The Indians continue to deal first basemen, one day after acquiring Carlos Santana and Jake Bauers in separate trades, as they send incumbent Yonder Alonso to the White Sox for OF Alex Call.

The last vacant managerial slot in the majors is filled as the Orioles, coming off the worst season in franchise history which led to the firing of both GM Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter, announce that the job will go to Brandon Hyde, bench coach of the Cubs.

First basemen are on the move at the winter meetings as Cleveland flips DH Edwin Encarnacion to Seattle in return for 1B Carlos Santana, then acquires 1B Jake Bauers from Tampa Bay for IF Yandy Diaz and prospect Cole Sulser.

The 2018 Rule V Draft is held to conclude the meetings. Richie Martin, a shortstop from the Athletics organization is the first of 13 players selected by a major league club, in his case the Orioles. However, the most intriguing selection is made by the Blue Jays, who pluck 18-year-old P Elvis Luciano from the Royals. While he has never pitched above Rookie-class, he is described as having electrifying stuff and was made a available in spite of his limited professional experience because of a contract loophole.

2018 – News from the winter meetings include free agent P Charlie Morton signing with the Rays for two years and $30 million, and a trade of players named Tanner, with Tanner Roark going from Washington to Cincinnati in return for Tanner Rainey.

During the annual winter meetings in Las Vegas, NV, the Phillies announce the signing of free agent OF Andrew McCutchen for three years and $50 million, while the Pirates trade P Ivan Nova to the White Sox in return for a minor leaguer and $500,000 in international bonus pool money. For their part, the Blue Jays decide to take a financial hit and dump the remainder of SS Troy Tulowitzki’s contract, worth $38 million, estimating that there is little chance that he will ever again be a productive player after missing all of 2018 with injuries and putting up a very sub-par season the year before.

Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg concedes that plans to build a new ballpark in the Ybor City neighborhood of Tampa, FL, announced with much fanfare a year ago and again last July, are dead in the water, as financing is not available, something Commissioner Rob Manfred had pointed out a day earlier. That means the team will play in outdated Tropicana Field at least until 2024. Sternberg says the team is “down to its last strike” as time is running out to find a solution to the ballpark issues that have plagued the Rays since their inception.

2018 – José Castillo, 38, and Luis Valbuena, 33, are both killed in a car crash in their native Venezuela as they are driving home from a winter league game with the Cardenales de Lara. Their car, driven by teammate Carlos Rivero, who survives the accident, apparently hit a rock on the road, placed by bandits who then robbed the passengers.

2018 – The Cardinals acquire 1B Paul Goldschmidt from Arizona for a package of young players that includes C Carson Kelly, P Luke Weaver, IF Andy Young and a Compensation Round B pick in the 2019 amateur draft.