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Chicago Cubs slugger Cody Bellinger declined his end of a $25 million mutual option for 2024 on Friday and will test the free agent market coming off a bounce-back season.

The 2019 NL MVP, Bellinger is in line for a huge payday after hitting .307 with 26 homers and 97 RBIs. It was quite a turnaround for a player cut by the Los Angeles Dodgers in November after being limited by injuries and experiencing a drastic decline on offense.

The Cubs signed Bellinger to a $17.5 million, one-year contract, and he helped them stay in playoff contention until late in the year. Chicago finished second in the NL Central at 83-79 after consecutive losing seasons.

Bellinger had a $12.5 million salary this year and gets a $5 million buyout.

The Cubs declined their end of a $5 million mutual option on veteran right-hander Brad Boxberger. He receives an $800,000 buyout.

Boxberger was limited to 22 relief appearances because of a strained right forearm and finished with a 4.95 ERA this season. He had a $2 million salary.

White Sox decline Hendriks option

The Chicago White Sox declined their $15 million club option on closer Liam Hendriks.

The White Sox also said right-hander Mike Clevinger had declined his $12 million mutual option. Veteran outfielders Clint Frazier and Trayce Thompson were outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte.

Hendriks is owed a $15 million buyout that will be paid in 10 equal installments from 2024-33. Clevinger receives a $4 million buyout.

Hendriks, a 34-year-old right-hander, returned in May after beginning the season on the injured list to continue his treatment for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

He could miss the 2024 season after he had surgery in August to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Miley declines option

Left-hander Wade Miley declined his part of a $10 million mutual option for 2024 with the Milwaukee Brewers, as first reported by MLB.com, making him a free agent.

Miley went 9-4 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts this past season to help the Brewers win the NL Central title. He struck out 79 and walked 38 in 120⅓ innings.

Miley, who turns 37 this month, gets a $1 million buyout. He had a $3.5 million salary this year and earned a $500,000 bonus for innings pitched.

Turner declines option with Red Sox

Justin Turner declined his $13.4 million player option with the Boston Red Sox

Turner signed as a free agent with the Red Sox last offseason, and hit .276 with 23 home runs.

Also, Boston declined right-hander Corey Kluber‘s club option. The veteran starter made just nine starts in his only season with Boston, sporting a 7.04 ERA.

Carpenter, Lugo make decisions

First baseman Matt Carpenter exercised a $5.5 million option for 2024 in his contract with the San Diego Padres, and reliever Seth Lugo declined a $7.5 million player option.

Carpenter signed a two-year deal last offseason that guaranteed $12 million. The first baseman/designated hitter batted .176 with five homers and 31 RBIs, down from a .315 average with 15 homers and 37 RBIs in 47 games when he revived his career with the New York Yankees in 2022.

A three-time All-Star with St. Louis from 2011-21, the 37-year-old Carpenter has a .260 career average with 175 homers and 644 RBIs.

Lugo, a 33-year-old right-hander, had a $7.5 million salary with San Diego this year and earned $1.25 million in performance bonuses based on starts. He was 8-7 with a 3.57 ERA in 26 starts.

Lugo was with the New York Mets from 2016-22 and has a 40-31 career record with a 3.50 ERA.

Marlins’ Soler hits market

Outfielder Jorge Soler, 31, opted out of the final year of his contract with the Miami Marlins to become a free agent, giving up a $13 million salary for 2024.

He agreed before the 2022 season to a three-year contract guaranteeing $36 million.

Soler hit .269 with 36 homers and 75 RBIs this past year, becoming a first-time All-Star. This was his best season since he had an American League-high 48 homers and 117 RBIs for Kansas City in 2019.

Tigers decline retiring Cabrera’s option

The Detroit Tigers declined their $30 million option of retiring star Miguel Cabrera and will pay an $8 million buyout that completes a $292 million, 10-year contract.

Half of the buyout is deferred without interest.

A 12-time All-Star and four-time batting champion, Cabrera is a two-time AL MVP. In 2012, he became the first AL Triple Crown winner since Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.

Narváez sticking with Mets

Mets catcher Omar Narváez exercised a $7 million player option for 2024 rather than become a free agent.

Narváez, 31, hit .211 with two homers and seven RBIs as a backup to rookie Francisco Alvarez. He had an $8 million salary in 2023.

An eight-year major league veteran, Narváez has a .255 average with 53 homers and 198 RBIs for the White Sox (2016-18), Seattle (2019), Milwaukee (2020-22) and the Mets. He was an All-Star with the Brewers in 2022, when he hit .266 with 11 homers and 49 RBIs.

Athletics’ Rucinski to hit free agency

Drew Rucinski‘s $5 million option for next season was declined by the Oakland Athletics, allowing the right-hander to become a free agent.

He missed the start of the season with a strained left hamstring, then was 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in four starts in a season cut short on May 15 by a stomach illness. He had a $3 million salary.

Rucinski, 34, is 4-8 with a 6.25 ERA in a five-year big-league career that included time with the Los Angeles Angels (2014-2015), Minnesota (2017) and Miami (2018). He pitched in South Korea with the NC Dinos from 2019 to 2022.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

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Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.

Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.

The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.

If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.

Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.

“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”

Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.

“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”

Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.

The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.

“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”

The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.

Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.

Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.

The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”

Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.

Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.

San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.

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Acuña replaced in HR Derby by teammate Olson

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Acuña replaced in HR Derby by teammate Olson

ATLANTA — Ronald Acuña Jr. won’t participate in the Home Run Derby, replaced Friday by Atlanta teammate and fellow All-Star Matt Olson.

Acuña is a starting outfielder for the National League and still is expected to play in the All-Star Game on his home field. Olson is a reserve infielder.

Instead of Acuña, Olson will try to become the first Atlanta player to win the Home Run Derby on Monday night. He could become the fourth to win at home. The All-Star Game is Tuesday night.

Olson competed in the 2021 Derby while with the Athletics. He was eliminated in the first round. The 31-year-old entered the weekend with 17 homers this season.

The other scheduled participants are Brent Rooker, the first for the Athletics since Olson, along with Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Yankees, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and James Wood of Washington.

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Bellinger goes deep for 3rd time after Cubs rob HR

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Bellinger goes deep for 3rd time after Cubs rob HR

NEW YORK — Robbed an inning earlier, Cody Bellinger wasn’t sure his first three-homer game had been swiped away again.

“I didn’t know at first,” he said. “For that third one to finally get over feels pretty good.”

Bellinger hit three two-run homers against his former team and was denied a fourth by a spectacular catch, leading the Yankees to an 11-0 rout of the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.

Aaron Judge made a trio of outstanding grabs in right field for the Yankees, who have won five straight games following a a six-game losing streak.

Bellinger, whose dad Clay played for the Yankees from 1999 to 2001, is a two-time All-Star and 2019 NL MVP.

He spent 2023 and 2024 with the Cubs, hitting .266 with 18 homers and 78 RBIs in 130 games last year while missing time because of a broken right rib. The Cubs traded him to New York in December with $52.5 million remaining on his contract and agreed to pay the Yankees $5 million.

He homered in a three-run third off Chris Flexen and in the fifth against Caleb Thielbar for this 18th multihomer game. Bellinger nearly went deep in the seventh but was robbed by Kyle Tucker on a drive above the right-field wall.

“I was watching it. He timed it up perfect, so I was a little sick about it, honestly,” Bellinger said. “But it was a good catch.”

“Boys were giving me a hard time after he robbed it. Boonie was giving me hard time,” Bellinger added.

A four-time All-Star and a Gold Glove winner, Tucker snatched the ball as a fan tried for it, the spectator clasping both sides of the outfielder’s glove.

“I caught the ball and he caught my glove, so I figured even if I dropped it they’d probably look at it and get it overturned,” Tucker said. “I’ve probably had some encounters with me trying to go into the stands and catching a ball and me hitting someone’s hand or whatever but I don’t know if anyone’s ever actually kind of caught my glove while doing it.”

Bellinger homered in the eighth off Jordan Wicks, just above the red glove of leaping center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and into the dark glove of a kid in the front row.

“The fan just beat to the spot,” Crow-Armstrong said. “He just had a better chance of catching it higher than I did.”

Bellinger, who had rounded first, watched and then smiled when he saw he had hit No. 3.

“Glad the fan caught it before PCA could grab it,” said Bellinger, who met the boy after and got the ball back. “I’ve seen PCA rob so many homers. He’s a freak athlete out there.”

Bellinger is batting .406 over a career-high 16-game hitting streak, raising his average to .285 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs.

He had spoken with his Cubs ex-teammates during batting practice.

“No, no, no revenge,” he said. “Honestly, ultimately it was just fun to be out there. I saw a bunch of guys I hadn’t seen in a while and I shared a bunch of good memories with them for these past two years.”

Jazz Chisholm Jr. and manager Aaron Boone encouraged Bellinger to emerge from the dugout for a curtain call.

“He was a little reluctant, but then the Bell-lin-ger” over the dugout got pretty loud. So I think he succumbed to it,” Boone said. “Belly’s loved being here and loved playing here in a meaningful place to him, going back to his childhood.”

Bellinger turns 30 on Sunday and can opt out of the final season of his contract this fall. With long balls and wide smiles, he seems to have found a home in the Yankees clubhouse.

He tried not to make much of getting the three homers against the Cubs, but Bellinger’s teammates could sense the significance.

“It’s always good to go against your old teammates that you spend a lot of time with, you know, you respect,” Boone said. “To perform right away against them I’m sure probably is a little cherry on top for him.”

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