The Red Sox are “close to finalizing” a one-year, $15 million contract extension with slugger David Ortiz, two big league sources confirmed to MLB.com on Friday.

In just two full seasons, Mike Trout has established himself as the best all-around player in the game. However, for all of his talent, Trout has not been able to lead the Angels to the postseason.

With Jose Iglesias out, the Tigers are hoping Hernan Perez, Eugenio Suarez or Danny Worth will step up to fill the void. But until it becomes clear who will play short, Detroit’s new second baseman will have to wait for the second half of the club’s double-play duo to emerge.

Want to watch the Dodgers and D-backs open the 2014 in Australia and yet not have your sleep schedule thrown out of whack for the week? Follow the advice of a sleep specialist and you should be good to go.

Brian Butterfield’s title doesn’t do him justice. In the minds of nearly everybody who works with him, he is the best at what he does.

While revealing that Chris Owings will start Saturday’s regular-season opener at shortstop, D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said the club still had some roster decisions to make before the Opening Series.

Baseball games are not too long. They’re just not. In fact, they’re probably close to perfect. And when it’s good, it’s really good. That may be how fans see it. They don’t want one of the things they enjoy the most to be hurried along. They love it just the way it is.

Top prospect Archie Bradley couldn’t get into a rhythm on Friday at the Sydney Cricket Ground as the D-backs lost to Team Australia, 5-0, on the eve of their regular-season opener against the Dodgers.

The quest for Major League Baseball’s 110th World Series opens on Saturday in Sydney, Australia, where the National League West rival Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers lift the lid on the Opening Series at the hallowed Sydney Cricket Ground.

D-backs reliever Brad Ziegler’s spring numbers have been poor, but that’s not a cause for concern, as the righty has used the exhibition season to work on his secondary pitches and is confident he’ll be as reliable as ever when the season opens this weekend in Australia.

Tommy Lasorda’s 2000 gold medal in Sydney was just another example of the rich history that the Dodgers have in international baseball, which is on display again as they prepare for Opening Series 2014 in historic Sydney Cricket Ground.

Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner appeared more than ready for his Opening Night start March 31. Making his fourth outing of the Cactus League season Thursday night, Bumgarner fanned nine over seven scoreless innings against the Padres.

Injuries, trades and other factors have led to the shortstop market being one of the more intriguing storylines as the regular season nears.

Manny Machado has been dealing with some discomfort-causing scar tissue and has been unable to run the past week, and he will need to continue to progress and begin running again before being cleared to play.

A day after being named the Opening Day starter, Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg pitched five shutout innings and struck out five in an 8-1 victory over the Tigers at Space Coast Stadium.

The Giants will have Matt Cain take the mound Friday in a Minor League exhibition rather than have him wait for the night game against the A’s. Instead, Yusmeiro Petit will make the start against Oakland.

There was a thought that Grady Sizemore was signed to push Jackie Bradley Jr. But anyone who felt this situation was as simple as that didn’t understand how hard Sizemore was willing to push himself. He’s been doing it for years, as much as anyone in baseball, and it looks like that work is about to pay off.