But the big-money deals that go south aren’t the only types of contract situations that create big problems. Sometimes, lack of years is as big of an issue as number of years on a deal, and we’re going to look at all of those things with this series. These are the contract situations that keep general managers and team presidents — or whatever the official title happens to be for the decision makers — up at night....

No, these are big names who have produced seasons — so far, let’s point out — that have not been even close to deserving of spots in the All-Star game. It’s not a list of the worst players in the sport, but more of a look at seven of the more disappointing seasons so far. MORE: Watch ‘ChangeUp,’ a new MLB live whiparound show on DAZN These guys reside — for the first half of 2019, at least — at the intersection of lofty expectations and disappointing production, if that makes sense....

Seattle has pieces to deal, starting with top prospect Taijuan Walker, though he’ll only be moved in a blockbuster-type deal. Outfielder Dustin Ackley has, again, failed to live up to expectations and could be seen as a change-of-scenery candidate. Infielder Nick Franklin lost his second-base job when the Mariners signed Robinson Cano in the offseason, but he’s hitting .294 at Triple-A Tacoma. Here’s a quick look at some of the rumors attached to the Mariners … David Price and Ben Zobrist, Rays....

THE RUMOR: The Braves are “deep” in talks with an unidentified National League West team about a possible trade involving shortstop Andrelton Simmons. MORE: Ten National League stars that could be dealt this season REPORTED BY: ESPN’s Jonah Keri LAST SEASON: Simmons sported a .265/.321/.338 slash line with four home runs and 44 RBIs. His offense hasn’t quite caught up to his sterling defense, but he’s an above-average shortstop in both respects at this stage in his career....

It’s possible because both teams had scouts in attendance for Detroit’s game against Toronto on Friday, according to MLB.com. Now before we go further we must say every team scouts every other team no matter what, so having scouts in attendance isn’t necessarily a big deal. At the same time, the game Saturday featured Marcus Stroman and Matthew Boyd pitching as well. The Braves are almost undoubtedly looking at some pitching help and the Cubs could be thinking about making a move themselves, but that is not quite as likely....

“We’ve made a lot of calls, done a lot of scouting,” Colletti said. “When you make a deal you have to feel you’re getting someone better than what you have. There’s a limited pool and less opportunity to do something.” Colletti tamped down speculation that the Dodgers are trying to trade right fielder Matt Kemp, who has three homers in his last two games. “Nobody has heard me say we’re trading Matt Kemp,” he said....

Yeah, it has been a while (1999, to be exact). MORE: MLB playoff odds, predictions The Cardinals missed October in 2016 and 2017, and the 2018 season is heading in a similar direction. The same fielding errors, baserunning gaffes and managing mistakes that torpedoed the previous two seasons kept this year’s team anchored near the .500 mark, and skipper Mike Matheny was let go with one game remaining before the All-Star break....

OUR TAKE: The Yankees will be fine without Chapman, as Miller (1.45 ERA) and Dellin Betances (2.57 ERA) will still hold down the New York bullpen as they try to stay in the hunt for the wild-card spot. With the uncertainty of Chapman’s future plans, it’s best to part ways and try to bring in as big of a prospect haul as possible for the left-hander, who has been at the top of his game of late, hitting 105 mph on the gun and not allowing a run since June 27....

The club is deep into trade talks with the Brewers, Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan reported early Friday. It’s not known who would be headed to the Phillies. Passan also reported that it’s not known if the Brewers are on Papelbon’s no-trade list. Papelbon can block trades to 17 clubs. MORE: New faces, new places | Sandberg criticizes clubhouse atmosphere | Amaro says Hamels may be staying Milwaukee is seeking a bullpen upgrade, and the 34-year-old Papelbon represents that....

Cespedes, acquired from the A’s in July in the blockbuster Jon Lester deal, is eligible for free agency after the 2015 season and has indicated he may not be interested in talking to Boston about a long-term deal. He is owed $10.2 million in 2015. “Couple that with his desire not to play right field or work on his defense, and that could make him a trade candidate as the Red Sox try to pare their outfield depth and possibly make room for Mookie Betts or add a lefthanded hitter,” Cafardo reports....

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the 27-year-old backstop could come up in trade talks this winter. Contreras is coming off the best offensive season of his career, belting 24 home runs with a 125 OPS+ in 105 games this season. He also dealt with a hamstring inury in August that caused him to miss a month. Contreras’ contract situation could also be appealing to teams. He’s arbitration eligible through the 2022 season, with free agency coming following that year....

RUMOR: The Diamondbacks are still interested in the Braves’ Shelby Miller but don’t want to give up A.J. Pollock REPORTED BY: ESPN’s Buster Olney THE DETAILS: Despite saying earlier this week that Pollock is “almost untradeable,” the Diamondbacks remain interested in Braves ace Shelby Miller. The Braves are actively trying to trade Miller for a young, talented outfielder with Pollock, Joc Pederson and Jorge Soler as their top targets. Arizona seems to be in win-now mode, but Atlanta will have to ask for something other than Pollock in order for this trade to get done....

He collided with second baseman Ernie Clement at full speed as both tried to make a play on a ball hit into shallow right field by the Twins’ Jorge Polanco. Naylor went airborne, and when he landed, he came down awkwardly on his right leg, which buckled underneath him. He was writhing in pain on the ground after the injury. Here’s a video of the play. (WARNING: Contains graphic images....

In stark contrast to last year’s offseason, free agents are being signed earlier and players are being moved, but several big fish remain on the pond. This year’s winter meetings will take place between Dec. 10 and Dec. 13 in Paradise, Nev. Here are some of the bigger storylines as we march toward winter: The Eastern front The NL East has been, by far, the most fun division to watch this offseason....

Osorio returns to the lineup after starting TFC’s first four playoff matches, though Johnson got the nod for the Eastern Conference semifinal second leg against the Montreal Impact. The Seattle Sounders, meanwhile, have Osvaldo Alonso and Erik Friberg in the lineup, despite lingering injuries that left their participation in question. Here are the lineups in full: Toronto FC: Irwin; Zavaleta, Moor, Hagglund; Beitashour, Cooper, Bradley, Osorio, Morrow; Giovinco, Altidore...

Expansion franchise Atlanta christened Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a 3-0 victory against Dallas on Sunday. Having used Bobby Dodd Stadium temporarily, Atlanta moved to the newly built venue — also home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons — this week and snapped its four-match winless streak in front of a sell-out crowd of 45,314. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez gave Atlanta a 14th-minute lead when he snuck in at the back post and bundled the ball home....

Having endured a miserable start to life in MLS, Minnesota finally recorded its first victory with a 4-2 win over Real Salt Lake. McNamara’s winner raises questions The Loons fell behind early at their TCF Bank Stadium home, Luke Mulholland opening the scoring for Real Salt Lake. A Kevin Molino header brought them level at the break before a stunning start to the second half saw Minnesota take control....

Players facing their former teams isn’t exactly rare, but the circumstances surrounding McCarty’s departure from the Red Bulls have added plenty of gravity to Saturday’s match. Less than a year removed from bypassing free agency to sign a new deal and then being named captain, McCarty was traded to the Fire, and was told of the deal a day after his wedding. The news left McCarty shocked and surprised, even though, as it turns out, the Red Bulls and Chicago Fire had been having discussions about a potential trade for a while....

Fans witnessed multiple upsets, several knockouts to remember, and performances that turned fighters into legends. Who stood out the most? The Sporting News, along with a panel of experts, circled back to the beginning of the year to look for the best fights, fighters, and moments from 2022. Here are your winners of the MMA Men’s/Woman’s Fighter, Fight, Knockout, Upset, Submission, and Event of the Year! 2022 MMA AWARDS: Male Fighter | Female Fighter | Fight of the Year...