December 21

The Dodgers pull off a big trade with the Reds, sending four major leaguers – OFs Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, P Alex Wood and C Kyle Farmer, in return for P Homer Bailey and prospects Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs. The main purpose of the trade for L.A. appears to be to clear roster and salary space in order to sign free agent OF Bryce Harper, as they release Bailey immediately after acquiring him, buying off $28 million he is still owed on his contract.

The Associated Press reports that the average salary in the major leagues went down last season, for the first time since 2004, albeit by a very small amount, according to data provided by the Players Association. The typical player took home $4.095 million, down from $4.097 million the year before. The other times salaries had failed to rise were during collusion in the mid-1980s and after the devastating 1994 strike. In 2018, teams had been notably reticent to offer salaries to free agents, with a huge number being still unsigned when spring training opened and many forced to accept salaries below their previous market value.

In another big trade, the Rangers send utility player Jurickson Profar to Oakland in a three-team deal that also involves the Rays. P Emilio Pagan and five prospects also change uniforms in the deal, while Tampa obtains a supplemental 1st round pick in the 2019 amateur draft from Texas.

Tyler White is named Dominican League MVP, the first American to win since Eric Byrnes in 2001-2002. White hit .297/.421/.494 for the Estrellas Orientales, leading the league in homers, OBP, slugging, walks and runs and finishing second in RBI.

The Seattle Mariners hire Amanda Hopkins to be an area scout, covering the southwestern United States. A graduate of Major League Baseball’s scouting development school, she becomes the first full-time female scout since the 1950s.

2013 – OF Shin-Soo Choo signs a seven-year deal with Texas worth $130 million to be the team’s new leadoff hitter.

2012 – The Pirates sign P Francisco Liriano for two years at $14 million. However, the deal is not officially announced and rumors soon surface that Liriano has suffered a serious injury to his non-throwing arm, negating the purported deal.

The Padres acquire P Ryan Kelly from Texas for C Luis Martinez.

Four persons come out to accuse long-time Philadelphia, PA columnist and Spink Award winner Bill Conlin of having molested them when they were children. Conlin abruptly retires from the Philadelphia Daily News, while the BBWAA is criticized for issuing an initial statement that defends its long-time member without expressing any sympathy for the alleged victims.

The Royals sign lefty reliever Jose Mijares to a one-year deal, the Phillies add IF Hector Luna and OF Luis Montanez, but lose IF Carlos Rivero, claimed off waivers by the Nationals, while the Indians sign 3B Andy LaRoche.