As we eagerly await the return of baseball games later this week, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Solano signing could be made official:

The Twins signed Donovan Solano to a major league deal yesterday, further adding to what was already a deep position player group. The signing is reportedly pending a physical and has yet to be announced. As Spring Training has kicked into gear, however, the turnaround on the signing being made official could become shorter. (For example, Elvis Andrus’s deal with the White Sox was announced the day after being initially reported.) The Twins will need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move to officially add Solano, but with both Chris Paddack and Royce Lewis expected to miss significant time to open the season, sending either player to the 60-day IL would clear a spot without needing to designate someone for assignment. Presumably, a big league deal with the right-handed-hitting Solano will rule out a match between the Twins and formerly rumored target Yuli Gurriel.

2. Outfield market update

The outfield market has thinned further over the past week as Robbie Grossman signed with the Rangers late last week while Tyler Naquin agreed to a minor league deal with Milwaukee yesterday. Of course, Jurickson Profar remains unsigned and tops not only the outfield market, but the entire free agent market at this point in the offseason. Looking beyond Profar, though, there are few players remaining who seem like strong bets to receive major league deals at this point. Potentially interesting fliers remain on the market such as Albert Almora, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Ben Gamel, but none of those players seem clearly better than Naquin, who had to settle for a minor league deal.

3. MLBTR Live Chats

Yesterday, MLBTR welcomed former MLB hitting coach Rick Eckstein for a live chat with readers, the transcript of which you can read here. Today, we’re excited to welcome former major league pitcher and longtime international scout Ryan Sadowski, who will be conducting a live chat of his own with readers this morning. Sadowski made the big leagues in 2009 as a member of the Giants and made six starts for the club, pitching to a 4.45 ERA (97 ERA+) across 28 1/3 innings of work. Following his stint in the big leagues, Sadowski headed overseas, where he pitched in the KBO for three seasons, logging a 4.03 ERA in 460 innings abroad. Since retiring as a player, Sadowski has worked as an international scout with the KBO’s Kia Tigers and as the director of international scouting for the KBO’s Lotte Giants. Be sure to tune in later today at 10am CT for Sadowski’s live chat.

Meanwhile, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco will be conducting his own weekly chat, following yesterday’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams (transcript here). Should you have any remaining unanswered questions about your favorite team or the league in general as the baseball world gears back up for the spring, you can follow this link to submit a question in advance, and that same link will take you to the chat once it begins at 5pm CT this evening.