Max Scherzer won the National League Cy Young award last season despite pitching the second half with a stress fracture in his right ring finger, but that doesn't mean the injury hasn't changed the way he pitches.

The injury only bothers Scherzer when he throws his fastball, so the right-hander modified his fastball grip to take pressure off the finger. He's throwing a three-finger fastball rather than the traditional two-finger fastball.

Major League Baseball is looking into the introduction of sticker baseballs into the game.

MLB has commissioned Rawlings to manufacturer a baseball with natural tact on the leather, according to a report. This would eliminate the need for pitchers to use a foreign substance, like pine tar or sun screen, to improve their grip.

"MLB has commissioned Rawlings, its official manufacturer, to produce a ball with natural tack on the leather in hopes of eliminating the need for pine tar, sunscreen and rosin, or any other foreign substances whose use in recent years has blurred the legal-illegal line, sources familiar with the project told Yahoo Sports," writes Jeff Passan.

"The balls also would not need a pregame polish of Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud, the New Jersey-harvested muck that for decades has taken the sheen off the pearls that come out of the box." 

Representatives for Rougned Odor met with the Texas Rangers on Monday to discuss a potential contract extension.

There is no word on how the discussions are progressing, but the two sides are clearly engaged in talks.

It was reported last week that both camps had renewed interest in a long-term deal.

The New York Mets have a logjam in the outfield and Lucas Duda is dealing with hip issues, which has led Jay Bruce to take ground balls at first base.

Terry Collins told reporters that Bruce and Neil Walker will be taking grounders at first in case Duda's back and hip issues linger.

Bruce was mentioned in trade rumors for the better part of the winter.

Josh Hamilton will be sidelined following arthroscopic surgery to repair the cartilage in his left knee, according to the Texas Rangers.

Hamilton won't be able to run for six weeks, putting a potential return to the field further down the road.

There is no damage to Hamilton's ACL, which was surgically repaired last June.

Jose Fernandez's family will seek to name his newborn daughter, Penelope, as the sole beneficiary to his estate, according to a family attorney.

The deceased Miami Marlins right-hander's estate is believed to be worth an estimated $2 million to $3 million.

Fernandez's daughter was born on Friday.

Eric Hosmer will be eligible for free agency after the season and the Kansas City Royals aren't optimistic they'll agree to an extension with him this spring.

Hosmer, 27, is in his prime and the Royals have never given out a $100 million contract.

"We earned an opportunity to weigh our options and do the best for yourself," Hosmer said of himself and other potential K.C. free agents. "We would like to come back, but you don't know what's going to happen. None of us do."

The Royals are expected to wait until next offseason before seriously negotiating with any of their free agents.

The Los Angeles Dodgers want to limit Julio Urias' innings this season.

The club is leaning towards opening the season with Urias in the starting rotation instead of stashing him in extended spring training to limit his innings. He would make shorter starts.

The 20-year-old had a 3.39 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 84 strikeouts in 77 innings last season.

Jose Quintana has been mentioned in trade rumors for much of the offseason and clubs remain interested in the Chicago White Sox left-hander.

The Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees remain interested. The White Sox are focused on getting quality prospects in return, not necessarily quantity.

"As we sit here right now, it's more a function of continuing on the conversations we have had," Rick Hahn said earlier in the week. "We will see if we can build off of those."

The Washington Nationals are among the teams interested in Angel Pagan.

The Nationals and other interested clubs are hoping to land Pagan on a Minor League deal.