Right-hander Sonny Gray will make his debut with the St. Louis Cardinals against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, manager Oliver Marmol said.

Gray, 34, had been slated to start Opening Day but instead was placed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain.

Marmol said Gray will be on a 65-pitch limit against the Phillies.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired righty reliever Connor Brogdon from the Philadelphia Phillies for lefty minor league pitcher Benony Robles, the teams announced on Saturday.

Brogdon, 29, was designated for assignment earlier this week after appearing in three games for Philadelphia. Beginning his fifth season with the Phillies, he allowed six runs over two innings before being traded.

Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Matt Strahm has agreed to a contract extension through the 2025 season, the team announced Sunday.

Financial terms were not disclosed on the deal for Strahm, but the club holds a vesting option for the 2026 season.

Also on Sunday, the Phillies traded outfielder Jake Cave to the Colorado Rockies for cash considerations. The Rockies, in turn, placed right-hander German Marquez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for Cave.

Bryce Harper has been prescribed rest for his ailing back, but he anticipates being ready well before Opening Day.

Harper sat out Monday for the fourth consecutive spring training game with soreness in his lower back. He left last Thursday's game against the Boston Red Sox.

Given his back issues in the past, Harper is aware of outside concern about his availability early in the season. He said he "overdid it" and will be ready for Opening Day on March 28 against the Atlanta Braves.

"I feel pretty confident. I'm fine," he said.

While they've been linked to Blake Snell in free agency, the Philadelphia Phillies have not "seriously discussed" a pursuit of the pitcher, according to a report.

In addition to having invested roughly $300 million in extensions for Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler, the Phillies aren't interested in signing a player that rejected a qualifying offer as Snell did with the San Diego Padres.

The club that signs Snell will be required to forfeit their second and fifth picks in the 2024 draft and $1 million in bonus pool space for international amateurs. 

Zack Wheeler has reached an agreement on a three-year extension that begins in 2025 and runs through the 2027 season with the Philadelphia Phillies, the team announced Monday, bypassing the possibility that the ace pitcher will become a free agent in the fall.

The deal is worth $126 million, according to sources.

The Philadelphia Phillies are open to signing Blake Snell in free agency.

However, the Phillies would like to sign the pitcher on a short-term deal.

As Opening Day gets closer, a number of reports have linked Snell to clubs on short-term deals rather than the lucrative long-term deal he was expected to sign this offseason.

The Philadelphia Phillies have spoken to Zack Wheeler's representation about a new contract as the pitcher heads into the final season of his deal.

Wheeler, 33, said last week he prefers reaching an agreement before the season starts March 28.

"Zack would not mislead you. Of course, we've talked," president of operations Dave Dombrowski said. "It is a priority. We would love to get that deal done."

Wheeler has a $23.6 million salary this season. He was 13-6 with a 3.61 ERA last season and 1.08 WHIP. His 2.42 ERA in the postseason is sixth best among pitchers with 10 or more starts.

"He's a guy we would love to have in our organization for a long time," Dombrowski said.

Bryce Harper wants to finish his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, playing into his 40s and perhaps gloving a throw at first base for the final out of a World Series.

Harper arrived at spring training on Sunday, and the two-time NL MVP said he accepts his move to first from the outfield, a makeshift decision last year that got him back on the field following Tommy John surgery.

He has seven years and $196 million left on his $330 million, 13-year contract, a relative bargain with a $25.4 million average salary that ranks 19th among current players.

Super-utility man Whit Merrifield and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a one-year, $8 million contract, sources told ESPN on Friday.

The deal includes a club option for $8 million with a $1 million buyout, sources said. His salary this year will be $7 million, and with bonuses, he can max out at $16.6 million over two seasons.