The big-budget Boston Red Sox aren’t looking to cut payroll after winning the World Series.
The Latest on Major League Baseball’s winter meetings (all times local):
4:04 p.m.
The big-budget Boston Red Sox aren’t looking to cut payroll after winning the World Series.
Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is dismissing reports that he’s trying to trade some high-priced players, such as pitcher Rick Porcello.
“We’re not looking to move anybody. We’re not driven to move anybody,” he said.
The Red Sox had the highest payroll in the majors for the first time in the free agent era. It was nearly $239 million in late August on Boston’s way to a team-record 108 wins in the regular season.
Dombrowski says he thinks the team payroll will be over $246 million next year.
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3:55 p.m.
The Oakland Athletics have reached agreement with catcher Chris Herrmann on a $1 million, one-year contract.
General manager David Forst had put getting a catcher among his top to-do items, and the A’s found one at the winter meetings.
The 31-year-old Herrmann played 36 games for Seattle last season, batting .237 with two homers and seven RBIs.
A lefty hitter, he can make an additional $25,000 in performance bonuses for 200,250,300 and 350 plate appearances.
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3:39 p.m.
Kyler Murray has lots of new fans in the Oakland A’s organization, even if they cringe watching the Heisman Trophy winner play quarterback for Oklahoma.
The Athletics don’t want their most recent first-round draft pick hurt on the football field because they’re counting on him wearing an Oakland jersey come spring training.
Murray is a shifty runner, often dashing from the pocket for big gains. He’ll next play Dec. 29 when he leads the fourth-ranked Sooners against bruising No. 1 Alabama in a college football semifinal.
“We are big Oklahoma fans right now, for sure. It’s kind of tough to watch him scramble around a little bit sometimes. But still, it’s exciting,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said.
An outfielder, Murray signed with the A’s for $4.66 million.
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3:26 p.m.
The St. Louis Cardinals have traded third baseman Patrick Wisdom to the Texas Rangers for infielder/outfielder Drew Robinson.
