The Diamondbacks are preparing for Carroll (hand) to return by or soon after Opening Day, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

The team isn't saying it out loud, but they believe Carroll's track record of healing quickly and work ethic makes Opening Day a real possibility. Another clue is how the Diamondbacks are preparing the outfield with both Carroll and Lourdes Gurriel (knee) sidelined. The original plan floated by manager Torey Lovullo was to have center fielder Alek Thomas cover right field until Carroll was back, but early in camp, Thomas has been lining up in left field, where he could play until Gurriel returns. Of the two injured outfielders, the sense is that Gurriel is likely to need more time than Carroll.

Gurriel (knee) took live batting practice Tuesday and ran the bases, indicating his return is ahead of schedule, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Gurriel's stated goal is to be ready for Opening Day -- it's the first thing he mentioned to manager Torey Lovullo upon his arrival in camp -- but the manager's comments suggest more caution. Lovullo stated he was blown away by how Gurriel has looked early on, but then added, "I will say, right now, we're going to take it as slowly as we possibly need to, and then plug in where we can." It appears the Diamondbacks are preparing for Gurriel to miss time early in the regular season. Alek Thomas has taken reps in left field -- Gurriel's normal position -- instead of right field. It was initially thought Thomas could fill in for injured right fielder Corbin Carroll (hand), but the club is optimistic Carroll can return in time for the opener.

The Mariners signed Garver to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Garver spent the last two seasons with the Mariners serving as the team's backup catcher to Cal Raleigh. Garver will get a chance to reprise that role for the 2026 campaign, and he'll face competition from Jhonny Pereda and Andrew Knizner in spring training. Garver appeared in 87 regular-season games for Seattle in 2025 and slashed .209/.297/.343 with three steals, nine home runs and 30 RBI across 290 plate appearances.

Weber signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Tuesday.

Weber played 97 games with the Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliate in 2025, slashing .310/.368/.434 with 43 RBI and 60 runs scored across 404 plate appearances. The 28-year-old infielder has yet to make his MLB debut, but a lack of talent on Chicago's big-league roster could allow him to make the jump this season if he continues to play well in the minors.

Alexander signed a minor-league contract with the Astros on Tuesday.

Alexander spent nearly all of 2025 at Triple-A, slashing .254/.355/.450 across 462 total plate appearances with three organizations. He'll now begin the 2026 campaign in the Astros' farm system and is again likely to spend most of the year at Triple-A Sugar Land.

Varland (undisclosed) faced live hitters during Wednesday's full-squad workout.

Varland didn't pitch after July 28 last season while tending to an undisclosed injury, but he's seemingly back to full health for spring training. The Nationals added Varland to their 40-man roster via a waiver claim in January and will give him the chance to compete for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. Over parts of two big-league seasons across stops with the White Sox, Brewers and Dodgers, Varland owns a 4.82 ERA and 47:24 K:BB over 46.2 innings.

Montes de Oca (elbow) faced live hitters during Wednesday's full-squad workout.

Montes de Oca looks to be free of restrictions this spring after he missed the entire 2025 season while he was on the mend from his second career Tommy John surgery, which he underwent late in 2024. The 29-year-old right-hander signed a minor-league deal with the Nationals in January and is likely to open the season in the Triple-A Rochester bullpen.

Pirates manager Don Kelly said Wednesday that it "would be a tough ask" for Griffin to make the Opening Day roster, Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan reports.

Griffin is a 19-year-old with only 21 games of experience above A-ball, so cracking the Opening Day roster would indeed be a difficult leap. It's also not a surprise that Kelly is tamping down expectations for the top prospect this early in spring training. It should become clearer the deeper we get into camp as to whether Griffin has a real chance to head north with the big club. Griffin hit .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases across three levels in his first professional season in 2025.

Rodgers (back) is fully healthy for the start of spring training and will compete for a utility role on the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports.

After signing a one-year deal with the Astros last February, Rodgers was limited to just 43 games at the big-league level in 2025. He initially missed time due to an oblique strain, then was involved in a nasty on-field collision during a minor-league rehab assignment in July in which he sustained a concussion as well as back, knee and hip injuries. He was able to resume his rehab assignment in late August before being shut down after one game, but after a full offseason to heal up from his injuries, Rodgers looks to be back to 100 percent. A Gold Glove Award winner at second base with the Rockies in 2022, Rodgers will need to prove he can capably handle other infield positions during the spring in order to boost his chances of making the roster as a utility player.

Canning (Achilles) will begin the season on the injured list but "might not be there for very long," AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Recovering from a torn left Achilles, Canning said Tuesday that he feels 100 percent when throwing off the mound, but he still has some work to do in regard to the running and agility portion of his rehab. Cassavell suggests that Canning could be ready for his season debut around late April or early May, though a there's no clear timetable just yet. The right-hander held a 3.77 ERA and 70:35 K:BB across 76.1 innings for the Mets in 2025 before getting hurt. Once healthy, Canning should slot into the Padres' rotation.