Left-handed reliever Jake Diekman reached agreement on a $7.5 million, two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics after joining the club in a trade from Kansas City before last July's deadline. Oakland also announced Tuesday that it reached minor league agreements with right-hander Jordan Weems and outfielder Dillon Thomas and each receives an invite to spring training. After the season, Oakland declined its half of a $5.75 million mutual option on the 32-year-old Diekman, who went 1-1 with a 4.43 ERA in 28 outings for the A's following his July 27 trade after beginning 0-6 with the Royals.

For a team like the Blue Jays with money to spend and open roster spots, the 56 players who entered the free agent market represent an interesting shopping opportunity. With former Blue Jays Kevin Pillar and Aaron Sanchez now available there are some fun reunions to dream on, but it's hard to see either happening. Instead, here are a couple of targets who could find their way into a Blue Jays uniform this off-season: Blake Treinen RHP Treinen is going to be a popular guy in the weeks to come as almost every team in baseball could use relief help.

The Oakland Athletics did not tender a contract to former closer Blake Treinen on Monday, letting the 2018 All-Star become a free agent. The right-handed Treinen posted a 0.78 ERA in 2018, but that number ballooned to 4.91 in 2019. He was replaced by Liam Hendriks in the closer role as the low-budget A's earned the AL's top wild card.

With the non-tender deadline just hours away, the A's shipped starting second baseman Jurickson Profar to the Padres for 25-year-old catcher Austin Allen and a player to be named later. It's a shrewd move by Billy Beane, David Forst, and company, as Profar was almost certain to be non-tendered later in the day, due to his projected $5.8 million salary in arbitration. Instead, Oakland was able to acquire a solid left-handed hitting catcher to pair with 25-year-old Sean Murphy next year.

Switch-hitting second baseman Jurickson Profar was acquired by the San Diego Padres from the Oakland Athletics on Monday for catcher Austin Allen and a player to be named. In his lone season with the A's, Profar matched his career high with 20 home runs and batted .218 with 67 RBIs over 139 games. Profar was acquired from AL West rival Texas last year.

As Major League Baseball's investigation into the Houston Astros alleged sign-stealing scheme nears its third week, players from around the league are becoming more outspoken about their suspicions and how they feel the team should be punished if found guilty. That includes a pair of former Houston draft picks who have gone on to MLB success while playing for Astros' rivals in the American League West. Delino Deshields Jr., who was selected eighth overall by Houston in 2010 and now plays for the Texas Rangers, along with Ramon Laureano, an outfielder for the Oakland Athletics who was drafted by Houston in the 16th round in 2014, both told The Los Angeles Times they suspected Houston was goin...

The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to sign two-time All-Star catcher Stephen Vogt to a one-year, $3 million contract with a vesting option for 2021, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday. The career of Vogt, who turned 35 earlier this month, seemed in jeopardy after underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in 2018 while a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. After extensive rehab, Vogt joined the San Francisco Giants on a minor league contract last winter and enjoyed a solid bounce-back season.

The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to sign two-time All-Star catcher Stephen Vogt to a one-year, $3 million contract with a vesting option for 2021, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday. The career of Vogt, who turned 35 earlier this month, seemed in jeopardy after underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in 2018 while a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. After extensive rehab, Vogt joined the San Francisco Giants on a minor league contract last winter and enjoyed a solid bounce-back season.

Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters is under investigation by the NHL and the club after allegations surfaced that used racial slurs when talking with a player 10 years ago. As of Tuesday morning, the Flames had made no decision about the coach's job status, Canadian outlet TSN reported. The Seattle Mariners added potential starting pitching help on Tuesday, signing right-hander Kendall Graveman to a one-year, $1.5 million deal, The Athletic reported.

The Seattle Mariners added potential starting pitching help on Tuesday, signing right-hander Kendall Graveman to a one-year, $1.5 million deal, The Athletic reported. Graveman, 28, missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July 2018. In four seasons as a starter for the Oakland Athletics, the 2013 eighth-round draft pick was 23-29 with a 4.38 ERA in 78 starts.

The Chicago Cubs acquired pitcher Jharel Cotton from the Oakland Athletics on Saturday for $100,000. The 27-year-old right-hander missed the 2018 season because of an elbow injury during spring training that required Tommy John surgery. Cotton is 11-10 with a 4.95 ERA in 29 career games, all starts, for Oakland in 2016-17 Cotton was designated for assignment by Oakland on Wednesday.

The Cubs made a minor trade on Saturday, acquiring right-hander Jharel Cotton from the Oakland A's for cash. Oakland designated him for assignment on Wednesday. Cotton is a reclamation project, as he missed all of 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in spring training.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. NHL roundup: Lightning pummel Rangers with 9 goals Nikita Kucherov collected a goal and three assists, while Steven Stamkos and Yanni Gourde each scored a power-play goal and added two assists as the Tampa Bay Lightning returned home from Sweden and rolled to a 9-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night. The Lightning won their third straight and impressively followed up consecutive wins over the Buffalo Sabres in Stockholm by going 5-for-8 on the power play.

From sign stealing to spitballs to PEDs and pine tar, baseball has long been a game rooted in the question of much can you get away with. While there has always been cheating in baseball, the electronic era has made it simpler and sneakier, from the Boston Red Sox using Apple Watches to facilitate sign stealing to the St. Louis Cardinals hacking the Astros' private player database. Then, earlier this week, The Athletic reported what many fans had already suspected: the 2017 World Series-winning Astros had stolen signs using a center field camera.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. NHL roundup: Isles edge Leafs for 12th win in 13 Anthony Beauvillier scored twice, including the go-ahead goal late in the second period Wednesday night, as the red-hot New York Islanders hung on to edge the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 in Uniondale, N.Y. Mathew Barzal, Derick Brassard and Casey Cizikas also scored for the Islanders, who extended their point streak to 13 games (12-0-1). The hosts improved to 3-1-0 against the Maple Leafs since John Tavares signed with Toronto as a free agent in July 2018 after nine seasons in New York.

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout became the 11th player in baseball history to win at least three MVP awards, topping Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman in results announced Thursday. In voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America, Trout received 17 first-place votes and 355 voting points. Bregman was the runner-up with 13 first-place votes and 335 points, and Oakland Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien was a distant third with 228 points.

The Los Angeles Angels outfielder was named American League MVP for the third time in his career on Thursday after a vote by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Trout received 17 of 30 first-place votes, while Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman received the other 13 first-place votes. Trout and Bregman also received all of the second-place votes.

Alex Bregman capitalized on his fourth-place finish last year to lead a Houston Astros lineup to its second pennant in three years. World Series champion Anthony Rendon likely earned himself in line for a very big payday in his last year under contract with the Washington Nationals. Marcus Semien had an incredible breakout season for the Oakland Athletics, in which he produced career-highs in nearly every offensive category.

Here are some of the guys they could look at to fill their vacancies: The Stabilizer: Stephen Piscotty Age: 28 Hits: Right Plays: Right Field 2019 stats: . line with 13 home runs and a 0.6 WAR in 393 PA Contract Status: $28.5 million through 2023 with a $15 million club option for 2024 ($1 million buyout) How it works: Piscotty is coming off a relatively poor season, but he has an appealing contract, he's at an age where he's unlikely to decline, and his career wRC+ is a sturdy 112. He's not a star by any means, but he's a set-it-and-forget-it right-fielder who would bring some certainty to a group that isn't overflowing with it.

Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza will manage the Italian national team in the European Baseball Championship and World Baseball Classic. Piazza made the announcement Wednesday morning, and will coach the team in the EBC in 2020 and the 2021 WBC. "Excited to announce I have reached an agreement to manage the Italian National Baseball team," Piazza wrote.