Associated Press
MILWAUKEE ó Career saves leader Trevor Hoffman and Milwaukee announced their $6 million, one-year deal Tuesday after the reliever passed a physical.
“He brings to our club the closer we need for us to continue our pursuit of a World Series,” general manager Doug Melvin said.
PADRES
SAN DIEGO ó Mark Prior, who has missed more than two full seasons because of shoulder problems, and infielder Chris Burke agreed to minor league contracts with San Diego and were invited to spring training.
Prior signed with the Padres as a free agent prior to the 2008 season but missed the entire year after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder on June 4, the latest medical setback to a once-promising career.
ASTROSHOUSTON ó Right-hander Russ Ortiz agreed to a minor league contract with Houston, hoping to make the team after a yearlong injury layoff.
Ortiz, 34, missed last season after surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right arm.
MARLINS
MIAMI ó Former major league outfielder Jay Gibbons was among eight free agents who agreed to minor league contracts with Florida.
Dodgers
LOS ANGELES ó Free-agent reliever Guillermo Mota is returning to the Dodgers, pending a physical examination. He had a 5-6 record with a 4.11 ERA in 58 games for Milwaukee last season.
PIRATES
PITTSBURGH ó Outfielder Craig Monroe and catcher Miguel Perez agreed to minor league contracts.
Monroe hit .202 with eight homers and 29 RBIs in 58 games with the Twins in 2008.
ORIOLES
BALTIMORE ó Right-hander Koji Uehara, 33, finalized a $10 million, two-year contract with Baltimore, making him the first Japanese-born player in franchise history.
Uehara comes to the Orioles after a 10-year run with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League. He went 112-62 with a 3.01 ERA and 56 complete games in 207 career starts.
Baltimore also avoided arbitration with former closer Chris Ray, agreeing to an $850,000, one-year deal.
Ray, who turned 27 on Monday, missed the 2008 season while recovering from right elbow ligament reconstruction surgery. The operation took place in August 2007.
Ray led the Orioles with 33 saves in 2006 and had 16 saves in 2007 before the elbow injury ended his season.
TIGERS
DETROIT ó Detroit has agreed to a contract with 26-year-old left-hander Fu-Te Ni, a Taiwanese pitcher who played for his national team at the Beijing Olympics.
RAYS
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. ó Former major league catcher Todd Greene was hired, filling an instructional and self-scouting position.
YANKEES
ALBANY, N.Y. ó A New York Assembly committee investigating the use of millions of dollars in public funding to build the new Yankee Stadium has subpoenaed team president Randy Levine as well as city Industrial Development Agency Chairman Seth Pinsky.