SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — First baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn and the Baltimore Orioles avoided a salary arbitration hearing when they agreed Wednesday to a $3.5 million, one-year contract. The agreement was at the midpoint of the $3.8 million O’Hearn asked for and the $3.2 million the Orioles offered when the sides exchanged proposed arbitration salaries last month. The deal includes a …

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Newly signed Josh Hader will close for the Astros and incumbent Ryan Pressly will move into a setup role, new manager Joe Espada said as Houston started spring training workouts Wednesday. Hader, a five-time All-Star, agreed Jan. 22 to a $95 million, five-year contract. The left-hander, who turns 30 on April 7, displaced Pressly, …

EL CAIRO (AP) — Milicianos del grupo extremista Estado Islámico atacaron esta semana barracones militares en el centro de Siria y mataron a nueve soldados, según un grupo opositor que monitorea la guerra. Ni el ejército ni funcionarios sirios confirmaron el suceso. El grupo armado reclamó el lunes la autoría del ataque cerca de la población de Al-Sukhna y dijo …