Newsmakers

Signed Veteran infielder Adam Kennedy has signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners and received a spring training invitation, the team announced Monday. Kennedy, who turned 35 on Monday, is the 15th non-roster invitee to the Mariners’ major league camp. Kennedy has played 12 seasons in the majors with the Cardinals, Angels, Athletics and last season with the Nationals. He appeared in 135 games last year for Washington, batting .249 with 16 doubles and 31 RBIs. He is a career .275 hitter.

Finalized Left-handed reliever Hideki Okajima and the Boston Red Sox have finalized a $1.75 million, one-year contract. Okajima, who had become a free agent, will return to the Red Sox for a fifth year under the agreement. Since signing as a free agent in November 2006, Okajima is 16-8 with six saves and a 3.06 ERA in 254 relief appearances with the Red Sox. He struggled for much of last season, when he finished 4-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 56 games. But in his last 15 games he had a 1.30 ERA in 13 innings. He has appeared in at least 50 games in each season with Boston and was on the A.L. All-Star team in 2007.

Agreed The Chicago White Sox have agreed to a $4 million, two-year deal with free-agent reliever Will Ohman. The 33-year-old left-hander will earn $1.5 million in 2011 and $2.5 million in 2012. Ohman was 0-2 with a 3.21 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 68 appearances with Baltimore and Florida last season. Ohman is 11-11 with a 4.19 ERA and has limited left-handed hitters to a .208 batting average over eight seasons.

Avoided Infielder Jason Bartlett and the San Diego Padres have agreed to an $11 million, two-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Bartlett gets $4 million this year and $5.5 million in 2012. The Padres hold a $5.5 million option for 2013 with a $1.5 million buyout.

Acquired The injury-depleted New York Rangers are getting a reinforcement, acquiring forward Wojtek Wolski from the Phoenix Coyotes for veteran defenseman Michal Rozsival. The 24-year-old Wolski – a left wing – has six goals and 10 assists in 36 games this season with Phoenix.

Won Argentine forward Lionel Messi has won his second straight FIFA player of the year award, becoming the first repeat winner since Ronaldinho in 2004 and 2005. The 23-year-old Messi helped Barcelona retain its Spanish league title. The Blaugrana lead the standings again this season.

• Marta has won five straight FIFA’s women’s player of the year awards. The 24-year-old Brazilian forward dominated voting after a stellar season with the Women’s Professional Soccer League champion FC Gold Pride, but said she didn’t know where she would play next season.