MLB PLAYER NEWS

MLB Notebook: Giants close deal with Melancon

The Sports Xchange

December 05, 2016 at 6:19 pm.

Oct 13, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Mark Melancon (43) pitches during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball game at Nationals Park. Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 13, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Mark Melancon (43) pitches during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball game at Nationals Park. Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants agreed to a deal with right-handed closer Mark Melancon, according to reports Monday.

The agreement with the free agent is pending a physical.

Melancon, who turns 32 in March, is coming off an outstanding season with the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates in which he posted a combined 47 saves with a 1.64 ERA in 71 1/3 innings. Melancon was acquired by the Nationals at the trade deadline. He pitched in a league-leading 75 games last season. Since 2013, he has 147 saves, including a National League-leading 51 in 2015.

–Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper reportedly is asking for a record-breaking deal that will exceed 10 years in length and pay him more than $400 million.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Nationals are balking at Harper’s massive demands in early talks about a long-term contract extension and are preparing to be without their All-Star outfielder after 2018. Harper’s agent, Scott Boras, said discussions have taken place for only a one-year deal in 2017. Harper, who earned $5 million in 2016, is eligible for salary arbitration.

Harper, 24, will be 26 years old when he hits the free agent market in 2018. He hit 121 home runs in his first five major league seasons and won the 2015 National League MVP award. He owns a .279 career batting average with 334 RBIs.

–Rich Hill needed only a handful of appearances to make a striking impression with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.

On Monday, the Dodgers signed the veteran left-hander to a three-year contract. While the Dodgers did not disclose terms of the deal, MLB.com reported it was worth $48 million. It’s a rather remarkable deal for a pitcher who as recently as 2015 was pitching with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.

Hill, 36, was acquired by the Dodgers from the Oakland Athletics in mid-July but, because of blister issues, did not make his debut for Los Angeles until Aug. 24. Hel finished 3-2 with a 1.83 ERA in six starts for Los Angeles and made three more appearances in the postseason, capped by six scoreless innings of two-hit ball against the eventual World Series champion Chicago Cubs.

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