Lowdown: Trading Thor?  —  Follow @djshort and @Rotoworld_BB on Twitter.  —  Despite back-to-back losing seasons, the Mets think they can contend next season.  And with the quality of the top of their starting rotation, it's understandable why they think there's a path.

What does the Nationals' outeld look like without Bryce Harper?  Good and cheap.  —  The Washington Post  —  It may be hard to imagine the Washington Nationals without Bryce Harper, without his power and presence in the middle of the lineup, without the edge, and relevancy …

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 …

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 …

Trade/Free Agent Rumors: Segura, Diaz, Greinke, Happ  —  The Phillies are expected to be one of the offseason's busiest teams, and thus it's no surprise they're heavily featured in this latest roundup of hot stove news from MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi.  Some highlights...

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 …

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.

Canadian scientist names beetle after former Blue Jays star Jose Bautista  —  OTTAWA, Ontario — Jose Bautista has a new namesake buzzing around.  —  Entomologist Bob Anderson of the Canadian Museum of Nature has dubbed a newly discovered species of beetle Sicoderus bautistai after the former Toronto Blue Jays star.

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.

Mets dive back into trade talks for Indians catcher Yan Gomes … The Mets need catching help and the Indians are listening on just about all of their veteran players, including Yan Gomes.  —  The two sides have discussed the catcher before, with manager Mickey Callaway a fan …

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.