Bryce Harper, Manny Machado headline 2018 free agency  —  When he signed a $93-million, three-year contract extension with the Dodgers on Friday, Clayton Kershaw opted not to test a free-agent market headlined by a pair of younger generational talents in Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.

Why Mookie Betts is the perfect player, and other fun stats  —  Before there was Baseball-Reference.com, there was “The Bill James Handbook,” the annual statistical compilation of the baseball season.  The “Handbook” still exists, and it's still wonderful — 600 pages of stats and essays and delightful nuggets of information.

Alex Cora brings World Series trophy to Puerto Rico  —  CAGUAS, Puerto Rico — Hundreds of arms stretched into the sky in the hometown of Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora on Saturday, as fans took pictures and video of the first man from Puerto Rico to lead a team to a World Series championship.

Reds mourn death of pitcher Jairo Capellan after crash in Dominican  —  CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds say pitcher Jairo Capellan was killed and two other minor leagues players were injured in a car accident Saturday morning in the Dominican Republic.  —  Dick Williams, the Reds' president …

Mets cut Rafael Montero, once considered an ace of the future  —  Once considered a future ace of the franchise, Rafael Montero was cut by the Mets Friday.  The right-hander, who had surgery in the spring, ended up pitching in just 58 major league games for the Mets.

Multi-talented Daulton Varsho could be Diamondbacks' catcher of the future  —  Diamondbacks prospect Daulton Varsho has a short, stocky build, a compact swing from the left side, more power than expected and enough speed that some scouts think he could one day steal 20 bases in the big leagues.

Cubs prospect Nico Hoerner singles in West's 7-6 comeback victory in AFL Fall Stars Game  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Cubs prospect Nico Hoerner went 1-for-2, and his West team rallied with two runs in the ninth for a 7-6 victory in the AFL Fall Stars Game at Surprise Stadium in Arizona.

A dozen starting pitchers for the Rangers to consider this offseason: Could Garrett Richards be the perfect fit in Texas?  —  The Rangers are in a bind.  They desperately need pitching, particularly starting pitching, but it is almost certainly not going to make a significant difference in their 2019 chances.

Rays Tales: Laying out the agenda for a busy offseason  —  With offseason business officially starting following the end of the World Series, the Rays have plenty to do as always.  But with a bit of a different approach this year, as they have the bulk of their roster set …

Source: Orioles have interviewed seven candidates in first phase of search to replace Dan Duquette  —  Former Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington is among the candidates the Orioles have interviewed or plan to interview to replace Dan Duquette.  (Associated Press)