6:15pm: The deal is official, as per a press release by the Pirates. The deal is Chavez for Iwamura straight-up. 4:34pm: ESPN's Buster Olney tells us the Rays will receive reliever Jesse Chavez in return. Chavez, 26, posted a 4.01 ERA in 67.3...

12:50pm: According to Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune, a Cubs source "quickly responded to the report by saying the rumor has 'no legs at all,' adding the team has not discussed the possibility of bringing Wells to the North Side.&...

The Astros hired former Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills as their new manager, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.  The Astros fired Cecil Cooper with 13 games remaining in the season, replacing him with Dave Clark. Mills inherits a club w...

Pat Lackey informs us that a Cardinals source confirmed to Fanhouse's Ed Price that Mark McGwire has been hired to replace Hal McRae as the St. Louis hitting coach. McGwire, 46, played in St. Louis for four and a half seasons, hitting 220 ho...

Scott Boras believes Mark Teixeira and Matt Holliday are both "blue-collar superstars," learned Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times. Boras considers both to be "complete players," and finds Holliday unique in the upcoming free agent...

According to Jason Grilli's Twitter account, the well-traveled pitcher has signed with his seventh team. Grilli tweets, "Well it is official. I am signing with my 7th team. Can you guess? Drum roll please! Will let ya know when I am able." If, as...

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim would prefer Curtis Granderson to Edwin Jackson, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com. The reason is simple: control of the player. Granderson is signed through 2012, with a $13MM club...

Several teams are calling the Rangers about Nelson Cruz, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com, but the Rangers aren't inclined to move him, citing his low salary and high production. Cruz posted a .260/.332/.524 line in...

Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports that the Brewers have signed John Halama to a minor-league deal with an invitation to major league camp. Halama, 37, also drew interest from the Toronto Blue Jays. His career numbers are 56-48 with a 4.65 ERA. In 2009,...

When you prepare the turkey, don't forget to add these tidbits for flavor... According to Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger, Yankees GM Brian Cashman will deal with his own free agents before moving to others. "I'll talk to our guys first,"...