MINNEAPOLIS -- After three consecutive years of 90-plus losses, Minnesota Twins general manager Terry Ryan is hoping a rare in-season, free-agent signing will keep his team in contention the rest of the summer. Custom Portland Trail Blazers Jerseys . Minnesota signed first baseman/designated hitter Kendrys Morales to a one-year, prorated, $12 million contract on Sunday. The Cuban-born slugger, who hit .277 with 23 homers and 80 RBIs in 156 games with the Seattle Mariners last season, has been in Miami working out while waiting to sign. "Why not the Twins?" Ryan asked during a press conference announcing the signing. "I read there were probably a handful of clubs that were chasing Kendrys. We were ahead of many of those clubs in the standings." The Twins have lost 291 games the last three seasons, but are 29-31 this year, five games back in the AL Central and 2 1/2 back in the wild card standings. Morales, who turns 31 on June 20, had been unsigned because teams were hesitant to surrender a compensatory first-round pick to sign him. Since the Twins signed him after the MLB draft, they do not have to give up a coveted pick. The prorated portion of Morales contract will total slightly more than $7.4 million. "It just made sense," said Ryan, who is back in the GM chair after stepping away during spring training to battle skin cancer. For Morales, the deal gives him an opportunity to provide some power to an inconsistent Twins offence in desperate need of a full-time designated hitter. "It wasnt easy for a baseball player to watch baseball games when he knows he can play," Morales said through an interpreter. "But you have to be mentally tough and be prepared so when this opportunity does come around, youre ready to do what you gotta do." In 620 career games, Morales has 102 home runs and 345 RBIs. He also missed 1 1/2 years after breaking his leg celebrating a game-ending home run on May 29, 2010, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels. Since Morales is out of options and not injured, the Twins cant send him to the minors to shake off the rust from missing the seasons first 60 games. Hell work out with the team and take the field when hes ready. "Its a day to day thing, Ill be working out and talking to (manager Ron Gardenhire) and the coaching staff," Morales said. "When Im ready, Ill be in there. We just want to do it the right way." Morales greeted his new teammates in the clubhouse before Sundays game against the Houston Astros and spent some time with Tony Oliva, Minnesotas most famous Cuban-born player. Since the Twins arent known for making splashy moves, especially during the season, players viewed the signing as a signal from management that theyre serious about contending. "Its a good signing. A lot of us are real excited right now," Joe Mauer said. "It tells you how close this division is and us adding is definitely a great thing." To make room on the 25-man roster, Minnesota released Jason Kubel, who appeared in 798 games over parts of eight seasons with the Twins. He was hitting .224 this year, but just .158 since April. Portland Trail Blazers Store . Hamilton signed offensive linemen Mike Filer, Joel Reinders, Landon Rice and Carson Rockhill. Stitched Blazers Jerseys . -- The Atlanta Braves added to their extensive wave of long-term deals with their young stars on Sunday by agreeing to a $42 million, four-year contract with All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel. https://www.cheapblazersonline.com/ ." Those traits were clear to the 24,071 at Olympic Stadium on Saturday as the Impact dominated the scoring chances but settled for a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls in a battle of still-winless Major League Soccer teams. MINNEAPOLIS -- Hours after trading Vidal Nuno to Arizona for Brandon McCarthy and cutting outfielder Alfonso Soriano, the New York Yankees took a nine-run lead by the fourth inning and seemed set for a laugher at Target Field. The game ended with the potential go-ahead run at the plate. Jacoby Ellsbury homered, doubled and drove in four runs as Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 9-7 Sunday after their roster shakeup and moved back above .500 at 44-43. "Sometimes you cant really pinpoint it, but we like where were at right now," Ellsbury said. "Hopefully keep it rolling." Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki each had three hits for the Yankees, who have won 14 of 18 overall at Target Field. Jeters ninth-inning single made him the eighth player to reach 3,400 hits. "We pay a little bit of attention, but I dont think he pays too close attention to it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Obviously, hes going to end up way up there in record books. He pays more attention to wins, and thats what we worry about." New York took three of four from the Twins after losing nine of its previous 11. The 38-year-old Soriano is in the final year of a $136 million, eight-year contract he signed with the Chicago Cubs, who traded him last summer to the Yankees, where he began his big league career. He was hitting .221 this season with six homers and 23 RBIs in 67 games. New York has 10 days to trade Soriano or place him on unconditional waivers. "Hes a guy thats used to playing every day," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Wasnt every day for him. Maybe it was harder for him to get going, not sure. Im sure hes extremely disappointed." New York catcher Brian McCann returned to the lineup after missing two games because of a sore foot and doubled home Jeter in the first. Ellsburys three-run homer off Ricky Nolasco (5-7) capped a four-run burst in the second that made it 6-0. Hiroki Kuroda (6-6) allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings, his poorest outing since mid-June. Minnesotta closed with four runs in the fourth, and one in each of the last three innings. Wholesale Blazers Jerseys. After Oswaldo Arcias two-out RBI single pulled the Twins within two runs and left runners at the corners, David Robertson got Kurt Suzuki to hit a grounder to shortstop, where Jeter threw to second baseman Brian Roberts for the final out. Robertson got his 21st save in 23 chances. Jeter drove in two runs in his last scheduled game at Minnesota, although hes expected back later this month for the All-Star game. Nolasco lasted a season-low two innings as Minnesota lost for the 10th time in 13 games. "They hit everything he threw up there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We got to go better than that. He did nothing for us today. He didnt give us a chance." Trevor Plouffe had an RBI double in the fourth and Chris Colabello followed with a two-run homer, his second home run in three games since his recall from the minors. Plouffe added a solo home run in the eighth. "Cant keep getting behind like this. It just gets back to that," Gardenhire said. "Its the starting pitching. Its not about anything other than that. Weve been struggling scoring runs. We finally put some on the board. But you start a game 6-0, thats no way to play baseball." NOTES: Twins OF Byron Buxton, among the top prospects in the minors, played his first game with Class A Fort Myers after being sidelined with a sprained left wrist. Minnesota GM Terry Ryan said Buxton will play centre field and get two or three at-bats as he works his way back. ... RHP Bruce Billings, recalled Sunday from from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, appears set to start Monday at Cleveland in place of Nuno. He pitched in one game for New York this season, allowing four runs in four innings on April 25 against the Los Angeles Angels. RHP Justin Masterson (4-5, 5.16) starts for the Indians. ... Minnesota will start RHP Kevin Correia (4-10, 4.94) when it plays at Seattle on Monday. The Mariners will use RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (6-4, 3.33). ' ' '