Baseball

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani plans to throw his first bullpen this weekend as he aims to return to the mound from a one-season pitching layoff caused by elbow surgery.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon needs hip surgery and will be out for an extended period, his latest major injury setback since joining Los Angeles.

CHICAGO (AP) — Center fielder Michael A. Taylor and the Chicago White Sox have agreed to a $1.95 million, one-year contract. Chicago announced the agreement Wednesday. Taylor spent last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, batting .

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Ke'Bryan Hayes is not entirely pain free. The Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman knows he may never be.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals split their first two salary arbitration cases, beating Brendan Donovan on Wednesday and losing to Lars Nootbaar in results that left teams ahead 4-3 with two decisions remaining.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto is likely to start for the Los Angeles Dodgers when they open the season against Chicago Cubs in Tokyo on March 18 and Roki Sasaki could make his major league debut the next day.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The breakthrough season Griffin Jax produced for the Minnesota Twins from the back of their bullpen last year wasn't enough by itself to convince the right-hander to fully accept his status as a relief pitcher and abandon his goal

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — The Detroit Tigers are expecting Alex Cobb to miss the start of the season.

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Veteran reliever JT Chargois agreed to a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers before their first workout of spring training Wednesday.

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Newly acquired Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz is expected to miss most of spring training after undergoing surgery on his right wrist.