Minnesota designated hitter Nelson Cruz signed a one-year deal to return to the Twins. Jim Mone/Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins are bringing back designated hitter Nelson Cruz on a one-year, $13 million contract, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations.

The agreement was reached late Tuesday and confirmed Wednesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending completion of a physical exam.

Cruz turned 40 last season and batted .303 with 16 home runs, 33 RBI and a .992 OPS in 53 games during the pandemic-shortened schedule.

He has led the team in homers in each of his two years with the Twins while ranking second and fourth, respectively, in the AL in OPS. The six-time All-Star won Silver Slugger awards in 2019 and 2020, when the Twins won the AL Central both seasons.

Just as valuable to the club has been Cruz’s leadership, with his laid-back demeanor and hard-working attitude and an ability to mentor players like first baseman Miguel Sanó, a fellow native of the Dominican Republic. Cruz played through a ruptured tendon in his wrist in 2019. He won the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award in 2020 on a vote by his major league peers, earning respect around the game for his efforts to donate a fire engine and an ambulance and help build a police station in his hometown of Las Matas De Santa Cruz.

No player in the major leagues has more home runs over the last seven seasons than Cruz (260), who also has the third-most RBI (663) during that span, according to Sportradar data.

Cruz served a 50-game suspension in 2013, his last of eight seasons with the Texas Rangers, for violating the major league drug agreement in relation to the sport’s investigation of the Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic. At the time, he said he erred in judgment in the wake of a gastrointestinal infection that wasn’t accurately diagnosed at first and caused him to lose 40 pounds before getting proper treatment.

RAYS: Two-time All-Star pitcher Chris Archer has agreed to rejoin the Tampa Bay Rays on a $6.5 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.

The 32-year-old right-hander, an All-Star with the Rays in 2015 and 2017, is expected to get an opportunity to compete for a spot in a starting rotation that lost Charlie Morton and 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell this winter. The AL champion Rays declined a $15 million option on Morton for 2021. Snell was traded to the San Diego Padres.

Archer went 54-68 with a 3.69 ERA in seven seasons with the Rays, who traded him to Pittsburgh in a fruitful deal that brought them right-hander Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows in July 2018.

BLUE JAYS: Veteran left-hander Francisco Liriano has agreed to a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays that includes an invitation to spring training, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because no announcement had been made.

The 37-year-old Liriano did not pitch in the majors during the pandemic-altered 2020 season. He was in camp with Philadelphia on a minor league deal when the Phillies released him in July prior to opening day.

He went 5-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 69 relief appearances for Pittsburgh in 2019, striking out 63 and walking 35 in 70 innings.

ANGELS: The Los Angeles Angels acquired veteran right-hander Alex Cobb from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for prospect Jahmai Jones.

The Angels also get cash in the trade announced late Tuesday night. The 33-year-old Cobb is expected to join the Angels’ rotation alongside Dylan Bundy, who had the best season of his career in 2020 after Los Angeles obtained him from rebuilding Baltimore.

Cobb went 2-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 10 starts last season for the Orioles. He is 55-57 with a 3.88 ERA during a decade in the majors with Tampa Bay and Baltimore.

RANGERS: Spencer Patton has signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers that includes an invitation to spring training after pitching in Japan the past four seasons.

Patton was 3-2 with a 4.92 ERA in 57 relief appearances last season in Nippon Professional Baseball. The right-hander, who turns 33 on Feb. 20, was 12-9 with a 3.68 ERA in 219 games with the Yokohama Bay Stars from 2017-20.

The Rangers announced Patton’s deal late Tuesday, making him the 24th non-roster invitee to their spring camp in Arizona. Patton made 16 relief appearances for the Chicago Cubs during the 2016 regular season, but didn’t appear in the playoffs when they won the World Series that fall.

NATIONALS: Alex Avila finalized a $1.5 million, one-year contract Wednesday with the Washington Nationals, who are expected to use him as the primary backup to starting catcher Yan Gomes.

Avila, who turned 34 last week, was a free agent after playing in 2020 for the Minnesota Twins, batting .184 in 49 at-bats during the coronavirus-shortened season. He has played 12 years in the majors for five clubs and has a .235 career batting average with a .348 on-base percentage, 104 homers and 388 RBI.

PADRES: San Diego Padres promoted GM A.J. Preller to president of baseball operations and extended his contract through the 2026 season.

The Padres also promoted Erik Greupner from president of business operations to CEO and extended his contract through 2026. Preller was hired as GM in August 2014 and he has rebuilt the Padres into a playoff team. They ended a 13-year postseason drought in 2020, beating the St. Louis Cardinals in a wild card series before losing to the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series.

DIAMONDBACKS: The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to terms on a $3.5 million, one-year deal with veteran relief pitcher Joakim Soria, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations.

Soria can earn $500,000 in performance incentives.

The two-time All-Star will be pitching for his eighth MLB team. The 36-year-old right-hander spent the past two years with Oakland and finished with a 2.82 ERA in 22 appearances during the abbreviated 2020 season.

INDIANS: With some spots to fill in their bullpen, the Cleveland Indians signed durable reliever Bryan Shaw to a minor league contract and invited him to big league spring training.

The 33-year-old Shaw spent five seasons with the club, appearing in 378 games during a tenure when he was invaluable for Manager Terry Francona. The right-hander had a 3.11 ERA and led the American League in appearances three times with the Indians.

Cleveland needs relievers after not re-signing closer Brad Hand and trading Adam Cimber.

ORIOLES: The Baltimore Orioles agreed to sign veteran right-hander Felix Hernandez to a minor league contract.

Hernandez won an AL Cy Young Award, two ERA titles and made six All-Star teams over 15 seasons with Seattle before becoming a free agent last offseason.

The 34-year-old signed a minor league deal with Atlanta and looked sharp during spring training, but ultimately opted out of the pandemic-shortened 60-game season.