The Athletics traded Spence to the Royals on Thursday in exchange for A.J. Causey.

After being DFA'd by the A's on Tuesday, Spence will recapture a 40-man roster spot by moving to Kansas City. The 27-year-old reliever turned in a 5.10 ERA and 1.44 WHIP across 84.2 innings last season and will be in the running for a spot in the Royals' Opening Day bullpen. He has two minor-league options remaining, however, so there is a chance he opens the year at Triple-A Omaha instead. Alec Marsh (shoulder) was placed on the 60-day IL in a corresponding move.

Lugo (back) threw a bullpen session in Royals camp Thursday, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.

Lugo was sidelined for the final month of last season with a nagging back injury, but he does not appear to have any restrictions at the start of spring training. The veteran right-hander collected a 2.67 ERA in the first half in 2025 but posted a 7.51 ERA in his final nine starts before getting hurt. Lugo could very well bounce back in 2026 now that he's healthy, but he's 36 and has a 21.1 percent strikeout rate since 2024, so there is risk.

The Guardians re-signed Lively (elbow) to a two-year minor-league contract Thursday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Lively will be in camp with Cleveland as he continues his rehab from a UCL reconstruction and flexor tendon repair that he had last May. He's currently throwing out to 75 feet, per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. The right-hander has a chance to make some appearances late in the 2026 season, but this is more of a depth addition for 2027 by the Guardians. Lively has posted a 3.68 ERA and 147:64 K:BB over 195.2 innings covering 38 starts during his two seasons in Cleveland.

Cease has been working on changing the shape of his four-seam fastball and adding a changeup to his arsenal, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

The right-hander has always had premium raw stuff in his high-90s fastball, which averaged a career-high 98.1 mph in 2025, and plus slider, but his actual results have rarely matched the scouting reports. Adding a change or splitter could help improve his numbers against left-handed hitters -- last season with the Padres, Cease had a 4.00 K/BB and 31.4 percent strikeout rate against RHP, but just a 2.36 K/BB and 28.0 percent K rate against LHP. Until he begins using any new pitches in game action, however, there's no reason to expect something radically different than the pitch mix that saw him use his four-seamer and slider 83.1 percent of the time last year.

Eovaldi (hernia) reported to camp healthy and threw his first bullpen session Tuesday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Eovaldi was shut down last season in August and eventually underwent surgery during the offseason to address a sports hernia issue. He said he'd been dealing with the hernia since 2024, but it never affected his pitching. Eovaldi had an impressive 1.73 ERA over 22 starts in 2025, his fourth consecutive season with fewer than 30 starts. The right-hander turns 36 this spring, and manager Skip Schumaker is planning a slow build-up for Eovaldi, similar to how the club handled Jacob deGrom in 2025.

Bassitt signed a one-year, $18.5 million contract with the Orioles on Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Bassitt finished the 2025 regular season with a 3.96 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across 170.1 innings, and he'll now head to Baltimore to help bolster an Orioles rotation that finished the year with a 4.65 ERA (seventh worst in MLB). The 36-year-old righty has made at least 30 starts every year since 2022 and posted an 8.8 K/9 last season while ranking in the 85th percentile in average exit velocity allowed.

Falter (biceps) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Falter spent the final five weeks of the 2025 season on the shelf due to a left biceps contusion, but he made two rehab appearances with Triple-A Omaha in late September and looks to have had a normal offseason. The veteran southpaw will likely get stretched out as a starter during spring training, but he's probably on the outside looking in for a rotation spot and could be ticketed for a long-relief role.

Lauer will earn $4.4 million in 2026 after losing his arbitration hearing with the Blue Jays on Wednesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Lauer had filed for a $5.75 million salary, coming off a 2025 campaign in which he delivered a 3.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 102:26 K:BB in 104.2 innings. The veteran lefty brought some stability to the back end of the Toronto rotation for much of the summer before he transitioned into a relief role once the Blue Jays regained some health with the returns of Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer from injuries. Scherzer is now a free agent, but with Toronto retaining Bieber, trading for Dylan Cease and preparing breakout postseason star Trey Yesavage for a full-time rotation spot in 2026, Lauer could see a larger share of his appearances out of the bullpen during the upcoming season.

Bubic (shoulder) will earn $6.15 million in 2026 after winning his arbitration hearing against the Royals on Wednesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The Royals had filed at $5.15 million, but the three-person arbitration panel chose the figure Bubic submitted. Bubic experienced a breakout 2025 season, posting a 2.55 ERA and 116:39 K:BB over 116.1 innings covering 20 starts before going down with a left shoulder strain. Per Anne Rogers of MLB.com, Bubic threw a bullpen session Wednesday and doesn't appear to be operating with any restrictions this spring, but the Royals will keep a close eye on him after he missed nearly the entire second half last season.

Gore (ankle) was seen throwing a bullpen session Wednesday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Gore wasn't expected to be entering spring training with any restrictions after a minor right ankle impingement kept him out of action for the final week of the 2025 season, but his ability to throw a side session on the second day of camp confirms he's healthy. Acquired in a January deal that sent five prospects to Washington, Gore is likely penciled in as the Rangers' No. 3 starter behind Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi (core).