Two weeks from opening day, MLB teams work to set rosters

By DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX (AP) — In this year’s lightning-round version of spring training, just two weeks remain until Major League Baseball’s opening day on April 7. That’s not much time to get hitters and pitchers ready for a 162-game season, especially since games just started a week ago. The sport’s 99-day labor lockout from December to mid-March forced the schedule squeeze. Clubs are also still scrambling to fill their rosters through free agency and trades, processes that were frozen during the lockout. Among Thursday’s moves, the Toronto Blue Jays traded outfielder Randal Grichuk and just over $9.7 million to the Colorado Rockies for outfielder Raimel Tapia and minor league infielder Adrian Pinto.