Aviles Agrees to One-Year Deal with the Detroit Tigers

Mike Aviles is ready to roar into the new baseball season…

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball player, a utility player, has agreed to a one-year Major League Baseball (MLB) contract with the Detroit Tigers, the team announced.

Mike Aviles

Aviles presumably will fill a utility role for the Tigers along with infielder Andrew Romine.

Tigers general manager Al Avila indicated at the winter meetings last week that a utility player was likely to be the last of the club’s offseason signings, although he did leave open the possibility of adding another bullpen arm.

Aviles spent the past three seasons with the Cleveland Indians. He batted .231 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 98 games last season.

Aviles made multiple trips to the family medical emergency list in 2015 after his daughter Adriana was diagnosed with leukemia in May.

The eight-year veteran also has played for the Kansas City Royals and Boston Red Sox.

To create room for Aviles on the 40-man roster, the Tigers designated for assignment left-hander Kyle Lobstein.

Gomez Reportedly Agrees to Multiyear Contract with the Cleveland Indians

It looks like Yan Gomes isn’t planning to leave C-Town anytime soon…

The 26-year-old Brazilian professional baseball catcher has reportedly agreed to terms on a multiyear contract with the Cleveland Indians following his breakout season in 2013, according to the Associated Press.

Yan Gomes

Gomes batted .294 with 11 homers and 38 RBIs in 88 games last season, his first with the Indians. He must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized, according to AP sources.

FOXSports.com first reported the $23 million, six-year deal, which includes two club options.

Gomes is not expected to sign the contract until the Indians return home following their season-opening series in Oakland.

Gomes — the first Brazilian-born player in Major League Baseball — began last season at Triple-A Columbus, but after being brought up in April he stayed the rest of the year and was a major contributor as the Indians made the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

In addition to providing power to Cleveland’s lineup, Gomes was a defensive dynamo behind the plate. He threw out 38 percent (18 of 47) of potential base stealers and did a nice job handling the pitching staff.

The Indians went 49-30 when Gomes started, and his emergence prompted the club to move Carlos Santana to third base this spring. Santana is expected to back up Gomes, play some third and also DH.

During Cleveland’s late-season playoff push, Gomes batted .309 in September. He hit .296 overall with runners in scoring position.

The Indians acquired Gomes and infielder Mike Aviles before last season in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays for right-hander Esmil Rogers.