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As New York and Boston pull away, it could be time for the O's, Jays and Rays to admit they can't keep up -- and cash in on their biggest stars.

Finding someone willing to take on their third baseman's salary opened up possibilities for New York's next move, while San Diego bought a chance to improve its pitching staff.

The Yankees traded 3B Chase Headley, who is due $13 million in 2018, and reliever Bryan Mitchell to the Padres in exchange for outfielder Jabari Blash.

Brian Cashman will continue to be the GM of the Yankees, confirming that he's agreed to a new deal. Said owner Hal Steinbrenner: "I want him to stay."

Sheldon Ocker, who covered the Cleveland Indians from 1981 to 2013 for the Akron Beacon Journal in Ohio, has won the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.

By refusing to back down three years ago and again last week, the Marlins slugger set the stage for the Bronx Bombers to make a stunning deal.

Dale Scott, who saw maybe 1 million pitches from the field as a veteran MLB umpire, has decided to retire at 58.

Agent Scott Boras says he has sent a 75-page binder exclusively to MLB owners on behalf of Jake Arrieta, who hit the market alongside Yu Darvish as the most coveted free-agent starter this winter.

Giancarlo Stanton wasn't a match for the Red Sox, but they weren't thrilled to have him go to the Yankees, especially as they're still searching for a big bat in the middle of the lineup. J.D. Martinez and Eric Hosmer are still out there.

Veteran reliever Pat Neshek has agreed to a two-year contract with the Phillies worth between $16 million and $17 million, according to multiple reports.

Fittingly, Jack Morris reached the Hall of Fame in extra innings. Morris was elected to the Hall by its Modern Era Committee along with former Tigers teammate Alan Trammell, completing a joint journey from Motown to Cooperstown.

Right-handed reliever Chris Martin, who had a 1.12 ERA pitching in Japan the past two seasons, has agreed to a two-year contract with the Rangers, according to multiple reports.

Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell reiterated that ace Jimmy Nelson will not resume throwing until spring training and won't be ready for opening day as he comes back from a shoulder injury.

Marlins owner Derek Jeter scoffed at the notion that the Yankees got a sweetheart deal when they acquired National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton for Starlin Castro and two prospects..

Shohei Ohtani could be the most exciting player in baseball, but there are reasons for optimism and pessimism in fantasy ahead of his debut.

Giancarlo Stanton said he's glad to be with the up-and-coming Yankees after it became clear that Derek Jeter and the Marlins weren't going to add players to make the team better.

The MLB winter meetings are going strong in Orlando, and rumors are swirling across baseball. Here is what our writers are hearing today.

Tracy Stallard, the pitcher who gave up Roger Maris' record 61st home run in 1961, died Wednesday at age 80.

Japan's biggest star left tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars on the table to come to America two years early. That's the gravity of playing on the world's biggest stage, and with the world's greatest player.

A final New York Yankees scouting report on Derek Jeter sold for $102,000 on Sunday night.