The St. Louis Cardinals have agreed in principle to a three-year contract extension with Yadier Molina that will guarantee him between $55 million and $65 million.

The two sides reportedly have been in talks on a deal over the course of spring training.

Molina, who will turn 35 in July, hit .307/.360/.427 with eight homers and 38 doubles in 581 plate appearances last season.

Jose Quintana has been mentioned in trade rumors for nearly a year, but the belief is now that he'll remain with the Chicago White Sox until closer to the mid-season deadline.

The Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates have long been the perceived favorites for the left-hander, but the St. Louis Cardinals have quietly been showing interest in a deal.

St. Louis has the combination of young players and prospects to make a trade for Quintana work.

Yandy Diaz has made the Opening Day roster of the Cleveland Indians after he was expected to begin the season in the Minor Leagues.

Diaz, 25, could start at third base with Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall starting the season on the disabled list. He hit .325 in 95 games at Triple-A Columbus last season.

"Yandy's spring training was terrific. I think we all agree. If you look at Yandy's last year, we were trying to figure out a place for his bat," Terry Francona said. "That's why he was going to the outfield. It's not a kid who got 45 at-bats and never hit. He has been a good hitter and he's becoming a better hitter."

He only has one career save under his belt, but the Washington Nationals will open the season with Blake Treinen as their closer.

Dusty Baker named Treinen, 28, his ninth-inning man on Thursday.

Treinen competed with Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover for the job this spring after Mark Melancon signed with the San Francisco Giants as a free agent.

"I think a lot of us came into spring willing to put our heads down and compete and be the best that we can, knowing that we're all going to have valuable innings," Treinen said. "To be in the position Dusty has put me in, I feel honored. I'm excited to have that opportunity. I'm looking forward to progressing and taking it this season and doing the best I can for my teammates and hopefully locking down games for us."

The Texas Rangers officially announced a new six-year deal for Rougned Odor on Thursday.

The contract has a club option for 2023, guarantees him at least $49.5 million and also comes with two horses.

The Rangers suggested including the horses in the new contract as a negotiating tactic.

"It's our policy when we make a contract offer, we copy the player on it," Jon Daniels said. "So Rougie has these big numbers in front of him, and he has a poker face. Nothing changed. Then I slid my phone across with a picture of the horses on it, and he said, 'Hey, can you send that to me?' His eyes lit up, and I thought, 'All right, maybe we have a chance.'"

It includes a $2 million signing bonus and a $13.5 million club option for 2023 with a $3 million buyout. Odor's salary will be $1 million this season, and then it will increase to $3 million in 2018 and $7.5 million in 2019. He will make $9 million in 2020 before $12 million in each of the last two years of the contract.

Aaron Judge could begin the season in the Minor Leagues despite entering this spring as the projected starter in right field for the New York Yankees.

Judge has been pushed by Aaron Hicks for the job in right.

"We've got to decide, is it Hicks or Judge in that situation?" Joe Girardi said. "When you look at Aaron Judge, you don't want him to sit. So if we don't think there's enough at-bats for him, that would be the thing that would keep him off the team. But that's not what I'm saying."

Judge has hit .345/.406/.569 with three homers and six RBIs in 23 Grapefruit League games. After striking out in half of his 84 Major League at-bats last year, Judge has improved his contact rate, tallying 13 whiffs in 58 spring at-bats.

"I can't really worry about that," Judge said. "If I go to Double-A, High-A, it doesn't matter. I'm going to go out there and play baseball, have fun and everything will work out the way it's supposed to."

Steven Matz is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day because of tenderness in his left elbow, the New York Mets have announced.

"He's being examined today," Collins said Wednesday. "We should know more, but we don't plan on having him pitch the next few days."

Matz is expected to have an MRI. The left-hander threw on the side on Monday and Tuesday and was still feeling pain.

"Nothing's changed over the last couple of days," Collins said. "It's just that the last two days he played catch, and he still feels it, so we thought it would be important to have him looked at."

Matz was projected to be New York's No. 5 starter.

The St. Louis Cardinals weren't happy to hear that Kolten Wong would rather be traded than be part of a platoon.

"Overall, we've had a very positive camp, and I certainly don't want someone's comments to bring us down," John Mozeliak said.

Wong was batting just .184 with a .558 OPS entering Wednesday's Grapefruit League finale. The Cardinals could pair the left-handed hitting Wong with the right-handed Jedd Gyorko.

The club signed Wong, 26, to a five-year, $25.5 million contract extension last spring.

"I just feel like, you know, my time here, it's almost limited," Wong told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "So, we will see what happens. I don't know what's going on. No one has told me anything. I'm just working hard, doing what I've got to do to get myself ready for whatever happens."

Jeurys Familia, who was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge that was later dismissed, has been suspended 15 games by Major League Baseball.

The incident took place Oct. 31 in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

"Mr. Familia and his wife cooperated fully throughout the investigation, including submitting to in-person interviews with MLB's Department of Investigations," Rob Manfred said in a statement. "... The evidence reviewed by my office does not support a determination that Mr. Familia physically assaulted his wife, or threatened her or others with physical force or harm, on October 31, 2016. Nevertheless, I have concluded that Mr. Familia's overall conduct that night was inappropriate, violated the Policy, and warrants discipline."

A first-time All-Star in 2016, Familia led the Major Leagues with 51 saves for the New York Mets.

The father of reigning National League MVP Kris Bryant, Mike, was asked this week if he had any advice for LaVar Ball, who has been outspoken in support of both himself and his basketball-playing sons.

"The guy is going to ruin it for his kids," Mike Bryant told ESPN 1000 in Chicago. "I mean that in a sympathetic/empathetic way. Let his kids go out there and play and let the rest happen. But to compare him to Michael Jordan and better than Steph Curry, c'mon, that's disrespecting those guys. If I had five minutes with him and I could get him to listen for two of them I think I could get him to think a little bit."

The elder Bryant is outspoken but has learned to "pull back" when appropriate.

"How can you have fun when you're worried about your old man making a fool of himself," Bryant said. "There's ways to do it. I'm not trying to be judgmental. I feel for the kid in this situation. There are too many stories out there that don't turn out well because of stuff like this."