The San Diego Padres reportedly sent a scout to watch Pablo Sandoval, but A.J. Preller has downplayed the possibility of a trade with the Boston Red Sox.

"Our pro scouts work really hard to look at all 30 clubs. ... That's the nature of what goes on," Preller told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Sandoval is in a surprise competition with Travis Shaw for the third base job in Boston.

The Texas Rangers have acquired Bobby Wilson and Myles Jaye from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Bryan Holaday.

Holaday, a 28-year-old Dallas native who played college ball at TCU, heads home after weeks of speculation about his future in Detroit. He has had a great spring, but found himself third on the depth chart behind James McCann and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

The San Diego Padres have acquired Dan Straily from the Houston Astros in exchange for Erik Kratz.

Houston had been searching for another catcher after losing presumed reserve Max Stassi to injury.

Straily, 27, is out of options and did not appear in line for a rotation job with the Astros.

The San Diego Padres have a scout in Fort Myers taking a look at Pablo Sandoval.

San Diego was one of the teams that offered Sandoval a contract in 2014 before he signed a deal with the Boston Red Sox. The Padres' offer was believed to greater than what he received from the Red Sox.

The Padres have had problems filling their third base void under A.J. Preller.

The Seattle Mariners have discussed a trade for a right-handed reliever with the San Diego Padres, according to a report.

Nick Vincent, Kevin Quackenbush and Jon Edwards have all been mentioned in discussions.

The Mariners are looking for depth in a bullpen that has been thinned by injuries.

The Baltimore Orioles are one of the teams discussing a trade for James Shields with the San Diego Padres, according to a report.

The Boston Red Sox have also been in contact with San Diego regarding starting pitching.

Shields is owed at least $65 million on his current contract -- $21 million in each of the next three seasons. However, he can also opt out of his contract after the 2016 season.

The Houston Astros raised some eyebrows when they traded five players to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ken Giles and 17-year-old infield prospect this winter.

One of the players sent to Philadelphia was Mark Appel, who they once took with the first overall pick in 2013.

"I didn't feel like I was all that valuable," Giles admitted. "I thought I might be like a 2-for-1, two-high-prospects kind of guy. So I feel honored that I was viewed as that valuable to a team."

Only three Major League relievers have had a sub-2.00 ERA and 10-plus strikeouts per nine innings over their first two seasons: Giles, Takashi Saito and Rob Dibble.

Before landing Giles, the Astros were in on Craig Kimbrel, Andrew Miller, Jake McGee and Brad Boxberger.

"I think that's true on a couple of different levels," A.J. Hinch said when asked if the game has changed. "One is, the value of the last nine outs -- not just the closer but the last nine outs -- has grown across the game. And some of it has to do with the way the Royals have won championships, the way the Giants have won championships. The intensity of those last nine outs has become more valuable.

"And the other idea that I have is, I think it's hard to measure, analytically or emotionally, what a blown opportunity to win a game means. It's not just about one game, as a lot of measures would tell you. Back when the closer role was less valuable in the eyes of some around the game, it was because they were focused on the value of just one loss. In actuality, when you're on a team and you blow leads, the carryover effect can last far longer than just one game."

The Boston Red Sox are in no rush to bolster their starting rotation.

A scout told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the club badly needs a No. 2 starter behind David Price.

"I don't even know where we would put him," Dave Dombrowski said.

The Red Sox plan to use some mix of Rick Porcello, Joe Kelly, Clay Buchholz and Eduardo Rodriguez behind Price, who signed a $217 million contract this offseason.

"We're fine," Dombrowski said. "Can you always be better? Sure. Will we always be open-minded? Sure. But we're not actively looking for pitching."

The Cleveland Indians are still searching for possible outfield help via trade.

A deal may seem unlikely at this point, but the Indians are exploring all means to upgrade an outfield unit that enters the 2016 season with question marks.

The Houston Astros are looking for a catcher outside the organization in the wake of an injury to reserve Max Stassi.

Stassi will be sidelined for six weeks after hamate bone surgery.

Evan Gattis may have been an option behind the plate, but his hernia surgery, which could keep him out of all exhibition action, will prevent that.

The Astros have scouted Bryan Holaday of the Detroit Tigers and the Toronto Blue Jays' A.J. Jimenez.