J.P. Ricciardi leaving Mets after eight seasons  —  NEW YORK — J.P. Ricciardi is leaving the New York Mets after eight seasons.  —  The Mets announced his decision Friday, a day after the end of the annual GM meetings and 11 days after hiring Brodie Van Wagenen to succeed Sandy Alderson as general manager.

Will the Yankees Pursue Bryce Harper?  — Sources inside the Yankees organization insist Bryce Harper is not in their plans.  Agent Scott Boras thinks he is.  So what's the answer?  —  Recently, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman indicated that he would like the team to stay under …

Cubs open to trading 3B Kris Bryant  —  Kris Bryant won the Rookie of the Year award in 2015, an MVP award the next season, and he will forever be remembered in Chicago for making the last play to clinch Game 7 of the Cubs' 2016 championship, grinning as he released the throw to first.

Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto not distracted by trade rumors  —  TOKYO — Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto isn't letting trade rumors become a distraction either at home or in Japan, where he is currently part of an MLB All-Star tour.  —  Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill …

Great-grandpa wins Massachusetts lottery by playing numbers of Boston Red Sox stars  —  A Boston Red Sox fan won the lottery this week by playing the jersey numbers of some of the team's best players.  —  Jim Aylward Jr. of Templeton, Massachusetts won a $100,000 prize in the state's …

Prospect Genesis Cabrera, a lefty, gets a winter look as power reliever  —  CARLSBAD, Calif.  • On the verge of being added to the 40-man roster so they don't lose him in the Rule 5 draft, prospect Genesis Cabrera is also getting familiar with a role in winter ball that the Cardinals …

NL West offseason preview: Will Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado be dealt?  —  With free agency underway, the offseason is going to pick up steam.  What are the big questions facing all 30 teams?  Next up is the NL West, in which the Dodgers are trying to figure out how to take that last step to a World Series title.

Joe Mauer will officially retire from baseball  —  The Twins first baseman played 15 seasons in Minnesota, but concussion issues cut short his career.  —  TEXT SIZE  —  Joe Mauer lined a vintage Joe Mauer hit, slicing a double to left field in his final at-bat, then saluting the roaring crowd …

Cleveland Indians SS Francisco Lindor and 3B Jose Ramirez earn American League Silver Slugger Awards  —  Ramirez and Lindor are the first Indians teammates to win back-to-back Silver Sluggers since Roberto Alomar and Manny Ramirez in 1999-2000.  —  Author: Dave “Dino” DeNatale

Last Slide  —  Mets young star Ahmed Rosario is putting his skills on display in Japan.  —  In Friday's game of the Japan All-Star Series, Rosario crushed a home run against Samurai Japan and was 3-for-4 in the game - falling a triple short of hitting for the cycle.  Samurai won the game on a walk-off home run, 7-6.

Yankees reach out to Mariners to check on the availability of lefty James Paxton  —  The Yankees quest to add starting pitching has reached Seattle, where GM Brian Cashman has inquired of the Mariners about the availability of 30-year-old left-hander James Paxton.

Carlos Zambrano, 37, is pitching in the Venezuelan winter league.  Next stop, MLB?  —  Big Z is pitching again for Navegantes del Magallanes in the Venezuelan winter league.  (Photo courtesy of Carlos Zambrano)  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Don't look now, but Carlos Zambrano is pitching again at the age of 37.

Nobody Wants Baseball's 30-Something Free Agents Anymore  —  This MLB offseason, star players searching for contracts like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are going to be fine.  But the majority of free agents in baseball this winter?  They might be in store for another long wait …

Report: Hunter Jones, son of former Red and ex-WLW host Tracy Jones, signs with Nationals  —  Hunter Jones, the son of former Cincinnati Reds player and ex-70 WLW host Tracy Jones, signed a minor-league deal with the Washington Nationals after hitting .301 this past season between Double …

25 players eligible for MLB arbitration as super 2s  —  Cincinnati outfielder Scott Schebler and Texas pitcher Matt Bush just missed the cutoff for salary arbitration eligibility, while Chicago Cubs pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. and Toronto pitcher Joe Biagini earned the final spots.