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.

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.

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.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to pursue a trade with the Cleveland Indians for Francisco Lindor this offseason, according to sources.

The Dodgers are still formulating a plan for the offseason, but are said to be more willing to shake things up than in recent winters.

Corey Seager would become a trade candidate if talks heat up between the Dodgers and Indians.

Lindor is eligible for free agency after the 2021 season.

The Philadelphia Phillies are in need of a pitching coach and Bryan Price is a legitimate candidate.

Joe Girardi, who was revealed as manager on Monday, said the club has already conducted "a couple of interviews."

Price rejected the same position with the Arizona Diamondbacks and spoke with the Boston Red Sox as well, but they seem poised to hire Dave Bush.

After seeing a series of poor calls in Game 5 of the World Series, CC Sabathia said on ESPN that he's in favor of an electronic strike zone being implemented in the Major Leagues.

"Yeah, for sure," Sabathia said when asked if he supports automated-ball-strike system. "I mean, look at the reactions, [Ryan] Zimmerman not knowing if it's a ball or strike, [Gerrit] Cole on the last pitch not knowing if it's a ball or strike. We just want consistency and if you go to the electronic strike zone, we know if you throw it here, it's a strike, you throw it here, it's a ball. That's what we want every time out."

After the Washington Nationals lost Game 5 to the Houston Astros, Davey Martinez took the high road and opted not to criticize Lance Barksdale's performance.

New Cubs manager David Ross and team president Theo Epstein pushed back on the notion that Ross simply will be an extension of the front office after working as a special assistant in it over the past three years.

Ross is set out to be his own man.