After three years, Varona returns home

Tampa Bay Rays prospect Dayron Varona stepped on his native Cuban soil for the first time in three years Sunday, unaware of all that was waiting. Upon his arrival amid a roster of 34 players the club has sent to Havana, Varona was greeted by his family at the team hotel in one of the most heartwarming moments of Spring Training.

Youth movement is near for Nationals

Labels can be tough to shake in this game, and Dusty Baker has long worn this one: He favors veterans over youngsters. At a Nationals camp in which the likely Opening Day lineup features Jayson Werth and Danny Espinosa and not Michael Taylor and Trea Turner, Baker’s policy on young players is worth addressing.

Miggy backs Anibal’s spotless debut vs. Phils

Maikel Franco’s sixth-inning infield single not only broke up a Tigers’ Grapefruit League no-hit bid, it drove in Ryan Jackson with the go-ahead run, sending the Phillies on their way to a 4-3 win over the Tigers on a blustery Monday at Joker Marchant Stadium. Anibal Sanchez, who missed nearly a month with triceps inflammation, celebrated his first game action this spring with four hitless innings while Miguel Cabrera knocked in his eighth run.

Hobbled by shin pain, Ethier to get bone scan

Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier, still on crutches three days after fouling a pitch off his right shin, will have a bone scan taken Monday. Ethier was originally expected to miss two or three days, but the pain has persisted and the club wants the added test to look for damage that wasn’t seen in the initial X-ray.

Prospects fighting for big league jobs

The transaction wire has been humming of late, with consistent movement of players from big league camp over to the Minor League side. All 30 teams are paring down their roster as Opening Day looms. With that, some of the game’s top prospects have moved down to prepare for the Minor League season.