honor, becoming the first two-time unanimous MVP. There have been 21 unanimous winners, and this year marked the first time two occurred in the same year. Mookie Betts received all 30 second-place votes and 270 points, followed by Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Freddie Freeman with 227 points.

          Shohei Ohtani, who has captivated baseball with his unprecedented combination of high-level hitting and premium pitching, became the first two-time unanimous Most Valuable Player when he won the American League honor on Thursday.

          Gerrit Cole was a unanimous winner of his first American League Cy Young Award on Wednesday, and Blake Snell took the National League honor in becoming the seventh hurler to earn baseball’s top pitching prize in both leagues.

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