MLB roundup: Brett Pill could play in Korea, John Axford performance bonuses

The San Francisco Giants are close to an agreement to sell the rights to Brett Pill to the KIA Tigers of the Korean Professional League, according to CSN Bay Area's Andrew Baggarly.

Pill and the club are working toward an agreement on his new salary, which could be as high as $1 million, per Baggarly. If the two sides are unable to work out a number, the Giants could flip Pill to another interested club in Korea or possibly even Japan. Either way, there's likely no room for him on the Giants' roster after the team's acquisition of free-agent slugger Mike Morse as well as the emergence of Brandon Belt, who posted a career-best 142 OPS+ in 2013.

The Cleveland Indians and reliever John Axford finalized a one-year, $4.25 million contract on Thursday, per Tom Withers of the Associated Press. Axford will serve as the team's closer, taking over for the departed Chris Perez.

The Indians could also pay the 30-year-old right-hander up to $1.75 million in saves-based performance bonuses. Axford would have to rack up 63 saves to earn the full amount. Axford posted a 4.02 ERA in 65 innings, striking out a batter per frame for the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals. He led the National League in saves with 46 in 2011 and finished that year with a 1.95 ERA before struggling mightily in 2012, partially because of significant increase in his walk rate.

Two right-handed pitchers were designated for assignment by their clubs on Thursday. The Cleveland Indians cut Trey Haley to make room on their 40-man roster for newly acquired reliever John Axford. Haley has a 5.07 ERA in six minor-league seasons.

Brett Marshall was axed by the New York Yankees, the team announced, in a move that created a spot for Carlos Beltran, who signed a three-year, $45 million deal on Thursday. Marshall posted a 4.50 ERA in 12 innings with the Yankees in 2013 and has a career 4.07 ERA as a minor-league starter.