MLB briefs

Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark announced the decision Wednesday after meeting with New York Mets players as part of his tour of the 30 team camps.

With dozens of free agents unsigned as spring training began, the camp opened Feb. 13 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton and workouts started the next day. Forty-one players have attended, and Mike Napoli, Adam Lind, Tyler Clippard, Lucas Duda, Alejandro De Aza, Carlos Torres and Tommy Layne left after agreeing to contracts.

Neil Walker, Mark Reynolds, Omar Infante, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Chris Johnson are among those still seeking deals from among the group that reported.

Top free agents have continued to work out on their own, such as Mike Moustakas, Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb, Lance Lynn and Greg Holland.

Given the slow pace of free-agent signings during the offseason, Clark and players have questioned whether an increased number of teams are more focused on rebuilding than trying to win now.

“Players are questioning whether the best 750 are on the field, and fans are questioning whether or not they’re seeing the best 750 on the field at any given time,” Clark said. “That’s not a conversation that any of us should want to have.”

Rays preparing to use four-man pitching rotation

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays intend to use a four-man rotation while filling a fifth starter’s role with a combination of multi-inning relievers this season.

Manager Kevin Cash delivered the surprising news Wednesday, saying the club thinks it has enough pitching depth to make the plan work long-term.

“We’re going to schedule in a bullpen day as our fifth starter,” Cash said, noting the Rays will “learn a lot in the first six weeks” while determining whether it’s feasible to try to stick with a four-man rotation for an entire season.

The projected rotation currently features Chris Archer, Nathan Eovaldi, Blake Snell and Jake Faria.

Giants 4, Padres 4 10 innings

San Francisco lefty Madison Bumgarner threw 48 pitches over 3 1/3 innings, giving up two runs and striking out six. Evan Longoria doubled and Brandon Belt had two hits for the Giants. San Diego starter Tyson Ross gave up two runs in three innings.

A’s 7, Mariners 3

Robinson Cano hit his first home run of the spring for Seattle, but the Mariners were undone by a trio of Oakland homers as Sheldon Neuse, Jake Smolinski and Chad Pinder each went deep for the A’s during a five-run sixth inning. Seattle starter Marco Gonzalez pitched four scoreless innings and has yet to allow a run over nine innings this spring.