In the middle innings of Saturday’s game in Tokyo, Evan Longoria got a message from back home in the United States that his baby boy was on the way, and he was able to watch the delivery on his cell phone.

Sporting a boot on his right foot and a cane in his left hand, Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano walked gingerly up the Tokyo Dome’s dugout steps. A night earlier, Cano had taken a Yuki Nishi pitch off his right pinkie toe, fracturing the bone and ending his time as an active player on Major League Baseball’s Japan All-Star Series.

Jerry Blevins and Hector Santiago received VIP treatment Sunday morning at Kabuki-za, one of Japan’s most famous theaters. There, they learned about the art of Kabuki, a traditional style of Japanese performance famous for its elaborate costumes and makeup.

Tommy Hunter has used his time during MLB’s trek to the Far East for the Japan All-Star Series as way to experience the culture of some of his current and former teammates.

The Arizona Fall League is known as baseball’s finishing school because it has graduated a ton of talent to the Major Leagues since it began play in 1992. Here are the development highlights from the AFL’s 23rd season for all 30 big league organizations.

Colorado prospects Ryan Casteel and Taylor Featherston were right in the middle of Salt River’s 14-7 victory over Peoria in the Arizona Fall League’s title game on Saturday, capping a momentous season that saw them both reach their highest level — the Double-A Texas League — and thrive there.

Arizona Fall League championships matter for everyone involved. They mean something to the players who have devoted the fall to refining their skills and doing everything possible to improve.

If the St. Louis Cardinals didn’t change a thing with their everyday lineup, how good would they be in 2015? Not many teams could even consider a question like that one. But the Cardinals are good enough to do just that. Spoiler alert. The Cardinals seem likely to make changes.

Eddie Rosario’s bounce back came quickly and at a perfect time. Rosario, who lost the batting title on the final day of the Arizona Fall League’s regular season, found a fitting consolation prize with a 4-for-5 performance in Saturday’s title game. The Twins’ No. 10 prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com, homered in the first inning and delivered three more hits in a 14-7 win over Peoria.

The Arizona Fall League named Yankees first baseman Greg Bird the winner of its Joe Black MVP Award, honoring him before Saturday’s championship game between the Peoria Javelinas and Salt River Rafters.

Mariners prospect Patrick Kivlehan was honored with the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, which is annually distributed to the Arizona Fall League player who best exemplifies teamwork and leadership.

Rays relief pitcher Jeff Beliveau was removed with one out in the eighth inning of his Japan All-Star Series outing against Samurai Japan on Saturday at the Tokyo Dome with a mild left lat strain.

On Saturday the Rays interviewed the final of 10 announced managerial candidates when they talked to Barry Larkin, whose only managing experience came in 2013 when he guided the Brazilian team in the World Baseball Classic.

Cuban teenage prospect Yoan Moncada has been declared a free agent by Major League Baseball, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez.

Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano suffered a broken right pinkie toe when he was hit by a Yuki Nishi pitch during the seventh inning of Saturday’s All-Star Series Game against Samurai Japan. He will miss the remainder of the Japan Series.

This year’s free-agent class is loaded with quality pitchers, both top-of-the-rotation starters and quality high-end relievers. Here’s a ranking of the top nine free-agent pitchers, as well as predictions of what their next contracts will look like and where they are most likely to end up.

Whether it was saying goodbye to team icons like Derek Jeter and Paul Konerko and a change-maker like Bud Selig, or hello to a new World Series contender like the Royals, there was no shortage of compelling storylines to keep fans enthralled from the first pitch of the season to the last.