Starting on Tuesday, the Red Sox can start negotiating with free agents on other teams. And that could include a pitcher the Red Sox are extremely familiar with in lefty Jon Lester, the man they traded to the Oakland Athletics for Yoenis Cespedes back in July.

The Red Sox announced on Thursday that they signed reliever Koji Uehara to a two-year contract through the 2016 season. Sources say the deal is worth $18 million.

The Orioles have exercised their 2015 club options on pitchers Wei-Yin Chen and Darren O’Day, and they declined the options of right fielder Nick Markakis and catcher Nick Hundley.

The Angels retained a big piece of their bullpen Thursday, picking up their $7 million option on closer Huston Street.

Dan Haren surprised nobody on Thursday, picking up his $10 million player option for 2015, and he will return to the Dodgers’ starting rotation.

More than a few Game 7s have lacked the tension, distinction and splendor that legendary penultimate games provided. And then the Giants and Royals struck a mighty blow for Game 7s Wednesday night, reclaiming for the final scheduled game a sense of supremacy.

The A’s have promoted from within to fill out their 2015 coaching staff. Notably, Darren Bush has been chosen to replace Chili Davis as hitting coach after serving as the club’s bullpen coach the past two seasons.

The Cubs declined their 2015 club option on Kyuji Fujikawa Thursday, making the right-handed reliever a free agent.

On the day after Madison Bumgarner dispatched the Royals with five more shutout innings, manager Ned Yost had a story about the Giants’ Most Valuable Player of the World Series.

Hisashi Iwakuma had his $7 million contract option for the 2015 season vested by the Mariners on Thursday, as expected, meaning the standout right-hander will return for his fourth season with the club next year.

The Arizona Fall League announced Wednesday six players have been added to the rosters for Saturday’s Fall Stars Game, including Scottsdale first baseman Greg Bird, the circuit’s home run leader and Yankees’ No. 11 prospect, and Peoria shortstop Raul Mondesi, the Royals’ top prospect.

Less than 24 hours after the final out of Game 7, representatives of the Hall of Fame were on their way back to Cooperstown with many of the iconic items of the 2014 World Series, including caps worn by Madison Bumgarner, Bruce Bochy and Yordano Ventura, and Buster Posey’s champagne-soaked jersey.

In what was merely a formality, the Cardinals exercised their team option on right-handed starter John Lackey for 2015. The organization’s decision to retain Lackey for another season was never in question.

As expected, the Nationals picked up Denard Span’s $9 million option on Thursday afternoon.

Barely 12 hours had passed since the Royals’ first postseason team since 1985 had absorbed a tough 3-2 loss to the Giants in World Series Game 7. But an estimated 15,000 fans piled into Kauffman Stadium on Thursday morning to say thanks to the Royals. Mostly, though, the team thanked the fans.

There was no way Pablo Sandoval was going to talk much about his impending free agency. Not when the champagne was still spraying, and the music was blaring. Sandoval recorded the last out of the World Series when he caught Salvador Perez’s foul pop up. Would it be his final play in a Giants uniform? You’ll have to stay tuned.

Nine former players and one executive make up the 10-person National Baseball Hall of Fame Golden Era ballot, which will be voted on Dec. 8 at the Winter Meetings in San Diego.