MLB: Tyson Ross and Tigers agree to one-year contract

Free-agent right-hander Tyson Ross and the Detroit Tigers on Monday reached an agreement on a one-year, $5.75-million contract.

Ross, 31, had an 8-9 record with a 4.15 earned-run average last season between San Diego and St. Louis.

Ross is 43-65 with a 3.95 ERA in nine seasons. He made his debut with Oakland in 2010 and was an All-Star with San Diego in 2014.

Hamilton dashes off to Royals

Speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton is running to the Kansas City Royals.

A person familiar with the negotiations says the Royals and Hamilton have agreed to a $5.25-million contract for next season that includes up to $1 million in incentives. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical.

Hamilton made $4.6 million with Cincinnati last season, when he was their everyday center fielder. The Reds didn’t offer him a contract for next year.

Hamilton is considered the fastest player in the majors and stole at least 50 bases four straight seasons before dipping to 34 last season. He’s outstanding in the field, but he struggled at the plate — he’s a career .236 hitter.

New places

The Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants added players on waiver claims.

Texas acquired infielder Carlos Asuaje after he was cut by San Diego last week. The 27-year-old hit .240 in parts of the last three seasons with the Padres, and did well in the field at second base.

The Giants got outfielder Mike Gerber from Detroit. The 26-year-old made his big league debut last season and went 4 for 42 in 18 games for the Tigers.

Mattingly talks about Hall of Fame

Don Mattingly says he’s not dwelling on whether he belongs in the Hall of Fame.

A day after Harold Baines was a surprising choice for the Hall, Mattingly says he’s content knowing what he accomplished on the field.

The Miami manager was a six-time All-Star, won nine Gold Gloves at first base for the Yankees and hit .307 lifetime. Mattingly was the 1985 AL MVP and four times finished in the top seven of the MVP voting.

Mattingly finished with 2,153 hits, 222 home runs and 1,099 RBIs in 14 seasons in a career limited by back trouble.

“I just didn’t play long enough. Wasn’t able to stay healthy long enough to really put that pile of numbers together,” he said Monday at the winter meetings. “So there was a period of time that I could hit with anybody and do things on the field at my position and with the bat that nobody was doing.”

Baines also was a six-time All-Star. He never finished higher than ninth in MVP voting, and had 1,628 RBIs, 384 home runs, 2,866 hits and a .289 average in a 22-year career, mostly as a designated hitter.

“When I think of myself, when you see Harold, played 22 years or something like that and you end up with a pile of numbers that grow and grow, you know, I think Harold had 2,800 hits. I hit 21-something. I do it in 13 years, 12 years, less than 13,” Mattingly said.

“Just happy for Harold and Lee. I played with Lee just a brief time in New York and watched Harold over the years. He’s a great hitter. I don’t worry much about myself from the whole situation, because quite honestly, the Hall of Fame comes, if you get in, you say, OK, write ‘HOF’ on the ball, and after that your life’s going to be the same.”