Known for his pitching, Cubs’ pitcher Jon Lester showed off his power on Wednesday, slugging his first home run.

2016 marks the second season of Statcast™, and that means we have an entire season of data about exit velocity, spin rate, extension, arm strength, running speed and just about anything else you can think of. Let’s begin things with 30 teams and 30 stats.

The Braves have signed outfielder Drew Stubbs to a Minor League contract and invited him to spend the final days of Spring Training fighting for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Jered Weaver didn’t really want to be here. All of his teammates were back in Southern California on Wednesday, but the Angels’ longtime ace was stuck in Arizona because he needed to make one more start. It would come against eager, aggressive, impatient Minor League hitters. And it would begin with a 24-pitch first inning that featured a prodigious three-run homer. But then something weird happened. Weaver actually started to have fun.

Living the life.

For the first time this spring, the Reds gave Jose Peraza a start in left field in a 6-3 win over the White Sox on Wednesday.

Michael Brantley will be with the Indians on Opening Day, but the outfielder will not be in the lineup. As Cleveland anticipated after his offseason right shoulder surgery, Brantley will begin the year on the disabled list.

A feature on Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado will be part of “Play Ball,” a weekly MLB Network show geared toward youngsters, that will air in April.

Who is going to begin the season as the Astros’ closer? The team has yet to announce anything, even though the big trade that landed Ken Giles from the Phillies at the Winter Meetings was made with the intent of Giles being the closer.

Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy, who is scheduled to start the second game of the regular season against the Mets, was removed from Wednesday’s Cactus League finale because of tightness in his left hamstring.

Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels was sharp in his last start of the spring, allowing one run in five innings in a 5-1 victory over the Royals on Wednesday at Surprise Stadium.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi has been saying for weeks that selecting a fifth starter will present a difficult decision, and Ivan Nova didn’t make it any easier for the club on Wednesday.

Trevor Bauer walked down a hallway in the Indians’ complex on Wednesday morning, the hood of his sweatshirt over his head and his eyes locked on his phone. The pitcher was still absorbing the news he had just received from manager Terry Francona. Cleveland will start the season with Cody Anderson and Josh Tomlin in the final two rotation spots, meaning Bauer will be in the Opening Day bullpen.

Right-hander Michael Wacha closed out his Spring Training with his strongest outing of March in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over the Marlins.

In the end, the Pirates simply couldn’t deny Juan Nicasio a spot in the rotation.

A domestic-abuse case against Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes is being dropped because Reyes’ wife is not cooperating, Kerry Glen, deputy prosecuting attorney for Maui, Hawaii, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

There are only a handful of players in the history of baseball who have been more connected to their city than Padres legend Tony Gwynn.