The last time we saw outfielder Colby Rasmus, he was standing at his locker following the Astros’ loss to the Royals in the American League Division Series and talking about disappearing into the woods to do some hunting and fishing in the offseason.

Astros pitcher Brad Peacock said he will come to spring camp 100 percent healthy, and he expects to compete for a job in the starting rotation after undergoing surgery last year to remove bone spurs in his back to alleviate pressure on a pinched nerve.

D.C. sports teams, unite!

Their faces lit up when Astros outfielder Colby Rasmus or pitcher Brad Peacock would take a moment to chat or sign a baseball or take a picture. Small gestures carried big meaning for the Army veterans who are recovering from injuries suffered in battle and helped to take their minds off the daily challenges they face.

Leading up to Spring Training, the Angels will once again host “Moving Day” at Angel Stadium, a free event that includes autograph sessions, prizes and games. This year’s event will be held Thursday, Feb. 11, from noon-2 p.m. PT.

Next month, Travis Ishikawa will continue his series of fresh starts when he reports to Spring Training with the Mariners. Since his stretch of 10 consecutive seasons In the Giants’ system ended in 2011, he has played for six different organizations, including his repeat stint with San Francisco.

Many words have been written about Justin Upton’s agreement with the Tigers. His new teammate, left-hander Daniel Norris, summed up the mood with no words at all. All Norris needed, in fact, were exclamation points.

The Angels officially announced the signing of power reliever Al Alburquerque on Tuesday, designating first baseman Efren Navarro for assignment in order to create room on the 40-man roster.

Family obligations will keep Jonathan Lucroy, heretofore a perennial attendee and a Milwaukee fan favorite, away from the Jan. 31 Brewers On Deck event. But it is becoming more clear that Lucroy is interested in being traded.

A swarm of A’s players and coaches, among them ace Sonny Gray and fellow fan favorites Stephen Vogt and Josh Reddick, will be on hand Sunday for the team’s annual FanFest at the Coliseum and Oracle Arena.

With Spring Training just a bit more than four weeks away, it’s never too early to start debating the Royals’ batting order again. There’s one position not up for debate: Shortstop Alcides Escobar will again be the Royals’ leadoff hitter in 2016, manager Ned Yost told MLB.com by phone on Tuesday.

Last offseason, the Marlins locked up one of the game’s top power threats in Giancarlo Stanton with a mammoth 13-year, $325 million deal. This winter, they focused on another aspect of their offense, securing speedster Dee Gordon’s services for at least another five years.

Byron Buxton was caught off-guard when he heard the news that fellow center fielder Aaron Hicks was traded to the Yankees for catcher John Ryan Murphy in mid-November.

Washington’s Lucas Giolito and Pittsburgh’s Tyler Glasnow lead the list of the game’s Top 10 right-handed pitching prospects.

WARNING: Cute animal photos ahead.

Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish issued a statement through his representatives about Major League Baseball’s investigation into his brother Sho Darvish’s alleged gambling activities, saying he has never been involved.

Tigers owner Mike Ilitch said a month and a half ago that he didn’t care about the money, that he wanted the best players. General manager Al Avila told a Detroit radio station last month that a long-term deal with a top free-agent outfielder “would be pretty ugly” for the team’s payroll situation. If there was a balance to be found between the two, the structure of the Tigers’ agreement with Justin Upton might be in the ballpark.