The Kansas City Royals have hired Mike Matheny as manager.

He is the 17th manager in franchise history.

Matheny, 49, managed the St. Louis Cardinals from 2012-18.

Despite losing this year's World Series to the Washington Nationals, the Houston Astros are early favorites to win it all next year.

At 4-1, the Astros are the favorites at Caesars Sportsbook to win the 2020 World Series, followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, who are each 5-1. The Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves are each 10-1.

The Nationals, who captured the franchise's first World Series, are 14-1 to win next year's title.

The San Francisco Giants are still looking for a manager following Bruce Bochy's retirement.

Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Bob Geren met with the club last week.

Gabe Kapler, who the Philadelphia Phillies let go, Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada and Kansas City Royals quality control coach Pedro Grifol are also under consideration, according to reports.

Giants coaches Ron Wotus and Hensley Meulens received interviews for the job, as did Oakland Athletics coach Mark Kotsay.

Stephen Strasburg made Major League history on Wednesday night.

Strasburg became the first No. 1 overall pick to be named MVP of the World Series.

The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the Fall Classic.

"He's been near and dear to my heart," Mike Rizzo said. "He's grown so much as a person and as a pitcher. When we first drafted him, he was a stuff guy, more of a thrower than a pitcher. Now, he's a complete pitcher, a pillar in our community and a leader on this ballclub -- a guy we lean on in critical situations."

The Nationals drafted Strasburg first overall in 2009.

Just as they did all season, the Washington Nationals stayed the course and rallied on Wednesday night.

The only difference was their latest win came in Game 7 of the World Series.

The Nationals trailed the Houston Astros through six innings, but scored three runs in the seventh and won 6-2 to make history. It's the first championship in franchise history and marked the first time in Major League history that the road team won all seven games.

Max Scherzer, who was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday, gritted through five innings. He allowed seven hits and had a baserunner in each inning, but allowed just two runs. Zack Greinke was brilliant for the Astros until the seventh. He allowed just two hits and issued two walks in 6 1/3 frames.

Yuli Gurriel got the scoring started with a solo home run in the second and Houston took a 2-0 lead when Carlos Correa singled to left in the fifth. Scherzer minimized the damage in the inning, keeping the Nationals within striking distance.

Anthony Rendon homered in the seventh and Howie Kendrick put Washington in front with a two-run blast to right.

The Nationals added insurance runs on an RBI single by Juan Soto in the eighth and a two-RBI single by Adam Eaton with the bases loaded in the ninth.

Houston had many chances to add runs in the early innings, but failed to capitalize. They went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.

Stephen Strasburg, who the Nationals shut down for the postseason earlier in his career, was named the World Series MVP.

Washington hit a low point in May when they dipped 12 games under .500, but they were able to secure one of the National League Wild Card bids.

Howie Kendrick and Anthony Rendon homered in the seventh inning as the Nationals overcame a two-run deficit, rocking the Houston Astros 6-2 Wednesday night to win the first title in franchise history.

With all eyes on Max Scherzer

The Houston Astros scored two runs off Stephen Strasburg in the first inning of Game 6 and the right-hander believes he may know why.

Strasburg said after the game, which the Washington Nationals won, that he believes he might have been tipping his pitches in the first inning.

"That's something that over the years you tend be a little more paranoid about it," he said. "Sometimes you do it, sometimes you don't. I just decided to switch it up a bit, and [it] seemed to work in my advantage."

Strasburg said he started shaking his glove so the Astros wouldn't know what he was throwing. He shut down Houston's offense over the next 7 1/3 innings.

"It's something that has burned me in the past, and it burned me there in the first," Strasburg said. "It's just a part of the game, and you gotta do your best to stay consistent in your delivery on each pitch."

The Minnesota Twins have exercised the $12 million option on Nelson Cruz's contract for next season.

Cruz, 39, and the Twins agreed to a $14 million deal for 2019 in January with a club option.

He hit a team-high 41 home runs and had 108 RBIs in 120 games.

The Washington Nationals endured a wild seventh inning and beat the Houston Astros 7-2 on Tuesday night to force a Game 7 in the World Series.

After a disputed call went against the Nationals in the seventh, Anthony Rendon hit a two-run home run off Will Harris. Davey Martinez, still upset over the missed call, was ejected by umpires during all the drama.

Stephen Strasburg lived up to the moment, pitching into the ninth. He struck out seven, walked two and allowed five hits. The only runs he allowed came in the first when Jose Altuve hit a sacrifice fly to score George Springer and Alex Bregman clubbed a solo home run.

Sean Doolittle relieved Strasburg and got the final two outs of the game.

Justin Verlander allowed three runs, including a pair of homers, in five innings. He had three strikeouts and as many walks.

Rendon finished the game with five RBI. In addition to his home run, he had an RBI single in the first and a two-run double in the ninth.

The Game 7 matchup is scheduled to be Max Scherzer and Zack Greinke. Scherzer was supposed to start Game 5, but was scratched because of an irritated nerve in his neck.

There is strong speculation that Gerrit Cole could head west in free agency this offseason.

Cole is from Southern California and will be the most coveted free agent on the market.

"I expect his contract to set records [for a pitcher]," Ken Rosenthal said on FOX's World Series Game 5 telecast. "Records in annual average value, which is currently held by Justin Verlander at $33 million, and record in total value, which is David Price at $217 million. He's going to shoot past both of those. He's going to be a free agent entering his age-29 season, and that's a really sweet spot for Major League teams."

In a column on Monday, Rosenthal stated that Cole and agent Scott Boras could seek the first-ever $300 million deal for a pitcher.