Former MLB pitcher Jack Hamilton dies at 79  —  BRANSON, Mo. — Jack Hamilton, whose errant inside pitch damaged the eyesight of Boston's Tony Conigliaro in 1967 and caused a premature end to the career of the Red Sox star, has died.  He was 79.  —  Hamilton died Thursday at the Shepherd …

Alex Rodriguez returns to role as Yankees' special adviser  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Former New York Yankees star and new ESPN Sunday Night Baseball analyst Alex Rodriguez was named a special adviser to his former team on Sunday.  —  Rodriguez will join past Yankees Hideki Matsui …

Shohei Ohtani has mixed results in first pitching start with Angels  —  Shohei Ohtani didn't quite dazzle in his spring pitching debut with the Los Angeles Angels.  —  Maybe things will change when he swings the bat for the first time in a Cactus League game.

‘Lost season’ brings Trayce Thompson to an uncertain future with Dodgers  —  GLENDALE, Ariz. — Trayce Thompson's future is uncertain.  But at least it's not his recent past.  —  “He's probably one of the happiest to turn the page on 2017,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says of Thompson's difficult year.

Mets first baseman Dominic Smith to have MRI on strained right quad  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — Dominic Smith will have an MRI Monday on his right quad.  The first baseman, who was benched for the first spring training game after showing up late to team meetings, strained his right quad Saturday.

Detroit Tigers will get most from Francisco Liriano via bullpen, trade  —  Watch as the Detroit Tigers' pitchers and catchers warm up with a game of catch on the first day of spring training on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018, in Lakeland, Fla. Video by Anthony Fenech/DFP  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Francisco Liriano has experience starting.

Whomever the Rangers choose as their No. 2 catcher, they will get more reps than expected  —  MESA, Ariz. — The Rangers need a backup catcher.  —  Big yawn.  —  The search will not dominate the spring-training storylines.  The backup catcher is never famous.  —  He will be significant for this team.

Rays prospect Brent Honeywell to have Tommy John surgery  —  PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Brent Honeywell, the top pitching prospect for the Tampa Bay Rays, has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm and will have Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the entire season.  —  EDITOR'S PICKS

Astros offseason report: Club loaded, eyeing a repeat  —  SportsPulse: The Houston Astros looked primed to repeat as World Series champs.  Recent history suggests otherwise.  USA TODAY Sports  —  CONNECT  —  After winning the first World Series championship in franchise history …

Ian Happ returns to Cubs leadoff spot against Giants  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Ian Happ will bat in the leadoff spot Sunday for the second time in three games when the Cubs face the Giants and ace left-hander Madison Bumgarner at Scottsdale Stadium.  —  Happ went 0-for-2 in the exhibition opener Friday against the Brewers.

Mickey Callaway hops in stands to show a whole new Mets world  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — About 20 minutes before Saturday's 10-5 loss to the Cardinals, there was Mets manager Mickey Callaway wading into a sea of fans on the right field berm beyond the fence at First Data Field.  —  That is something you don't often see.

Phillies 3B Will Middlebrooks leaves game after collision  —  Veteran infielder Will Middlebrooks, who signed a minor-league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies last month, left Saturday's spring training game with what appeared to be an injury to his left ankle or leg.

Notebook: Young outfielders unleash big bats  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.  • Cardinals catcher Carson Kelly had seen some of these acts before — speedy, young outfielders flying to the ball, power-hitting young outfielders with the ball flying off their bats.

For starters, Rays at Twins, with Venters making first spring outing since 2013  —  As the Rays head back to Fort Myers today for a game on the other side of I-75 to take on the Twins at 1:05, there are several spring debuts worth noting:  —  First, that LHP Jonny Venters …

Three things about today's Phillies-Yankees game and how to watch  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - Aaron Nola will make his first start of spring training today as the Phillies host the New York Yankees at Spectrum Field.  —  The game, which begins at 1:05 p.m., will be broadcasted by NBC Sports Philadelphia and WIP-FM.

Notebook: Former Cardinal Siegrist signs with Pirates  —  Former Cardinal Siegrist signs deal with Pirates  —  Lefthander Kevin Siegrist agreed to a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates and will report to big league spring training.  —  The 28-year-old was 1-1 with one save …

Fowler, Pham to make first starts  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Right fielder Dexter Fowler and center fielder Tommy Pham will make their first appearances of the spring schedule and bat first and second as the Cardinals take on the defending World Series champion Houston Astros here Sunday.