In an alternate universe, Ian Desmond is entering the third year of a seven-year, $107 million contract signed with the Washington Nationals before the start of the 2014 season. In the real universe, Desmond is a free agent, still searching for a place to call home after rejecting the $15.8 million qualifying offer from the Nats at the onset of this Hot Stove season.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore, as is his policy, is not confirming a report that the Royals have opened renegotiation talks with the representatives for catcher Salvador Perez.

Major League Baseball hopes to play its first regular-season games in London in 2017, Commissioner Rob Manfred said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The Rangers get pitcher Cole Hamels for a full season and they get designated hitter Prince Fielder another year removed from his neck surgery.

Don’t worry, you won’t lose any pieces.

Don’t worry, you won’t lose any pieces.

With pitchers and catchers less than a month from reporting, here are landing spots for 10 of the top players remaining on the market.

The rumor mill continued to churn on Monday, as a few free-agent pitchers appear to be nearing a decision on their 2016 destinations, and one Royals star could be primed for an extension.

MLB Network has captured the spirit of the Expos and their still-devoted following in its latest one-hour documentary, “The Colorful Montreal Expos,” which premieres Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET.

Best Friends Forever?

Wednesday is the deadline to sign up for one of the few remaining spots in next Monday’s Giants Napa Golf Outing, presented by Compadres Rio Grille and the Meritage Resort and Spa.

Several of the nation’s top Division II baseball teams will be on hand at Minute Maid Park from Feb. 5-7 for the fourth annual Houston Winter Invitational tournament.

With teams set to report for Spring Training in about a month, rosters for many clubs are beginning to come into focus. A number of interesting competitions seemingly await in the coming months.

He may in fact be a Viking.

The best thing, for Helton, two years into his retirement from Major League Baseball, is that his long-time friend Peyton Manning, even at the age of 39, has answered the critics.

Now, with Yoenis Cespedes and the rest of the top-of-the-market outfielders off the board, one of the most pressing remaining sources of curiosity in this Hot Stove season is where the switch-hitting Dexter Fowler will go.

You decide.