BASEBALL
Moreland back in Boston
First baseman Mitch Moreland is staying with the Boston Red Sox, agreeing Tuesday to a one-year contract that guarantees $3 million. Moreland gets a $2.5 million salary this year, and Boston has a $3 million team option for 2021 with a $500,000 buyout. The 34-year-old hit .252 with 19 home runs and 58 RBI in 91 games last year, going on the injured list for a strained lower back and a strained right quadriceps. He batted .297 with six home runs from Aug. 9 through the end of the season. He was an All-Star in 2018, when he hit .245 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI for the World Series champion Red Sox. He had a pinch three-run home run off the Los Angeles Dodgers' Ryan Madson with two outs in the seventh inning of World Series Game 4, starting Boston's comeback from a 4-0 deficit in a 9-6 victory. Moreland spent seven seasons with Texas before joining the Red Sox ahead of the 2017 season.
Cubs sign Jeffress
The Chicago Cubs are taking another low-risk chance on an oft-injured reliever, agreeing to an $850,000, one-year contract with Jeremy Jeffress. Jeffress, 32, can earn an additional $200,000 in incentives. The Cubs have been quiet this winter after missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2014. But they agreed to a minor-league deal with Brandon Morrow in December, bringing back the closer after he missed last season while he struggled to return from right elbow surgery. Jeffress was one of baseball's most dominant relievers in 2018, making the All-Star team for the first time while going 8-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 15 saves for Milwaukee. Jeffress was slowed by right shoulder weakness during spring training last year. He also spent time on the injured list with a strained left hip before he was cut by the Brewers on Sept. 1. He finished 2019 with a 3-4 record and a 5.02 ERA in 48 games.
Brewers give Miller shot
Oft-injured pitcher Shelby Miller re-signed with the Milwaukee Brewers, agreeing to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to major league spring training camp. Miller, an All-Star in 2015 with Atlanta, was released by Texas in July and signed by the Brewers to a minor-league deal. He made eight minor-league starts, five at Class AAA San Antonio and three in rookie ball, but did not appear in a big league game for them and was released in late August. The 29-year-old right-hander, drafted 19th overall by St. Louis in 2009, is 38-56 with a 4.11 ERA in 150 major league games, including 132 starts. He has pitched for the Cardinals, Braves, Diamondbacks and Rangers over eight seasons. Miller, who had Tommy John surgery in 2017 with Arizona, signed a $2 million, one-year contract with Texas last winter. He was released on July 4 after going 1-3 with an 8.59 ERA in 19 appearances, including eight starts. In 44 innings, he gave up 58 hits and 29 walks for a 1.977 WHIP. Miller went 15-9 with a 3.06 ERA for St. Louis in 2013, his first full big league season, and finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
FOOTBALL
Broncos add Shula
The Denver Broncos completed their U-turn on offense Tuesday by hiring veteran NFL assistant Mike Shula as their quarterbacks coach. Shula and new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur bring more than four decades of combined NFL coaching experience to Denver, where they'll shepherd QB Drew Lock into his second season in 2020. Shula and Shurmur, who are both 54 years old, replaced T.C. McCartney, 29, and Rich Scangarello, 47, respectively. Scangarello and McCartney both brought zero experience into their roles a year ago as the Broncos tried to modernize their long-languishing offense. The Broncos (7-9) averaged 17.6 points per game and didn't display the innovation that was expected, but they did finish on a high note with Lock starting the final five weeks and going 4-1 in those starts.
O'Brien gets GM role
The Houston Texans have added general manager to Bill O'Brien's title, a role the coach has been filling since the firing of Brian Gaine in June. The team announced the move Tuesday and also said that Jack Easterby, who worked this season as executive vice president of team development, was promoted to executive vice president of football operations. Team owner Cal McNair said in a statement that he "thought it was important to update titles, roles and responsibilities for Bill O'Brien and Jack Easterby so they more accurately reflect the way we have been operating for the past eight months." The Texans won the AFC South title for the second consecutive season and the fourth time in five years. They beat Buffalo in the wild-card round and built a 24-0 lead against Kansas City in the second round before the Chiefs rallied for a 51-31 victory.
GOLF
PGA, ESPN close to deal
The PGA Tour is closing in on its next TV rights deal. Two people aware of the negotiations said ESPN has emerged as the winner of the streaming sweepstakes, which currently belongs to NBC Sports. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal is not finalized. Live streaming would be available on ESPN+. It would not be the first time ESPN+ has shown the PGA Tour. It had a portion of PGA Tour Live in 2018. PGA Tour Live moved to NBC Sports Gold for 2019 and this year. ESPN previously won the rights to weekday coverage of the PGA Championship starting this year at Harding Park and plans to offer supplemental feeds on ESPN+. Sports Business Journal previously reported that CBS and NBC (and Golf Channel) have agreed to terms that would keep them as the networks through 2030, with a rights fee increase of 60%. CBS and NBC would alternate coverage of the three FedEx Cup playoff events.
BASEBALL
Report: Astros to hire Dusty Baker
HOUSTON -- Dusty Baker is working to finalize an agreement to become manager of the Houston Astros, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been completed.
Baker, 70, becomes the oldest manager in the big leagues. He takes over from AJ Hinch, who was fired Jan. 13 just an hour after he was suspended for the season by Major League Baseball for his role in Houston's sign-stealing scandal.
Baker has 22 years of managerial experience, starting in 1993 with the San Francisco Giants. A three-time National League Manager of the Year, Baker last managed the Washington Nationals, who let him go after a 97-65 season in 2017.
Since 2018, Baker has served as a special adviser to Giants CEO Larry Baer, working in both the baseball and business operations of the club. He regularly attended son Darren's college games at the University of California in Berkeley.
"Dusty has a unique and proven ability to connect with players, be a step ahead with game strategy and provide superior leadership, as he did here for 10 years," Baer said.
Now Baker will chase his first title as a manager with a team that returns the bulk of its roster from last year that reached the World Series for the second time in three years before losing to the Nationals.
His hiring is a stark departure from the youth-oriented recent history of the Astros, who hired Hinch when he was just 41. Baker takes over a team that should be a favorite to contend again after winning 100-plus games in three consecutive seasons.
Sports on 01/29/2020