St. Louis’ Durham, Oakland’s Bando File for Free Agency

Oakland catcher Chris Bando and St. Louis first baseman Leon Durham filed for free agency today, leaving a record 90 free agents available.

There would have been one more, but Tim Teufel, who had filed earlier, agreed today to a new contract with the New York Mets.

The deadline to file was 1 p.m. EST and the 90 free agents topped the previous record of 89, set in 1977. The deadline for filing also was the time clubs could begin to make monetary offers to free agents.

Jim Rice, who was eligible for free agency, did not have to file because the Boston Red Sox placed him on waivers today. Rice, who has spent his entire 15-year career with Boston, will become a free agent without compensation Thursday.