Ohtani (elbow) is set to begin a throwing progression when the Dodgers return to Los Angeles this weekend following their two-game, season-opening series in South Korea versus the Padres on Wednesday and Thursday, and manager Dave Roberts hasn't ruled out the possibility of Ohtani (elbow) playing the field later in the 2024 campaign, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Roberts reiterated Monday that Ohtani's sole focus for now is serving as the Dodgers' full-time designated hitter, and whether the 29-year-old could be used in the outfield or at first base at some point later in the season will depend on how his throwing program comes along. Ohtani hasn't seen playing time in the outfield with any regularity since 2014 while he was still in Japan, so the idea that he could be used in left field or right field less than a year removed from Tommy John surgery seems far-fetched, at best. Still, it's interesting that the possibility hasn't been totally nixed.

Harper (back) hopes to return to action Friday in either a Grapefruit League game or minor-league game, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

The Phillies have held Harper out for a few days with soreness in his lower back, but he insists he's not worried about the injury and is just exercising caution. The 31-year-old is slated to be the Phillies' full-time first baseman this season after serving primarily as a designated hitter in 2023 following his return from his November 2022 Tommy John surgery.

Manager Rob Thomson said Sunday that Harper has been held out the past few days with back stiffness and won't play Monday, but the slugger is expected to rejoin the lineup later in the week, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

It doesn't appear to be a serious injury, as Thomson said there is "zero" concern for Harper's Opening Day availability. Still, with less than two weeks before the March 28 opener, it's worth keeping an eye on the 31-year-old's status over the next few days.

McCutchen (illness) is starting as Pittsburgh's designated hitter Saturday against the Tigers, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

McCutchen was a late scratch from Thursday's lineup because of his illness, but he appears to have recovered in time for Saturday's game. McCutchen has played in just two games this spring, recording two hits in five at-bats, including a home run.

McCutchen was scratched from the Pirates' Grapefruit League lineup Thursday due to illness, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

The veteran slugger should be ready to rejoin the lineup in a day or two. Billy McKinney entered the starting nine at designated hitter in McCutchen's place.

Baker has gone 7-for-32 with four RBI, 11 strikeouts and three walks over 16 Grapefruit League games.

Baker struck out a 31.3 percent rate over 99 plate appearances toward the tail end of 2023. The 27-year-old has a strong power profile after slugging 33 home runs over 84 contests with Triple-A Memphis, but there's no clear path to a starting job in the majors with Paul Goldschmidt locked in at first base and Nolan Gorman likely to be the designated hitter. In terms of a competition for a bench role, Alec Burleson's strong spring and his ability to be an option in the outfield put him comfortably ahead of Baker or any number of other options to back up at first base.

Vientos went 1-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

The 24-year-old took Dylan Coleman deep in the eighth inning, giving Vientos his third long ball of the spring in 12 games. His .206 batting average (7-for-34) is less impressive though, and his 2:8 BB:K indicates that he still needs to work on the contact issues that led to a .211/.253/.367 slash line over 233 big-league plate appearances in 2023. The Mets are hoping Vientos can step into a larger role this season and give them consistent production from the DH spot while providing a platoon partner at third base for Brett Baty, but he still has a lot to prove.

Bell went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.

The veteran first baseman hasn't made a lot of contact this spring, but when he has it's been loud. Bell is batting .200 (5-for-25) through 10 games with a 2:6 BB:K, but four of the hits have gone for extra bases with three doubles and a homer. After posting a .270/.338/.480 slash line over 53 contests for the Marlins in 2023 following a trade from the Guardians, Bell will try to do enough to establish a long-term spot in the Miami lineup -- since leaving the Pirates after the 2020 campaign, he's played for four different teams over the last three seasons.

Winker could miss out on a big-league roster spot with the Nationals after the team added Eddie Rosario last week, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

The 30-year-old Winker looked like a good bet to break camp with the Nats when he signed an NRI deal in February, provided that he was healthy and could re-discover his old form at the plate. He's held up his end up that bargain so far, batting .350 (7-for-20) through nine spring games with two doubles and a 5:4 BB:K, but the Rosario signing likely bumps Joey Gallo from left field to first base and Joey Meneses from 1B to DH, seeming to leave little room for a defensively limited player like Winker.

Meneses appears set to spend most of his time at DH after the Nationals added Joey Gallo and Eddie Rosario to the roster this offseason, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

Rosario, who signed a minor-league deal with the team last week, is the favorite to win the starting left field job, which would bump Gallo to first base and Meneses to DH. There are a few complicating factors that cloud the playing-time outlook for Meneses, however. Jesse Winker, also in camp on a minor-league deal, is batting .350 (7-for-20) with a 5:4 BB:K, while Meneses is batting just .214 (6-for-28). Stone Garrett (lower leg) will also need at-bats once he's healthy, and top outfield prospects Dylan Crews and James Wood could also push their way onto the big-league roster over the summer. After a sizzling 56-game MLB debut in 2022, Meneses' production swooned last season, as he managed only a .722 OPS with 13 homers in 154 games. If the 31-year-old can't deliver better numbers at the plate in 2024, he could fall out of a regular role.