Hot Stove Lunch: Red Sox to find out how much their future costs; Yanks try to figure out how to fit Darvish and more

This is a daily BSJ off-season feature that will arrive in time for your lunch, Monday-Friday.

A spin around the leagues with the latest news, notes, and rumors around Major League Baseball

RED SOX

Friday figures to be a consequential day for the Red Sox. After all, the Sox have more salary arbitration-eligible players on their roster than almost any other club in baseball --  and several are part of the team's core, including outfielders Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. and infielder Xander Bogaerts -- and Friday is the day that arbitration figures are exchanged.

Teams then have until scheduled hearings -- scheduled for early February -- to come to an agreement with their players.

To date, the Sox have reached deals with three pitchers to avoid arbitration -- Carson Smith, Steven Wright and Tyler Thornburg -- but the big names (with big numbers attached) are still to be settled.

Last spring, the Red Sox attempted to use the arbitration process as a springboard to get Betts signed to a multi-year deal, which Betts rejected, later telling BostonSportsJournal that he preferred, for now, to go year-to-year.

Bogaerts and Bradley, meanwhile, are represented by Scott Boras, who tends to advise his players to go on a year-to-year basis, enabling them to maximize their earnings.

With so many of the club's core players inching toward free agency, it would behoove the Sox to get some locked up. But that won't be easy, nor cheap.

AL EAST

The Yankees are interested in Yu Darvish, but have to find a way around some payroll limitations.

Roch Kubatko takes a look at a number of issues with the Orioles.

The Blue Jays made a deal with Ezequiel Carrera, avoiding arbitration.

The Rays promoted some from within.

AL CENTRAL

Paul Hoynes takes a stab at predicting the Indians' 2018 season.

The Twins front office has undergone a transformation, writes Patrick Reusse

Miguel Gonzalez got a one-year deal to go back to the White Sox.

Things are looking up in the Tigers' farm system.

AL WEST

Alex Claudio could have a different role with the Rangers in 2018

A look at trying to project what the Mariners 2018 will look like.

The Astros managed to avoid arbitration with outfielder Jake Marisnick

NL

Former Pawsox play-by-play man -- and current Giants broadcaster -- Dave Flemming is in the running for the top ESPN baseball role.

TAKE I MAY REGRET IN A MONTH:

Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reported that Red Sox chairman Tom Werner met recently with agent Scott Boras. That's not terribly surprising, since Boras has made a habit of trying to go over the heads of general managers during stalled negotiations and speaking directly with ownership.

In fact, Boras several times met with the late Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch to secure deals for his clients -- after being unable to get a deal done with the Tigers president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski.

Reportedly, the topic of J.D. Martinez came up during the conversation, though Werner made sure to note "discussions regarding free agents go through Dave Dombrowski.''

That may well be. But it's not good optics for ownership to be meeting with an agent who seems to be an impasse with Dombrowski.