Mariners

NEW YORK — Infielder Matt Tuiasosopo, whose father and brother played in the NFL, has agreed to a minor-league contract with the New York Mets.

The 25-year-old hit .226 with 14 homers and 77 runs batted in in 439 at-bats last season with the Tacoma Rainiers. He had a .176 average with five homers and 15 RBI with the Mariners from 2008 to 2010.

His father, Manu, was with the Seahawks for three seasons. His brother, Marques, was with the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets for eight seasons.

The Mets announced the deal Friday.

Selig expects playoffs to expand this year

NEW YORK — Commissioner Bud Selig expects baseball to expand its playoffs this season.

Players and owners have already agreed to add an additional wild-card team in each league, but are still deciding whether it would take effect this year or in 2013. Selig said there are scheduling issues to be worked out — once they are, the new 10-team format would begin with a one-game playoff.

"I really believe we'll have the wild card for 2012, this year," Selig said in Chicago at a White Sox fan festival. "Clubs really want it. I don't think I've ever seen an issue that the clubs want more than to have the extra wild card this year.

"We're working on dates right now. That'll all take place. It looks to me like we'll have it because I've told everybody we have to have it."

MLB and the players' association have reached a consensus that ties for division titles will be broken on the field under the new playoff format.

Since 1995, head-to-head record has been used to determine first place if both teams are going to the postseason. But with the start of a one-game, winner-take-all wild-card round, the sides agreed the difference between first place and a wild card is too important to decide with a formula and a tiebreaker game would be played.

Under the new format, the non-division winners in each league with the two-best records will be wild cards, meaning a third-place team could win the World Series.

Being able to finish third and still go to the postseason could create more of an opportunity in the AL East for teams other than the rich New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, or in the AL West, where the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels have spent big bucks to improve.

Notes

• Hedge fund head Steven Cohen and groups including Joe Torre and Magic Johnson have survived the first round of cuts in bidding for the L.A. Dodgers. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban refused to say whether he was in or out. The Los Angeles Times reported he did not advance.

• Right fielder Hunter Pence and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a $10.4 million, one-year contract. The deal was at the midpoint between the $11.8 million he had asked for in arbitration and the $9 million the Phillies had offered. Also, outfielder Juan Pierre, 34, agreed to a minor-league contract with the Phillies

• San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum passed his physical and officially signed his $40.5 million, two-year contract. The Giants reached agreement on a $1.25 million, one-year contract with utility infielder Ryan Theriot to give them depth at shortstop and second base.

• Free-agent infielder Jeff Keppinger signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.

• Selig will decide what compensation the Boston Red Sox will receive for general manager Theo Epstein's move to the Chicago Cubs. The teams have been unable to reach agreement.