A slightly strained right quad has kept Eric Hosmer from playing at 100 percent since the World Baseball Classic, so he got a day to rest on Saturday before getting at-bats in a Minor League game on Sunday.

Roy Halladay spoke assuredly as he stood in front of his locker Saturday at Bright House Field, insisting he felt strong, could add a click or two to his fastball, and pitch effectively April 3 against Atlanta. Things looked and felt differently during the four innings he pitched against Toronto’s Triple-A hitters.

Roy Halladay acknowledged that the time has come to do things differently. “I’ve never seen a guy that threw harder as he got older, and if he did, he probably needed to be tested,” he said.

Dan Uggla hit his first home run in nearly three weeks, and Julio Teheran produced yet another stellar start with six hitless innings for the Braves in Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 win over the Astros at Champion Stadium.

Derek Jeter grounded out in each of his four at-bats for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre during an afternoon game against the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate on Saturday.

Mitchell Boggs will fill in for Jason Motte at closer — how long he does so will depend both on how long Motte is sidelined and how Boggs fares with the new late-game responsibility.

The Cardinals announced Saturday that closer Jason Motte would most likely begin the season on the disabled list after he was diagnosed with a mild flexor tendon strain. Mitchell Boggs will fill in for him.

Braves general manager Frank Wren said Brian McCann will not be cleared to begin his Minor League rehab assignment before April 16, the six-month anniversary of right shoulder surgery performed on the six-time All-Star catcher.

At his manager’s behest, Bryce Harper stayed back in Viera, Fla., while the team made the trip to Port St. Lucie on Saturday, nursing a swollen left thumb that he jammed in Friday’s game against the Tigers.

Johan Santana said Saturday that he has no idea when he’ll be able to return to the mound, but he remains hopeful that left shoulder weakness won’t sideline him for a large portion of the season.

The much anticipated rookie season of D-backs center fielder Adam Eaton will be put on hold for 6-8 weeks after an MRI late Thursday night revealed a left elbow UCL sprain.

In the final stretch of Spring Training, the Marlins and Mets each threw their Opening Day starters on Friday. Both teams also got a feel for playing at night, performing in front of a crowd of 4,758 at Roger Dean Stadium.

Torii Hunter was a special type of player who could lead both on and off the field, and the Angels don’t necessarily have one particular player who can do what he did for the team. They’ll look to a number of players, including Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols, to emerge as leaders in 2013.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported Friday night that the Yankees have agreed to terms on a Minor League deal with Chien-Ming Wang, who won 55 games for the Yankees in a four-year span from 2005-’08.

One of the biggest questions in baseball this spring has finally been answered. Aroldis Chapman will return to the closer’s role for the Reds while Mike Leake will again be the rotation’s fifth starter.

Pitcher Edinson Volquez didn’t just return to Padres camp Friday after his World Baseball Classic stint with the Dominican Republic. He jumped right back into action.

After allowing eight runs in five-plus innings against the Rockies on Friday, Rangers rookie pitcher Nick Tepesch offered a quick review of what appeared to be his toughest test of the spring.