Reds closer Iglesias agrees to $24,125,000, 3-year deal  —  CINCINNATI (AP) — Reds closer Raisel Iglesias agreed Wednesday to a three-year contract guaranteeing $24,125,000, a deal that avoided arbitration.  —  Iglesias reached a $27 million, seven-year agreement in 2014 that allowed …

Marlins LHP Dillon Peters traded to Angels for minor league pitcher  —  MIAMI — Miami Marlins left-hander Dillon Peters has been traded to the Los Angeles Angels for minor league right-handed reliever Tyler Stevens.  —  The trade was announced Wednesday.  —  The 26-year-old Peters had been designated for assignment by Miami.

Yankees acquire OF Tim Locastro from Dodgers for minor leaguer  —  NEW YORK — Outfielder Tim Locastro was acquired by the New York Yankees from the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor league right-hander Drew Finley and $75,000.  —  The 26-year-old Locastro made his big league debut with the Dodgers in 2017 …

Former NASA engineer Sig Mejdal leaves Astros for Orioles  —  BALTIMORE — New Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias called upon a familiar face to help rebuild the club, hiring former NASA engineer Sig Mejdal from the Houston Astros to be assistant general manager for analytics.

Tipsheet: Cubs chaos continues as pitching coach Hickey departs  —  Say, what's going on with the Chicago Cubs?  —  Manager Joe Maddon is entering the final year of his five-year contract — and he is not getting an extension, despite his 387-261 record in the Windy City.

Shohei Ohtani says right elbow surgery was ‘necessary,’ reflects on rookie year  —  TOKYO — Shohei Ohtani says it didn't take him long to realize he was competing at a much higher level during his first season in Major League Baseball.  —  Ohtani returned to Japan and held a news conference Thursday …

2018 Rule 5 Preview V 1.0  —  Now that the deadline has passed for players to be protected for the 2018 Rule 5 draft, we're diving in.  —  We will have many additions over the next few weeks in the lead up to Dec. 13's Rule 5 draft, but here is a first pass at five players who are notable candidates to be picked in the Rule 5.

Manny Machado clarifies controversial ‘Johnny Hustle’ comment  —  After a tumultuous postseason, Manny Machado is doing his best to answer lingering questions that hang over his free agency.  —  Machado was criticized during the National League Championship Series for not running out a ground ball …

Longtime Rays minor-league coach/manager Bill Evers joins Rocco Baldelli's Twins staff  —  Bill Evers, a member of the Rays staff since their 1996 launch of minor-league teams, is leaving to join new manager Rocco Baldelli in Minnesota.  —  Evers, 64, was hired Wednesday as the final member …

After years of watching over others, Dodgers' ‘mother’ learns others also have her back  —  The game had finished late, extra innings, the column needed rewriting, and I was hustling through the Dodger Stadium press dining room, headed outside to my cluttered laptop and impossible deadline.

Mets “Seriously Considering” Noah Syndergaard Trade Scenarios  —  The Mets are “seriously considering” trade scenarios for high-end righty Noah Syndergaard, according to Jon Heyman of Fancred (via Twitter).  Per the report, at least six rival organizations are “real players” for the high-octane starter.

Yankees trading for James Paxton was no-brainer as price was right, but there are plenty of red flags  —  Before we get into why the Yankees' trade for Seattle ace James Paxton was really a no-brainer, it is at least worth acknowledging all the red flags with this deal that may ultimately render …