Walker (hand) will start at first base and bat cleanup in Thursday's Cactus League game versus the Rangers.

Walker missed a week of action with right hand soreness after being hit by a pitch, but his absence had always been viewed as precautionary. The slugger is 2-for-8 with a double and a single so far during Cactus League play.

Olson went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins.

The first baseman crushed a Pablo Lopez offering in the first inning for his first long ball of the spring. Olson set an Atlanta franchise record with 139 RBI in 2023 while adding a career-high 54 homers, and the 29-year-old is a safe bet to reach triple-digit RBI for the fourth straight season while batting in the heart of one of the most potent lineups in MLB.

Clemens was scratched from the Phillies' Grapefruit League lineup Tuesday due to illness, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

He should be fine in a day or two. Jake Cave will move to first base and Cam Gallagher will enter the lineup at designated hitter.

Encarnacion-Strand started at designated hitter and went 2-for-3 with a triple, a home run, three RBI and an additional run scored in Monday's spring game against Oakland.

Encarnacion-Strand, who was hitless over his first five Cactus League at-bats, has hit safely in three straight games, going 4-for-8 with three extra-base hits and four RBI. Although he served as the DH on Monday, the 24-year-old is projected to be the Reds' primary first baseman.

Walker (hand) is now expected to return to action Thursday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

An earlier report estimated Tuesday for Walker's return, but manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday is the more likely target. The first baseman, who was hit on the right hand by a pitch last Thursday, has begun hitting.

Walker (hand) has begun hitting and could return to game action Tuesday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Walker was hit by a pitch on his right hand Thursday and hasn't played since. If he returns Tuesday, Walker should have enough time to get ready for Opening Day.

Goldschmidt is 1-for-10 with five strikeouts and a walk over his first five Grapefruit League games.

Goldschmidt's strikeout rate ticked up to 23.5 percent last season -- it's been steadily going up since his career-low mark of 18.7 percent in 2020. By normal standards, Goldschmidt was fine with a .268/.363/.447 slash line over 154 games last season, but it was a vast drop compared to his MVP-level performance the year before. The 36-year-old first baseman isn't in danger over losing his spot in the lineup, but he may simply no longer be the ever-reliable hitter he once was. A better showing from the Cardinals' offense as a whole may be able to buoy Goldschmidt's numbers even if his best years are behind him.

Wade has gone 3-for-14 with a home run and three RBI over his first five Cactus League games.

Wade remains a strong-side platoon option at first base. The Giants' signing of Matt Chapman, who is likely for an everyday role at third base, has displaced J.D. Davis. Righty hitters like Davis and Wilmer Flores could fill in at first base against opposing southpaws. Wade partially got back to his 2021 form last season, hitting .256 with a .790 OPS, 17 home runs, 45 RBI and 64 runs scored across a career-high 135 games.

Smith (hand) is expected to see his first game action of the spring in Monday's Cactus League game against the Padres, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.

Smith joined the Cubs on a minor-league deal in mid-February to provide veteran depth. He's got plenty of competition at first base, with Michael Busch, Matt Mervis, Cody Bellinger, Garrett Cooper and Patrick Wisdom all on the roster. As a result, Smith seems unlikely to come close to the 527 at-bats he received last year in Washington, though he could force himself into a larger role with a strong spring.

Cooper is expected to see his first game action of the spring Monday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.

Cooper joined the Cubs on a minor-league deal at the end of February to give the team depth at first base. Fellow newcomer Michael Busch is expected to be the starter there, and Cody Bellinger can also play first when he's not in center field. However, Cooper could make the case for more regular playing time if he looks good in Cactus League action.