As the Braves evaluate their options, they are going to give veteran corner outfielder Jeff Francoeur chance to spend some time in center field, the somewhat foreign position that he manned during Wednesday’s 8-8 tie against the Cardinals.

There have been some rough outings from the relievers competing for jobs in Yankees camp, which did not come as a complete surprise to manager Joe Girardi. No matter: The real evaluations of those contenders is set to begin now.

While surrendering three two-out runs was not exactly what A.J. Hinch had in mind for Brad Peacock’s second Grapefruit League start, the Astros’ skipper was pleased to see the right-hander pitch three innings against the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon.

John Jaso was the Pirates’ starting leadoff hitter in Wednesday’s 9-3 loss to the Orioles. Any reason the Bucs chose to try out that look for the first time this spring? “Yeah,” manager Clint Hurdle said, “a whole bunch of them.”

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Two Astros hitters were hit by a pitch in the course of a half-inning during Wednesday afternoon’s 7-3 loss to the Tigers, making for three hit batsmen in two days for Houston.

The Padres had an off-day Wednesday. Manager Andy Green’s precise instructions were to “enjoy your family, your friends or a round of golf.” But James Shields, Robbie Erlin and Luis Perdomo were back at the office.

The Rockies will take another look at some of their top pitching prospects this week, starting with Jeff Hoffman, a top 10 Draft pick who came to the Rox in the Troy Tulowitzki trade with the Blue Jays and was sent to Minor League camp last week.

The mechanical adjustments are clicking for Jarred Cosart, and the Marlins right-hander is seeing the results. The 25-year-old threw three shutout innings of relief on Wednesday in a 4-2 loss to the Nationals at Roger Dean Stadium.

On Tuesday, manager Buck Showalter got together with struggling outfielder Hyun Soo Kim. During the meeting, they watched tape of some of Kim’s at-bats from his days in the Korean Baseball Organization, where he posted an .895 career OPS. In Baltimore’s 9-3 win over Pittsburgh on Wednesday afternoon, Showalter saw signs of that hitter emerging again.

After taking multiple questions this spring about whether he’d entertain batting the pitcher eighth during the season, manager Mike Matheny obliged Wednesday, which was also the first time this spring that the Cardinals have not utilized a designated hitter.

This is where legends grow — in the half shadows, on the margins, at the edge of peripheral vision. Or in the case of 17-year-old Jhailyn Ortiz, the Phillies’ No. 26 prospect, on a back field at the Carpenter Complex in a camp game seen by only a handful of spectators.

Toronto likely already has a preferred closer candidate between Drew Storen and Roberto Osuna, but a final call will not be announced until members of the coaching staff and front office sit down for meetings later this month.

Introducing Juan Nicasio, who may be the Pirates’ latest pitching success story. Nicasio struck out 10 of the 14 Orioles hitters he faced over four inning in Pittsburgh’s 9-3 loss at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday. The right-hander, signed to a $3 million contract in December, allowed one hit and extended his Spring Training scoreless streak to 10 innings.

The Nationals developed a plan this spring to ease Ryan Zimmerman, who missed more than a month last season with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, into game action. If making his spring debut at first base during Wednesday’s 4-2 victory against the Marlins seemed like a significant step in the process, it was lost on Zimmerman.

Blue Jays’ pitcher Marco Estrada, slowed early this spring by a lower back injury, is nearing his first Grapefruit League outing.

The unexpected retirement of Adam LaRoche was brought about by a request from White Sox executive vice present Ken Williams to have LaRoche’s 14-year-old son, Drake, become less of a presence with the team.