Harper (back) had seven at-bats on a back field Friday and hopes to play first base in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees, Matt Gelb of The Athleticreports.

The 31-year-old was able to beat out an infield single, a good sign that the back stiffness that's sidelined him for the past week has subsided. Harper returning to action this weekend would quell questions about his availability for Opening Day.

Vientos could serve as the Mets' starter at designated hitter to begin the season if J.D. Martinez agrees to be optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Martinez would need to consent to being optioned since he's accrued so much service time, but it sounds like he would be willing to do so in an effort to get up to game speed as quickly as possible. The move would allow Vientos at least a short-term run of everyday playing time. When Martinez is deemed ready, Vientos could be looking at a short-side platoon role at third base or a trip back to Syracuse.

Martinez could consent to being optioned to Triple-A Syracuse until the Mets decide he's ready to take over as their everyday designated hitter, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

While Martinez has options remaining, because he has accrued so much service time he would have to consent to being sent down to the minors. It sounds like he would be willing to do that in an effort to get up to speed after missing most (if not all) of spring training. Mark Vientos -- who appears out of a job once Martinez is ready -- could be used as the Mets' DH initially.

Vientos is likely to have a diminished role to begin the season after the Mets agreed to a contract with J.D. Martinez on Thursday, which was reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The 24-year-old appeared poised to open the season as a lineup regular between designated hitter and third base, but Martinez's signing a week before Opening Day significantly alters that outlook. Vientos has clubbed four homers during spring training but hit just .217 and struck out 17 times in 54 plate appearances. The right-handed bat of Vientos may now begin the campaign in the short side of a platoon at the hot corner with the lefty-hitting Brett Baty, but starting the season in the minors is also possible.

Ford went 2-for-3 with a walk and two solo home runs in Thursday's spring game against the Mariners.

Ford extended his hit streak to seven games, during which he's 13-for-24 with three homers and seven RBI. He's hit safely in nine of 10 Cactus League games and struck out just three times over 33 at-bats. That's he's still around in camp is a positive sign for his chances of making the 26-man roster. Ford is limited to first base defensively, but the Reds are down a corner infielder while third baseman Noelvi Marte serves an 80-game suspension, with Jeimer Candelario expected to replace Marte at the hot corner. Cincinnati manager David Bell typically makes a point to have multiple utility players on his roster, but with a third of the projected Opening Day roster sidelined -- in addition to Marte, Matt McLain (shoulder) and TJ Friedl (wrist) will not be available -- Ford could provide experience behind Christian Encarnacion-Strand at first base, leaving Jonathan India and Spencer Steer to shuffle around to other positions.

Martinez signed a one-year deal worth $12 million with the Mets on Thursday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

The Mets have reportedly been in talks with Martinez for much of spring training, and he'll now join the team on a short-term deal. He should serve as the team's primary designated hitter, cutting into the playing time of Mark Vientos and potentially Brett Baty. Martinez is entering his age-36 season, but he has maintained a wRC+ of at least 119 in each of the last three campaigns and adds another quality bat to the middle of the Mets' lineup.

Ohtani is not currently facing discipline nor is he believed to be under active investigation by the league in relation to his longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, being fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following accusations of "massive theft," Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani's camp is accusing Mizuhara of using the player's money to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker under federal investigation. It's a strange and developing situation -- one that could affect Ohtani's fantasy draft position this weekend -- though Ohtani is playing Thursday in the second game of the Seoul Series against the Padres as expected. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman declined to comment on the matter before the game.

Ohtani went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a stolen base in the Dodgers' 5-2 victory over San Diego in South Korea on Wednesday.

Ohtani's first plate appearance as a Dodger ended anticlimactically with a fielder's choice grounder, but the team's free-agent prize made an impact later in the contest, singling and stealing a base in the third inning and driving home a run with another single in the eighth. There should be plenty of opportunities for the slugger to produce this season while batting second in the order between Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, and Wednesday's game suggested that he won't be held back on the bases when he gets onboard. Ohtani swiped 20 or more bags in two of the past three seasons and is a good candidate to reach that mark again this year.

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.