DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers hired AJ Hinch to be their new manager Friday, giving him a chance to return to a major league dugout after he was fired by Houston in the wake of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal.

The Tigers said they agreed to terms with Hinch on a multiyear deal.

Hinch replaces Ron Gardenhire, who retired late this season, and he takes over a rebuilding team that is hoping to start climbing the standings behind a handful of highly touted pitching prospects.

For the 46-year-old Hinch, this is an opportunity to revive his managerial career. He guided Houston to the 2017 World Series title, but that championship – and a lot of what Hinch accomplished there – is now viewed in a different light after an investigation found the Astros used a video feed from a center field camera to decode the opposing catcher’s signs, and players banged on a trash can to signal to hitters what was coming.

In January, Major League Baseball suspended Hinch and Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow for this season, then the Astros immediately fired both.

Detroit went 23-35 in this shortened season, finishing last in the AL Central. That’s been a familiar spot for Detroit in recent years – the Tigers lost 114 games in 2019 – but the team has been able to pick high in the draft during this stretch. Casey Mize, the top overall pick in 2018, reached the majors this year, and Detroit used this year’s No. 1 selection on infielder Spencer Torkelson.

Left-hander Tarik Skubal made his big league debut this year along with Mize. While these youngsters have yet to prove they can make the Tigers contenders again, Detroit will hope Hinch can replicate what he did in Houston.

Hinch, a big league catcher who played for the Tigers in 2003, managed Arizona from May 2009 until July 2010. When he took over the Astros before the 2015 season, they had not finished above .500 since 2008, but Houston had a winning record in all five years under Hinch, including that 2017 World Series title and the 2019 American League pennant.

METS: Major League Baseball owners voted to approve the sale of the New York Mets to billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen.

The sale from the Wilpon and Katz families values the franchise at between $2.4 billion and $2.45 billion, a record for a baseball team. The sale is likely to close within 10 days.

An entity controlled by Cohen will own 95% of the franchise, and the Wilpon and Katz families will retain 5% of the team.

Former Mets general manager Sandy Alderson will return as team president.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that the city does not object to the sale. The city had the right to review the proposed transfer of the lease of Citi Field, the Mets’ home since 2009.

The current Mets ownership group is headed by Fred Wilpon, brother-in-law Saul Katz and Wilpon’s son Jeff, the team’s chief operating officer.

The 64-year-old Cohen is CEO and president of Point72 Asset Management. He first bought an 8% limited partnership stake in 2012 for $40 million.

The publisher Doubleday & Co. bought the Mets in 1980 from the family of founding owner Joan Payson for $21.1 million, with the company owning 95% of the team and Wilpon controlling 5%.

When Doubleday & Co. was sold to Bertelsmann AG in 1986, the publisher sold its shares of the team for $80.75 million to Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday, who became 50-50 owners.

Wilpon completed his buyout of Doubleday in August 2002, ending what had become an acrimonious partnership. Under the original appraisal, Doubleday would have received $137.9 million – half the team’s $391 million value after accounting for debt. Wilpon sued, and the sides then settled.

Cohen controlled SAC Capital Advisors, which in 2013 pleaded guilty to criminal fraud charges. SAC agreed to pay a $900 million fine and forfeit another $900 million to the federal government, though $616 million that SAC companies had already agreed to pay to settle parallel actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was to be deducted from the $1.8 billion.

RAYS: Tampa Bay is declining 2021 options on pitcher Charlie Morton and catcher Mike Zunino but the AL champions say they remain hopeful of re-signing them.

Morton, who turns 37 next month, was due to earn $15 million. Zunino’s option was for $4.5 million.

Both played keys roles in the Rays reaching the World Series, where Tampa Bay lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

General Manager Erik Neander had until Sunday to decide whether to exercise the options. He spoke with both players on Thursday night.

“With both of them, the door is staying open. We’re going to continue talking,” Neander said Friday.

“Charlie’s been very open about the uncertainty in his future and where he’s at. Frankly, I felt it was best to let him catch his breath, let him process, let him make some decisions with his family and have those conversations to give us a little more time,” the GM added. “I would love nothing more than to have Charlie back as part of our club next year.”

Neander said he also had a good conversation with Zunino, who started 18 of 20 postseason games, including the last 10.

“The intangible benefits of him … and the work he did behind the plate were a huge reason for our success as well,” Neander said.

Morton joined the Rays in 2019 on $30 million, two-year contract and helped them earn playoff berths each of the past two seasons. The right-hander was 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA this postseason, with the loss coming in Game 3 of the World Series. He was 2-2 with a 4.74 ERA during the season and earned a $5,555,556 prorated salary from an originally scheduled $15 million.

The 29-year-old Zunino was obtained in a trade from Seattle in November 2018. He batted .170 with four homers and eight RBI in 19 postseason games this year.

INDIANS: Cleveland declined contract options on Brad Hand, first baseman Carlos Santana and outfielder Domingo Santana for next season, moves that cut $30.75 million from the team’s projected 2021 payroll.

The club exercised its $5.5 million option for catcher Roberto Pérez, who has been exemplary in handling one of the AL’s best pitching staffs.

Hand’s option was worth $10 million, Carlos Santana’s was for $17.5 million and Domingo Santana’s $5 million for next season. The team pay buyouts of $1 million to Hand, $500,000 to Carlos Santana and $250,000 to Domingo Santana. All three become free agents.

MEETINGS: Major League Baseball has canceled an owners’ meeting and the annual winter meetings because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Owners had been scheduled to gather from Nov 17-19 in Arlington, Texas.

The winter meetings had been set for Dec. 7-10 in Dallas.

Agendas for both meetings will be conducted remotely if needed, MLB said Friday.

BREWERS: Milwaukee declined 2021 options on infielders Jedd Gyorko and Eric Sogard as well as outfielder Ben Gamel.

Gyorko and Sogard each had $4.5 million options and now instead become eligible for free agency. Gamel remains under team control after the Brewers declined a $2.55 million option on him.

ORIOLES: Baltimore claimed infielder Yolmer Sánchez off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.

Sánchez spent seven years with the White Sox but played in only 11 games this season, going 5 for 16 with one homer, which accounted for his only RBI.

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