• The NPL's Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks have signed right-hander Ryota Igarashi to a three-year contract, according to Yahoo Japan (via NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman).  Igarashi appeared in two games each for the Yankees and Blue Jays in 2012, allowing a total of eight runs in four innings pitched.  The 33-year-old posted a 6.41 ERA in 73 innings with the Yankees, Jays and Mets over the last three seasons.  Igarashi originally came to North America on a two-year, $3MM contract with the Mets before the 2010 season.
• The Brewers signed right-hander Eulogio De La Cruz and southpaw Zach Kroenke to minor league contracts, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Royals announced the signings of infielder Brandon Wood, left-hander Atahualpa Severino and right-handers Brian Sanches and Anthony Ortega to minor league contracts.
  

• Sanches wasn't unemployed very long. Christopher Dabe of The Beaumont Enterprise reports that the right-hander has signed with his hometown Astros.
• The Phillies released right-hander Brian Sanches, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Philadelphia outrighted Sanches to the minor leagues late last month.
• The Reds released veteran right-hander Brett Tomko, according to the team's assistant director of media relations, Jamie Ramsey (on Twitter). Tomko had been pitching at Triple-A.
• The White Sox signed Tommy Manzella to a minor league contract, according to the transactions page at CBSSports.com. Manzella, who was the Astros' Opening Day shortstop in 2010, has spent the last two years in the minors. The 29-year-old played for affiliates of the Brewers and Diamondbacks this year, posting a .229/.308/.271 batting line in 295 plate appearances.
• The White Sox released Dallas McPherson from their Triple-A team, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports (on Twitter). The former top prospect posted a .253/.335/.463 line with Charlotte this year after re-signing with the White Sox organization this past offseason.

• The Phillies announced that they outrighted right-hander Brian Sanches to Triple-A. This marks the second time this year they've outrighted the 33-year-old. He has allowed seven earned runs in 6 1/3 innings at the MLB level this year, though he does have a 2.48 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 at Triple-A.

• The Phillies announced that they outrighted right-hander Brian Sanches to Triple-A. Sanches, 33, appeared in three games for the Phillies this year, allowing nine hits and five earned runs in four innings. Sanches posted a 3.94 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9 in 61 2/3 innings for last year's Marlins team.

Sanches, 33, posted a 3.94 ERA, 7.7 K/9, 5.3 BB/9, 1.02 HR/9, and 33.9% groundball rate for the Marlins in 61 2/3 innings this year.  He was outrighted by the Marlins in October.  If the soft-tosser does find his way to the Phillies' 40-man roster and succeeds, they can retain him in future seasons as an arbitration-eligible player.

Elarton, 35, pitched parts of ten seasons in the Majors, most recently in 2008 with the Indians.  He last pitched professionally in 2010, tossing 19 2/3 innings for the Triple-A affiliate of the White Sox.  Elarton won 17 games for the 2000 Astros, though his best season might have been '99.

Gosewisch, 28, played in 109 games last year for the Phillies' Double-A affiliate.

• The Astros announced that they outrighted left-hander Xavier Cedeno and right-handers Blake King and Lance Pendleton off of the 40-man roster. Pendleton can elect free agency and Cedeno will become a free agent after the World Series, according to Footer.
• The Marlins outrighted outfielder Vinny Rottino and right-hander Brian Sanches to Triple-A, according to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post (on Twitter). The Marlins' 40-man roster is now at 38. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes had projected Sanches for a salary in the $1MM range when he reviewed Florida's arbitration class last month. Tim predicted that the Marlins could let Sanches go instead of going to arbitration with him for the first time.
• The Cubs outrighted right-handers Justin Berg and Brian Schlitter to Triple-A Iowa, according to MLB.com's transactions page. They had designated the pair for assignment six days ago to create 40-man roster space for Carlos Zambrano. Schlitter didn't appear in a game for the Cubs this year, but Berg pitched 12 innings in April and May.

Some news items to take us into the weekend…

• Bobby Abreu's $9MM option for 2012 will vest if he makes 433 plate appearances this season.  As Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com points out, the Angels could face a tough playing-time decision since the veteran is coming off his worst full season, yet can still be productive.  MLBTR's Mike Axisa recently profiled Abreu as a make-or-break year player, though given Abreu's durability, his status for 2012 shouldn't be in question as long as the Halos play him.
• Juan Uribe tells Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that the Dodgers contacted his agent almost every day before finally signing him to a three-year, $21MM contract.
• Stephen Goff of the Houston Examiner profiles Anthony Rendon, who may be the first overall pick in June's amateur draft.
• Right-hander Brian Sanches is out of options and is battling for the last spot in the Marlins' bullpen, writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.  Sanches has a 2.40 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 120 innings for Florida over the last two seasons, so he'll definitely draw interest if the Marlins put him on waivers or try to trade him.
• Steve Slowinski of Fangraphs.com looks at the 10 completed and about-to-be-completed $100MM contracts in baseball history.  Of those 10 players, only four played consistently well enough to make those contracts a wise investment — Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez.  (Rangers fans may argue that last one, but Slowinski is strictly looking at player performance.)
• The Orioles agreed to terms with all of their pre-arbitration players except for right-hander Jason Berken, whose contract was renewed, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.  Berken also had his deal renewed last season.
• Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com lists the top 10 prospects in the Padres' system.  Mayo puts three pitchers (Casey Kelly, Simon Castro, Cory Luebke) in San Diego's top four, as he notes the emphasis the team puts on developing young arms.   
• In a chat with fans on ESPNChicago.com, Bruce Levine notes that scouts were in attendance to see Carlos Silva during his six-run first inning and subsequent dugout altercation with Aramis Ramirez on Wednesday.  Levine says that the Cubs would probably be able to trade Silva, not release him, if they wanted to part ways.  There's also the $11.5MM salary Silva is owed for this season that the Cubs would have to swallow if they released the right-hander.