Former All-Star second baseman Jose Lopez, who spent seven seasons with Seattle before bouncing between Triple-A and the Majors the past two years, has signed a one-year deal with the Yomiuri Giants.

Originally scheduled to undergo a heart ablation before Christmas to correct the arrhythmias he has experienced throughout his career, Jon Niese instead opted against surgery.

Tampa Bay has announced several staffing changes to its international operations, pro scouting and amateur scouting departments.

The Red Sox will get a good look at their future starting Monday, as 11 of the organization’s top prospects are in town for the team’s Rookie Program, which runs all week.

The Blue Jays put the finishing touches on their Minor League coaching staffs for the 2013 season on Monday afternoon.

Though Justin Verlander made a bit of an argument, it would’ve been a shock if members of the Mayo Smith Society elected anyone other than Miguel Cabrera as their choice for the King Tiger award.

The Phillies have four fresh faces headed to Clearwater, Fla., for Spring Training next month. They still hope to find a fifth.

The East is still a beast, and the Central always keeps the heartland humming, but the West — until proven otherwise — is the best in the Major Leagues.

The 2012 season was one in which Reds catcher Ryan Hanigan emerged from the shadows to become more prominent than ever. It creates plenty of optimism for what he can do entering 2013.

Class will be in session for Dayan Viciedo and Tyler Flowers early next week, when White Sox hitting coach Jeff Manto makes a trip down the East Coast to Florida.

It has become increasingly likely that 19-year veteran Darren Oliver has played his last game for the Blue Jays, a scenario that would leave Toronto without its top left-handed, late-inning relief option.

Being able to tease about body fat and go through regular workouts this offseason has been a welcome respite for Alex Cobb, who had to proceed with caution following the 2011 season.

With five game scores of at least 91 in his career, James Shields is three short of matching Mike Mussina’s career total and stands as the active leader.

A potentially memorable Hall of Fame vote is one of only a few things expected to occur in the first full week of the year 2013.

To reel in free-agent slugger Nick Swisher, the Indians enlisted an impressive array of proven recruiters.

Aaron Loup, fellow reliever Brett Cecil, slugger Jose Bautista and Brian King, the Blue Jays strength and conditioning coordinator, took some time during the annual Blue Jays Winter Tour to speak to a group of 23 youth baseball players from Manitoba on Sunday afternoon.

Brewers catcher Martin Maldonado proved Sunday that you don’t have to be a veteran big leaguer to do big things in the community.