NEW YORK (AP) Wanting to slash salary to avoid paying luxury tax, the New York Yankees opted to make a rare trade with the Boston Red Sox.

Boston acquired struggling reliever Adam Ottavino along with minor league right-hander Frank German from the Yankees on Monday for a player to be named or cash.

As part of the trade, the Yankees agreed to send Boston $850,000 on July 1 to cover part of the $8 million owed to Ottavino, a 35-year-old right-hander entering the final season of a $27 million, three-year contract. New York remains responsible for Ottavino's $3 million signing bonus, due next Jan. 15.

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The Cactus League and Arizona community leaders have asked Major League Baseball to delay the start of spring training due to coronavirus concerns just over three weeks before pitchers and catchers are supposed to report.

The Cactus League made the request in a letter to Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred obtained by The Associated Press on Monday. The letter was co-signed by the mayors of Mesa, Scottsdale, Surprise, Glendale, Goodyear and Peoria, as well as representatives from Phoenix and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

ATLANTA (AP) Third baseman Pablo Sandoval has signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Sandoval would receive a $1 million, one-year contract if he is added to the team's 40-man roster under a deal the Braves confirmed Monday.

NEW YORK (AP) Jameson Taillon's trade from Pittsburgh to the New York Yankees started to soak in, and he thought about reuniting with former roommate Gerrit Cole.

"Every night you get a five-star cooked meal," Taillon said. "Even if he's cooking for himself, he's going to marinate whatever he's cooking properly. He's going to do everything with the perfect execution. He's going to have a perfect wine pairing for it."

HOUSTON (AP) An erroneous report saying Michael Brantley had agreed to a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays had the outfielder fielding goodbye texts from his Houston Astros teammates most of Wednesday morning.

By the afternoon those same teammates were sending him notes of congratulations and welcoming him back after he agreed to a $32 million, two-year contract with the Astros.

WASHINGTON (AP) Now that he's set to play for the Washington Nationals this season, Ryan Zimmerman might stick around a little longer, too.

Zimmerman and the Nationals made it official Saturday, announcing his $1 million, one-year contract. The deal came after the Nats' longest-tenured player opted out of the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season.

BOSTON (AP) The Boston Red Sox have agreed to terms with second baseman Enrique Hernandez and right-hander Garrett Richards, a person with knowledge of the deals told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity Saturday because the free-agent contracts could not be announced until the players had passed their physicals.

TORONTO (AP) All-Star outfielder George Springer finalized his $150 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, becoming the most prominent free agent to reach an agreement this offseason.

Springer, who turned 31 in September, received the largest deal in team history, topping outfielder Vernon Wells' $126 million, seven-year contract in 2006.

ATLANTA (AP) As his adopted hometown mourned Hank Aaron's death, some fans called on the Atlanta Braves to change their name to the Hammers in his honor.

"Hammerin' Hank" died Friday at age 86, drawing praise from all segments of society - including the current and former presidents - for his Hall of Fame career and providing inspiration to Black Americans by overcoming intense racism in his pursuit of baseball's home run record.