MLB notebook: Pirates pick up slugger Dickerson from Rays

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired All-Star outfielder/designated hitter Corey Dickerson in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Pirates sent right-handed reliever Daniel Hudson, minor-league infielder Tristan Gray and cash considerations to the Rays as part of the deal announced Thursday. Dickerson had surprisingly been designated for assignment by Tampa Bay over the weekend after being selected as the American League's starting designated hitter in last year's All-Star Game.

The 28-year-old slashed .282/.325/.490 with a career-high 27 home runs and 62 RBIs last season, ranking second on the Rays with an .815 OPS. Dickerson's batting average slipped from .312 in the first half to .241 in the second, but he still remained a key part of the Rays' offense down the stretch.

"Corey Dickerson adds a quality power threat to our lineup as evidenced by his 60-plus extra base hits and 20-plus home runs each of the last two seasons," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said in a statement. "Corey is a driven player who will also add a quality presence to our clubhouse."

--Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said on his Instagram account that he will join the New York Yankees at their spring training camp for a week in Tampa, Fla., beginning Monday.

"Hey New York City, I'm here, I got the Yankees hat on," Wilson said in a video post while standing on a street corner in New York. "I'm heading to spring training on Monday. I can't wait to see you guys Feb. 26. We're going to have some fun for that week."

Wilson was acquired by the Yankees from the Texas Rangers in exchange for future considerations in a Feb. 7 trade. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback was a fourth-round pick by the Colorado Rockies and played minor-league baseball for the organization in 2010-11 before focusing on his football career.

--Rays top prospect Brent Honeywell bolted off the mound in disgust after a brief workout with an apparent arm injury.

Honeywell, the No. 1 prospect in the system and No. 12 in Major League Baseball according to MLBPipeline.com, threw 10 pitches before cutting the session short when he felt discomfort in his right forearm. The right-handed starting pitcher is ranked 14th in a Baseball America ranking of prospects.

"He was throwing pretty good, he was throwing perfect," said catcher Jesus Sucre, who witnessed the incident. "He threw a changeup first pitch to Wilson. Next pitch (was a fastball and) he was screaming."

--Yankees general manager Brian Cashman admitted to chasing Brandon Drury for months, and doing so with a plan in mind: slotting him at third base.

Coach Phil Nevin, who spent the previous three seasons in Arizona and worked with Drury on the Diamondbacks' coaching staff, helped push Cashman's appreciation for Drury to a new level. Acquired in a three-way trade with the Diamondbacks and Rays, Drury was the primary second baseman in Arizona last season. He also has logged time at both corner outfield positions and third base.

"He is someone I think the industry has valued for a while because I know we have," Cashman said.

--Oakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman was not present at the team's workouts as he underwent an MRI exam on his right hand, according to a report from MLB.com

Chapman, 24, was dealing with some soreness in his right palm. He visited orthopedic hand surgeon Dr. Steven Shin near his hometown in Los Angeles for the precautionary examination.

"We don't believe it's serious," A's general manager David Forst said of the injury in an email to the San Francisco Chronicle.

--Looking to add a starting pitcher ahead of Opening Day, the Philadelphia Phillies have been linked to prized free-agent right-hander Jake Arrieta in recent days.

Arrieta, a surprise leftover on the market in the final days of February, is represented by agent Scott Boras, who often negotiates with owners directly when it comes to his biggest clients. That hasn't been the case with the Phillies, though, as owner John Middleton told reporters that he's had no contact with Boras. That will continue to be the case moving forward.

"We're pretty clear that [general manager Matt Klentak's] the guy," Middleton said. "I think you have to do that or you cut the legs out from your general manager. Look, I don't know what I'd do if my phone rang right now and it was Scott Boras. I mean, honestly, I think what I'd say is, 'Scott, it's nice to talk to you, but I don't negotiate. Matt does. I don't want to be rude, but I'm paying the guy a lot of money.'"

--Carlos Torres agreed to a contract with the Cleveland Indians, who lost two of their most dependable right-handed relievers in the offseason.

Torres, who has pitched at least 59 innings in each of the past four seasons, was added to help offset the subtraction of Bryan Shaw (Colorado Rockies) and Joe Smith (Houston Astros) in free agency.

Torres, 35, was 4-1 with a 4.21 ERA with the Milwaukee Brewers last season.

--A testicular cancer diagnosis midway through last season has Pirates right-hander Jameson Taillon seeing things in a new light entering his third major-league campaign.

"I know people always say that when they've gone through something like cancer, but it really is true," Taillon told reporters at the Pirates' spring training facility. "I look at life differently. I'm a little more serious about things. I'm a more mature person than I was a year ago at this time."

After returning June 12 from his May diagnosis and surgery, Taillon went 8-7 with a 4.44 ERA in 25 starts for the season. Despite the diagnosis marring what looked to be a breakout campaign for the former top prospect through the season's first month, Taillon described the fact that it happened during the season as a "best-case scenario."

--Field Level Media