Astros add Gregerson, Neshek

The Houston Astros have agreed to a three-year, $18.5 million contract with Luke Gregerson and also have agreed to sign reliever Pat Neshek, sources told ESPN’s Buster Olney, confirming multiple reports.

Gregerson is expected to take over as the team’s closer in 2015 with Neshek, coming off a career season, helping to fortify the back end of the bullpen.

Gregerson’s total compensation from the Astros can increase to $21 million if he is the team’s closer, a baseball source told ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick.

His agreement comes after the Astros reportedly made attempts to sign both David Robertson and Andrew Miller this offseason to take over their closer’s role. Robertson ended up agreeing to a four-year deal with the Chicago White Sox, while Miller reached a four-year contract with the New York Yankees.

Neshek is guaranteed $12.5 million over two years, a baseball source told Crasnick. He’ll make $5.5 million in 2015 and $6.5 million in 2016. The deal has a $500,000 buyout, and includes a third year club option for between $6.5 million and $9 million. The amount of the option will increase depending on the number of games Neshek finishes in his first two seasons.

Note: the date of the Taylor Swift 1989 tour show at #MMP is subject to change if it conflicts with an #Astros postseason home game.

— Houston Astros (@astros) December 11, 2014

Vance Worley member of All-Surprise Team

These guys put the “talent” in “Freely Available Talent.”

Steve Pearce, Orioles
Pearce began the season with the Baltimore Orioles (they had originally claimed him off waivers from the New York Yankees in 2012) but only appeared in three games before they released him on April 27. The Toronto Blue Jays actually claimed Pearce, but he had the right to refuse the deal and instead become a free agent and apparently had an agreement to sign back with Baltimore. Two days later, with Chris Davis injured, the Orioles re-signed him. Pearce has responded with 20 home runs in 327 at-bats—after hitting 17 in 743 career at-bats spread out over seven previous seasons. A new, closed stance has done wonders. Among American League hitters with at least 350 plate appearances, he’s fourth in wOBA behind Jose Abreu, Victor Martinez and Mike Trout….

Tanner Roark, Nationals
After beating out Ross Detwiler and others for the final spot in the Nationals’ rotation, Roark has gone 14-10 with a 2.85 ERA in his first full season in the majors. The 27-year-old has actually been in the Washington system since the 2010 trade deadline, but his production this year was certainly a surprise. Plus, consider how the Nationals acquired him: For Cristian Guzman, whose major league ended that year with a .152 average in 15 games for the Rangers. Think Texas could have used Roark the past couple of seasons?