The Angels are believed to seek a veteran manager to lead their young team.

So, ex-Mets manager Buck Showalter makes sense (our Mike Puma first linked Showalter and LAA).

Owner Arte Moreno is said to like Showalter.

Angels great Darin Erstad, formerly the head coach at Nebraska, is getting mentioned too.

As for Showalter’s replacement, there’s still skepticism Craig Counsell will leave hometown Milwaukee for Queens.

Suffice to say, he’ll have attractive choices.

Names speculated as possibilities for David Stearns’ front office: Matt Klentak, Eduardo Brizuela, Sara Goodrum.

Ex-Met Seth Lugo will opt out of his deal with $7.5M to go following his outstanding 2023 season in San Diego.

There’s suggestion the Padres may cut back after losing money in 2023, but it may just not be in their DNA. Owner Peter Seidler badly wants to win.

Aroldis Chapman and Will Smith are free agents so, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today pointed out, Padres closer Josh Hader makes sense for the Rangers.

Teams winning 92-plus games started the postseason 1-12. (Hat tip: Ryan Fagan of The Sporting News)

Dodgers Hall of Fame NLDS ledger: Mookie Betts zero hits, Freddie Freeman one hit, Clayton Kershaw one out.

The Nats seem to be trying to win that $235M Stephen Strasburg contract one dollar at a time.

Washington, which had no insurance on Strasburg, laid off several scouts, parted ways with respected director of player development DeJon Watson and excised three veteran coaches, including Gary DiSarcina and Tim Bogar.

Max Scherzer will throw a couple bullpens to gauge if he can return to pitch for Texas this postseason.

Rhys Hoskins is working out on Clearwater and is hoping to be ready to join the Phillies for the World Series – a la Kyle Schwarber 2016.

Nate Eovaldi had interest in returning to the Yankees before the Rangers won the bidding.

Aaron Nola and Jordan Montgomery are showing their free agent value.