All-time saves leader Mariano Rivera plans to pitch again for the New York Yankees next year.
Rivera told the Yankees this week that he'll return from a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the season. The closer turns 43 next month.
Rivera has 608 career saves. He tore a ligament in his right knee in early May while shagging fly balls during batting practice. Rivera vowed right away to pitch again but recently had said he wasn't sure.
Rafael Soriano earned 42 saves this year for the AL East champions while filling in for Rivera. Soriano recently opted out of the final season of his three-year contract and will likely seek a long-term deal in free agency.
Suspended pitcher Bartolo Colon is getting a second chance with the Oakland Athletics, agreeing to terms on a $3 million, one-year contract that includes potential performance bonuses. The 39-year-old Colon was suspended for 50 games on Aug. 22 after testing positive for testosterone. The ban will run five games into the 2013 season. The former Cy Young winner went 10-9 with a 3.43 ERA in 24 starts for Oakland last season, his 15th in the majors.
Perez, 55, was discovered by his ex-wife Thursday with severe head wounds at his home west of Santo Domingo. Police said he had been hit repeatedly with a hammer.
Police said one of the suspects knew Perez and told authorities that they sought to steal his $2,400 monthly major-league pension.
Perez, who had a rocky career including two suspensions for drug use, compiled a lifetime record of 67-68 with the Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Montreal, and the Yankees.
In March 1992, he was suspended after failing a drug test the day he arrived for spring training with the Yankees.
The Cleveland Indians have traded righthander Esmil Rogers to the Toronto Blue Jays for infielders Mike Aviles and Yan Gomes.
Rogers split time last season with Cleveland and Colorado, going 3-3 with a 4.69 ERA in 67 combined games.
Aviles never played for Toronto. He was acquired on Oct. 21 in a deal that sent reliever David Carpenter to the Red Sox and allowed John Farrell to become Boston's new manager. Aviles played in 136 games for Boston last season, batting .250 with 13 homers and 60 RBIs.
Gomes played 43 games with Toronto last season, his first in the majors and hit .204.
On Friday, Haren was reportedly traded to the Cubs for Carlos Marmol, but later reports said the Cubs had turned down the deal.
Los Angeles also declined to make a $13.3 million qualifying offer to free-agent outfielder Torii Hunter.
