Tanaka?  Paxton?  Happ?  Keuchel?!  Handicapping the Yankees' Opening Day starter  —  TAMPA, Fla. — All winter, it was practically a foregone conclusion who'd be starting Opening Day for the New York Yankees.  —  Then, about 15 minutes prior to Tuesday's spring training game against the Braves …

Giants' Farhan Zaidi still pursuing outfielders  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — With Bryce Harper in another division and on another coast, the Giants' contingency plan for their outfield is materializing, albeit slowly.  —  “With the kind of investment and duration in a guy like Harper …

Padres hit five homers in victory over Rangers  —  Manny Machado, right, and Ian Kinsler, left, walk off the field after playing in a spring training game.  (Ross D. Franklin / AP)  —  Score: Padres 11, Rangers 8  —  Batter's box: It was against a pitcher who has thrown five innings above Double-A …

Report: Astros have made one- and two-year contract offers to Dallas Keuchel  —  The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Astros have made one- and two-year contract offers to free agent starter Dallas Keuchel.  The offers, however, were not what the lefty is looking for.

Marlins offer challenge during Justin Verlander's third spring start for Astros  —  JUPITER, Fla. — With two men aboard in the fourth inning, A.J. Hinch stepped from behind the batting screen where he watched Justin Verlander work.  The manager stepped toward the mound and prepared to pull his ace.

Armed with advice from Brock and Furcal, Wong aims for more bunts and steals  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Former shortstop Rafael Furcal, a member of the 2011 Cardinals' World Series championship club, dressed out for a Cardinals workout before a recent home exhibition game …

Martinez working hard to be a hit with Blue Jays hitters  —  DUNEDIN — Justin Smoak is a former American League all-star who has gone through so many swing changes in his career that he's lost count.  —  So how does one of the youngest hitting coaches in the major leagues approach …

Arizona Diamondbacks balancing heavy reliever workloads with light springs  —  The second half of last season spiraled out of control for Archie Bradley, and the Diamondbacks reliever has his theories as to what went wrong.  There are some possibilities he views as more likely than others …

Detroit Tigers' Drew VerHagen getting checked out, battling ‘dead arm’  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — After nearly two weeks of spring training action, the Detroit Tigers finally have an injury concern on their hands - and some paranoia to boot.  —  Drew VerHagen, the right-handed reliever who is counted …

‘Simpsons’ Episode Featuring Michael Jackson's Voice to Be Pulled  —  A classic episode of “The Simpsons” featuring Michael Jackson's voice will be removed from circulation, the show's longtime executive producer, James L. Brooks, said.

Mets past and present show love for Tom Terrific  —  WEST PALM - Mets manager Mickey Callaway stepped into the media huddle and began his daily postgame press conference with a somber statement.  —  Hall of Fame pitcher and legendary Met Tom Seaver has been diagnosed with dementia, the Seaver family announced on Thursday.

Wait, Rafael Palmeiro has been honored with his own statue?  'I feel I've made it'  —  Rafael Palmeiro fell off the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot five years ago.  He's essentially an outcast from Major League Baseball.  The organizations where he put together the bulk of a stellar career …

Cincinnati Reds pitchers hit around in 11-3 spring training loss to Seattle Mariners  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Reds pitchers allowed 13 hits, five walks and two homers in an 11-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday at Goodyear Ballpark.  —  Lefty reliever Brandon Finnegan walked …

The HBP King: Cincinnati Reds infielder Derek Dietrich skilled at getting hit by pitches  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Throughout the last three seasons, no Major Leaguer was hit by more pitches than new Reds infielder Derek Dietrich.  —  It's not a category that most hitters want to be associated with …

Cleveland Indians beat D-Backs on wild pitch and good pitching, 4-3  —  CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Indians' offense squeezed a lot out of a little Thursday against the Diamondbacks in Scottsdale, Ariz. The pitching, meanwhile, didn't have to squeeze that hard.  —  After Trevor Bauer allowed …

A's expect to split catching duties evenly between Josh Phegley, Nick Hundley  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — With Chris Herrmann likely to be out much of the first month of the season at least, the A's have a tandem of right-handed-hitting catchers, Josh Phegley and Nick Hundley — and playing time probably will be evenly split between them.

Tom Murphy, out of options, making strong pitch to be Rockies' catcher  —  First day of team hoops tourney produces air balls  —  MESA, Ariz. — Tom Murphy knows his career with the Rockies might be in danger.  —  He's the third catcher on the Rockies' depth chart, currently sitting behind Chris Iannetta …

Donaldson set for exhibition debut with Braves  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Josh Donaldson plans to play in his first spring training game for the Atlanta Braves on Friday night against Philadelphia.  —  After being slowed by injuries for two seasons, the 33-year-old third baseman signed a $23 million …

What We Learned: Mariners have plenty to like with their outfield depth  —  It wasn't all that long ago that the Mariners outfield wasn't anything to write home about.  —  What We Learned: Félix's outing, Smith's view of CF, Sheffield's mentality  —  There were former infielders shuttled …

Terry Francona: Cleveland Indians want ‘to see the best’ of Hanley Ramirez  —  Manager Terry Francona and the Cleveland Indians want ‘to see the best’ of Hanley Ramirez in spring training.  —  CLEVELAND — When the Cleveland Indians traded away designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion …