The Yankees officially announce the Derek Lowe signing

By Craig CalcaterraAug 13, 2012, 2:15 PM EDT
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We wrote about this on Saturday, but the Yankees officially announced it earlier this afternoon:

The New York Yankees today announced they have signed right-handed pitcher Derek Lowe to a Major League contract and selected him to the 25-man active roster. Lowe is scheduled to join the team tonight and is expected to pitch out of the bullpen.

So, no, you didn’t come across that news in a fever dream, a demented state or a peyote haze. It actually happened.

The Rangers come to the Bronx tonight. Tune in to see how Derek Lowe’s first relief work in five years goes.

Cubs acquire Martín Maldonado from the Royals

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By Craig CalcaterraJul 16, 2019, 6:38 AM EDT
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Last night Cubs catcher Willson Contreras was placed on the injured list with a strained muscle in his right foot. That injury inspired the Cubs to go out and get another catcher. They acquired Martín Maldonado in a trade with Kansas City in exchange for lefty Mike Montgomery, in a deal that was announced after the Cubs loss to the Reds.

Maldonado, 32, was a Gold Glove winner in 2017 with the Angels. At the moment he’s hitting .227 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 74 games. Obviously, though, defense is his calling card, as he’s a .220 career hitter with 57 homers and 210 RBIs in 686 games.

Montgomery, 30, is 1-2 with a 5.67 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Cubs this year. He’s heading back to where his pro career began. He was drafted by Kanas City in 2008, though he was traded away in the James Shields/Wade David/Wil Myers deal in 2012. He made his big league debut for Seattle in 2015. Dayton Moore said last night that the Royals plan to use Montgomery in the rotation as a replacement for Homer Bailey, who was dealt to Oakland on Sunday.