MLB teams face deadline to offer deals

NEW YORK — As Scott Kazmir and Willie Bloomquist found new teams and other big-money free agents negotiated, dozens of Major League Baseball players with lower profiles waited to find out whether they would be dumped on the market by their clubs Monday night.

MLB teams had until midnight EST (0500 GMT) to offer 2014 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters.

Kazmir was closing in on a $22 million, two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics. The left-hander went 10-9 with a 4.04 ERA last season for Cleveland.

Bloomquist agreed to return to the Seattle Mariners, where he spent his first seven MLB seasons. He hit .317 for the Arizona Diamondbacks this year.

Both deals were reported by individuals speaking on condition of anonymity because the negotiations weren't final.