BASEBALL

The Cleveland Guardians have reached agreement with veteran free agent catcher Mike Zunino on a $6 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

Zunino will sign once he completes medical tests, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been finalized.

The AL Central champions headed into the offseason looking to upgrade at catcher, and were involved in some trade talks for Oakland’s Sean Murphy, who wound up being dealt to Atlanta on Monday in a three-team deal.

With Murphy no longer in play, the Guardians switched to Zunino, a 10-year veteran and All-Star in 2021 who spent the past four seasons with Tampa Bay.

•  The Colorado Rockies added right-hander Pierce Johnson to their bullpen as they signed the Denver native to a one-year major league contract.

Johnson spent the last three seasons with the San Diego Padres.

•  Chicago White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease will receive the largest amount in the new $50 million pool for pre-arbitration players, earning $2,457,426.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez is second with $2,381,143, according to figures compiled by Major League Baseball and the players’ association under the March lockout settlement. Toronto right-hander Alek Manoah is third at $2,191,023.

Eleven players are receiving $1 million or more.

Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen gets $1,670,875, followed by Seattle center fielder Julio Rodriguez ($1,550,850), Atlanta outfielder Michael Harris II ($1,361,435), Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase ($1,354,962), Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez ($1,308,805), Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman ($1,177,555), Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker ($1,146,555) and Braves right-hander Spencer Strider ($1,077,294).

A total of 100 players will receive the payments under a plan aimed to get more money to players without sufficient service time for salary arbitration eligibility: 2 years, 116 days of major league service for 2022.

• The Rays finalized right-hander Zach Eflin’s $40 million, three-year contract, the largest deal for a free agent in Tampa Bay history.

He will make $11 million next season, $11 million in 2024 and $18 million in 2025.

Eflin, who spent portions of seven seasons with the Phillies, joins a rotation that includes All-Star lefty Shane McClanahan, and right-handers Tyler Glasnow and Drew Rasmussen.

• Curt Simmons, the last surviving member of the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies Whiz Kids team, has died. He was 93.

His death on Tuesday at his Ambler, Pennsylvania, home was confirmed by the Phillies, who did not specify a cause.

One of the greatest pitchers in franchise history, the lefty posted a record of 115-110 with 109 complete games, 18 shutouts and a 3.66 ERA in 325 games (263 starts) in 13 seasons with the team.

• The Pittsburgh Pirates signed right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez to a one-year, $3.15 million contract in an attempt to give their young starting rotation a veteran presence.

The 30-year-old Velasquez spent last season working primarily as a reliever with the Chicago White Sox. Velasquez went 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA in 27 appearances for Chicago, with nine starts. He pitched well down the stretch for the White Sox, posting a 2.92 ERA with 24 strikeouts in his final 11 games with Chicago.

• Free agent right-hander Ross Stripling reached agreement on a $25 million, two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants.

He expects to be a starter in a rotation featuring Logan Webb, newcomer Sean Manaea, Alex Cobb and Alex Wood. Stripling’s contract includes a $5 million signing bonus and allows him to opt out after next season, when he will earn $7.5 million. He has a $12.5 million salary for 2024.

The 32-year-old pitcher had career highs of 10 wins, a 3.01 ERA, 24 starts and 134 1/3 innings with the Blue Jays last season.

SKICROSS

BEIJING GAMES: A second bronze medal will be awarded to end a dispute over third place in women’s skicross at the Beijing Olympics.

Under a settlement reached 10 months after the race – and following a second change in the result – both Fanny Smith of Switzerland and Daniela Maier of Germany will get a bronze medal.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it had ratified the settlement.

Smith had originally been demoted to fourth – and Maier upgraded – following the Feb. 17 race. An International Ski Federation (FIS) race jury had blamed Smith for causing contact with other skiers.

But nine days later, Smith and the Swiss ski federation won an appeal and she was declared the bronze medalist.

SOCCER

MLS: Fox will keep on broadcasting Major League Soccer games in the U.S. as part of a four-year agreement, ending the run of ESPN and ABC, which had carried matches since the league launched in 1996.

MLS also announced linear television agreements with TSN and RDS in Canada and TelevisaUnivision.

MLS chose only one television partner in the U.S. due to its 10-year partnership with Apple that begins next season.

The rights deal with Apple, announced in July, allows fans to watch every game without local blackouts or restrictions.