The Marlins announced that they have signed All-Star second baseman Dee Gordon to a five-year contract. The deal is reported to be worth $50 million, buying out Gordon’s three years of arbitration and two years of free agency, and it includes a $14 million vesting option for 2021.

Four days after he joined Blues hockey chairman Tom Stillman on the ice for a ceremonial puck drop, Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III said he felt it important to show solidarity between the city’s two remaining professional sports franchises.

The Rangers announced the signing of free-agent pitcher Colby Lewis on Monday. Lewis agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract with the Rangers last month, but the agreement was pending a physical.

If there was any doubt about Royals ownership’s commitment to getting back to the World Series for a third straight season, look no further than the recent signings of left fielder Alex Gordon, right-hander Ian Kennedy and center fielder Lorenzo Cain.

Outfielder Nick Williams reflects on the 2015 trade that sent him from the Rangers to the Phillies, and the 22-year-old prospect is hoping to turn an invitation to Spring Training into a call to the Majors this year.

With the passing of Monte Irvin last week, there are 126 Negro League players — including Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Don Newcombe — who are still alive. A few days before Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, MLB.com caught up with museum president Bob Kendrick and talked about Irvin’s passing and keeping the Negro League legacy alive.

Mets pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in 31 days, and manager Terry Collins said he’s already getting ready for it.

Friends don’t let friends dream small.

The White Sox and Tigers have gotten better, possibly way better. The Indians and Twins have made impactful additions. And that other team in the American League Central just won the World Series. Welcome to baseball’s most competitive race.

Every team has weak links. Here is how several have addressed them this offseason.

One of the top free agents remaining, Yoenis Cespedes, was the biggest story in baseball Sunday, with reports indicating the 30-year-old outfielder could be nearing a decision on his next team. While Cespedes dominated the headlines, other rumors of potential transactions were simmering on the Hot Stove. Here’s a look at the latest developments from around the big leagues.

Top prospect Alex Reyes issued a public apology on Sunday for a positive marijuana test that will force him to miss the first six weeks of the 2016 season.

Major League Baseball has created several initiatives in recent seasons to forge a stronger connection to the community, and those efforts are making a mark. The MLB Urban Youth Academies are flourishing, and last season’s Play Ball event brought thousands of kids closer to the sport.

The days are counting down to Spring Training. The blue chips of free agency are coming off the board, piece by piece. But as we get closer and closer to pitchers and catchers reporting (less than a month!), the urgency of roster completion only gets more intense. In other words, there’s still plenty of heat on that stove.

Mirror, mirror on this kid’s head.

Though the Hot Stove season is predicated upon the excitement of clubs adding new talent from the free-agent or trade markets, don’t forget about the looming additions from an altogether different sort of player pool: the disabled list.

Lawrie. Brett Lawrie.