Gurriel, Iglesias agree to minor league deals with Marlins

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JUPITER, Fla. – Infielders Yuli Gurriel and José Iglesias agreed to minor league contracts with the Miami Marlins.

The 38-year-old Gurriel won his second World Series with the Astros last year after hitting .242 with 40 doubles, eight home runs and 53 RBIs last year, down from 81 RBIs in 2021. In the postseason, Gurriel had 17 hits with a pair of home runs to help the Astros win their second title in six seasons.

Gurriel adds infield depth, and the Marlins could look for him to add offense for a team that ranked in the bottom five in runs and slugging in 2022.

Born in Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, Gurriel has a career .284 batting average.

It’s unclear where the Marlins could use Gurriel. Miami acquired 2022 AL batting champion Luis Arraez from Minnesota to play second base and moved Jazz Chisholm Jr. from second to center field.

Iglesias, 33, batted .292 last season with Colorado and had a .981 fielding percentage as he made 116 starts at shortstop. Iglesias, who was born in La Habana, Cuba, has a .279 batting average. and .982 fielding percentage over 11 major league seasons. He has played for six teams.

Both players were to join the Marlins on Friday at their spring training facility. Miami opens the season on March 30 at home against the New York Mets.

Phils’ Hoskins tears knee, expected to miss significant time

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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.