17 biggest MLB stories of 2017

This past year in Major League Baseball featured no shortage of ups and downs. The deaths of both Yordano Ventura and Roy Halladay, championships for Team USA and the Houston Astros, and a pair of future Hall of Famers recording major milestones were just a few of the top headlines.

With the calendar about to flip to 2018, here are the 17 biggest stories from the 2017 season:

Jan. 22: Ventura dies in car crash

"He was so young and so talented, full of youthful exuberance and always brought a smile to everyone he interacted with. We will get through this as an organization, but right now is a time to mourn and celebrate the life of Yordano." - Royals GM Dayton Moore

Kansas City Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic, just four months after Marlins ace Jose Fernandez was involved in a fatal boating accident before the end of the 2016 regular season. The Royals honored the 25-year-old during their home opener and wore "ACE 30" patches during the season.

March 23: USA wins WBC

"It's a different feeling when the USA is on your chest. We wanted to get the U.S. back on top of the baseball world, and we did that." - Eric Hosmer

The United States sent a star-studded roster to the 2017 World Baseball Classic after failing to medal in the first three tournaments. Despite losing to the Dominican Republic in the group stage, Team USA advanced to the championship round, knocking off Japan 2-1 before facing unbeaten Puerto Rico in the final. Paced by tournament MVP Marcus Stroman, the Americans defeated Puerto Rico 8-0 in the championship game.

April 7: Tebow goes deep in debut

"I thought I had a double, and the guy goes, 'Keep going.' I was (like), 'All right, I'll take it.' It felt good." - Tim Tebow

During his first professional minor-league at-bat with the Class A Columbia Fireflies, Tim Tebow went deep. The former Heisman Trophy winner would hit .220/.311/.336 with three home runs in 64 games with Columbia before earning a promotion to Class A St. Lucie. There, he'd slash .231/.307/.356 with five homers in 62 games. Tebow, however, never received a September call-up despite the New York Mets being well out of the playoff race.

May 29: Harper throws down

"When somebody comes at you like that and throws a 98-mph fastball where he did, I wasn't very happy with it and took it into my hands. A baseball's a weapon, and to be able to use that to his advantage, what do you want to do in that situation? You never want to get suspended or anything like that, but sometimes you just have to go get 'em. You can't hesitate. You either go to first base or go after him, and I decided to go after him." - Bryce Harper

Three years after Bryce Harper took Hunter Strickland deep in the 2014 NLDS, the San Francisco Giants reliever got his revenge. Strickland drilled Harper in the leg with a fastball, and the former MVP retaliated by charging the mound. Harper would get three games for the brawl while Strickland was issued a six-game suspension. The player who received the worst recourse from the fight was Giants outfielder Michael Morse, who missed the rest of the season with a concussion after colliding with teammate Jeff Samardzija.

June 3: Volquez tosses no-no

"I dedicated this game to Jose Fernandez and Yordano Ventura. Ventura's birthday is today ... I just do it for them. They're watching right now. And they might feel really happy right now." - Edinson Volquez

Edinson Volquez threw his first no-hitter with a heavy heart. Pitching on the home mound of his late friend Jose Fernandez, and on what would have been the 26th birthday of former teammate Yordano Ventura, Volquez blanked the Diamondbacks on 98 pitches. It was the sixth no-hitter in Marlins history and one that Volquez would later dedicate to his two friends.

June 4: Pujols hits No. 600

"I'm just glad to be on that list. It's a pretty special feeling. You look at all the players that come through the league, to play so long to be No. 9 - it's pretty special." - Albert Pujols

Albert Pujols put together one of the worst statistical seasons of his storied career in 2017, but he looked his vintage self when he clubbed career home run No. 600 in June. Pujols became just the ninth player to reach the elusive milestone and first since Jim Thome in 2011. At 37 years and 138 days, Pujols was the fourth-youngest to hit 600 homers, behind Alex Rodriguez, Babe Ruth, and Hank Aaron.

July 24: Price goes after HOF'er

"If you're going to say what he said, come around, show your face. If guys have a problem with it, pull him aside. That ain't how it's done. That ain't the first time it's happened here regarding Eck. It's unfortunate." - David Price

David Price's second season in Boston certainly had its obstacles. The lefty returned to the mound at the end of May after missing time with an elbow injury, but it was off-field drama that thrust him into the spotlight. Price got into a heated confrontation with Dennis Eckersley on a team flight, calling out the Hall of Fame pitcher-turned-broadcaster for being too critical of the team and for not showing his face in the clubhouse. "Here he is - the greatest pitcher who ever lived! This game is easy for him!" Price allegedly said. Eckersley kept quiet through most of the aftermath but did open up in September, saying the experience was humiliating.

July 30: Beltre joins 3,000-hit club

"What happened today after the hit has been the best moment in my life. I didn't know how to feel, because I had no idea what was going on. I feel proud of them. I saw the joy in their faces, and a lot of things you do in your career you do for your kids and your family. My kids and my wife have been so supportive over the years, that this moment was for them." - Adrian Beltre

Adrian Beltre became the 31st player in major-league history - and the first Dominican-born player - to reach the 3,000 hit milestone when he doubled on July 30. Beltre, who broke into the majors in 1998 as a 19-year-old, is one of only two active players (Ichiro Suzuki) to have collected at least 3,000 hits.

Aug. 31: Verlander leaves Motown

"I had to make the hardest decision I've ever had to make in baseball." - Justin Verlander

The biggest trade of the season came with just seconds to spare before the deadline. After spending the first 13 seasons of his career in Detroit, Justin Verlander agreed to waive his no-trade clause and accept a move to Houston. The six-time All-Star went 9-1 (including postseason) with the Astros, was named the ALCS MVP, and won his first World Series.

Sept. 15: Indians win 22 straight

"This doesn't really happen anywhere. You can hit that lull in September and even though you've got all but wrapped up the division, you know, the games can get long. They can get boring. They can get monotonous. We have a lot of things going for us that make it not like that." - Jay Bruce

For nearly a month in late-August to mid-September, the Cleveland Indians refused to lose. The club rattled off an incredible 22 consecutive wins - the longest winning streak in major-league history without a tie. The 1916 Giants won 26 straight games, though one game finished without a victor due to weather. Cleveland held a 4 1/2 game lead in the division when its streak started and was up 13 1/2 games when it finally lost again.

Sept. 25: Judge becomes rookie royalty

"The bar was set high at 49, and (Judge) just made it look easy with 50. I couldn't be happier for him. Maybe it's another 30-plus years before someone else breaks it." - Mark McGwire

Aaron Judge eclipsed McGwire's 30-year-old rookie home run record when he launched his 50th bomb of the season against the Royals. McGwire's mark was set in 1987 after he eclipsed Frank Robinson's record, which was set 31 years prior. Judge finished the season with an AL-leading 52 homers.

Sept. 27: Welcome to Miami, Derek

"It's easy to say, 'Go get more pitching and you're going to win.' There are no guarantees by grabbing pitching you are going to win. The only way to be sustainable over time is to build up the minor-league system. That is our focus. … I don't expect you to be happy." - Derek Jeter

The transition from player to front-office executive has not gone smoothly for Jeter. Three years after his retirement, the former Yankees shortstop was named Chief Executive Officer of the Miami Marlins, seeing to day-to-day operations of the team. In the months since taking over, Jeter and Co. have traded away Dee Gordon, Marcell Ozuna, and Giancarlo Stanton, causing outrage from a number of the team's season-ticket holders.

Sept. 29: Maxwell takes a knee

"My kneeling, the way I did it, was to symbolize the fact that I'm kneeling for a cause, but I'm in no way of form disrespecting my country or flag." - Bruce Maxwell

With a number of NFL players kneeling during the American national anthem, Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell became the first and only major leaguer to do so. Maxwell stated he comes from a military background and was protesting a "racial divide in all types of people" in the country. Maxwell would continue to kneel, despite receiving some boos at visiting stadiums.

Nov. 1: Astros win 1st world Series

"It's about the Houston Astros tonight and our city and our fans. We're coming home a champion, Houston." - George Springer

Four years removed from finishing with a franchise-worst 111 losses, the Astros became World Series champs. The first title in the club's 56-year existence was the product of a highly-entertaining, seven-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, in which the two teams combined to set a playoff record with 25 home runs. The title was a welcome sight in Houston. The city was ravaged by Hurricane Harvey in late August, causing extensive flooding, and even displaced the Astros for a short period.

Nov. 7: Halladay dies in plane crash

"He was awe-striking. He was beautiful, inside and out. Without saying a word, he always seemed to have the right thing to say. And when he did speak, people listened." - Brandy Halladay

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay died Nov. 7 after the plane he was piloting crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. He was 40 years old. Halladay was one of the best starters of his generation, making 416 major-league appearances with the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies. He was an eight-time All-Star, and tossed both a perfect game and a postseason no-hitter in 2010. Halladay's death rocked the baseball world, as his memorial service in Florida was attended by former teammates Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, and many others.

Dec. 8: Ohtani picks Los Angeles

"There was a wow factor to him. He was a little bit of a show-stopper. Big fastball. The ability to throw three off-speed pitches for strikes. And have the presence in the batter's box that we gravitated to. He fits a lot of our offensive philosophy." - Los Angeles Angels GM Billy Eppler

The pursuit of Shohei Ohtani was unlike any other. His agent requested written pitches from interested suitors - in both English and Japanese - and the two-way star whittled down the field from there. Despite the Yankees and Mariners being considered early favorites, Ohtani shocked many when he opted to sign with the Angels after feeling what he described as a "strong connection" with the franchise. While Ohtani isn't expected to play in the outfield in 2018, the Angels plan to use him as both a starter and designated hitter.

Dec. 9: The Evil Empire lands the biggest fish

"It's going to be a great new chapter in my life. Sometimes things spiral out of place and you have to find a new home." - Giancarlo Stanton

After leading the majors in home runs and coming within one game of the World Series, the New York Yankees shocked everyone this winter by trading for Giancarlo Stanton. The 2017 home run champ became the first reigning MVP to be traded in the same offseason since Alex Rodriguez also went to New York in 2004. Stanton, Judge, and Gary Sanchez combined for 114 homers last season - 16 more than the entire Giants team.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)