The 2013 Phillies find themselves in a similar situation as the 1980 Phillies: if they don’t win, significant changes could be made.

The triceps soreness felt by left-handed reliever Matt Thornton has kept him off the mound for the past two days, and he will be inactive again Thursday.

Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton knows the end of his playing career is near. He just isn’t saying it. He’s not into pomp and circumstance. There will be no farewell tour. Any celebration will be for the Rockies.

Contrary to earlier reports, Javier Lopez said Wednesday that he was hit squarely on the back of his pitching hand by a toss from Madison Bumgarner as they played catch Tuesday morning.

Mariners ace Felix Hernandez threw off the mound for the first time this spring with a 10-minute bullpen session Wednesday, tossing 33 pitches in the covered pitching cages at the Peoria Sports Complex due to rainy weather.

Following a $10 million renovation of historic McKechnie Field, the Pirates now have two showplaces. All that remains is to fill them with appropriate showpieces. “We’ve changed the landscape. We’re in an incredible position to take another step forward,” club chairman Bob Nutting said Wednesday in Pirate City.

Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg threw his first batting practice of the spring on Wednesday and was in top form.

General manager Brian Cashman declined to comment Wednesday morning when asked if he was optimistic about signing Robinson Cano to a long-term extension.

Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday that all batters have begun standard usage of a new S100 ProComp helmet manufactured by Rawlings.

The Red Sox added some intrigue for their bench competition on Wednesday by acquiring first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp from the Mariners in exchange for a player to be named or cash considerations.

Four months after Octavio Dotel first talked about the Tigers possibly needing a team meeting, he was meeting with his teammates before a Spring Training workout. He wished he didn’t have to.

Roger Clemens, who’s working as a special instructor at Spring Training this year for the Astros, put on a uniform and got back on the mound Wednesday for the first time in nearly six months, throwing live batting practice to Houston hitters for about 20 minutes.

Phil Hughes will be in a “two-week timeout,” as general manager Brian Cashman put it, after a doctor discovered a bulging disk in the right-hander’s upper back.

Two players who were once headed in opposite directions are together as teammates. The Rangers signed Joe Nathan in 2011 and brought A.J. Pierzynski in this offseason to be their catcher after Mike Napoli signed with the Red Sox.

Shortstop Everth Cabrera said Wednesday he was taken aback to see that his name was linked to Biogenesis, the South Florida anti-aging clinic currently under investigation by Major League Baseball.

Giancarlo Stanton was struck in the back of the helmet by a Jose Fernandez pitch during a simulated game on Field 4 of the Roger Dean Stadium complex on Wednesday.

It was learned on Wednesday night that Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto would not be permitted to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. First baseman Joey Votto’s status to participate for Team Canada still remained officially unresolved.