Making his first appearance in 12 days, Scott Hairston homered to give the Cubs their only two runs on Friday. Hairston is in the first year of a two-year deal, but his slow start had gotten him glued to Dale Sveum's bench; not only was his start today his first since June 21, but it was his first appearance of any sort since June 23. That's pretty ridiculous, of course. Hairston entered the day hitting .160, but it was in just 94 at-bats. He's worth more playing time than the Cubs have given him.

Scott Hairston hit his third career grand slam Friday off the Diamondbacks' Wade Miley. Taking on a lesser role in the Cubs outfield than he's used to, Hairston has struggled mightily this year, hitting .162 in 68 at-bats. He could get additional playing time if one of the outfielders ahead of him is traded, but he has little NL-only value at the moment.

Scott Hairston blasted a solo home run, accounting for all of the Cubs' offense in Friday's loss to the Braves. He finished the night 1-for-3. Hairston, a notorious lefty killer, got the best of Mike Minor in the fifth inning of this one. Despite being on the short side of a platoon in the Cubs' offense, he still holds value in leagues that allow daily changes when deployed correctly.

Scott Hairston is in Wednesday's lineup against the Pirates. Nate Schierholtz played right field for Monday's season opener against right-hander A.J. Burnett, but Hairston will get the start Tuesday with the left-hander Wandy Rodriguez on the hill for Pittsburgh. Hairston is coming off a career-high 20 homers last season, but being on the short side of a platoon will limit his fantasy value.

Cubs signed OF Scott Hairston to a two-year, $5 million contract. The deal was reported last month and is now finalized. Hairston, who can earn an additional $1 million more in incentives, will serve on the short side of a platoon with Nate Schierholtz in right field. The Cubs have some trade candidates in their outfield, though, so he could conceivable wind up playing regularly at some point.

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that Scott Hairston is guaranteed $5 million as part of his two-year contract with the Cubs. The deal was agreed to last week and has yet to be officially announced. Per Heyman, Hairston could make an additional $1 million in performance bonuses. Barring a trade, the veteran outfielder will serve on the short side of a platoon with Nate Schierholtz in right field.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Cubs have signed Scott Hairston to a two-year contract. The deal is pending a physical. It's another surprising offseason addition for the Cubs, who have notably improved their roster, but not to the point that they can realistically be considered contenders. It's possible Theo Epstein and Co. are gathering assets in hopes of bartering them at the trade deadline. Hairston figures to platoon in right field with Nate Schierholtz and could take over in left if Alfonso Soriano is dealt.

According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, the Mets offered Scott Hairston a one-year, $2 million contract. This was the club's counter-offer after Hairston asked for a two-year, $8 million deal. The two sides are currently at a stalemate, though the veteran outfielder is expected to decide on a team by the end of this week. Hairston earned $1.1 million last season while hitting .263/.299/.504 with a career-high 20 homers. The Yankees, Cubs and Phillies are among the other teams who have expressed interest.

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that Scott Hairston wanted a two-year, $8 million contract from the Mets. The Mets "balked" at that request, according to Heyman's source. Hairston has also been linked this offseason to the Yankees and Phillies, and is expected to decide on a team by the end of this week. The 32-year-old outfielder batted .263/.299/.504 with 20 home runs and 57 RBI in 134 games last season for the Mets.

Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM reports that Scott Hairston is expected to decide where to sign this week. A recent report suggested that Hairston was deciding between the Mets and the Yankees, though the Phillies have also been mentioned as a possibility. The Yankees are reportedly reluctant to give Hairston a two-year deal, but the Mets could be willing to go there. They also offer a chance at regular playing time.