Umpire Doug Harvey, a veteran of 13 seasons in the National League and over 4,600 major league games, dies at age 87. Considered by many as the best umpire ever and nicknamed “God” for his infallibility, he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Astros complete a deal with the Pirates that had been rumored to be in the works for weeks, acquiring ace P Gerrit Cole in return for four players: Michael Feliz, Jason Martin, Colin Moran and Joe Musgrove. The Yankees were also rumored to be in the hunt for Cole, but it’s the defending World Series champions who land the prize catch.

2018 – The Blue Jays sign 3B Josh Donaldson to one-year deal worth $23 million. It is the largest salary ever given to a player eligible for salary arbitration, besting the $21.6 million given to Bryce Harper by the Nationals last May. Donaldson’s is not the only record-setting deal signed today: the Cubs offer 3B Kris Bryant $10.85 million, the most ever for a player eligible for arbitration for the first time. Other major deals involve NL batting champion Charlie Blackmon, who re-signs with the Rockies for $14 million, and 3B Manny Machado and Zach Britton who agree to contracts worth $16 million and $12 million respectively with the Orioles.

2018 – OF Jay Bruce agrees to a three-year contract worth $39 million to return to the Mets. Last year, Bruce played in the Big Apple until August, when he was dealt to Cleveland and helped the team achieve its record-setting 22-game winning streak. He hit 36 homers and drove in 101 runs between the two stops.