MLB

It's already Week 7 of the 2015-16 MLB offseason, and Clayton Kershaw still needs a sidekick.

From figuring out who will be backing up baseball's nastiest starter at Dodger Stadium to trying to explain why so many prominent free-agent bats remain unsigned, there are all sorts of questions to ponder as 2016 inches ever closer.

Euphoria lasts only so long.

The giddiness and amazement that existed with the New York Mets' fall wonderland was pure bliss for a franchise that had for too long operated without a semblance of a care for on-field winning.

Cleveland Indians infielder Zach Walters was involved in a car accident that required a hospital visit but is expected to be OK. 

Continue for updates. 

MLB.com's William Ladson reported on Wednesday that the Washington Nationals are talking with free-agent second baseman Howie Kendrick. 

Continue for updates.

Second baseman Daniel Murphy turned heads in the postseason when he helped lead the New York Mets to the World Series, but he could reportedly join the Washington Nationals for the 2016 campaign given the latest speculation.

Continue for updates.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that they have signed first baseman/outfielder John Jaso to a two-year contract. 

Many of the big-ticket free agents in this year’s loaded class of have found new homes before the holiday, but given a dense contingent of 139 free agents total, plenty of outliers remain. 

Enough of this offseason thing. Let's skip ahead and talk about who Major League Baseball's big winners are going to be in 2016.

Yes, it's a little early to be doing this, but not too early. With nearly two months gone by, the MLB offseason is actually closer to spring training than it is to the World Series. There's still much to be done, but enough has unfolded for us to have a good sense of the 2016 power structure.

While the position-player crop is still ripe with quality talent, the starting pitching market has moved quickly this offseason.

David Price, Zack Greinke, Jordan Zimmermann, Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija, John Lackey and J.A. Happ have all found new homes, while Hisashi Iwakuma and Marco Estrada both opted to re-sign.

What the New York Mets really needed this Christmas week was a center fielder who could also hit in the middle of the lineup.

What they got was Alejandro De Aza.