Wise, a veteran of eleven big league seasons, owns a career slash line of .228/.264/.381 for the Blue Jays, Braves, Reds, Marlins, Blue Jays, Yankees, and White Sox.  The 35-year-old re-signed with Chicago on a minor league deal back in November which marked his seventh minor league deal in three seasons.  

Wise, 34, hit .259/.293/.429 with eight homers in 239 plate appearances for the Yankees and White Sox this year. He's a .228/.264/.385 career hitter in 1,118 big league plate appearances spanning ten years with the Blue Jays, Braves, Reds, Marlins, Yankees, and ChiSox.

• The A's acquired right-hander Pat Neshek from the Orioles in exchange for cash, according to the Athletics' official Twitter page.  Neshek will report to the A's Major League bullpen, according to Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter).  Neshek signed a minor league deal with the O's last winter and has a 2.66 ERA, a 7.00 K/BB ratio and 49 strikeouts in 35 relief appearances (44 innings) for Triple-A Norfolk this season.  Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link) was the first to report the deal.
• The White Sox agreed to terms with Dewayne Wise to a minor league deal, reports CSN Chicago's Dan Hayes (via Twitter). Wise had a .262/.286/.492 line in 63 plate appearances for the Yankees this season before being released on Wednesday.  This is Wise's second stint with the White Sox, as he played for Chicago in 2008-09 and earned a place in team history with an outstanding ninth-inning catch that saved Mark Buehrle's perfect game in 2009.
• The Astros acquired Garrett Mock from the Red Sox in exchange for future considerations, reports Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.  Mock last pitched in the Major Leagues with Washington in 2010.  Mock, a Houston native, posted a 3.33 ERA, a 9.8 K/9 rate and a 2.3 K/BB ratio in 48 2/3 innings as a reliever for Triple-A Pawtucket this season after signing a minor league deal with the Sox last winter.
• The Nationals released catcher Koyie Hill, reports Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.  Hill appeared in 11 games with the Cubs this season before being designated for assignment and choosing free agency, upon which he signed with the Nats in June.

• The Yankees have released Jack Cust, reports Donnie Collins of The Scranton Times-Tribune (on Twitter). The 33-year-old hit .249/.400/.475 with 20 homers, 81 walks, and 127 plate appearances for their Triple-A affiliate this season.
• The Yankees have also released outfielders Colin Curtis and Ray Kruml according to Collins. The 27-year-old Curtis hit .186/.250/.288 in 64 plate appearances with New York in 2010
• The Yankees released outfielder Dewayne Wise yesterday, according to the team’s website. The Yankees designated Wise for assignment and outrighted him to Triple-A in July, but the 34-year-old refused the team’s outright assignment. Wise, a left-handed hitter, posted a .262/.286/.492 batting line in 63 plate appearances with New York.

• Dewayne Wise refused the Yankees' outright assignment to Triple-A, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports (on Twitter). The Yankees have until Wednesday to trade or release Wise, who was designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A earlier this month.
• The Brewers released Seth McClung, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reported earlier today. The right-hander, who last pitched in the Major Leagues in 2009, appeared in 21 games for Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate this year, posting a 6.36 ERA in 103 1/3 innings.

• Dewayne Wise cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but the Yankees outfielder has yet to accept the assignment, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
• The Athletics have released reliever Chris Ray, who was with the club's Triple-A affiliate, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.  The 30-year-old hooked on with Oakland less than two weeks ago.
• Right-hander Trevor Bell cleared waivers and was released by the Angels today, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.  The 25-year-old made 19 appearances for the Halos in 2011, posting a 3.41 ERA with 4.5 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9.

The 34-year-old Wise hit .262/.286/.492 in 63 plate appearances for the Yankees this season. Wise signed a minor league deal with New York shortly after the calendar flipped to 2012. The Yankees were Wise's sixth team; the veteran outfielder has also seen Major League time with the Blue Jays, Reds, Marlins, Braves, and White Sox. He's a career .222/.258/.381 hitter.

Here's the latest from the AL East…

• The Red Sox announced that Andrew Bailey will undergo surgery on his right thumb's UCL tomorrow, a procedure that a team source tells Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald will sideline Bailey for 4-5 months (Twitter link).  The Rays look like they'll also be without a closer, as Kyle Farnsworth is expected to start the season on the DL with an elbow issue.  To keep tabs on who the Sox and Rays will use in the ninth inning, follow Tim Dierkes on Twitter @CloserNews.
• Red Sox GM Ben Cherington says he is continuing to explore external pitching options since he never feels comfortable about the club's depth, tweets Michael Silverman.
• Blue Jays right-hander Henderson Alvarez has switched agencies and is now being represented by Proformance, reports MLBTR's Tim Dierkes.
• No team claimed either Jayson Nix and Dewayne Wise today so both players will start the season with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, tweets Jack Curry of the YES Network.  Any team that had claimed Nix or Wise would've had to put them on their 25-man roster.
• With more teams willing to spend money on signing or extending top pitchers, Joel Sherman of the New York Post feels the Yankees need their young arms to deliver since the Bombers can no longer rely on outspending the competition.
• Rule 5 draft pick Ryan Flaherty will make the Orioles, and thus will have to spend the entire season on the team's 25-man roster or else be offered back to his original team, the Cubs.  Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun relates how O's manager Buck Showalter told Flaherty the news in front of the rest of the team.

• Joel Sherman of The New York Post says the Andy Pettitte signing was a move from the vintage George Steinbrenner playbook, a "sensationalistic lightning bolt" signing.
• "You play for the Yankees, nothing surprises you," said Freddy Garcia to reporters (including Marc Carig of The Star Ledger) when asked about the Pettitte signing this morning (Twitter link). Garcia is a candidate to be traded once the left-hander is in game shape.
• Sherman checked with Jorge Posada following the Pettitte signing, and confirmed that the team's long-time backstop is staying retired (Twitter link).
• “We’ve been trying to sign him for the last few years,” said GM Brian Cashman to Jack Curry of The YES Network about Dewayne Wise. The team sees him as a valuable reserve outfielder with above average defense. Wise joined the club on a minor league contract this offseason.
• Alex Rodriguez told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he'd like to own a baseball team one day (Twitter link). According to the game's bylaws, A-Rod will have to wait until he's no longer under contract with one of the 30 clubs to do so.
• MLBPA head Michael Weiner told Carig that he expects the Yankees to remain under the $189MM luxury tax threshold in 2014 and 2015 (Twitter links). That will qualify them for rebates in 2016, and Weiner then expects them to raise payroll.

• The Pirates announced that they signed right-hander Logan Kensing to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training.  The 29-year-old spent the 2011 campaign with the Yankees' top affiliate after recovering from elbow surgery in 2010.
• The Reds signed catchers Brian Esposito and Brian Peacock to minor league deals, tweets Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
• The Tigers signed utility player Eric Patterson to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy.
• The Mets signed right-hander Jeff Stevens and utility player Corey Wimberly to minor league deals, tweets Eddy.
• The A's signed right-handers Travis Schlichting and Merkin Valdez and left-hander Fabio Castro to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
• The Yankees signed right-hander Adam Miller and outfielders Cole Garner and Dewayne Wise to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
• The Diamondbacks signed first baseman Mike Jacobs to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy.  Before playing, Jacobs still must serve a 50-game suspension for positive a HGH test in August.  He was cut by the Rockies following the test.
• The Marlins picked up right-handers Chad Gaudin and Rob Delaney on minor league deals, Eddy tweets.  In nine big league seasons, Gaudin has a 4.63 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9.  Delaney spent most of 2011 with the Rays' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 1.86 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.
• The Dodgers signed third baseman Josh Fields, according to Goldstein (via Twitter).
• The Cubs signed Joe Mather as Triple-A outfield insurance, according to Goldstein (via Twitter).  Mather spent 36 games on the Braves' major league roster in 2011.
• The Nationals have signed right-hander Dan Cortes, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter).
• Speaking of the Braves, Atlanta released former Rangers draftee Marcus Lemon, Goldstein tweets.  Lemon was acquired in a March trade for a PTBNL.
• P.J. Phillips, the younger brother of Brandon Phillips, agreed to a deal with the Reds, tweets Goldstein.  The younger Phillips' career never got going due to plate discipline issues.
• The Blue Jays signed former Angels/Braves relief prospect Stephen Marek, Goldstein tweets.  The right-hander was outrighted by Atlanta in November and underwent Tommy John surgery in May.
• The White Sox signed 2000 first-round pick Corey Smith, Goldstein tweets.  The 29-year-old has never reached the Majors.

• The Yankees are discussing a minor league deal with outfielder Dewayne Wise, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). A strong defender, Wise is probably best known for preserving former teammate Mark Buehrle's 2009 perfect game in the ninth inning by robbing a home run off the bat of Gabe Kapler.
• Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that the Rangers met with Scott Boras to discuss Mike Gonzalez today, and they also checked in on Prince Fielder.
• Brewers GM Doug Melvin said his team probably won't make a pick in Thursday's Rule 5 Draft, tweets Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
• The Pirates have at least thought about picking Nationals lefty Josh Smoker in the Rule 5 Draft, though it's not a lock according to John Perotto of Baseball Prospectus (on Twitter). Smoker was selected 31st overall by the Nats in 2007.
• Even with tonight's hiring of Jeff Luhnow as the new Astros GM, it will be interim GM Dave Gottfried and scouting director/assistant GM Bobby Heck calling the shots at the Rule 5 Draft tomorrow, tweets Alyson Footer of the Astros.
• Baseball America's John Manuel writes that reports of the Twins focusing on pitching led to speculation on Mets righty Rhiner Cruz, but a club source said the team is looking in another direction.
• The Red Sox compensation from the Cubs for Theo Epstein is expected to be sorted out after the Rule 5 Draft, writes MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.

Lewis, 29, appeared in six games for the Blue Jays, but spent most of the season at Triple-A Las Vegas, where he posted a 6.60 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9. Woodward spent time with the Blue Jays in April and September. In between his big league stints, the 35-year-old veteran played 108 games at Las Vegas, posting a .296/.353/.474 line. Wise appeared in 20 games for the Blue Jays after they claimed him off of waivers at the end of August. He hit .202/.231/.303 as an extra outfielder for the Jays and Marlins.

• The Rockies outrighted Jose Morales, Matt Daley, Jim Miller, Greg Reynolds and Cory Riordan to Triple-A Colorado Springs, according to MLB.com's transactions page. Morales, a 28-year-old catcher, appeared in 22 games for the Rockies this year and Reynolds, the second overall pick in 2006, posted a 6.19 ERA with 5.1 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 32 innings. Colorado's 40-man roster now stands at 35.
• Center fielder Dewayne Wise, who suited up for the Marlins and Blue Jays this year, elected free agency, according to the same transactions page.

Starting center fielder Colby Rasmus has been dealing with a sore wrist, so the Blue Jays could create 25-man roster space for Wise by placing Rasmus on the 15-day disabled list. They have two open 40-man roster spots, so no one is in danger of losing his spot when Wise arrives.

Wise signed with the Marlins twice this year, first in January, then in June, before they designated him for assignment earlier this week. In 72 plate appearances, he posted a .239/.278/.269 line for Florida, appearing in left and center field. The 33-year-old has a .223/.261/.373 line in a nine-year MLB career that includes one stint with Toronto from 2000-02 and another in 2010.

Wise has signed with the Marlins twice this year, first in January, then in June. In 72 plate appearances, Wise posted a .239/.278/.269 line for Florida, appearing in left and center field. The 33-year-old has a .223/.261/.373 line in his nine-year MLB career.