A busy off-season continues with a number of trades and signings. The Padres acquire their third starting outfielder in a few days, landing Justin Upton from the Braves for four prospects, and also obtain 3B Will Middlebrooks from Boston, giving up catcher Ryan Hanigan, who has been with the team for less than a week. The Marlins also continue to be active, as they get OF/IF Martin Prado and P David Phelps from the Yankees for P Nate Eovaldi, 1B Garrett Jones and prospect Domingo German and also send 3B Casey McGehee to San Francisco for a couple of minor leaguers. The Dodgers complete their rumored deal for Jimmy Rollins, sending a couple of pitchers to Philadelphia to obtain the Phillies’ long-time shortstop. In free agent signings, the Royals ink OF Alex Rios for one year at $11 million and the Cubs add back-up C David Ross.

The Dodgers end the Yankees’ fifteen-year streak of owning Major League Baseball’s biggest payroll. When the luxury tax calculations are in for the year, the Dodgers owe $26.6 million, based on a payroll of $257 million. The Yankees also need to pay the tax levied on payrolls above $189 million, and their bill is $18.3 million, down from $28 million in 2013.

2014 – The Athletics continue to shed All-Star players, today trading C Derek Norris and P Seth Streich to the Padres in return for Ps Jesse Hahn and R.J. Alvarez.

The Dodgers sign free agent P Brandon McCarthy to a four-year deal worth $48 million. McCarthy had an excellent second half after being traded from the Diamondbacks to the Yankees in mid-year, leading to the big deal. The decision is even more costly for the Dodgers as they decide to release Brian Wilson to make room on the roster, swallowing the $9.5 million they owe him for the upcoming season.

The Rays trade OF Matt Joyce to the Angels for P Kevin Jepsen.

The Cubs and Jon Lester have terms on $155 million contract that will keep the 30 year-old southpaw in Chicago for the next six years. The deal, which includes a record $30 million dollar signing bonus, makes the former Red Sox and A’s ace the second highest-paid by pitcher in baseball history, behind only Clayton Kershaw, who inked a $30.7 million pact with the Dodgers.

2014 – The Yankees re-sign 3B Chase Headley, acquired in a mid-season trade, to a four-year contract worth $52 million. The deal means that Alex Rodriguez, who is scheduled to be back with the team in 2015 after a one-year suspension due to his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal, is being looked at strictly as a designated hitter.

“Mr. Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life either by an honest acceptance by him of his wrongdoing, so clearly established by the Dowd Report, or by a rigorous, self-aware and sustained program of avoidance by him of the circumstances that led to his permanent eligibility in 1989. Absent such credible evidence, allowing him to work in the game presents an unacceptable risk of a future violation by him of Rule 21, and thus to the integrity of our sport. I, therefore, must reject Mr. Rose’s application for reinstatement.”- COMMISSIONER MANFRED, stating his case for the denial of Pete Rose’s reinstatement. In one of his first major actions since becoming commissioner, Rob Manfred denies Pete Rose’s application for reinstatement to baseball, citing a reversal of the lifetime ban would risk the sport’s integrity. The four-page decision concludes the career hits leader had continued to gamble legally on horse racing and professional sports, including baseball, disregarding all the circumstances which led to his permanent ineligibility in 1989.

The White Sox continue their very active off-season, signing free agent OF Melky Cabrera to a three-year deal rumored to be worth $42 million.