MLB: Marlins agree to send Marcell Ozuna to Cardinals

Miami has agreed to trade left fielder Marcell Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press, the third All-Star jettisoned by the Marlins this month in a payroll purge under new Chief Executive Derek Jeter.

The person spoke Wednesday to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced and was subject to a physical.

“Ozuna is one of those names that you have to have great respect, especially as much we see him,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said at the winter meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. “We’re at that necessary point of talking through health always, no matter what the player is. It’s not just a formality.”

An All-Star the last two seasons, the 27-year-old Ozuna set career bests this season with a .312 average, 37 home runs and 124 runs batted in. He is eligible for salary arbitration and likely will receive more than $10 million. He can become a free agent after the 2019 season.

Miami traded second baseman Dee Gordon to Seattle last Thursday for three prospects and dealt right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, the reigning National League most valuable player, to the New York Yankees on Monday for second baseman Starlin Castro and two prospects.

Twins sign Michael Pineda

The Minnesota Twins announced the signing of Michael Pineda, who is recovering from elbow surgery, to a two-year, $10-million contract.

Pineda underwent surgery in July and will sit out perhaps all of the 2018 season. The contract is for $2 million in 2018 and $8 million in 2019.

Pineda, 28, was a rising star with the Seattle Mariners, going 9-10 with a 3.74 earned-run average in 2011 and being selected an All-Star as a rookie. He was traded to the Yankees but sat out the next two seasons because of shoulder problems.

Anthony Swarzak and Mets agree on contract

Free-agent reliever Anthony Swarzak and the New York Mets agreed to a $14-million, two-year contract, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told the AP.