The Boston Red Sox are one of the clubs that the Chicago White Sox have talked to about a potential Jose Abreu trade, according to a report.

When Abreu was an amateur free agent in 2013, the Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros were the biggest threats to the White Sox for the first baseman's services.

Abreu carries two more years of club control and is expected to make between $14 million and $20 million per season throughout the remainder of his current deal.

The Detroit Tigers have engaged in preliminary talks with Chris Tillman.

Detroit is in need of a fifth starter.

Tillman is coming off the least productive season of his career, but from 2013-16 he averaged 32 starts and 190 innings per season with a 3.91 ERA.

The Houston Astros will "surely attempt to trade" Mike Fiers before Friday's deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players, according to a report.

Fiers, 32, threw 153.1 innings in 2017, posting a 5.22 ERA, 146 strikeouts and 5.43 FIP. He surrendered 32 home runs.

Any team that acquires the right-hander would have his rights for the next two seasons.

The San Francisco Giants are heavily involved in trade talks with the Miami Marlins regarding Giancarlo Stanton, but the slugger's no-trade clause and massive contract complicate things.

If they can't land Stanton, Andrew McCutchen is among the other options for the Giants.

McCutchen is owed $14.5 million in the final year of his contract. He hit .279/.363/.486 (121 OPS+) with 28 home runs in 156 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season.

Giancarlo Stanton has a full no-trade clause, but the Miami Marlins aren't without leverage.

The club informed Stanton in October that if he refused to waive his no-trade clause, he would remain with the Marlins and the front office would look to trade off top players in order to reduce payroll, according to a pair of sources.

The expectation is that Stanton would prefer a trade to playing for a stripped down Marlins roster in 2018.

The Texas Rangers are confident about their chances to sign Shohei Ohtani this winter.

The club responded to Ohtani's agent and his request for more information from clubs interested in signing the two-way Japanese star.

"I feel very strongly about what we have to offer," Jon Daniels said.

Agent Nez Balelo sent the memo to all Major League teams before Thanksgiving, asking them to outline their evaluation of Ohtani as a player as well as their Minor League development and scouting philosophy, training and medical staff, Spring Training facilities and how the player will be able to assimilate into the team and the community.

The Boston Red Sox are "an extreme long shot" to acquire Giancarlo Stanton as things currently stand, according to a report.

The Marlins are said to want both a haul of prospects and for the acquiring team to take on a vast majority of the money Stanton is owed.

Stanton also controls the process with a full no-trade clause.

Shohei Ohtani may not be the only Japanese pitcher that comes over to Major League Baseball this offseason.

Kazuhisa Makita, 33, will also be made available via the posting system.

Makita recently converted from starter to reliever. He threw 62 2/3 innings with a 2.30 ERA and a 35/5 K/BB this past season for the Saitama Seibu Lions.

The market for Yu Darvish is taking shape with the winter meetings less than two weeks away.

There are six teams legitimately "in" on Darvish and there are "another handful that are staying close," according to a report.

The Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals have been linked to Darvish.

The New York Yankees will interview Carlos Beltran for their managerial opening.

Beltran would become the sixth candidate to interview for the job, joining Rob Thomson, Eric Wedge, Hensley Meulens, Aaron Boone and Chris Woodward.

Beltran retired following the Astros' World Series win.

Beltran played for the Yankees between 2014 and 2016.