Japanese star Otani announces desire to move to MLB  —  OSAKA, Japan (AP) Highly touted Japanese pitcher-outfielder Shohei Otani announced on Saturday he wants to move to Major League Baseball next season  —  “I hope to do my best in America from next year on,” Otani said during a press conference …

How a complaint from Nick Francona, Terry's son, punctured MLB's narrative on its support for military  —  Every Memorial Day and Fourth of July, MLB players wear military-themed uniforms.  Every game, the Mets and most other teams across the league honor a local veteran in their ballparks.

As GM meetings approach, Angels' Billy Eppler not likely to be shopping for high-priced pitchers  —  Expect the Angels to remain interested observers, rather than fierce bidders, when it comes to the pitching market this winter.  —  As General Manager Billy Eppler was preparing to head …

Gabe Kapler adds Dusty Wathan to his Phillies staff  —  Dusty Wathan helped guide all the young players on the Phillies roster.  And now he'll join them in the major leagues.  —  The Phillies announced Friday that Wathan will be the team's third-base coach in 2018, after he finished last month as the runner-up to be their manager.

Mets plan to change how pitchers are used in 2018, sources say  —  Bullpen is expected to expand by one reliever, which means there will be an emphasis on versatility for position players.  —  The Mets intend to rethink the way they use a pitching staff that disintegrated during a 92-loss season, sources have told Newsday.

Rumor Central: Marlins in preliminary trade talks to deal Giancarlo Stanton?  —  With the MLB general managers meetings starting up next week, expect trade talks to intensify all around the majors.  Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton will most likely be the No. 1 target for any GM looking to make a splash this offseason.

Column: Trade market figures to be busy as offseason gets underway at GM meetings  —  In this Sept. 22, 2017, file photo, Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Alex Cobb throws against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning of a baseball game, in Baltimore.  (Gail Burton / AP) Chicago Tribune

Rumor Central: Nick Senzel to change position?  —  The Cincinnati Reds drafted Nick Senzel with the No. 2 overall pick in 2016.  The third baseman from the University of Tennessee batted .321/.391/.514 with 14 home runs and 65 RBIs in 119 games combined games between high-A Daytona and Double-A Pensacola in 2017.

Upton voted Tiger of the Year despite trade  —  DETROIT (AP) Justin Upton was voted Tiger of the Year despite being traded by Detroit with a month remaining in the season.  —  Upton received 15 of 26 first-place votes from the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

MLB Hot Stove: Why a Mike Trout free agent bidding war could've topped $600M  —  Trout would have been a free agent this offseason had he not signed his contract extension  —  For the first time in his six full MLB seasons, Mike Trout did not finish first or second in the AL MVP voting this year.

Daniels taking more-with-less blueprint to general manager meetings  —  Maybe the prognosticators around Major League Baseball are starting to believe Jon Daniels' annual off-season claim that the Texas Rangers just don't have that much money to spend.  —  Unlike in past off-seasons …

10 things to know about Rangers OF Delino DeShields, including his crazy shoe game  —  Here are 10 things to know about Rangers outfield Delino DeShields.  —  1. Athletic family.  DeShields is not the first member of his family to play in the big leagues.

Rangers' Boo Nieves set to return after suffering flu bug … It seems like getting sick didn't make Boo Nieves lose his job.  —  The Rangers' fourth-line winger is expected to return from a three-game absence because of a stomach bug when his team plays host to the Oilers on Saturday afternoon at the Garden.

Former Indians, Mariners manager Eric Wedge becomes second person to interview with Yankees  —  NEW YORK — Former Cleveland and Seattle manager Eric Wedge has become the second person to interview with the New York Yankees for their dugout opening.  —  Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson interviewed …