Hot Stove Digest: Kole Calhoun signs three-year extension with Angels
Welcome to The Stew’s Hot Stove Digest, our daily rundown of MLB news, rumors and gossip for Hot Stove season. Here you’ll find a quick recap of all the day’s action and other fun stuff from around the internet that we think is worth your time.
COST CERTAINTY: The Los Angeles Angels bought out all three years of Kole Calhoun’s arbitration eligibility on Wednesday, signing him to a three-year, $26M contract. The deal reportedly includes an option for 2020 worth $14M. Though Calhoun would have remained under team control, the deal allowed them to set his salary now, rather than work year-to-year. The 29-year-old seems like a good bet to maintain his value after batting .271/.348/.438 with 18 home runs and 75 RBI over 157 games last season. [@BillShaikin]
DONE DEAL: The Oakland A’s finalized a one-year, $5.25M contract with infielder Trevor Plouffe. The deal includes plate appearance incentives worth $750,000 and there’s a $250,000 assignment bonus if he’s traded. He’s likely to be Oakland’s regular third baseman, with Ryon Healy splitting time between first base and designated hitter. [@Ken_Rosenthal]
WELCOME BACK: The A’s signed veteran pitcher Ross Detwiler to a minor league contract. The 30-year-old left-hander appeared in nine games for Oakland last season (seven starts), posting a 6.14 ERA. He’ll enter camp as a non-roster invite competing for a rotation spot. [Yahoo Sports]
COMEBACK TRAIL: Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is making encouraging progress in his recovery from shoulder surgery, reports team president Chris Antonetti. Brantley
was limited to 11 games last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in November of 2015, and then two more surgeries following setbacks. If healthy, Brantley could prove to be another huge addition to Cleveland’s lineup. [@twithersAP]
GUYER’S MARKET: Speaking of the Indians, they’ve re-signed outfielder Brandon Guyer to a two-year, $4.75M contract. Guyer, who turns 31 next week, was a trade deadline addition from the Rays. He’d go on to hit .333/.438/.469 over 38 games during the regular season, and had a big three-hit game in Game 2 of Cleveland’s ALDS win against Boston. [@MLBastian]
MOVING PARTS: The Tigers acquired outfielder Mikie Mahtook from the Rays for a player to be named later or cash. In a corresponding move, Detroit designated Anthony Gose for assignment. [@TB_TimesRays]
FAREWELL: Former big league catcher J.P Arencibia announced his retirement from baseball in a message posted to Twitter on Wednesday. Arencibia appeared in 467 major leagues with the Blue Jays, Rangers and Rays, hitting .212/.258/.412 with 80 home runs. [@jparencibia9]
COOPERSTOWN BOUND: Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday. [Yahoo Sports]
WHO’S NEXT: Here’s a look ahead to the 2018, which will include first-timers Jim Thome and Chipper Jones. [Big League Stew]
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
