Kelly (back) will make his Cactus League debut Friday against the Royals, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Kelly has been behind schedule after coming down with mid-back tightness in late February. The Diamondbacks have already ruled the right-hander out for Opening Day, but Kelly has a good chance to avoid the injured list and make a start in the second series of the season.

Snell (shoulder) threw off the mound to a standing catcher Monday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

It's the next step in a deliberate rehab process for Snell, who has been slow-played this spring due to lingering shoulder issues from last season. Snell will begin the season on the injured list, and the calendar seems to be against him making any Cactus League appearances before camp breaks. The Dodgers have not revealed a timeline for Snell's season debut.

Wicks (forearm) is slated to throw off a mound next week, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

Wicks was diagnosed with radial nerve irritation in his left forearm over the weekend, but the inflammation in his pitching arm has since dissipated. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said previously that Wicks would likely begin the season on the injured list and that's presumably still the case, but it seems the lefty's absence won't be an extended one.

Greene is scheduled to have bone chips removed from his right elbow Wednesday and is expected to be out until July, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Manager Terry Francona revealed last week that Greene was headed for an MRI due to an elbow issue, which dates back to his final starts of last season. The 26-year-old avoided damage to his UCL, but the bone chips and procedure to remove them will end up sidelining him for at least half the season. Greene pitched to a 2.76 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 11.0 K/9 during the 2025 regular season but was limited to 19 starts due to groin issues, and he'll have a limited workload again in 2026.

Lowder allowed five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out four over 3.2 innings in Monday's spring start against the Athletics.

The Athletics jumped on Lowder for four runs and four hits in the first inning, when the right-hander expended 26 pitches. He told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com that catcher Tyler Stephenson's mound visit helped turn him around. In three Cactus League outings (two starts), Lowder has a 4.15 ERA with 11 strikeouts and two walks over 8.2 innings. He remains in competition with Chase Burns and Brandon Williamson for the final two spots in the rotation.

Perez is now the favorite to open the regular season as Atlanta's sixth starter or as a potential swingman, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Perez's chances of cracking the Opening Day roster appeared slim to none just a few weeks prior, but the injury bug continues to bite Atlanta's starting rotation. Joey Wentz (knee) is the latest casualty, as he was diagnosed with a torn right ACL on Monday. This will undoubtedly improve Perez's chances of making the big-league roster, especially when considering that Atlanta opens the campaign with 13 games in 13 day, making it all the more likely the club elects to carry six starting pitchers, per Bowman. "I love the fact that Martin's in our camp, the guy can still really pitch," said skipper Walt Weiss. Perez has surrendered one run while striking out three over five innings so far this spring.

The Phillies signed Luzardo to a five-year, $135 million contract extension Monday, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Per Robert Murray of FanSided.com, the deal also includes a $32.5 million club option for 2032. Luzardo had been set to reach free agency after the upcoming season, but he's now locked in with the Phillies at least through the end of the 2031 campaign. The left-hander finished seventh in the National League Cy Young voting in his first season in Philadelphia after posting a 3.92 ERA and 216:57 K:BB over 183.2 innings covering 32 starts.

The Cardinals reassigned Mathews to minor-league camp Monday.

Mathews showed encouraging signs in his last Grapefruit League appearance in racking up seven strikeouts over 2.2 innings, but he was always destined to open the season in the rotation at Triple-A Memphis. The southpaw will be seeking a bounce-back year after he stumbled in 2025 with a 3.93 ERA and 107:74 K:BB over 94 innings with Memphis.

The Cardinals optioned Mautz to Triple-A Memphis on Monday.

The Cardinals previously hadn't dismissed the possibility of Mautz making the team as a reliever, but he will begin the season in the rotation at Triple-A Memphis. Mautz posted a 2.98 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 134:33 K:BB over 114.2 innings at Double-A Springfield in 2025.

The Phillies optioned McFarlane to Double-A Reading on Sunday.

McFarlane was awarded a spot on the Phillies' 40-man roster over the winter after turning in a 4.84 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 82:43 K:BB over 80 innings between Reading and High-A Jersey Shore in his first season back in action following his September 2023 Tommy John surgery.The 24-year-old righty is regarded as one of the more exciting young arms in the Philadelphia system, but he's likely at least a year away from contributing for the big club.