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There are nine more players on the MLB free agent market, including some superstars.

The Major League Baseball Players Association announced Friday that Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa, Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodón, Nelson Cruz, Zach Davies, Jurickson Profar, Robert Suarez and Taijuan Walker resolved option decisions in their contracts and are now free agents.

The opt-out decisions from Bogaerts, Correa, deGrom and Rodón were expected, as all four are likely to get substantial contracts on the open market.

Three seasons into his six-year, $132 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, Bogaerts opted out after hitting .307/.377/.456 with 15 homers and 5.7 bWAR in 2022, finishing as a finalist for the Gold Glove. Bogaerts previously signed an extension prior to the 2019 season and has become a fan favorite in Boston since rising through the farm system as one of the top prospects in baseball. He has helped lead the team to two World Series titles in 2013 and 2018 and has four All-Star appearances and Silver Sluggers.

The decision for Correa felt like a foregone conclusion after he signed a three-year, $105.3 million contract with the Minnesota Twins that included opt-outs after the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Correa has said he hopes to remain in Minnesota on a long-term contract after posting a strong 2022, hitting .291/.366/.467 with 22 homers and 24 doubles while earning a 5.4 bWAR.

Correa and Bogaerts will join a packed shortstop free agent market that also features Dansby Swanson and Trea Turner.

DeGrom opted out of the final year of his contract, a player option worth $30.5 million for the 2023 season. After missing the first half of the season, deGrom posted a 3.09 ERA in 11 starts for the Mets in 2022, striking out 102 batters in 64⅓ innings while earning a victory for the Mets in Game 2 of their wild-card series against the San Diego Padres.

Rodón opts out of the second year of a two-year, $44 million contract he signed with the San Francisco Giants prior to the 2022 season. The lefty will be in line for one of the biggest contracts on the free agent market as a 29-year-old pitcher who posted a 2.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 237 strikeouts in 178 innings in 2022 while leading the league with a 2.25 FIP. Rodón made a career-high 31 starts, calming concerns over his left shoulder, which limited his free agent market last year.

DeGrom and Rodón join a free agent class of pitchers that includes Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw and Nathan Eovaldi.

The Nationals declined a mutual option on the 42-year-old Cruz, who had a down season in 2022. In 507 plate appearances, Cruz hit .234/.313/.337 with 10 home runs as the oldest qualified hitter in baseball. He signed a one-year, $12 million contract prior to the season with a $16 million option or a $3 million buyout.

Both Profar and Suarez opted out of contracts with the Padres, taking $1 million buyouts. Profar opted for free agency, leaving $7.5 million on the table, while Suarez left behind $5 million. Profar — a former No. 1 overall prospect in baseball — had one of the best seasons of his career in 2022, hitting .243/.331/.391 with 15 homers and 36 doubles in 152 games with 3.1 bWAR. Suarez also had a strong year, with a 2.27 ERA in 45 games out of the bullpen, including 11 holds and a 1.05 WHIP. He signed a one-year deal with a player option for 2023 in December 2021 after spending 2016 through 2021 with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks and Hanshin Tigers of the Nippon Professional Baseball league.

Walker opts out after signing a two-year, $20 million contract with the Mets before the 2021 season. The 30-year-old had a solid season, posting a 3.49 ERA, 1.19 WHIP while striking out 132 batters in 157⅓ innings, posting a 2.6 bWAR as one of the Mets’ back-of-the-rotation starters.

The Diamondbacks also declined their end of a mutual option with Davies, making him a free agent. The righty will receive a $250,000 buyout. Davies signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract prior to the 2022 season and posted a 4.09 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 134⅓ innings in 27 starts.

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Fired Moore in custody, suspect in alleged assault

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Fired Moore in custody, suspect in alleged assault

Sherrone Moore was in custody in the Washtenaw (Michigan) County Jail on Wednesday night as a suspect in an alleged assault, just hours after he was fired as Michigan’s football coach for having what the school said was an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”

Moore was initially detained by police in Saline, Michigan, on Wednesday and turned over to authorities in Pittsfield Township “for investigation into potential charges.”

Pittsfield police released a statement Wednesday night saying they responded at 4:10 p.m. to the 3000 block of Ann Arbor Saline Road “for the purposes of investigating an alleged assault. … A suspect in this case was taken into custody. This incident does not appear to be random in nature, and there appears to be no ongoing threat to the community.

“The suspect was lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail pending review of charges by the Washtenaw County Prosecutor,” the statement continued. “At this time, the investigation is ongoing. Given the nature of the allegations, the need to maintain the integrity of the investigation, and its current status at this time, we are prohibited from releasing additional details.”

Pittsfield police did not name the suspect in its statement.

Earlier, Saline police stated they “assisted in locating and detaining former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore. Mr. Moore was turned over to the Pittsfield Township Police Department for investigation into potential charges.”

Michigan fired Moore on Wednesday following an investigation into his conduct with a staff member.

“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” the school said in a statement. “Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”

Moore, 39, spent two seasons as Michigan’s coach, after serving as the team’s offensive coordinator.

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Braves sign vet OF Yastrzemski to 2-year deal

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Braves sign vet OF Yastrzemski to 2-year deal

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves signed veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year deal Wednesday that includes a club option for 2028.

The 35-year-old Yastrzemski hit .233 with 17 home runs and 46 RBIs in 146 games last year between San Francisco and Kansas City.

Yastrzemski, who spent the first six-plus seasons of his career with the Giants before being sent to the Royals in July, will make $9 million in 2026 and $10 million in 2027. Atlanta holds a club option for 2028. Yastrzemski will make $7 million if the Braves pick up the option. He will receive a $4 million buyout if they do not.

The versatile Yastrzemski, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, can play all three outfield positions and is a career .238 hitter. His best season came in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign, when he batted .297 with 10 homers in 54 games and finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting.

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Rule 5: Yanks pick Winquest, Rockies get Petit

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Rule 5: Yanks pick Winquest, Rockies get Petit

ORLANDO, Fla. — The New York Yankees made their first selection in a Rule 5 draft since 2011 on Wednesday, taking right-hander Cade Winquest from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Winquest was one of 13 players — and 12 right-handed pitchers — chosen in the major league portion of the draft.

The Rockies took RJ Petit, a 6-foot-8 reliever, with the first pick from the Detroit Tigers. Petit, 26, had a 2.44 ERA in 45 relief appearances and two starts between Double A and Triple A last season. The Minnesota Twins chose the only position player, selecting catcher Daniel Susac from the Athletics.

Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player and must keep him on the active major league roster for the entire following season unless he lands on the injured list. Players taken off the roster must be offered back to the former club for $50,000.

The 25-year-old Winquest recorded a 4.58 ERA with a 48% groundball rate in 106 innings across 25 games, including 23 starts, between Single A and Double A last season. He features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and touches 98 mph plus a curveball, cutter and sweeper. He is expected to compete for a spot in the Yankees’ bullpen next season.

Right-hander Brad Meyers was the last player the Yankees had chosen in a Rule 5 draft. He suffered a right shoulder injury in spring training and was on the injured list for the entire 2012 season before he was offered back to the Washington Nationals. He never appeared in a major league game.

Also picked were right-hander Jedixson Paez (Colorado from Boston), right-hander Griff McGarry (Washington from Philadelphia), catcher Carter Baumler (Pittsburgh from Baltimore), right-hander Ryan Watson (Athletics from San Francisco), right-hander Matthew Pushard (St. Louis from Miami), right-hander Roddery Munoz (Houston from Cincinnati), right-hander Peyton Pallette (Cleveland from Chicago White Sox), right-hander Spencer Miles (Toronto from San Francisco), right-hander Zach McCambley (Philadelphia from Miami) and right-hander Alexander Alberto (White Sox from Tampa Bay).

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