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Cubs, Cards, Baseball Notes

 width=>>Bryant, Baez and Russell Sent To Minor League Camp

Third baseman Kris Bryant has been reassigned to the Chicago Cubs' minor league camp despite hitting .425 in spring training with nine homers and 15 RBIs in 40 at-bats.

If Bryant spends 12 or more days in the minor leagues, Chicago would delay him from becoming eligible for free agency until after the 2021 season.

Bryant was slowed defensively in the middle of camp by right shoulder soreness.

Preparing for its first season under manager Joe Maddon, the Cubs also optioned second baseman Javy Baez to Triple-A Iowa and reassigned shortstop Addison Russell were assigned to minor league camp.

>>Cardinals' Garcia To Start Season on DL

 width=St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will start the season on the 15-day disabled list because of continuing left shoulder issues.

The DL move is retroactive to March 27.

Garcia had surgery for a torn labrum in May 2013 and had his 2014 campaign cut short in June before undergoing thoracic outlet surgery for his left shoulder a month later.

The 28-year-old lefty threw a simulated game last week and reported shoulder fatigue. He pitched in three games earlier this spring, allowing four runs on 10 hits in 9 1/3 innings.

Garcia has made just 16 starts the last two seasons because of injuries. He was 3-1 with a 4.12 ERA in seven outings last year.

The Cardinals purchased the contract of pitcher Carlos Villanueva, who signed a minor league deal with the team in February. The right-hander was 5-7 with a 4.64 ERA in 42 games, five of which were starts, last season for the Chicago Cubs.

>>Mets Bolster Bullpen With Pair of Lefties

The New York Mets acquired left- handed reliever Jerry Blevins from Washington in exchange for outfielder Matt den Dekker on Monday and left- handed pitcher Alex Torres from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league right-hander Cory Mazzoni and a player to be named later.

Torres, 27, went 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 70 games with San Diego in 2014, striking out 51 and walking 33 in 54 innings.

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After Josh Edgin underwent Tommy John surgery near the start of spring training, the Mets were in need of left-handed pitching out of their bullpen. Earlier on Monday, they acquired lefty Alex Torres from San Diego for pitching prospect Cory Mazzoni.

Blevins, 31, was beginning his second season with Washington. In 2014, he owned a 4.87 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings and limited opposing lefties to a .160 average.

In eight seasons with Washington and Oakland, Blevins has made 345 appearances totaling 324 1/3 innings. He has 305 strikeouts and a 3.58 ERA and has held left-handed batters to a .212 average.

Torres is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in eight spring games with San Diego this year, striking out seven and walking three in eight innings.

The native of Valencia, Venezuela, is 7-4 with a 2.55 ERA (34 earned runs in 120 innings) and 122 strikeouts in 113 major league games with the Rays and Padres.

Mazzoni, 25, went 7-2 with a 4.68 ERA in 14 starts for four different minor league teams last year.

Den Dekker was competing for a spot on the Mets' bench but was expected to be beat out by veteran outfielders Kirk Nieuwenhuis and John Mayberry Jr. The 27- year-old has played all three outfield spots in 80 career games with the Mets and owns a .238 batting average and .325 on-base percentage.

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