Rob Manfred says pitching clock will be introduced in spring training and brushes off players' free agency gripes  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Major League Baseball is unilaterally starting the use of pitch clocks for spring training games, while brushing off complaints from players about the slow free agent market.

Padres offer Manny Machado an 8-year deal worth at least $240 million: reports  —  Look out, White Sox.  It appears the Padres are serious about signing free-agent infielder Manny Machado.  —  The Padres have offered Machado an eight-year contract worth at least $240 million, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Baseball notebook: Source says Moustakas, Brewers nearing a deal  —  Source: Moustakas, Brewers nearing a deal  —  Mike Moustakas and the Brewers are nearing a deal that would keep the third baseman in Milwaukee for a guarantee of $10 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

5 takeaways from Cubs and White Sox spring training  —  The Cubs and White Sox are back are spring training in Arizona.  Here's our takeaways from each day of camp.  —  As the Cubs and White Sox kick off spring training in Arizona, photographers get a chance to see the players in the most casual environment we see all season.

‘One of those days you look forward to,’ Aaron Boone says as Yankees players report  —  TAMPA, Fla. - Already, manager Aaron Boone has a pretty good idea about the condition of his key position players, who officially report to Yankees camp on Monday.  —  For instance, Aaron Judge …

Mets add shortstop option in glove-first veteran Adeiny Hechavarria  —  Brodie Van Wagenen on the Mets' depth  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Lacking a proven backup shortstop, the Mets have agreed to terms on a minors deal with veteran Adeiny Hechavarria, a source confirmed.

Column: Cubs' week ahead includes Tom Ricketts' annual speech, labor talk and the Cactus League opener  —  Photos of the Cubs at spring training at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz., before the 2019 season.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The week ahead for the Cubs:  —  Opening chapter

Dodgers' Kenley Jansen hoping higher spin rate will help him sizzle  —  GLENDALE, Ariz. — Kenley Jansen wore a wide smile in the moments following this past Friday's workout.  The Rapsodo tracking devices and high-speed cameras set up throughout the bullpens of the Los Angeles Dodgers' spring …

Tigers spring training letters: Dreaming of a visit with J.D. Martinez  —  Free Press sports writer Anthony Fenech is chronicling his fifth spring training on the Detroit Tigers beat with Letters from Lakeland, which will be published on Freep.com every Monday morning this spring.  Read previous letters here.

J. Martinez, Gyorko would be hard to leave off Cardinals  —  Cardinals infielder Jedd Gyorko fields a ball while running drills during spring training on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. Photo by Christian Gooden, cgooden@post-dispatch.com

Buster Posey's comments on winning help Giants recruit new outfielder  —  The free agent outfielder joined the Giants after being influenced by Buster Posey  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.-Like more than 100 other major league free agents, Cameron Maybin sat at home through the cold winter months wondering …

The Rangers are now Elvis' team.  He is one of five position players to watch this spring  —  Spring training is all about the pitchers.  —  Position players say they need half the time it takes to conduct a major-league camp, if that, before they would declare themselves ready for Opening Day.

Yasmani Grandal takes proactive approach to learning Brewers' staff  —  PHOENIX — The ink was hardly dry on his $18.25 million, one-year contract with Milwaukee when Yasmani Grandal started working the phone, reaching out to as many new teammates as possible from his offseason home in Peoria.

Yankees' Luis Severino miffed over Jacob deGrom's innings-limit threat: 'He's making $17 million!'  —  TAMPA — Yankees right-hander Luis Severino drove from Tampa to St. Petersburg on Friday morning for a scheduled salary-arbitration hearing that was supposed to determine whether his 2019 salary would be $5.25 million or $4.4 million.

Astros to move Yuli Gurriel around during spring training  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Though the Astros acquired Aledmys Diaz with hopes he can fill a utilityman role on their bench, they will still experiment with another Cuban at other positions.  —  As he was toward the end of last season …