The Texas Rangers signed free agent outfielder Robbie Grossman on Friday, multiple reports said.

The New York Post reported the deal is worth a base of $2 million with an additional $3 million in performance incentives.

A corner outfielder, Grossman is likely to see time in a platoon in left field for Texas, which did not have many other proven options at the position.

Grossman split 2022 between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves, who acquired him at the trade deadline in early August. He batted just .209 in 129 games between Detroit and Atlanta, with seven home runs, 19 doubles and 45 RBIs.

Grossman averaged .320 against left-handed pitching in 2022 versus just .163 against right-handers.

In 10 seasons with the Houston Astros (2013-15), Minnesota Twins (2016-18), Oakland Athletics (2019-20), Tigers (2021-22) and Braves, Grossman is a .245 career hitter with 80 home runs, 366 RBIs and 63 stolen bases.

–Field Level Media

Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. is experiencing soreness in his pitching arm stemming from a bullpen session on Tuesday, manager Dusty Baker told reporters on Friday.

McCullers wasn’t on the field for official team workouts on Thursday and Friday.

“He was a little sore, which is to be expected,” Baker told reporters at West Palm Beach, Fla. “We’ll have to see. We’ve got to chill. Don’t make something (out of it).”

Baker tried to diminish concern about the oft-injured McCullers, who missed most of last season with a strained forearm sustained during the 2021 postseason. He went 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA in eight regular-season starts and 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA in three playoff starts.

His last outing was abysmal as he served up five homers during a 7-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the World Series. The 29-year-old allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Among McCullers’ injury absences include the entire 2019 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery.

In 2021, McCullers went 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA in a career-high 28 starts. Overall, he is 49-32 with a 3.48 ERA in 127 starts and three relief appearances.

Houston is hoping to count on McCullers to play a bigger role after losing Justin Verlander as a free agent to the New York Mets.

–Field Level Media

Clayton Kershaw will not pitch for the United States in the World Baseball Classic after all.

He told reporters at the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spring training facility on Friday that it was “super disappointing” that he could not participate but didn’t specify a reason why.

The Los Angeles Times, however, reported that he couldn’t acquire the necessary insurance coverage, with his history of back injuries a “significant factor.”

He signed a one-year, $20 million contract with the Dodgers in December.

The Dodgers had granted the three-time Cy Young Award winner permission to play. Despite back and pelvic injuries in 2022, Kershaw finished the regular season with a 12-3 record and a 2.28 ERA in 126 1/3 innings.

Kershaw, 34, said earlier that he entered training camp feeling “physically strong,” according to the Times.

“There were some factors making it hard for me to play,” the left-hander said. “I tried to work it out on my own. Tried to work it out with MLB, the union, the team, everybody. Everybody worked hard to try and make it work. Just wasn’t able to.”

–Field Level Media

Scott Rolen and Fred McGriff have decided how to cap off their careers as they enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., this summer.

The Hall of Fame announced Friday that Rolen will appear on his plaque wearing a St. Louis Cardinals cap. McGriff has decided to go without a logo to honor each of the cities where he played.

“After reflecting on my 17-year career, and conferring with the Hall of Fame, I have decided on a Cardinals logo for my Hall of Fame plaque,” said Rolen, who was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. “I believe this decision accurately represents a pivotal portion of my career based on our teams’ successes in St. Louis. I am grateful to Philadelphia, St. Louis, Toronto and Cincinnati for the opportunities given to me as a player, but more importantly, for how they embraced me and my family.”

McGriff, elected by the Contemporary Baseball Players Era Committee, played for six teams.

“Fifteen of my 19 major league seasons were split, playing half a decade with the Blue Jays, Braves and Devil Rays,” McGriff said. “At each stop, I was lucky to be a part of memorable teams and to play in front of some of the best fans in baseball. In discussing my career with the Hall of Fame, we decided that with no logo on my plaque, I can equally represent these cities and the incredible fans in Toronto, where I got my start, Atlanta, where we won the World Series, and my hometown of Tampa Bay, as well as my time in San Diego.”

He also played with the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers as his career wound down.

Rolen and McGriff will be indicted in ceremonies in Cooperstown on July 23.

The late Roy Halladay was enshrined in the Hall of Fame without a logo on his cap in 2019. After his election that year, his widow, Brandy, announced that out of respect to his teams — the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies — that she wouldn’t choose either.

–Field Level Media

The Detroit Tigers transferred right-hander Casey Mize to the 60-day injured list on Friday.

They needed to clear room on the 40-man roster after claiming left-hander Tyler Holton off waivers from Arizona.

Mize, 25, is coming off Tommy John surgery last June. He revealed this week that he also had surgery to address an issue with his back.

The Tigers have not put a timetable on the return of the former No. 1 overall draft pick.

Mize was 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts last season. He is 7-13 with a 4.29 ERA in 39 starts over three seasons.

Holton, 26, made his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks last year and posted a 3.00 ERA in 10 relief appearances.

–Field Level Media

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado said Friday he intends to opt out of his 10-year, $300 million deal after the 2023 season and test free agency.

He told reporters the team is aware of his decision.

“So far, this year, I’m a Padre but who knows after next year,” he said. “The team knows where I stand, with the opt-out coming, and I think I’ve expressed that I will be opting out after this year.”

Machado signed his big contract with the Padres on Feb. 21, 2019, and it included a player option after five seasons. Since then, he’s seen the market for infielders reset, with the Los Angeles Angels’ Anthony Rendon ($35 million) and the St. Louis Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado ($32.5 million) earning more than their fellow third baseman in terms of average annual value per contract.

Shortstops Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers ($32.5 million), Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins ($33.3 million) and Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets ($34.1 million) also earn more than Machado’s $30 million per year.

Machado, 30, has slugged 108 home runs and driven in 340 runs in his first four seasons in San Diego. He has an OPS of .855 with the Padres and finished third in the National League MVP voting in 2020 and second last year.

A six-time All-Star and two-time Golden Glove winner, Machado has a lifetime batting average of .282 with 1,597 hits, 283 homers and 853 RBIs with the Baltimore Orioles (2012-18), Los Angeles Dodgers (2018) and Padres.

Machado is one of five Padres players on the active roster earning more than $20 million a year, joining pitchers Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish, shortstop Xander Bogaerts and outfielder Juan Soto.

–Field Level Media