Lane Kiffin, Les Miles, Art Briles getting Houston interviews  —  Houston will interview at least five candidates for its head-coaching position, including Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and former coaches Les Miles and Art Briles, sources told ESPN.

Rangers focused on rotation help, center fielder at winter meetings  —  The countdown to the winter meetings is on, with the collective bargaining agreement hashed out for another five years and with the threat of a lockout and a cancellation of the meetings null.

Rays expected to pursue catcher Welington Castillo  —  ST. PETERSBURG — There were no surprises Friday as the Rays tendered contracts to all of their majors-most 11 arbitration-eligible players.  —  But an unexpected decision by the Diamondbacks not to tender Welington Castillo put the Rays …

MLBPA boss Tony Clark breaks down the CBA  —  The union head defends the new deal  —  NEW YORK - I said it before and I'll say it again: It is impossible to assess the impact of a collective-bargaining agreement until we see how the players and owners respond to the new rules.

Padres Non-Tender Tyson Ross, Five Others  —  8:44pm: Ross is so early in his surgery rehab that his progress wasn't a factor, GM A.J. Preller tells AJ Cassavell of MLB.com (links to Twitter).  San Diego is open to a return, at a lower price.  Obviously, a trade didn't come together, but Preller says that discussions were explored.

Nationals Acquire Derek Norris  —  The Nationals have dealt for catcher Derek Norris from the Padres, per a club announcement.  Righty Pedro Avila will head to San Diego in return.  —  It's a homecoming of sorts for Norris, who was once a well-regarded prospect in the D.C. system …

Astros To Sign Carlos Beltran  —  The Astros have agreed to a one-year, $16MM deal with free agent DH Carlos Beltran, ESPN's Buster Olney writes (Twitter links).  Beltran is an MVP Sports Group client.  Beltran will receive a no-trade clause, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets.

Tyson Ross, Ben Revere among 35 new free agents  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Tyson Ross, an All-Star pitcher for San Diego two years ago, was among 35 players who became free agents when their teams declined to offer them 2017 contracts on Friday.  —  Washington outfielder Ben Revere …

Phillies Designate Cody Asche For Assignment, Claim David Rollins  —  The Phillies announced that they've claimed lefty David Rollins off waivers from the Rangers and designated infielder/outfielder Cody Asche for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

2016-17 American League Non-Tenders  —  The deadline to tender 2017 contracts to players is tonight at 8pm ET.  We'll keep track of the day's non-tenders in the American League in this post (all referenced arbitration projections courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)...

Albert Pujols Undergoes Foot Surgery  —  Angels slugger Albert Pujols has undergone surgery to “release the plantar fascia on his right foot,” according to a team press release.  Per the surgeon, a return to the field may be expected in about four months — which would mean Pujols may be ready …