The Pirates plan to play O'Hearn primarily in right field in 2026, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com reports.

O'Hearn was originally projected to play at either first base or serve as DH, but the addition of Marcell Ozuna will take away many of those at-bats. O'Hearn will seemingly be Pittsburgh's primary right fielder as a result, a position he played 149.0 innings at in 2025. He registered negative-4 runs saved in that span, though left field is the far more difficult corner to cover at PNC Park.

The Padres signed France to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

France was drafted by the Padres and reached the majors with them before being traded to the Mariners. The 31-year-old graded out well defensively at first base in 2025 but turned in a sub-.700 OPS for the second straight regular season between the Twins and Blue Jays. France will join a suddenly-crowded mix at first base and designated hitter in San Diego.

Valencia (quadriceps) is still completing a running progression but is otherwise taking part in all baseball activities, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Valencia is working his way back from a left quad strain and doesn't look like he'll be fully cleared by the time Grapefruit League play gets underway this week. The 26-year-old backstop was added to the Tigers' 40-man roster over the winter, but he'll likely be optioned to Triple-A Toledo before the end of camp.

Casas (knee) will be doing individual drills when the Red Sox have their first full-squad workout Sunday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

He'll be taking part in drills similar to the rest of the team. For the first time in three seasons, Casas does not enter camp as the primary starter at first base, as offseason trade acquisition Willson Contreras will handle the position. That leaves designated hitter as a potential landing spot for Casas once he's healthy, and he could provide a boost to a lineup that, on paper, lacks power. Any of Boston's four main outfielders could also slot in at DH, however, and Masataka Yoshida will be in the mix as well. Casas, who is recovering from May 2025 knee surgery, isn't expected to be ready for game action by Opening Day.

The Reds signed Lowe to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Mark Feinsand and Mark Sheldon of MLB.com report.

The 30-year-old Lowe had to settle for a minor-league deal after slashing a disappointing .228/.307/.381 with 18 home runs over 153 regular-season games between the Nationals and Red Sox in 2025. While his left-handed bat could be of use in a righty-heavy lineup, the Reds already have Sal Stewart and Eugenio Suarez projected for everyday at-bats between first base and designated hitter. Spencer Steer is also in the mix for playing time at those spots, so it's difficult to see a current fit for Lowe on the 26-man roster.

White Sox manager Will Venable said Friday that he expects Murakami to play "some" at third base, but "most of his time will be spent at first," Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Third base was Murakami's primary position in Japan, but he's seen as a defensive liability there and is a better roster fit at first base for the White Sox. However, it's possible the 26-year-old sees enough action at the hot corner in order to earn eligibility at the position for 2027. Miguel Vargas is slated to be the team's everyday third baseman.

Steer said Thursday that he cleaned up his sprinting mechanics to prevent re-injuring his quadriceps, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Steer got off to a slow start in 2025 because of a shoulder injury, but he admitted there was also a right quadriceps issue that bothered him for most of the season. "I think that had to do with my sprinting mechanics, and I cleaned that stuff up," he said. That was likely the reason he stole just seven bases after reaching double-digit swipes in each of the previous two seasons. Steer, who was a Gold Glove finalist at first base in 2025, will move around the diamond this season. His primary spot will be left field but depending on matchups, injuries and game situations, he could also see time in right field, and at first, second or third base.

Murakami will have his Cactus League debut delayed until Feb. 28, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.

It was always the White Sox's plan to bring Murakami along slowly as he adjusts to his first season stateside, though Feb. 28 represents a later exhibition debut than originally anticipated. There doesn't appear to be any cause for concern at this point, as he's still expected to appear in a few Cactus League games before playing in the World Baseball Classic.

Reds manager Terry Francona said Thursday that Encarnacion-Strand is behind schedule after suffering a hamstring injury in January, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.

Encarnacion-Strand is on a running program, so he is improving, but he could miss the first few Cactus League games. The 26-year-old infielder slashed just .208/.234/.377 across 137 plate appearances last season and looks to be a bit buried on the Reds' depth chart.

Stewart shed 26 pounds during the offseason, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Stewart, primarily a third baseman in the minors, has a clear path to playing regularly at first base and designated hitter this season. Last season's primary starter at first base, Spencer Steer, will likely be a regular in left field while also subbing in at three infield positions. Stewart was introduced to first base last season and had a throwing error in the playoffs that led to a four-run rally by the Dodgers. It's unclear if the error prompted him to drop the weight, but the early report out of camp is that the slimmer Stewart has improved his athleticism. How that reduction in weight impacts his offense is something to monitor, but the 22-year-old prospect is confident he will retain his compact swing and continue to hit for power. During a September call-up last year, Stewart slashed .255/.293/.545 with five home runs, eight RBIs and 11 runs scored over 58 plate appearances.