The Cubs signed Miller to a two-year, $2.5 million contract Friday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Miller will finish his Tommy John and flexor surgery rehab with the Cubs in 2026 before joining their bullpen in 2027. The right-hander will be 36 at that point, but he was excellent in 2025 between the Diamondbacks and Brewers before getting injured, posting a 2.74 ERA and 54:15 K:BB over 46 frames while notching 10 saves.

Alvarez said Friday that he lost 8-to-10 pounds this offseason after changing his diet, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.

Alvarez also added that he worked with director of hitting Jeff Albert in the offseason and plans to keep the batting stance he used down the stretch last season. The young catcher was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse for a while after struggling, and when he returned he went back to his old stance and slashed .276/.360/.561 with eight home runs in his final 40 games. Still just 24, Alvarez is a viable candidate to take a step forward in 2026. He underwent right thumb UCL surgery after the season but reported to spring training at full health.

Wick, who underwent Tommy John surgery in November, agreed to a one-year contract with the Giants on Friday that includes a club option for 2027, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The right-hander last pitched stateside at the Triple-A level in 2023 and had a 4.22 ERA across 64 appearances for the Cubs during the prior season, and he spent the past two years with the Yokohama Bay Stars of Nippon Professional Baseball. Wick pitched to a 1.13 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 58:13 K:BB across 47.2 innings last year in Japan, but he won't be available in 2026 while he rehabs from surgery.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough announced Friday that Paddack will be included in Miami's starting rotation to begin the season, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

The right-hander signed with the Marlins earlier this week and will be guaranteed a rotation spot despite posting a 5.35 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 112:37 K:BB across 158 regular-season innings between the Tigers and Twins last year. That workload was a career high and was the first time since Paddack's rookie year in 2019 that he topped 110 frames. He's never come close to replicating the 3.33 ERA he posted during his debut campaign, however.

The Cardinals could explore using Herrera (elbow) in left field or at first base if he's unable to stick at catcher, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Herrera was limited to designated hitter duties for the final few months of last season due to defensive issues and also a lingering elbow injury that he had surgically corrected in November. The Cardinals gave Herrera a list of things to work on over the offseason in order to improve his game preparation and game management, and they're optimistic his throwing will improve after surgery. If a return to catcher ultimately isn't in the cards, Herrera could be tried out in left field -- where he played four games last season -- or at first base. Herrera is being eased into throwing and hitting in camp but is expected to be fully healthy for Opening Day.

Scott retooled his swing during the offseason after a motion-capture study, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The specific changes Scott made aren't clear, but the speedy outfielder is also focused this spring on bunting for base hits. Scott was a Gold Glove finalist in 2025 in his first full major-league season for his fine defensive work in center field, but he slashed only .216/.305/.296 with five home runs. The 25-year-old did steal 34 bases in 38 attempts, and if he is a factor in fantasy leagues in 2026, it will likely be due to the threat he poses on the basepaths.

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.

Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Friday that he expects Profar to be deployed at designated hitter often early in the season, Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Profar will not be a full-time DH, as Weiss likes the flexibility of using others in the spot on occasion, but heading into the season he is viewed as the team's primary option. The switch hitter could shift to left field against tougher southpaws, with the lefty-swinging Mike Yastrzemski going to the bench.

Adam (quadriceps) said Friday that he "absolutely" thinks he could be ready in time for Opening Day, 97.3 The Fan reports.

Coming back from left quadriceps tendon repair surgery, Adam has been throwing bullpen sessions but still needs to show he can field his position and run without issue. The reliever said that the "ultimate priority" is to be healthy for the bulk of the season, but he believes he has a chance to be available for Opening Day. Previous estimates have had Adam in line for his season debut around mid-April, and that's probably still the most likely scenario.

Ritchie has drawn "some excitement" with how he's looked early on in spring training, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Ritchie is a long shot to break camp as part of Atlanta's rotation, but he could push to make his major-league debut sooner rather than later. The 22-year-old began the 2025 season at High-A Rome and finished it at Triple-A Gwinnett, posting a 2.64 ERA and 140:54 K:BB over 140 innings across three levels. It was his first full pro season, as he missed much of the previous two years while recovering from Tommy John surgery after being the 35th overall pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft.