The White Sox have found an upgrade in left field by agreeing with free agent Melky Cabrera. The three-year contract is worth $42 million, pending a physical exam which is expected to take place early this week. Cabrera, who was believed to have significant interest from the Mariners, would take over in left field and continue an impressive string of offseason acquisitions from general manager Rick Hahn. The 30-year old Cabrera batted .301 with 81 runs scored in 139 games for the Blue Jays this past season, hitting 16 home runs with 73 RBIs. The White Sox have not confirmed the signing, which comes days after a trade for pitcher Jeff Samardzija was made official and three days after the signing of reliever David Robertson was announced, but White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton mentioned Cabrera in a welcome message on Twitter on Saturday night, and Cabrera retweeted the message.

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The Dodgers have agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with left-hander Brett Anderson, with $4 million in possible incentives. Anderson went 1-3 with 2.91 ERA in his only season with the Rockies, who elected to decline his $12 million option. Finger and back problems marred Anderson's 2014 in Colorado, limiting the 26-year-old to eight starts. For his career, Anderson is 27-32 with a 3.73 ERA. He played his previous five years with the Athletics before he was dealt to the Rockies prior to the 2014 season.

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The Astros have reached agreement on a three-year contract with infielder Jed Lowrie, general manager Jeff Luhnow announced and Lowrie will receive a guaranteed $23 million. Lowrie, 30, is a .261 hitter over seven major league seasons with Boston, Houston and Oakland. He hit .244 with 16 homers during a previous stint with the Astros in 2012. Lowrie, who makes his off season home in Houston, is expected to play shortstop for the Astros. Houston had also expressed interest in free agents Stephen Drew and Asdrubal Cabrera before signing Lowrie. Lowrie enjoyed a career season in 2013 with the A's, setting career bests in batting average (.290) and RBIs (75) and also finishing with 15 home runs. Oakland acquired him from the Astros in a five-player trade before that season. He was paid $5.25 million last season.

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Outfielder Bryce Harper has agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million contract with the Nationals, avoiding a scheduled grievance hearing this week with the team. The Nats released a statement confirming a deal had been reached. "We are pleased to have reached an agreement today with Bryce Harper," the statement read. "This is a fair agreement that benefits both sides. We look forward to seeing Bryce on the field this spring and working towards a 2015 World Series Championship."

The Major League Baseball Players Association had filed a grievance on Harper's behalf over whether he should be able to void the 2015 terms in the final season of a $9.9 million, five-year contract he signed when drafted. An arbitrator hearing would have taken place Tuesday if Harper and the Nationals hadn't settled. The agreement comes two days after harper didn’t show up for a scheduled appearance at the NatsFest fan festival, which prompted general manager Mike Rizzo to say he was "disappointed" by the outfielder's absence. Harper, who turned 22 in October, is already a two-time NL All-Star and one of the Nationals' most popular and marketable players.

He's coming off an injury-interrupted season in which he batted .273 with 13 homers and 32 RBIs but thrived in Washington's NL Division Series loss to the Giants. Harper hit .368 with three homers and four RBIs in that four-game series. He lost time in the first few months of the season after having surgery on a torn thumb ligament suffered when he slid into third base during a game on April 25. Harper wasn't back in the lineup until June 30. Harper hit career highs during his first season in the majors, belting 22 homers and 59 RBIs in a 2012 campaign that saw him win the National League Rookie of the Year.

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The Cubs have agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent reliever Jason Motte, pending a physical. The deal is for $4.5 million, a source said. Motte has spent his whole career with the Cardinals and was their closer in 2011 when they won the World Series. He later had elbow trouble and missed the entire 2013 season following Tommy John surgery. Last season, Motte struggled through back injuries, posting a 4.68 ERA in 29 appearances. Before missing 2013, Motte had a career year in 2012. He made 67 appearances, pitched 72 innings, racked up 42 saves and had a 2.75 ERA.

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The Royals have reached agreement with free-agent outfielder Alex Rios on a one-year, $11 million contract. Rios, 33, is a .278 career hitter with 165 home runs in 11 big league seasons with Toronto, the White Sox and Texas. He batted .280 for the Rangers last season, but produced only four home runs and 54 RBIs in 131 games. Rios will fill the right-field void in Kansas City created by the departure of Norichika Aoki to free agency. He joins Kendrys Morales who agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal last week, as the second free-agent hitter to sign with the Royals this month.

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Yankees signed third baseman Chase Headley to a four-year deal. The deal is worth $52 million. Headley also had reportedly been pursued by the Giants, who have a void to fill at third base. Headley, who was traded to the Yankees by the Padres prior to the trade deadline last season, hit a combined .243 last season with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs. Following the trade to New York, he hit .262 with six home runs and 17 RBIs after hitting just .229 in 77 games with San Diego. The signing leaves the Yankees with questions as what to do with Rodriguez, who will be returning from a one year suspension for violations of baseball's drug agreement and labor contract. General manager Brian Cashman said at last month's GM meetings that A-Rod will have to win a job.

"If I signed a Chase Headley, he would be the starting third baseman," Cashman said then. "[Rodriguez] is going to compete for at-bats and for a position. The position would be third, and obviously DH, and that's it. Maybe some time at first base. He may be eventually the everyday third baseman, he may be the everyday DH; I just don't know." The move gives some infield flexibility to the Yankees, as Headley can also play first base. But it certainly looks like for the first time in two decades, the soon-to-be 40-year-old Rodriguez, who has not played a full season since 2007 because of the suspension, leg operations and operations on both hips, will be coming to spring training without a job. He is under contract until 2017 and is owed a minimum of $61 million, a number that could swell by another $30 million, in $6 million increments, every time he reaches a contractual home run milestone. "That has nothing to do with devaluing Alex or disrespecting Alex or anything of that nature," Cashman said at the GM meetings in November. "It's just a fair assessment of the unknown. You can't quantify the unknown right now until you get him out there on a consistent basis to see if he can actually remain on the field, stay healthy, be productive and be that middle-of-the-lineup threat and force that we've all come to see for years gone by."

Headley, who played the previous six seasons for the Padres, had a breakout year in 2012, hitting 31 home runs and leading the National League with 115 RBIs -- big numbers considering Petco Park's dimensions and the lineup around him. He added a Gold Glove Award and finished a deserving fifth in the NL MVP voting. Headley, who will turn 31 in May, was paid $10.525 million in 2014. In eight seasons, he has hit .265 with 93 home runs and 418 RBIs.

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Trevathan's star-crossed season is over after he suffered a dislocated left kneecap in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win. Trevathan has suffered two separate fractures in the same leg already this season. As a result of the previous injuries, Sunday's game was just Trevathan's third of the season. "This game is tough, Danny has had a rough season with his knee issues,'' said Broncos head coach John Fox Monday.”Sometimes setbacks are set-ups for better things to come, that will be his mindset as he gets ready for surgery and pretty strenuous rehab to come back. We feel like he'll do a great job.''

Marshall suffered a left foot sprain in the second quarter of the game and left Qualcomm Stadium with a walking boot on the injured foot. Marshall is the team's leading tackler and has been the every down linebacker since Trevathan suffered his first leg fracture, at the top of his tibia, in training camp.

After Marshall and Trevathan left the game, it was Davis who stayed in the lineup as an every-down linebacker, playing in all of the personnel groupings to close out the game. The Broncos spent most of the remainder of the game, after Trevathan's injury, in their specialty packages as the Chargers were in a pass-first mode. When the Broncos were in some of their six defensive back looks, Davis was the only linebacker in the formation. "I just wanted to bring something to the team any way I could,'' Davis said. “I like to stay in my playbook a lot, I got a lot of help from my coaches trying to get me ready, trying to get me prepared.''

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Hawkins said he should not have to apologize for wearing a T-shirt that asked for justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford. "A call for justice shouldn't offend or disrespect anybody," Hawkins said. "A call for justice shouldn't warrant an apology." Hawkins wore the T-shirt during pregame introductions of the Browns' 30-0 loss to the Bengals. On the front it read: "Justice for Tamir Rice - John Crawford." On the back it read: "The Real Battle of Ohio."

Rice was a 12-year-old boy killed by Cleveland police in November as he was carrying an air gun in a public park; the coroner ruled Rice's death a homicide. Crawford was shot and killed in a Wal-Mart in Beavercreek, Ohio, in August as he carried an air gun he found in the store. The head of the Cleveland Police Union called Hawkins' action "pathetic" and asked for an apology. Hawkins addressed the media without notes for 6 minutes and 11 seconds. He spoke without taking questions, out of consideration, he said, for the "predicament" that the Browns were in. He spoke directly, and as he talked about his 2-year-old son Austin, he spoke emotionally. "As you all know," Hawkins said, "and it's well documented, I have a 2-year-old little boy. That little boy is my entire world. The No. 1 reason for me wearing the T-shirt was the thought of what happened to Tamir Rice happening to my little Austin scares the living hell out of me."

As he spoke, Hawkins' voice broke more and more. "And my heart was broken for the parents of Tamir Rice and John Crawford, knowing they had to live that nightmare of a reality," he said. "So like I said, I made the conscious decision to wear the T-shirt. I felt like my heart was in the right place. I'm at peace with it. And those who disagree with me, this is America. That's the point. Everyone has the right to their First Amendment rights." Hawkins began by saying justice is "a right that every American should have, and also justice should be the goal for every American." "Ultimately," he said, "it means fair treatment." He stressed his T-shirt was not directed at every police officer.

"I utterly respect and appreciate every police office that protects and serves all of us with honesty, integrity and acts the right way," he said. "And I don't think those kind of officers should be offended by what I did." He said his stance was against "wrong individuals doing the wrong thing for the wrong reasons to innocent people" and those who should be offended by his shirt are those who "would assume the worst in me without knowing anything about me for reasons I can't control."

SABRES over SENATORS 5 to 4

PENGUINS over LIGHTNING 4 to 2

ISLANDERS over DEVILS 3 to 2

MAPLE LEAFS over KINGS 4 to 3

BLACKHAWKS over FLAMES 2 to 1

RANGERS over OILERS 2 to 0

SENATORS over BRUINS 3 to 2

FLYERS over HURRICANES 5 to 1

SABRES over PANTHERS 4 to 3

MAPLE LEAFS over RED WINGS 4 to 1

CAPITALS over LIGHTNING 4 to 2

ISLANDERS over BLACKHAWKS 3 to 2

BLUE JACKETS over PENGUINS 4 to 3

DUCKS over JETS 4 to 1

WILD over COYOTES 4 to 3

STARS over DEVILS 4 to 3

RANGERS over CANUCKS 5 to 1

BLUES over AVALANCHE 3 to 2

SHARKS over PREDATORS 2 to 0

SAINTS over BEARS 31 to 15

STEELERS over FALCONS 27 to 20

GIANTS over REDSKINS 24 to 13

PATRIOTS over DOLPHINS 41 to 13

CHIEFS over RAIDERS 31 to 13

COLTS over TEXANS 17 to 10

RAVENS over JAGUARS 20 to 12

BILLS over PACKERS 21 to 13

PANTHERS over BUCCANEERS 19 to 17

BENGALS over BROWNS 30 to 0

JETS over TITANS 16 to 11

BRONCOS over CHARGERS 22 to 10

LIONS over VIKINGS 16 to 14

SEAHAWKS over 49ERS 17 to 7

COWBOYS over EAGLES 38 to 27

CARDINALS over RAMS 12 to 6

WARRIORS over PELICANS 128 to 122

BULLS over HEAT 93 to 75

WIZARDS over JAZZ 93 to 84

LAKERS over TIMBERWOLVES 100 to 94

THUNDER over SUNS 112 to 88

RAPTORS over KNICKS 95 to 90

SPURS over NUGGETS 99 to 91

WARRIORS over MAVERICKS 105 to 98

NETS over HORNETS 114 to 87

TRAIL BLAZERS over PACERS 95 to 85

MAGIC over HAWKS 100 to 99

BUCKS over CLIPPERS 111 to 106

GRIZZLIES over 76ERS 120 to 115

ROCKETS over NUGGETS 108 to 96

PISTONS over KINGS 95 to 90

CAVALIERS over HORNETS 97 to 88

PACERS over LAKERS 110 to 91

CELTICS over 76ERS 105 to 87

HAWKS over BULLS 93 to 86

RAPTORS over MAGIC 95 to 82

BUCKS over SUNS 96 to 94

TRAIL BLAZERS over SPURS 108 to 95

CLIPPERS over PISTONS 113 to 91

PENGUINS over FLAMES 3 to 1

CANADIENS over KINGS 6 to 2

PANTHERS over RED WINGS 3 to 2

DUCKS over OILERS 4 to 2

BLACKHAWKS over BRUINS 3 to 2

SABRES over FLAMES 4 to 3

FLYERS over DEVILS 4 to 1

BLUE JACKETS over CAPITALS 3 to 2

KINGS over SENATORS 5 to 3

LIGHTNING over HURRICANES 2 to 1

BLUES over ISLANDERS 6 to 3

PREDATORS over COYOTES 5 to 1

AVALANCHE over JETS 4 to 3

SHARKS over WILD 2 to 1

BULLS over TRAIL BLAZERS 115 to 106

WIZZARDS over CLIPPERS 104 to 96

HAWKS over MAGIC 87 to 81

KNICKS over CELTICS 101 to 95

NETS over 76ERS 88 to 70

RAPTORS over PACERS 106 to 94

GRIZZLIES over HORNETS 113 to 107

THUNDER over TIMBERWOLVES 111 to 92

PELICANS over CAVALIERS 119 to 114

PISTONS over SUNS 105 to 103

HEAT over JAZZ 100 to 95

LAKERS over SPURS 112 to 110

THUNDER over CAVALIERS 103 to 94

ROCKETS over KINGS 113 to 109

Washington Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy has been cleared by doctors. McCoy had suffered an aggravated nerve in his neck in Sunday's 24-0 loss to St. Louis and couldn't finish the game. But he practiced all week and took every first-team snap Friday. Coach Jay Gruden called Friday's visit to a neck specialist a formality, as he said McCoy had not shown any reason to suggest he wouldn't play.

Gruden said the team wanted McCoy to see the doctor one more time "to make sure we're 100 percent sure there's no risk of him doing damage to his neck." The team wanted to know McCoy could withstand punishment during the game. In practice this week, McCoy showed no ill effects on the field when throwing the ball or running.

McCoy's neck was injured against the Rams on a Robert Quinn sack, but he stayed in for five more plays over two series. Robert Griffin III replaced him at the two-minute warning. If McCoy had been unable to play Sunday, Griffin would have gotten the start. Instead, McCoy will make his third straight start and fourth of the season. Gruden said that McCoy remains the best option for Washington (3-10). "His decision-making is the best right now because he's been in the NFL the longest," Gruden said. "His ability to see coverage, get the ball out, probably sets him ahead of the other guys by a little bit. That's really the No. 1 reason. He still has the mobility, obviously. He's a tough guy. He's a good leader, and players respond to him."

The Denver Broncos placed Montee Ball on injured reserve, ending a disappointing season for the once-heralded running back. The Broncos needed to create roster space in order to activate linebacker Danny Trevathan from injured reserve/designated to return, prompting the team to place Ball on season-ending IR. Ball has not played since aggravating a groin injury in a loss to the Rams. He originally suffered the injury against the Cardinals.

Ball, who entered the season as Denver's top running back, appeared in just five games this year, rushing for 172 yards and one touchdown on 55 carries. C.J. Anderson recently has emerged as a productive lead back for the Broncos, rushing for 393 yards and four touchdowns in Denver's last three games. Juwan Thompson and Ronnie Hillman, who has been sidelined with a foot injury but hopes to return by Week 17, also have provided depth at the position for the Broncos. A second-round draft pick in 2013, Ball also missed two preseason games after undergoing an emergency appendectomy in August. The Broncos also placed safety Quinton Carter on season-ending IR with a knee injury and signed tight end Dominique Jones to their practice squad.

All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson’s appeal of a league suspension for a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy has been denied. Peterson's appeal was heard by former NFL executive Harold Henderson last week in Washington, D.C. Henderson was appointed by commissioner Roger Goodell as arbitrator to hear the sides' cases and issue a ruling. In upholding the NFL’s initial ruling, Henderson concluded that Peterson "has not demonstrated that the process and procedures surrounding his discipline were not fair and consistent." He wrote: "He was afforded all the protections and rights to which he is entitled, and I find no basis to vacate or reduce the discipline."

Peterson said in a phone interview, "I feel like they're handling the situation absolutely wrong," he said. "I think I've been made an example out of. It kind of baffles me how -- I have nothing but love for Ray Rice, I'm happy he has the chance to play. But it's like, how did Ray Rice get reinstated before me, a team has a chance to pick him up, but I don't have the opportunity to come back until April. When has that happened in any other case in the NFL, ever?" Peterson said he has considered retiring. He also said he will appeal the decision in federal court. "I don't really know," he said when asked whether he thought the decision to pursue legal action would delay his reinstatement. "That's something I have to sit back and talk to my team about. I haven't talked to anyone today. To this point, any type of process with the NFL is not the way to go. It's a business; the outcome is going to be in their favor no matter what. Did they appoint Harold Henderson to Ray Rice's case? No. They knew the situation and the facts about that case and what was going to come out. They clearly wanted to get an arbitrator that would rule in their favor." According to a person with direct knowledge of the situation, a lawsuit will be filed against the NFL on Peterson's behalf in federal court in Minnesota as early as Monday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the lawsuit had not yet been filed.

"The NFLPA expected this outcome, given the hearing officer's relationship and financial ties to the NFL," the union's statement read. "The decision itself ignores the facts, the evidence and the collective bargaining agreement. This decision also represents the NFL's repeated failure to adhere to due process and confirms its inconsistent treatment of players. Our union is considering immediate legal remedies." Peterson, the 2012 NFL MVP, hasn't played for the Minnesota Vikings since Week 1 after he was charged with child abuse in Texas. He was placed on paid leave while the legal process played out, and he pleaded no contest Nov. 4 to misdemeanor reckless assault for injuring his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch. He avoided jail time by reaching the plea deal.

On Nov. 18, Peterson was suspended without pay by Goodell for at least the rest of the season. He will remain suspended and won't be considered for reinstatement before April 15, though he will get to keep the money accrued while on the exempt list. However, Peterson will not serve a three-game suspension at the start of the 2015 season as was initially reported. Rather, he will be charged three additional game checks on this season's salary for a total of six games. Peterson will have the choice of paying the salary back now, or having his wages garnished in 2015 if he plays. The docked game checks are based on this year's salary of $11.75 million and amount to $4.15 million, game payments are based on 17 weeks, not 16 games.

"The facts in this appeal are uncontested," Henderson wrote. "The player entered a plea which effectively admitted guilt to a criminal charge of child abuse after inflicting serious injuries to his four-year old son in the course of administering discipline. No direct evidence of the beating was entered in the record here, but numerous court documents, investigative reports, photographs and news reports, all accepted into evidence without objection, make it clear that Mr. Peterson's conduct was egregious and aggravated as those terms are used in the Policy, and merits substantial discipline. "His public comments do not reflect remorse or appreciation for the seriousness of his actions and their impact on his family, community, fans and the NFL, although at the close of the hearing he said he has learned from his mistake, he regrets that it happened and it will never happen again. I reject the argument that placement in Commissioner Exempt status is discipline."

At the crux of the NFLPA's argument for reinstatement was what NFL executive vice president for football operations Troy Vincent told Peterson last month when the dispute was at its height. Vincent told Peterson he would receive a two-game ban if he attended a hearing on Nov. 14 with Goodell. Peterson declined to meet that day with Goodell, citing uncertainty about the NFL's intent to question him. Goodell then announced on Nov. 18 that Peterson would be suspended for the six games that remained for the Vikings at the time and not be considered for reinstatement until April. A recording and a transcript of what Vincent told Peterson was presented by the NFLPA to Henderson, who oversaw a hearing on Dec. 2. Peterson attended that and listened via telephone as the hearing continued Dec. 4, when Vincent was questioned.