After the MLB All-Stars break for a travel day on Thursday, touring the historic city of Kyoto on their way north to Tokyo, Hisashi Iwakuma will start against Samurai Japan in Game 2 of the All-Star Series (6 p.m. JT, 4 a.m. ET on MLB Network and MLB.TV).

Major League stars have exchanged hats with their opponents before their games in Japan as a show of respect and sportsmanship — complete with bows and handshakes.

As the only National League MVP finalist to lead his team to the postseason as a position player, Andrew McCutchen could win the award for a second straight season.

In his first outing since the American League Division Series, Angels starter Matt Shoemaker held the Japanese national team to two runs over five effective innings in the MLB All-Stars’ 2-0 loss in Game 1 of the Japan Series from the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan, on Wednesday.

Carlos Santana’s offense suffered while he was struggling to adapt to a new role as a third baseman and backup catcher, but when a concussion led to his return to first base in June, he turned his season around. He’s looking to build on that turnaround during the Japan All-Star Series.

After 162 regular-season games with the Royals and 15 more in the postseason, Alcides Escobar still wanted to play more baseball. So instead of resting in November, the Venezuelan native opted to take part in the Japan All-Star Series.

The Dodgers celebrated Veterans Day by welcoming about 300 veterans, active servicemen and women and their families to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

During his playing career, Matt Williams was given the nickname “The Big Marine.” He was old-school at its best. With a National League Manager of the Year Award in his first season at the helm in the Majors, he is one of the poster boys for the new-age manager.

The Nationals’ Matt Williams and the Orioles’ Buck Showalter were announced as the 2014 Manager of the Year Award winners, as chosen by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

While going from 51 victories to 70 is a significant step, it’s just part of a larger feel-good story. And so, the Astros, this team that has gone all in on a top-to-bottom reconstruction like few ever had, are starting to see a payoff.

The Tigers have won the American League Central each of the last four seasons. Whether they extend that streak in 2015 could depend partly on how they deal with the fact that three of their top players — Max Scherzer, Victor Martinez and Torii Hunter — are now free agents.

Catcher Miguel Montero’s name has surfaced in trade rumors this offseason, but whether the D-backs are simply listening or actively trying to trade him depends on what reports you believe. For the record, general manager Dave Stewart said that he is not “shopping” Montero.

There’s no question the Mariners are in the hunt for offensive help this offseason and general manager Jack Zduriencik acknowledged on Tuesday that his club will be looking into every available free agent, including the top names on the market.

Considering that power hitters are getting harder to find these days, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington seems almost amused by the outside perception that he is looking to trade Yoenis Cespedes.

The Padres have reportedly posted the highest bid for Korean free-agent pitcher Kwang-Hyun Kim, but his South Korean club may not accept the bid because the figure is lower than what it was hoping for.

Bochy established himself as a National League Manager of the Year finalist by setting the Giants on a regular-season path that inevitably led them to their third World Series title in five years.

The seventh-inning stretch at Koshien Stadium consisted of 26,946 fans whistling and screaming, launching thousands of pastel-colored balloons skyward. That spectacle, unlike anything in Major League ballparks, may not have helped a combined team of Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants pitch, catch or hit. But there was no denying the stadium came alive at that moment.