Wilmer Flores loved by fans, but Mets won't tender him a deal to stay  —  This time, Wilmer Flores truly is no longer a Met.  —  The Mets have non tendered beloved fan favorite Wilmer Flores, and he is now a free agent and can sign with another organization.

Brian Cashman: What will decide Patrick Corbin sweepstakes … STAMFORD, Conn. — The way Brian Cashman sees it, cotton and linen are thicker than blood.  —  Sure, the Yankees' general manager doesn't mind that Patrick Corbin, the free-agent left-hander who visited Yankee Stadium on Thursday …

Reds To Non-Tender Billy Hamilton  —  The Reds are planning to non-tender center fielder Billy Hamilton, reports C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic (via Twitter).  He'll become a free agent and will be eligible to sign with any team once the move is official.

Mariners acquire C Omar Narvaez from White Sox for P Alex Colome  —  The Seattle Mariners continued their cost-cutting Friday, sending reliever Alex Colome to the Chicago White Sox for catcher Omar Narvaez.  —  Colome has 96 saves in six seasons with Tampa Bay and Seattle …

Detroit Tigers could move on from catcher James McCann.  Here's why  —  Taking a look at what the Tigers' starting lineup and pitching rotation could look like to open the 2019 season.  Video by Anthony Fenech and Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press.  —  CONNECT

MLB's next big thing: What A's plan says about new ballparks  —  The refrain over much of America this month is that it has been a rough winter, except we haven't yet even gotten to winter.  It's actually been a harsh autumn, especially in November.  We're only a month removed …

One unidentified MLB player tests positive for banned stimulant  —  NEW YORK — One unidentified major league player tested positive for a banned stimulant in the year ending with the World Series.  —  Under the joint drug agreement between Major League Baseball and the players' association …

Cubs tender contract to Addison Russell amid 40-game domestic violence ban  —  CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs on Friday tendered a contract to suspended shortstop Addison Russell, who is eligible for arbitration.  —  Russell, 25, will miss the first month of the season after accepting …

Brewers Avoid Arbitration With Hernan Perez  —  The Brewers have settled on a 2019 salary with infielder Hernan Perez, per Jon Heyman of Fancred (via Twitter).  He'll earn $2.5MM, just a bit under the $2.7MM that MLBTR and contributor Matt Swartz had projected.

Strom Can't Stop Learning  —  Fired on the final day of Nationals spring training, and faced with few feasible opportunities to revive his coaching career, Brent Strom cleaned the scruffy dogs for his wife to groom inside her shop.  —  “You'll laugh,” he says now, “but my job was actually …

Cardinals sign reliever Beck to minor-league deal  —  The Cardinals have signed righthanded reliever Chris Beck, who spent this past season with the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets.  —  Beck, 28, who had one save and a 4.50 earned run average with the two clubs, was signed to a minor-league deal …

Cubs trade Tommy La Stella to Angels  —  CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs traded their best pinch hitter, infielder Tommy La Stella, to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday for a player to be named later or cash considerations.  —  The trade comes one day after the Cubs acquired versatile infielder Ronald Torreyes from the New York Yankees.