Grant Balfour said that he's going through a "dead-arm period." Balfour got batted around by the Pirates on Saturday afternoon and allowed a three-run homer to Russell Martin. He believes he's going through a normal "flat arm" period of spring training.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed Saturday that they were in on free agent Grant Balfour before he signed with the Rays. Rizzo notes that eventually the allure of sleeping in his own bed in Florida led Balfour to sign with the Rays instead. This could mean that the Nationals are still on the lookout for potential upgrades in the bullpen to work in front of Rafael Soriano and Tyler Clippard.

Rays signed RHP Grant Balfour to a two-year, $12 million contract. The deal is now official, which means that Balfour has passed his physical. The Orioles nixed a two-year, $15 million deal with Balfour back in December over some health concerns (reportedly due to his wrist and knee), but he has landed in a good situation in his return to Tampa Bay, where he'll have a clear path at the closer role and a chance to contend. The 36-year-old had a 2.59 ERA, 38 saves and a 72/27 K/BB ratio over 62 2/3 innings with the Athletics last season and should remain a solid fantasy closer in 2014.

The Mets have denied to multiple media outlets that they offered Grant Balfour more than the two-year, $12 million contract he took from Tampa Bay. Although we can't say for sure whether New York is telling the truth or not, the club's executives sure possess the motivation to jam the toothpaste back in the tube in lieu of Ken Rosenthal's report. It does no good to project distrust in ongoing incumbent Bobby Parnell, so the brass will surely hope he accepts their version of events.

The Mets offered Grant Balfour more than the two-years and $12 million he accepted from the Rays, reports Ken Rosenthal of Yahoo! Sports. Balfour preferred to be closer to his home in Clearwater, Fl., according to Rosenthal. The 36-year-old will take care of ninth-inning duties behind Heath Bell, Joel Peralta and Jake McGee in Tampa Bay. This news also indicates that the Mets aren't as sold on Bobby Parnell as they let on.

An MLB official that examined Grant Balfour's medical report "found nothing wrong with them," reports Yahoo! Sports Jeff Passan. Baltimore's medical staff nixed Balfour's two-year, $15 million contract because of a shoulder concern in December, leading to the veteran accepting $3 million less over the same period from the Rays. We agree with Passan's assessment that the "Rays get another steal with closer after [Rafael] Soriano, [Fernando] Rodney." The 36-year-old Australian collected a 2.53 ERA over 202 appearances for Oakland since 2011 and there's little reason to expect a steep performance dropoff in 2014.

The Rays have agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with Grant Balfour, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin. In the final evaluation, Baltimore's medical staff cost Balfour $3 million total. It can't be fun to lose $3 million (we wouldn't know), but Balfour will content himself at night by remembering that he's pitching for a better team in a sunnier locale. Balfour's fantasy prospects also figure to improve slightly at The Trop, though Jim Johnson has been one of fantasy's top closers the past few years in Baltimore, so that upgrade may be overstated. The fiery Aussie, who pitched for Tampa previously between 2007-10, recorded 38 saves while collecting a 2.59 ERA over 62 2/3 innings in Oakland last year. He'll be set up by a group that includes Heath Bell, Joel Peralta and Jake McGee.

Grant Balfour will sign with the Rays, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. Balfour's long, winding winter journey -- Baltimore nixed an agreed-upon two-year, $15 million deal with the reliever last month due to concerns raised in a pre-signing physical -- appears to be near completion. Balfour, who posted a 2.53 ERA over 202 appearances for Oakland the past three years, figures to take over closing duties in Tampa Bay. Owning the ninth-inning gig for a contender once again, Balfour could potentially be a value pick in fantasy drafts once the elite closers have been over-drafted.

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post was told by a source that free agent reliever Grant Balfour is expected to make a decision on where to sign "within a week, if not the coming days."

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Nationals are interested in Grant Balfour. The Nationals already have three relievers with closing experience, and Balfour would give them a fourth. However, Rosenthal notes that they want to trade Drew Storen and don't want Rafael Soriano to trigger his $14 million option for 2015 by finishing 62 games this season. Signing Balfour would give the Nats protection for Soriano and a potential closer option for 2015, assuming he signs a multi-year deal. Obviously, it would not be an ideal landing spot for Balfour's 2014 fantasy prospects.