At the time, signing Alejandro De Aza to a one-year deal seemed to signal the end of the Mets’ tepid pursuit of Yoenis Cespedes. De Aza gave the Mets a versatile platoon partner for Juan Lagares, leaving the club in search of nothing more than a right-handed bench bat.

MLB.com fantasy guru Fred Zinkie fielded questions from fans during a live Twitter chat at @Fantasy411 on Tuesday. Check out the chat transcript below and check out the @Fantasy411 Twitter handle and MLB.com’s fantasy home. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity.

As the 2016 Reds assembled on Tuesday’s full-squad report day and workout, first baseman Joey Votto knew that this Spring Training was unique and a degree of strange.

On Tuesday, 27-year-old right-hander Kenta Maeda threw 40 pitches to catcher A.J. Ellis in his second official bullpen session since signing an eight-year contract in January. On Sunday, he threw 39 pitches to Yasmani Grandal.

Maybe the coolest thing about these Chicago Cubs is that they understand — and embrace — that they’ve got a chance to be part of something special.

Ryan Howard made the points he wanted to make Tuesday at Bright House Field. He said the past is in the past. But, frankly, he feels disrespected that arguably the greatest first baseman in franchise history — a National League MVP and World Series champion — has been criticized so harshly recently.

Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens joined Astros camp for three days beginning on Tuesday, taking time to talk to some the pitchers and assisting pitching coach Brent Strom in his morning meetings.

Ah, so that’s the going rate.

After Addison Russell and Ben Zobrist took batting practice on Monday, the two Cubs infielders did some fielding drills, turning double plays for the first time together, and it was good.

Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman believes that he has been portrayed unfairly in media reports as Major League Baseball considers potential discipline for his involvement in an Oct. 30 domestic incident.

For about five minutes Tuesday at Tradition Field, workouts ground to a halt. It began with a few starting pitchers, wandering over and signing autographs. Then manager Terry Collins called over nearly the entire staff for a group picture with 14-year-old Ryan Williams, who is six months removed from a heart transplant.

Ryan Zimmerman wanted to talk to manager Dusty Baker Tuesday about the offseason report from Al Jazeera that accused Zimmerman of using performance enhancing drugs, an allegation Zimmerman denied.

Now that everyone expects the Astros to win and they’re no longer a team on the rise or a club that could surprise, the message delivered by owner Jim Crane, general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch on Tuesday was one of avoiding complacency.

It was like an intrasquad game Tuesday. Distraction was playing against optimism at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, the Spring Training home of the Toronto Blue Jays. Distraction had a big day, no question about it. But over the long term, with the defending champions of the American League East, optimism is a heavy favorite to prevail.

Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson never has considered himself a backup. But now, this will be his first Spring Training in which he’ll actually have a chance to prove that.

Once the Braves find some locker space for Jeff Francoeur within a Spring Training clubhouse that has already surpassed capacity, they will get a chance to see whether his return to the organization proves to be more than just a feel-good story with a short shelf life.

Sounding nostalgic at times and determined at others during a near 35-minute news conference on Tuesday, Red Sox slugger David Ortiz expressed his thoughts on what he hopes will be a fulfilling final season in the Major Leagues.