Russell is serving a 40-game domestic violence suspension following allegations by his ex-wife.President of president of baseball operations Theo Epstein called the decision a “procedural step” and said it “does not represent the finish line nor rubber-stamp his future” with them.“It does however reflect our support for him as long as he continues to make progress and demonstrates his commitment to these important issues http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey ,” Epstein added.Teams had a deadline Friday to offer contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters.Russell accepted a 40-game suspension last October for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. The decision followed allegations made by his ex-wife Melisa Reidy. Though Russell has denied the allegations, he apologized to Reidy and his family for “my past behavior.”Russell had a $3.2 million salary last season. His unpaid suspension includes the 11 regular-season games he missed after being placed on administrative leave Sept. 21. Russell will be eligible to return on May 3 against St. Louis, barring any postponements.“Since accepting my suspension, I’ve had time to reflect on my past behavior and think about the next steps I need to take to grow as a person,” Russell said in a statement issued by the Cubs.Russell said he will meet regularly with experts and counselors mandated by his treatment plan. He said he also plans to keep working with his own therapist, whom he has been seeing several times a week the past two months.He also hopes to work with non-profit groups in his hometown of Pensacola, Florida, as well as Chicago and Arizona “to become part of the solution.”“I am just in the early stages of this process,” Russell said. “It is work that goes far beyond being a baseball player. It goes to my core values of being the best family man, partner, and teammate that I can be, and giving back to the community and the less fortunate.While there is a lot of work ahead for me to earn back the trust of the Cubs fans, my teammates http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey , and the entire organization, it’s work that I am 110 percent committed to doing.”Epstein said the Cubs have consulted with domestic violence experts to help them raise awareness and prevent more incidents, and the team has remained in touch with Reidy “to support her and to listen.” Epstein said he and chairman Tom Ricketts met with Russell in Chicago this week to “assess his progress and communicate our expectations as he works to earn back the trust of our fans and entire organization.”MLB began an investigation last year after allegations against Russell first became public.Reidy had posted a photo on her Instagram account with a caption suggesting her husband of about 18 months had been unfaithful to her. In another post, a user described by Reidy as a close friend claimed Russell had “hit” his wife. The post was later deleted. Reidy declined to talk to MLB at the time because she decided it was not in her family’s best interests, her lawyer, Thomas Field, said last year.Reidy published a blog post in September describing more detailed allegations, including years of physical and emotional abuse. Less than 12 hours later, MLB announced Russell had been put on leave under MLB’s domestic violence policy.The Cubs have been willing to employ players following suspensions under the domestic violence policy. All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman served a 30-game ban with the Yankees in 2016 before Chicago acquired him midseason and utilized him to help end a 106-year World Series title drought.Epstein said the Cubs are “taking a hard look at how we can support domestic violence prevention.” He said they have dedicated more resources for training players, their families, coaches and the front office to create “the safest workplace possible.”He said the Cubs are also working with Family Rescue, an organization based in Chicago dedicated to community education and helping victims of domestic violence.“We understand every action we take and word we use sends a message to our fans — all of whom have their own unique experiences and perspectives, and some of whom have a personal connection to domestic violence Jason Castro Jersey ,” Epstein said. “The message we would like to leave you with is we take the issue of domestic violence seriously. There is a long road ahead for Addison, and we will hold him accountable. There also is a long road ahead for our organization as we attempt to make some good of this situation. We are committed to being a part of the solution.” NEW YORK (AP) — Adding Sonny Gray to a rotation already improved by the offseason acquisitions of Tanner Roark and Alex Wood has the Cincinnati Reds thinking about their first NL Central title since 2012.“I think we have a group of guys that can hold their own with anybody in this division. I really do,” president of baseball operations Dick Williams said Monday after finalizing a trade with the New York Yankees for Gray. I know our guys feel a sense of confidence.”Gray’s unsuccessful stretch in New York ended when the Yankees traded the pitcher after the 29-year-old right-hander agreed to a contract with the Reds that added $30.5 million from 2020-22 and includes a 2023 club option.New York received infield prospect Shed Long and a high pick in this year’s amateur draft, then flipped Long to Seattle for 21-year-old outfielder Josh Stowers. The Yankees sent the Reds left-hander Reiver Sanmartin.Derek Johnson, the new Reds pitching coach for manager David Bell, was Vanderbilt’s pitching coach when Gray played for the Commodores from 2009-12. Johnson lives in Nashville, Tennessee, Gray’s offseason home, and they keep in touch.“It’s a guy who’s really talented and a guy who I think’s right in the middle of his prime and also a hungry guy,” Johnson said. “I think that’s the thing that we’re all counting on. I know what kind of competitor Sonny is and I know that last year didn’t sit well with him at all and he’s going to be out to try to prove something not only to other people but obviously to himself, as well.”After finishing last in the NL Central at 67-95, the Reds acquired Roark from Washington and Wood from the Los Angeles Dodgers, joining a rotation that includes Anthony DeSclafani and Luis Castillo.“It’s the best rotation we’ve had in five years Phil Hughes Jersey ,” general manager Nick Krall said. “It makes you feel better about where you are.”Cincinnati and New York agreed to a deal Friday, pending a window for Gray to reach a long-term deal. Gray and the Yankees settled on a $7.5 million, one-year contract on Jan. 11 that avoided salary arbitration. He had been eligible for free agency after this season, and his new deal raises his guarantee to $38 million over four seasons.Gray had a physical Monday in Goodyear, Arizona, where the Reds hold spring training, while his agent, Bo McKinnis, worked out the contract with Krall. For Williams, the long-term deal was key.“We always wanted to add three starters if we could do so economically,” he said. “We didn’t want to be in a position where all three starters would be becoming free agents next year.”Gray was 15-16 with a 4.52 ERA overall for New York, which acquired him from Oakland in July 2017. He was dropped from the rotation last August after he smirked when fans booed as he walked off the Yankee Stadium mound in the third inning of a 7-5 loss to Baltimore. Gray had a 6.98 ERA at Yankee Stadium last year and a 3.17 ERA on the road.“We really didn’t see anything that was diminishing in terms of the velocity and spin rates and things like that,” Williams said. “From a physical standpoint everything appears to be there. And we think he’s still at his age got plenty of upside and shouldn’t have any problem recapturing where he was.”Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had said throughout the offseason he intended to trade Gray http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey , but Cashman waited until CC Sabathia was cleared to resume working out following a procedure last month to insert a stent to clear a blockage in an artery to his heart.New York receives the Reds’ competitive balance round A selection, currently 36th overall.Gray is 59-52 with a 3.66 ERA in six seasons with the Athletics and Yankees. He was an All-Star in 2015, his second straight 14-win season.Long, 23, hit .261 with 12 homers, 56 RBIs and 19 steals last year with Double-A Pensacola of the Southern League. He was drafted in 2013 and requires a spot on the 40-man roster.Stowers, 21, was selected by Seattle in the second round with the 54th overall pick last year and signed for a $1.1 million bonus. He hit .260 with 15 doubles, five homers, 28 RBIs and 20 steals in 58 games with Class A Everett.The 22-year-old Sanmartin was 5-7 with a 2.81 ERA in 10 starts and three relief appearances for four minor league teams. He pitched mostly at Class A but made one start for Double-A Trenton.