As light snow fell outside Fenway Park on Van Ness Street Wednesday morning, the early spring forecasted last week by Punxsutawney Phil seemed anything but imminent. And yet, for the die-hard fans assembled to watch the Red Sox’s equipment truck get loaded up for the 1,472-mile trek to the team’s Spring Training facility in Fort Myers, Florida, spring has officially sprung.

The White Sox revamping process moved into Year 3 this offseason via the significant additions made by general manager Rick Hahn. The second part of a seven-part Spring Training preview takes a look at these important new White Sox players.

The loss of designated hitter Evan Gattis, perhaps until the start of the regular season or beyond following surgery to repair a sports hernia, will free up some at-bats this spring. The Astros will get a better gauge on up-and-comers like Matt Duffy, Tyler White, A.J. Reed and Colin Moran.

Quickly. Who are the two best teams in the National League? The three best? The four best? You better have mentioned the Pirates in there somewhere. They’ve earned it.

The Orioles are moving closer to landing the best free-agent starter still available: Yovani Gallardo.

Yet another sign that Spring Training is almost here: It was Royals Truck Day at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday.

The countdown for Feb. 18, the official report date of Yankees pitchers and catchers, is ticking down. Activity has already started at the team complex in Tampa, Fla. and anticipation is kicking into high gear for the upcoming season.

The Rangers avoided an arbitration hearing with first baseman Mitch Moreland almost at the last hour on Wednesday by agreeing on a contract for 2016. The deal is for $5.7 million, according to a source.

How do we love WBC? Let us count the ways.

Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, who underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur in his right elbow in October, threw off a mound Tuesday for the first time since the procedure, Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild told The Associated Press.

Evan Gattis told MLB.com on Tuesday that he will miss four to six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a hernia.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the man who is by nearly any reasonable measure the best right-handed hitter since Hank Aaron.

The first leg of the 2017 World Baseball Classic gets underway with the first of four qualifying tournaments starting on Thursday at Blacktown International Sportspark just outside Sydney. Australia, the favorite, will host New Zealand, the Philippines and South Africa.

Brian McCann can’t stop thinking about the possibilities. Dellin Betances in the seventh inning, Andrew Miller in the eighth and Aroldis Chapman in the ninth. “Yeah, I mean I think the options are endless,” McCann, the Yankees’ catcher, said Tuesday night before joining honorees at the 36th annual Thurman Munson Awards Dinner.

Rockies right-handed pitcher David Hale has a degree in economics from Princeton and is quite capable of learning, but last season tested his aptitude.

You’ve got the first pick in your upcoming fantasy draft, but now the real fun begins: Who do you choose?

Here is a look at last season’s homers that featured the five lowest and five highest launch angles, according to Statcast™. This list focuses on balls that left the yard, so inside-the-park homers are excluded.