Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Cole (elbow) could pitch in some Grapefruit League games before the end of camp, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.

Cole missed the entirety of the 2025 season following Tommy John with internal bracing surgery last March. He's been throwing since August and will progress to live batting practice session in a couple weeks, with game action a possibility later in March. However, while Cole's rehab has gone as well as could be expected, the Yankees don't expect him to rejoin their rotation until late May or early June.

Nardi (back) threw a live bullpen session during Wednesday's workout at spring training, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Nardi didn't pitch in 2025 after experiencing lower-back inflammation in spring training and requiring an injection in late April to relieve discomfort. The lefty reliever was able to throw off a mound before the end of the season, and he appears to have turned a corner in his recovery over the offseason. Nardi could resurface as a setup or middle-relief arm for Miami after maintaining a 4.51 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 167:53 K:BB over 121.2 career innings in the big leagues.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Palencia will open the season as the team's closer, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

Palencia had a breakout 2025 campaign for the Cubs, putting up a 2.91 ERA and 61:16 K:BB over 52.2 regular-season innings while notching 22 saves. He missed time in September with a shoulder injury and, after returning, ceded the closer role to Brad Keller. However, after Keller signed with the Phillies this offseason, Palencia is set to return to the ninth inning. There's some risk that Palencia's control will regress in 2026, as he had a 7.4 percent walk rate in 2025 after walking batters at a 13.8 percent clip his first two seasons. However, the 26-year-old has electric stuff and showed last season he can handle the pressure of the ninth inning.

Riley (core) took live batting practice Wednesday and appears to be facing no restrictions for the start of spring training, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Riley appears to be 100 percent healthy after he missed most of the final two months of 2025 with a lower abdominal strain, which he ultimately addressed via core-muscle surgery Aug. 21. Though his reputation as one of baseball's more durable third basemen has taken a hit after two straight injury-shortened seasons, Riley won't turn 29 years old until April, and with some better luck on the health front, he could re-emerge as the consistent 30-homer, 90-RBI producer that he was from 2021 through 2023.

Alvarado (forearm) was seen throwing a bullpen session Wednesday during the Phillies' first workout of spring training, Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Alvarado's ability to complete a side session would seem to suggest that he's made a full recovery from the left forearm strain that landed him on the injured list Sept. 12. The southpaw served an 80-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs to begin last season, but he was one of manager Rob Thomson's more trusted bullpen arms when available, logging a 3.81 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 32:7 K:BB in 26 innings. After having his $9 million club option for 2026 picked up over the winter, Alvarado should slot in as one of the top setup men in front of closer Jhoan Duran.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said Wednesday that Eflin (back) will be a full participant as spring training gets underway, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Eflin missed the final two months of 2025 due to a back injury that he addressed with lumbar microdiscectomy surgery Aug. 18, but he was cleared to resume throwing off a mound in early January. Baltimore re-signed the veteran righty on a one-year, $10 million deal in October, so Eflin should be ticketed for a back-end rotation spot.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said Wednesday that Selby is expected to begin the season on the injured list due to right shoulder inflammation, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

He's not dealing with any structural damage, but Selby will be sidelined indefinitely as the Orioles allow the inflammation in his shoulder to subside. Selby yielded five runs with a 14:2 K:BB over 14 frames with Baltimore in 2025 and, once healthy, is slated for a middle relief role.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias confirmed Wednesday that McDermott (back) will prepare in spring training to handle a relief role during the 2026 season, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

McDermott made a spot start for the Orioles in his 2024 big-league debut, but after battling a shoulder injury to close out that season and then a lat strain to begin the 2025 campaign, he struggled to find his form. The right-hander then sustained a minor elbow issue in July and ended up shifting to a relief role over the final two months of the season between the majors and Triple-A Norfolk. McDermott was placed on the injured list Sept. 23 due to back discomfort, but he appears to have had a healthy offseason. With the Orioles' starting candidates in generally good health entering 2026, McDermott isn't needed as rotation depth will have to make his mark out of the bullpen during the spring in order to secure a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Mayo has been working out at third base early in Orioles camp and could see playing time at the position if Jordan Westburg (oblique) shifts to second base to cover for Jackson Holliday's (hand) expected absence to begin the season, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Mayo didn't see any action at third base with the big club from June on last season, focusing on first base and designated hitter instead. However, with Holliday slated to begin the season on the injured list and with offseason pickup Pete Alonso locked in as the Orioles' everyday first baseman, Mayo is being reconsidered as an option at the hot corner. The likelier scenario seems to be Blaze Alexander picking up Holliday's reps, but Mayo could change minds with a strong Grapefruit League showing.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said Wednesday that Wells will be built up as a starting pitcher during spring training, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

According to Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun, Elias said that the Orioles haven't made a firm determination what role Wells will handle over the long haul, but at least to begin camp, the 31-year-old righty will be in the mix for a rotation spot. After completing his recovery from June 2024 UCL revision and internal brace augmentation surgery on his elbow, Wells was activated from the injured list last September and pitched well over the final month of the season, logging a 2.91 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 18:2 K:BB in 21.2 innings over his four starts.