Giants add veteran shortstop Nick Ahmed, ending chance of Brandon Crawford return  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The San Francisco Giants signed veteran shortstop Nick Ahmed to a minor-league deal Monday in a move that was more about the subtext than the actual news.

Four-year-old son of Blue Jays reliever Erik Swanson airlifted to hospital after being struck by car  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Through the grind of spring training, baseball has been rendered secondary for the Blue Jays as the team has been rocked by the condition of the young son of one of their more popular players.

MLB free agent rumors drag into spring but no need to panic |  Nightengale's Notebook  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Former Cincinnati Reds MVP Joey Votto, sitting in his car as it slowly moves through a car wash, looks at his phone and glumly utters: “This isn't spring training.”

What we're hearing about the Cubs' next steps after signing Cody Bellinger  —  MESA, Ariz. - Cody Bellinger is back in Cubbie Blue.  An official announcement is still to come and a move to the 40-man roster will need to be made, but the team finally feels complete after a long, drawn-out winter.

José DeLeón, MLB pitcher for 13 seasons, dies at age 63  —  MLB, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates  —  SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — José DeLeón, a major league pitcher for 13 seasons who led the National League in strikeouts for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1989, has died.

As MLB reduces one pitch clock time, Spencer Strider worries ‘injury epidemic’ will worsen  —  NORTH PORT, Fla. - Spencer Strider, like any data-driven student of baseball, is not offering concrete explanations for the rash of Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgeries in the game.

Spence makes first bid at Opening Day roster in spring debut  —  MESA, Ariz. — The significance of Spring Training performance varies from player to player.  In the case of Mitch Spence, the next four weeks are crucial.  —  Spence, who spent the first four seasons of his professional career …

These Cincinnati Reds aren't holding back: 'We're going to win the division'  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. — When they're not shattering teammates' car windows in living batting practice, when they're not practicing plays at home plate with stuffed hippos, they're borrowing the celebrated phrases by one of their famed alumni.

Twins Acquire Manuel Margot  —  The Twins announced the acquisition of veteran outfielder Manuel Margot, infield prospect Rayne Doncon and cash from the Dodgers in exchange for minor league shortstop Noah Miller.  Los Angeles is reportedly covering $6MM of Margot's $10MM salary for the upcoming season.