Bullpen help remains a priority for Cubs despite their pursuit of Shohei Ohtani  —  Will these Cubs players be back on the team next season?  —  Chicago Tribune  —  While the Cubs' pursuit of Shohei Ohtani intensifies, the need for bullpen help is just as great and perhaps more urgent for the team.

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 …

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.

How are the Cubs still in the running for Shohei Ohtani?  —  CHICAGO — How did the Chicago Cubs make it to the next round of talks with Japanese star Shohei Ohtani, but the New York Yankees are out of the equation?  It's a question the Yankees might be pondering, while the Cubs are undoubtedly pouncing on the opportunity.

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 …

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.