RANGERS PUT 4 PITCHERS ON DL (5:04 p.m. ET)
The Rangers have designated third baseman Travis Metcalf for assignment and placed right-handers Joaquin Benoit and Eric Hurley on the 60-day disabled list.
Benoit and Hurley both had rotator cuff surgery during the offseason. Hurley was a first-round pick in 2004 and had been expected to be a candidate for the starting rotation this spring.
Right-handed relievers Dustin Nippert (back) and Willie Eyre (groin) were placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 27.
Catcher Emerson Frostad and right-hander Derrick Turnbow were reassigned to minor league camp.
The Rangers have 10 days to trade, release, or outright Metcalf to the minor leagues.
WRIGHT, COSTA INVOLVED IN MOVES (5:00 p.m. ET)
The Royals have purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Jamey Wright from Triple-A Omaha and assigned outfielder Shane Costa.
The moves came Sunday after the Royals made the deadline for getting their roster down to 25.
Wright went 8-7 with a 5.12 ERA in 75 relief appearances for Texas last season.
Kansas City opens the season Monday at Chicago against the White Sox.
CUBS RELEASE GAUDIN (4:35 p.m. ET)
The Cubs have released right-hander Chad Gaudin
The reliever was acquired from Oakland in the trade that brought Rich Harden to Chicago in July.
The Cubs also optioned right-hander Jeff Samardzija to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday.
Gaudin went 9-5 with a 4.40 ERA in 50 outings with the Athletics and Cubs. He was 4-2 with a 6.26 ERA in 24 relief appearances for Chicago.
The 26-year-old has also pitched for Tampa Bay and Toronto. He has a 28-25 career record with a 4.45 ERA.
REDS SEND DOWN BAILEY (4:34 p.m. ET)
Right-hander Homer Bailey will start the season in the Cincinnati Reds' minor league system.
The Reds got down to the 25-man roster limit Sunday by optioning Bailey to Triple-A Louisville, giving him a chance to start regularly and continue to work on his revamped delivery. Bailey had challenged right-hander Micah Owings for the fifth spot in the Reds' rotation.
Owings will start their third game of the season against the Mets. Right-hander Bronson Arroyo, who has carpal tunnel syndrome, won't get his first start until next Sunday, giving him a chance to rest his pitching hand.
The Reds also optioned infielder Adam Rosales, utility player Wilkin Castillo and left-hander Bill Bray to Louisville, and reassigned outfielder Jonny Gomes to their minor league camp.
RAYS TRADE HAMMEL (4:33 p.m. ET)
The Rays traded pitcher Jason Hammel to the Colorado Rockies for minor league pitcher Aneury Rodriguez on Sunday.
Hammel went 4-4 with two saves and a 4.60 ERA in 40 games last season. The 26-year-old righty made five starts in April for the AL champions while Scott Kazmir was on the disabled list.
Hammel was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2002 and spent his first full season in the majors last year.
Rodriguez, a 21-year-old righty, was 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA for Class A Modesto last year. He was an All-Star in the California League and ranked second with 139 strikeouts.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
