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8:15 AM ET, December 5, 2017

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 Top News: 
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Sources: Rangers officials travel to meet with Ohtani  —  Officials with the Texas Rangers, including general manager Jon Daniels, have traveled to Los Angeles for a meeting with Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani, according to multiple baseball sources.  —  The sources were inconclusive …
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Rustin Dodd / Kansas City Star:
Shohei Ohtani trims list to seven teams, Royals among those eliminated  —  Shohei Ohtani could be baseball's best two-way player since Babe Ruth.  Yes, this is pure speculation.  —  This is fact: He will not be playing for the Royals.  —  Ohtani, the 23-year-old Japanese star …
Rustin Dodd / Kansas City Star:
After breakout season in Royals' bullpen, Minor reportedly agrees to terms with Texas  —  Mike Minor salvaged a once promising career with a sojourn to the bullpen in 2017, overcoming years of shoulder issues and transforming into the Royals' most trusted reliever.
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
How do Rangers fare vs. other six Ohtani finalists?  —  Crickets could be heard on the phone lines to Texas Rangers officials again Monday, as club officials continued to keep their mouths shut and their fingers from texting with the media.  —  Baseball sources, though …
ESPN:
LHP Mike Minor agrees to deal with Rangers  —  Free-agent left-hander Mike Minor has reached agreement on a contract with the Texas Rangers pending completion of a physical exam, a baseball source confirmed to ESPN on Monday.  —  Minor, 29, is 44-42 with a 3.93 ERA over six seasons with the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals.
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers re-sign Tony Barnette, reportedly land reliever Mike Minor  —  As the Texas Rangers await word on if they will land Shohei Ohtani, they aren't just sitting still.  —  The Rangers re-signed right-handed reliever Tony Barnette on a one-year, $1.5 million contract and reportedly have inked left-handed free-agent Mike Minor.
Alex Pavlovic / NBCSports.com:
Source: Giants one of first known finalists to meet with Shohei Ohtani  —  SAN FRANCISCO — As the Giants continued to wait for Giancarlo Stanton to make a decision, they switched gears for a few hours Monday and put the full-court press on their other offseason target.
Discussion: McCovey Chronicles and KNBR-AM
ESPN:
Breaking down the seven finalists in the race to sign Shohei Ohtani  —  The Shohei Ohtani Hot Stove League has taken a new twist as reports indicate he has narrowed his list of teams to seven: the Dodgers, Angels, Giants, Padres, Mariners, Rangers and Cubs.  Those seven teams have been invited …
Post Sports Desk / New York Post:
The Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes is down to seven
Discussion: SI.com, Gaslamp Ball and True Blue LA
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:   Detroit Tigers not a finalist for Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Shohei Ohtani Plans To Meet With Seven Teams
Andy McCullough / Los Angeles Times:   After ruling out several teams, Japanese star Shohei Ohtani expected to meet with Dodgers
John Harper / New York Daily News:
With manager and Otani situations resolved, Yankees are free to move forward with offseason plans  —  With Aaron Boone officially named on Monday as the new manager, confirming the Daily News report on Friday, and Shohei Otani no longer a consideration, the Yankees can move forward now in planning …
RELATED:
John Harper / New York Daily News:   Yankees finally know how other teams feel after Shohei Otani shockingly spurns the Bombers
Associated Press:
Tigers aren't tendering contract to reliever Bruce Rondon  —  DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Tigers are not tendering a contract to right-hander Bruce Rondon.  —  The team announced that decision Friday night.  Rondon was once considered a top candidate to be Detroit's closer …
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rangers Re-Sign Tony Barnette  —  The Rangers have agreed to re-sign righty Tony Barnette to a one-year deal, according a team announcement.  He'll receive a $1.5MM guarantee, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter).  —  Texas had previously declined a $4MM option on Barnette …
Discussion: Lone Star Ball and MLB Daily Dish
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Blue Jays Re-Sign Luis Santos To Minor League Deal  —  The Blue Jays announced Monday that they're re-signed righty Luis Santos to a minor league contract and invited him to Major League Spring Training.  —  The 26-year-old Santos (27 in February) made his Major League debut with the Jays …
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
With a compelling offer to Marlins, Cardinals await Stanton's decision  —  ST. LOUIS  • When the Cardinals began, in earnest, their role in the Stanton Saga their goal was to put together such a compelling offer for the Miami Marlins that the only thing between them and a bona fide …
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals are out of Ohtani sweepstakes, but remain in Stanton talks
Discussion: Washington Post
 
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