Jon Heyman of CBS Sports is reporting that the Twins have reached a deal with free agent 1B/DH Kendrys Morales. The terms of the deal are not yet known.
Update: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that it’s a one-year deal with a salary close to the prorated $14.1 million shortstop Stephen Drew recently got from the Red Sox.
Update #2: MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger reports that Morales will earn $12 million prorated for the remaining 103 games.
Recently, the teams strongly linked to Morales included the Yankees, Royals, Brewers, Mariners, and Rangers. So that the Twins grabbed him is a bit of a surprise. Morales is no longer attached to draft pick compensation now that the MLB first-year player draft has begun.
Morales, 30, slugged 23 home runs and knocked in 80 runs while slashing .277/.336/.449 for the Mariners last season. He’ll add some pop to the Twins’ lineup as they attempt to compete in a tightly-packed AL Central. The Twins are 28-31 and in last place, but are only five games behind the first place Detroit Tigers.