The Texas Rangers took their first major step toward locking up their core players as they signed left-hander Derek Holland to a five-year deal.

The contract, which runs through the 2016 season, also includes club options in 2017 and 2018.

The Rangers began discussing a deal with Holland in December but the talks stalled.

Holland is coming off a breakout season in 2011. In his first full year in the Texas rotation, Holland went 16-5 with a 3.95 ERA. Holland, 25, dazzled the country in his last start in Game 4 of the World Series. He pitched 8 1/3 shutout innings against St. Louis.

Holland’s regular season also included four shutouts, the most by a Texas pitcher since 1981. Holland, who made the Opening Day roster for the first time last year, was drafted in the 25th round by the Rangers in the 2006 draft.

Texas general manager Jon Daniels said going into the offseason that lockinp up core players would be an offseason priority. Holland marks the first player the Rangers have signed this offseason that includes free-agent years.

MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more MLB baseball news see: Rangers, Holland agree to 5-year deal.

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon and Michigan State have agreed to a home-and-home series that will open in Eugene in 2014 and go to East Lansing in 2015.

The dates of the games have not been finalized, the Ducks said.

In a previous series between the two schools, the Ducks defeated the Spartans 48-14 at Autzen Stadium in 1998, while the Spartans won their home game 27-20 in 1999. The overall series between the teams is 2-2.

West Virginia’s move to the Big 12 made way for the Oregon games on Michigan State’s schedule.

MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more college football news see: Ducks and Spartans agree to home-and-home (Yahoo! Sports).

Quarterback Matt Flynn and the Seattle Seahawks agreed to a three-year contract worth up to $ 26 million, with $ 10 million guaranteed, a league source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora on Sunday.

The team later confirmed that the sides had agreed to a three-year deal but didn’t release financial terms.

“Matt Flynn’s the newest Seahawk… We’re fired up to bring him to Seattle! #AlwaysCompete,” coach Pete Carroll tweeted.

The Seahawks hope that Aaron Rodgers’ infrequently seen backup in Green Bay can become a franchise passer in the Pacific Northwest.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider was able to tap into his connections, having previously worked for the Packers before joining the Seahawks. Flynn — who also met with the Miami Dolphins this weekend — dazzled in Green Bay’s regular-season finale when he threw for six touchdowns against the Detroit Lions and was widely viewed as one of the hottest free agents on the market.

Seattle traveled this road before when it traded with Green Bay to acquire Matt Hasselbeck before the 2001 season. Hasselbeck eventually led the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl appearance.

MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more NFL news see: Seahawks, QB Flynn agree to three-year, M contract.

VIERA, Fla.

Ryan Zimmerman and the Washington Nationals have agreed to a new contract, FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal has learned.

The third baseman signed a deal for six years for $ 100 million with a club option for a seventh. Zimmerman has two seasons left on a $ 45 million, five-year contract, and the new deal, which contains a no-trade clause, will keep him with the Nationals through 2019.

Zimmerman’s agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, says the two sides “bridged multiple important gaps on major parts of the contract” during talks that extended into the night.

With work to do, Zimmerman had put off his initial deadline to get a deal done by Saturday, when the first full-squad workout of spring training was held.

He didn’t want talks to drag on, fearing it will become a distraction to a team that has some of baseball’s top young prospects and expects to make great strides in the NL East.

Zimmerman joins a short list of players signed through 2019: Albert Pujols (2021), Prince Fielder (2020), Troy Tulowitzki (2020), Ryan Braun (2020) and Matt Kemp (2019).

Zimmerman’s average salary of $ 16.7 million on the extension is the second-highest for a third baseman, after Alex Rodriguez. He is guaranteed $ 126 million over next eight seasons, and the option for the ninth year could raise the total value to $ 150 million.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more MLB baseball news see: Nats, Zimmerman agree to terms.