NEW YORK -- Kevin Youkilis is leaving the major leagues after an injury plagued season and heading to Japan. [url=https://www.cheapbluejays.com/]Toronto Blue Jays Store[/url] . The three-time All-Star has agreed to a one-year contract with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japans Pacific League. "The

NEW YORK -- Kevin Youkilis is leaving the major leagues after an injury plagued season and heading to Japan. Toronto Blue Jays Store . The three-time All-Star has agreed to a one-year contract with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japans Pacific League. "They made it very apparent right from the start they were quite interested in Kevin being there," agent Joe Bick said Friday. A 34-year-old first baseman and third baseman, Youkilis will have a $4 million base salary and can earn $1 million in bonuses -- including some based on walks, a provision not allowed in major league contracts. After nine seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Youkilis signed a $12 million, one-year deal with the New York Yankees. But his back started to bother him in mid-April, and an epidural injection didnt improve a lumbar spine sprain. Sidelined from April 27 to May 31, he went back on the DL on June 13, had surgery a week later to repair a herniated disk and didnt return. Youkilis hit just .219 with two homers and eight RBIs over 28 games and 105 at-bats. "Theres no reason to believe hes anything less than 100 per cent," Bick said. "Workouts are going normally." Youkilis has a .281 average in 10 big league seasons with 150 homers and 618 RBIs, and he earned a World Series ring with the 2007 Red Sox. At Rakuten, Youkilis may become teammates with star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who went 24-0 last season, While Tanaka wants to join the major leagues, Rakuten is reluctant to make him available in the new posting season, and the 25-year-old right-hander cant leave as a free agent until after the 2015 season. "We were talking with eight or nine other clubs over here," Bick said. "In the final analysis, he said the right thing for my family and me is to go do this. It will be a wonderful life experience." Marco Estrada Blue Jays Jersey .com) - James Harden had 32 points, including a tying layup late in regulation, and the Houston Rockets scored eight of their 13 points in overtime at the foul line to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 117-111 on Friday night. Randal Grichuk Jersey . - The Pittsburgh Pirates plan on keeping promising left fielder Starling Marte playing alongside National League MVP Andrew McCutchen for years to come. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/3596h-roy-halladay-jersey-blue-jays.html .com) - Pittsburgh Steelers running back LeVeon Bell, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil and New England Patriots punter Ryan Allen were selected as the AFCs top players for Week 14 of the NFL season. BALTIMORE -- A reversed call got the uprising started. Then came a walk after the Detroit Tigers were down to their last strike. That forced Tommy Hunter to go up against Miguel Cabrera, perhaps the last person a struggling closer wants to face with the outcome hanging in the balance. Cabrera hit a hanging curveball over the centre-field wall for a three-run homer, and the Tigers rallied past the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 on Tuesday night. After being held scoreless on three hits over the first eight innings, the Tigers improved to 1-12 when trailing after eight innings. "You never know in baseball," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "When the top of our order swings the bat, we can score some runs quickly." Hunter held a 1-0 lead before giving up a leadoff single to Alex Avila. Pinch-runner Rajai Davis was called out trying to steal, but Ausmus challenged the call and after looking at the replay, umpires called Davis safe at second. "The instant replay was probably the turning point, I guess," Ausmus said. Hunter (1-1) got two straight outs before working the count on Torii Hunter to 1-2. The at-bat ended in a walk. "You cant let arguably one of the best hitters in the game come to the plate," Tommy Hunter said. "Youve got to throw a strike right there and I missed." Two pitches later, Cabrera connected. "Its a chance that we win or were going to lose," Cabrera said. "You dont have to think too much of it. Youve got to go out there and try and see what happens." Victor Martinez followed Cabreras sixth home run with a shot to right that landed on Eutaw Street beyond the scoreboard in right field. Justin Miller (1-1) pitched one inning to earn his first big league win and Joe Nathan got three outs for his ninth save. Nathan has seven saves and a 0.00 ERA in his last eight outings. Adam Jones hit a first-inning homer for the Orioles, who have dropped three in a row following a five-game winning streak. Jones has five home runs, four in the last seven games. Baltimore starter Ubaldo Jimenez gave up three hits, walked two and struck out seven in seven innings. After going 0-4 with a 6.59 ERA in April, the right-hander is 2-0 with a 0.46 ERA in May. Jimenez, who signed a four-year, $50 milllion contract as a free agent in February, permitted only one runner past first base. Trent Thornton Jersey. All three hits against him were singles, and on each occasion the runner was erased trying to steal. Darren ODay worked a perfect eighth, but Hunter couldnt preserve the lead. He left the mound to jeers from fans who minutes earlier were standing in anticipation of the final out. Hunter has 11 saves, but his job as closer could be in jeopardy. "Im not going to get in to handicapping, this means that and that means this," manager Buck Showalter said. "Well constantly see what gives us the best option to pitch nine innings, and be competitive and continue to be in first place. And thats what well do." Said Hunter: "Its my job today. Well see." Detroit starter Drew Smyly allowed five hits over six innings and matched a season high with seven strikeouts. In his previous three outings against the Orioles, all in relief, Smyly gave up two hits and struck out eight in eight shutout innings. Detroit trailed 1-0 in the seventh when Hunter led off with a single and Cabrera walked. After Jimenez bounced a curveball, rookie catcher Caleb Joseph quickly found the handle on the loose ball and threw out Hunter trying to take third. Martinez bounced into a 4-6-3 double play. Baltimore catchers were 4 for 29 in throwing out would-be stealers before Joseph went 3 for 4. The rookie also got his first major league hit, a fourth-inning single. NOTES: RHP Kevin Gausman will be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to start Wednesday for the Orioles. The move was designed to give starters Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez an extra day of rest. Gonzalez will be available in the bullpen for Wednesdays game. Baltimore also announced it optioned RHP Preston Guilmet to Norfolk after the game. Guilmet made two scoreless appearances totalling 1 2/3 innings after being recalled before Mondays game. ... Ausmus said RHP Anibal Sanchez (finger laceration) will come off the DL to start Sunday against Boston. ... Detroits Rick Porcello, who left Mondays game with a tightness in his side, remains on schedule for his next start Saturday. ... Showalter said starter Chris Tillman had some groin soreness after his start Sunday, but the right-hander appears to have recovered. ' ' '