Huston Street, who was considered a trade chip of the Padres, has instead signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the club. The right-handed reliever could have become a free agent this winter.

The Royals have a signed veteran catcher Jason Kendall to a 2012 minor league contract. Kendall will report to Double-A Northwest Arkansas today and is scheduled to start at catcher at Springfield tomorrow night. The 38-year-old Kendall is a three-time National League All-Star (1996, 1998, 2000) and a career .288 hitter in 2,085 games for Pittsburgh (1996-2004), Oakland (2005-07), Chicago Cubs (2007), Milwaukee (2008-09) and Kansas City (2010). Kendall, who is fifth all-time in baseball history with 2,025 games caught, missed the final month of 2010 and all of 2011 with shoulder surgery.

The Blue Jays have signed Edwin Encarnacion to a three-year, $27 million extension. The contract includes a $10 million club option for the 2016 season. Encarnacion is batting .295 with 23 home runs and 58 RBIs.

Scott Kazmir has signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. The left-hander is expected to take the mound Sunday against the Bridgeport Bluefish. He led the American League in strikeouts with 239 with Tampa Bay in 2007, and was 66-61 with a 4.17 ERA in eight seasons with the Rays and Angels. "He is an explosive arm for us to have on the staff," manager Gary Gaetti said. "We look forward to seeing his stuff in action out on the mound with the track record he brings."