The World Series champion Dodgers officially began the offseason by picking up the club options in the contracts of third baseman Max Muncy and relief pitcher Alex Vesia before Thursday’s deadline.

Muncy signed a two-year, $24 million contract extension following the 2023 season, which included an option for 2026 at a $10 million salary.

Vesia is arbitration-eligible but signed a one-year contract for $2.25 million in January that included a club option for 2026 at $3.65 million.

The 35-year-old Muncy hit .243 with 19 home runs and an .846 OPS this season and became the franchise’s all-time leader in postseason home runs when he hit one during the National League Championship Series and two in the World Series for a total of 16.

But Muncy was limited to 100 games due to injuries after playing just 73 in 2024. In both seasons, the Dodgers’ offense was significantly less productive when Muncy was out of the lineup.

Vesia was second on the team with 68 appearances during the regular season and has made more than 60 relief appearances in three of the past four seasons. The 29-year-old posted a 3.02 ERA with five saves and a 0.99 WHIP (lowest among relievers on the team).

As part of a series of moves to set their 40-man roster for the offseason, the Dodgers designated former All-Star Tony Gonsolin for assignment and waived outfielder Justin Dean and right-hander Michael Grove.

Added to the 40-man roster were outfielder Ryan Ward (the 2025 Pacific Coast League MVP) and left-hander Robinson Ortiz. Dean was claimed by the San Francisco Giants.

Gonsolin was in his final year of arbitration eligibility this winter. An All-Star in 2022 when he went 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 24 starts, Gonsolin underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and missed all of the 2024 season. He returned to make seven starts this season before undergoing a second elbow surgery in August.

— Bill Plunkett

Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker, Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette and Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber were among 13 players who received $22,025,000 qualifying offers from their former teams Thursday as the free agent market opened for negotiations among all teams.

The Padres right-handers Dylan Cease and Michael King also received the offers, as did New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz, Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen, New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga, Philadelphia pitcher Ranger Suárez, Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres, Houston right-hander Framber Valdez and Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff.

Players have until Nov. 18 to accept.

If a team makes a qualifying offer to a player who signs a major league contract with another club before next July’s amateur draft, his former club would receive draft pick compensation at the end of the first round or at the end of competitive balance round B. The placement depends on the amount of the new contract and the revenue-sharing and luxury tax status of the team losing the player.

The Padres exercised a $6.5 million option on 31-year-old outfielder Ramón Laureano, acquired from Baltimore at the trade deadline. He hit .281 with 24 homers and 76 RBIs. Laureano had a $4 million salary this year as part of the contract he agreed to with Baltimore.

The Colorado Rockies are hiring Paul DePodesta of “Moneyball” fame from the NFL’s Cleveland Browns to run baseball operations, a person with knowledge of the move told The AP.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the move has not been announced by the team.

DePodesta, who inspired Jonah Hill’s character in the movie “Moneyball,” returns to baseball after nearly 10 years with the Browns.

During his nearly 20 seasons in MLB, he was the only executive to win divisional titles with five different organizations — the New York Mets, Padres, Athletics, Dodgers and Cleveland.

He takes over for Bill Schmidt, who stepped down following a 43-119 season that flirted with the worst all-time mark in MLB history.

NHL

Alex Ovechkin scored his 900th career NHL goal and the Washington Capitals beat the St. Louis Blues 6-1 on Wednesday night.

Ovechkin’s 900th goal came 2:39 into the the second period, when he caught Jakob Chychrun’s rebound off the boards and backhanded it past Jordan Binnington.

The 40-year-old is the only player in NHL history to reach that milestone, and the bench cleared to commemorate his achievement as Binnington tried to hide the milestone puck by tucking it away in his pants. Linesperson Michel Cormier recovered the puck.

GOLF

Former champions Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry were in a five-way tie for the lead at the Abu Dhabi Championship after opening rounds of 8-under 64s on Thursday.

Japanese golfers Nasa Hataoka and Miyu Yamashita each shot 7-under 65 on Thursday to stand atop the leaderboard after the first round of the LPGA’s Toto Japan Classic.

TENNIS

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka earned a third straight group-stage win at the WTA Finals by beating Coco Gauff 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Thursday, eliminating her American opponent from the tournament in the process.

Sabalenka’s win means Jessica Pegula advanced to the semifinals from the group along with the Belarusian No. 1. Pegula beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-3 earlier to take her record to 2-1. Gauff, the defending champion, finished 1-2 while Paolini went 0-3 at the season-ending tournament for the world’s top eight players. Sabalenka will face Amanda Anisimova in today’s semifinals. Pegula plays Elena Rybakina.