The Orioles and shortstop J.J. Hardy have agreed to a three-year contract. Hardy, 28, is batting .275 with 13 homers and 33 RBIs. He's been stellar in the field, making just two errors in 63 games. The package likely falls in the range of the deal that Juan Uribe signed with the Dodgers last winter -- three years and $21 million -- although the value of Hardy's deal could reach $25 million. The extension includes a no-trade clause limited to eight teams.

The Brewers and Francisco Rodriguez have negotiated a new structure of the reliever's contractual clause, removing his automatic 2012 option. Prior to the renegotiation, Rodriguez was due to make $17.5 million if he make a certain number of appearances as a closer. He was 21 games shy of reaching the threshold when the Mets dealt him to the Brewers. The vesting option for 55 games finished still in place -- but now it's a mutual option, which means both sides have to agree to it for it to be exercised.

Both the Cardinals and Jaime Garcia are refusing to confirm or deny reports that club and player are on the verge of agreeing to a four-year contract extension through 2015. An employee of KTRS radio, which is partly owned by the club, posted Thursday on his personal Twitter page that Garcia and the club have reached agreement on a four-year deal worth a guaranteed $27.5M with options for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.