Baseball-Major League Baseball roundup

Nov 4 (The Sports Xchange) - Chicago Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler is becoming a free agent but has not counted out a return to the World Series champion Chicago Cubs. The 30-year-old Fowler re-signed with the Cubs last offseason on a one-year, $8 million contract that included a mutual option worth $9 million for 2017, but he apparently won't be picking up his side of the deal. "I'm definitely going to be a free agent, but hopefully it happens a little bit quicker than last year," Fowler told ESPN. "You can't control what goes on, but I loved my time in Chicago and I'm definitely not counting them out, but we'll see what God has planned for us now." Fowler opened Game 7 of the World Series with a solo home run off Cleveland Indians starter Corey Kluber in the top of the first inning at Progressive Field on Wednesday night, and the Cubs went on to a thrilling 8-7 win in 10 innings to end their 108-year championship drought. - - - The Cleveland Indians exercised contract options Friday on manager Terry Francona for the 2019 and 2020 seasons to keep him at the helm for at least another four more years. The 57-year-old Francona just finished his fourth season with the Indians, who won the American League Central with a 94-67 record (.584) and defeated the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays in the postseason to win the AL pennant before losing the World Series to the Chicago Cubs in seven games on Wednesday night. The Indians reached the World Series for the first time since 1997. Francona was given praise for being gracious after the Indians' heartbreaking loss in Game 7. "You know, we ask our players to play the game with respect and to leave it on the field," Francona told FOX Sports' Tom Verducci after the 8-7, 10-inning loss in the game that ended early Thursday morning. "That was it, they gave everything they had. And I kind of talked about it before the game, what an honor it was, but it really is. To go through that with this group and these people, it was an honor. - - - The Arizona Diamondbacks will name Boston Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo as their new manager, according to multiple reports Friday. Lovullo, 51, spent the last four seasons with the Red Sox as manager John Farrell's bench coach. Lovullo served a 49-game stint as Boston's interim manager during the 2015 season when Farrell went on medical leave to undergo treatment for lymphoma. Under Lovullo, the Red Sox went 28-21. - - - The Seattle Mariners claimed left-handed relief pitcher Dean Kiekhefer off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. Kiekhefer, 27, made 26 relief appearances with St. Louis after making his major league debut on May 14. - - - The Kansas City Royals picked up the $10 million club option on All-Star closer Wade Davis on Friday. Kansas City also exercised the $6.5 million club option on shortstop Alcides Escobar for 2017. Meanwhile, designated hitter Kendrys Morales and right-hander Edinson Volquez declined their mutual options. Kansas City also declined its mutual option on Kris Medlen despite the right-hander exercising it on his end. Morales, Volquez and Medlen will all become free agents. (Editing by Andrew Both)