The Cubs avoided arbitration with Matt Garza on Thursday by reaching a one-year, $10.25 million agreement for 2013 with the veteran right-hander, according to a tweet by CAA Baseball, the agency that represents Garza.

The Nationals and Drew Storen agreed on Thursday to a one-year, $2.5 million contract, avoiding arbitration, according to a Twitter post by CAA Sports, which represents the 25-year-old reliever. Storen can also earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses.

On Thursday, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo discussed the players his club received in exchange for Michael Morse as part of a three-team deal.

The World Baseball Classic isn’t doing John Farrell any favors in his first season as Red Sox manager.

The A’s went straight to work with John Jaso on Thursday, agreeing to terms on a one-year deal to avoid arbitration with their new catcher, less than 24 hours after acquiring him from the Mariners.

Right-hander Joba Chamberlain and the Yankees have agreed on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract for 2013, avoiding salary arbitration.

Jose Reyes couldn’t help but go through a wide range of emotions after finding out he had been dealt from Miami to Toronto in November.

Even though Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington has had a busy offseason, climbing out of last place seems like a Herculean task.

Cubs top prospect Javier Baez has been on the fast track, and on Thursday he completed one week of the team’s first rookie development camp.

The Brewers and center fielder Carlos Gomez avoided arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year contract, one day before teams and their arbitration-eligible players were set to formally exchange figures.

Matt Harrison earned his hefty pay raise from the Rangers on Thursday by developing as a front-line starter at the Major League level. Harrison doesn’t plan on letting up after signing a five-year, $55 million contract, solidifying another key piece of the Rangers’ rotation through 2017.

Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval remained hospitalized Thursday in Venezuela with abdominal inflammation but was expected to be released in 24 to 48 hours.

All 16 provisional rosters for the upcoming World Baseball Classic were revealed Thursday with a bevy of big-name Major Leaguers committing to the third edition of the international tournament.

The Ricketts family, owners of the Cubs, reportedly have signed an agreement to build a hotel across from Wrigley Field on the northwest corner of Clark and Addison streets.

Erick Aybar was the lone Angels representative when provisional rosters for all 16 World Baseball Classic teams were unveiled on MLB Network on Thursday, setting the speedy shortstop up to play for his native Dominican Republic for the first time. It doesn’t look like teammate Albert Pujols will be joining him.

In a quiet winter, the Orioles had yet to use their news conference room. And while there was no big-name free agent or trade to unveil Thursday morning, the official announcement of extending executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter through 2018 spoke volumes about what direction the organization is headed.

The Nationals made it official on Thursday evening, signing right-handed closer Rafael Soriano to a two-year, $28 million contract. The deal also includes a $14 million option for 2015 that vests if Soriano finishes 120 games over the next two years.