Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo was back on track for the World Baseball Classic after testing his strained right groin in a successful bullpen session on Sunday morning. Whether he pitches for Team Mexico will be decided Tuesday, when Gallardo is scheduled to pitch an inning in a game.

Padres manager Bud Black was nostalgic during Sunday’s win over the White Sox, as the matchup between starting pitchers was none other than Clayton Richard vs. Jake Peavy, the two players who were swapped for one another in a Trade Deadline deal on July 31, 2009.

There is a little bit of good-natured “Can you top this?” going on between Marlins prospects Christian Yelich and Jake Marisnick.

Reds center fielder Shin-Soo Choo and catcher Ryan Hanigan are improving, but still not back in the lineup after dealing with minor injuries.

Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer wasn’t going to get sentimental about his return, no matter how many times he was asked over the past couple weeks. As quickly as he pitched on Sunday, he didn’t really have a chance to get sentimental.

The reawakening of Jose Tabata continues as a leading recurring theme of the Pirates’ Spring Training. He talks about feeling like a new man, club staffers talk about seeing a new man.

Hector Gimenez has battled injuries in his journey to the Majors, but the 30-year-old catcher is healthy and ready to become a tandem with Tyler Flowers as the season approaches.

This is a tall tale: Nate Freiman is 6 feet 8. And yes, of course, his height distinguishes him among the hoard of hopefuls who have overrun the Astros’ Spring Training complex in Kissimmee, Fla.

After enduring a period of pain, followed by a longer stretch of unfamiliarity and discomfort last season, then offseason shoulder surgery, Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals’ franchise third baseman returned to action on Sunday.

Two years removed from free agency, Clayton Kershaw could eclipse the seven-year, $175 million deal signed by Seattle’s Felix Hernandez. But the talented southpaw’s focus won’t waver from the game he loves to play.

Braves second baseman Dan Uggla certainly displayed some relief after hitting his first home run of the Grapefruit League season during Sunday’s 6-1 win over the Tigers at Champion Stadium.

Cognizant that he is still competing for a spot in the Cardinals big league bullpen, Fernando Salas departed for Arizona on Sunday, overjoyed by the opportunity to represent Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

The Red Sox still hope David Ortiz can make his Grapefruit League debut at the end of this coming week, which would put him on track to be ready for Opening Day on April 1 at Yankee Stadium.

Bruce Rondon wasn’t going to win or lose the closer’s job a week-and-a-half into a four-week camp. With the attention focused on the position as one of the biggest questions for a contending team, though, he was going to set a tone either way.

The head of the Major League Baseball Players Association called increased penalties for the use of banned substances “a 2014 issue” on Sunday, a day after Commissioner Bud Selig voiced his support for a quick resolution.

Chris Johnson welcomes the challenge to prove he is capable of succeeding Chipper Jones as the Braves’ starting third baseman. The 28-year-old infielder is in the midst of a battle with Juan Francisco.

Considering he’s only a few days removed from his 10-month anniversary of undergoing Tommy John surgery, Mike Pelfrey isn’t worried about results at this point in Spring Training.