SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Kansas City Royals agreed to a $2.5 million, one-year deal with Martin Maldonado on Saturday, giving them a veteran catcher after losing Salvador Perez to a season-ending injury.

The deal includes up to $1.4 million in incentives for games caught, according to a person familiar with the terms, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Maldonado still must pass a physical for the contract to become official.

Maldonado spent last season with the Angels and Astros, hitting .225 with nine homers and 44 RBI in 119 games. But his biggest strength has been his ability to frame pitches and play defense, and his experience should help what is expected to be a young Royals team this season.

In fact, Maldonado’s Gold Glove in 2017 broke Perez’s streak of four straight.

PHILLIES: Bryce Harper drew a pair of five-pitch walks in his first spring training appearance since signing a record contract with Philadelphia.

The six-time All-Star outfielder signed a $330 million, 13-year contract last week, the largest deal in baseball history.

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Batting third as the designated hitter against the Blue Jays, Harper took four straight pitches after a mighty swing and miss in the first inning. Rhys Hoskins followed with a mammoth two-run homer.

Harper fouled off the first pitch he saw in the third before taking another four pitches out of the strike zone. Fans booed the pitcher as Harper jogged to first base and then was replaced by a pinch runner.

YANKEES: Masahiro Tanaka will be New York’s Opening Day starter March 28 against Baltimore, taking the spot left open by Luis Severino’s shoulder trouble. Tanaka is replacing Severino, who will not make the start at Yankee Stadium because of right shoulder inflammation. Severino was scratched from his first planned start of spring training on Tuesday after feeling discomfort after throwing his first slider in a pregame bullpen session.

MARINERS: Third baseman Kyle Seager will see a hand specialist after rolling his left wrist during a spring training game.

Seager was pulled Friday after jamming his glove into the ground diving for a hard grounder by the Chicago Cubs’ Javier Baez. Seager removed his mitt and favored his wrist and hand.


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