Gonzalez maintains he hasn't used PEDs

Gio Gonzalez arrived at spring training with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday and maintained he has not used performance-enhancing drugs.

The Miami New Times reported last month that Gonzalez was among a half-dozen major league players listed as receiving PEDs in purported records of Biogenesis of America LLC, a now-closed anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables, Fla. Gonzalez hopes to be exonerated.

"I feel very confident," the 27-year-old left hander said. "I think that at the end of the day I've never taken performance-enhancing drugs, and I never will."

Gonzalez, a 21-game winner last year, denied the allegations on Twitter on the day they were reported.

"You're stunned. You're shocked," he said Tuesday. "Your name has been brought up out of nowhere. You can't do nothing about it. You just have to wait it out and listen to what's going on. You can't jump the gun. You can't jump to conclusions. At the end of the day you just have to listen in and wait patiently."

Gonzalez said he had been contacted by Major League Baseball officials and has cooperated with their investigation. Gonzalez said he has "done everything that they want, and I feel strong with their program and what they're doing, and at the end of the day I'm waiting on them."

Hernandez, Seattle agree on new contract

Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners have reached agreement on a $175 million, seven-year contract that will make him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball.

The Mariners announced the sides had reached agreement on the deal Tuesday afternoon. Hernandez and general manager Jack Zduriencik will hold a news conference in Seattle on Wednesday afternoon where Hernandez is expected to sign the contract.

Earlier Tuesday, Zduriencik said the sides were having significant talks to try to finalize a new contract for the three-time All-Star and 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner. There had been speculation and reports about an injury to Hernandez's pitching elbow that could be slowing the negotiations.

A's finalize minor league deal with lefty Okajima

The Oakland Athletics and free agent left-hander Hideki Okajima have finalized a minor league contract after he passed a physical.

Okajima played last season for Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan's Pacific League, going 0-2 with a 0.94 ERA and nine saves in 56 relief appearances. He allowed only one home run and walked six batters in 47 2-3 innings

He spent the 2007-11 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, then signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees and was released at the start of 2012 spring training when he failed a physical.

The 37-year-old was 1-0 with a 4.32 ERA in 8 1-3 innings over seven relief appearances for Boston in 2011 and 8-1 with a 2.29 ERA in 34 relief appearances with Triple-A Pawtucket.

Royals acquire Elliott Johnson from Rays

Kansas City has acquired utility player Elliott Johnson from the Tampa Bay Rays as the player to be named in the Dec. 9 trade that sent James Shields and Wade Davis to Kansas City for top prospects Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi along with two other minor leaguers.

The switch-hitting Johnson batted .242 with 10 doubles, six homers, 33 RBIs, and 18 steals last year with the Rays. The 29-year-old started 68 games at shortstop and also played second, third and the outfield.

To make room for Johnson on the 40-man big league roster, the Royals transferred right-hander Felipe Paulino to the 60-day disabled list. Paulino is rehabbing from elbow surgery and not expected to pitch before July.