The off-season of the Major League Baseball (MLB) has been quite a busy one, as expected, while the teams have been trying their best to acquire the best talents within the league in order to bring themselves closer to a championship. While there have not been any major trades or acquisitions as of late, there are still notable ones that can affect the near future of the league upon the arrival of the 2018 season.

In a report by MLB.com, the Houston Astros have just recently acquired right-hander Joe Smith, who was previously a free agent. This is a significant acquisition, since Smith is a veteran who will surely add value to the current roster of the Astros. Smith was signed for $15 million, which is not too bad considering his potential as a substitute right-hander for the team. In addition to that, the Astros also signed Hector Rondon the following day. 

In terms of the Astros' left-field assignments, it does not seem they are too concerned with it at the moment. However, that being said, Smith and Rondon both address what has been lacking in the team's roster in the past season -- and with each of them getting millions of dollars in the deal, the pressure is on them to prove their worth.

In other news, the Colorado Rockies have signed Shawn O'Malley to a minor league contract, with an invitation to potentially head to the big league camp, according to MLB Trade Rumors. O'Malley has been putting up very decent numbers with the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels, but has been sidelined by injuries recently. Now that he has fully recovered from his surgeries, he has to prove to the Rockies through the minor league contract. 

The next season of the MLB will begin in March of 2018, and until then, it can be expected that the teams will be trying to amass as much firepower as they can.