While Curtis Granderson performed well against his former team on Wednesday, Johnny Damon was relegated to the sidelines because of an injury, though he had time to discuss his departure from the Yankees.

Joba Chamberlain struggled again, but Mark Teixeira's first spring homer and two hits from Curtis Granderson against his former club helped the Yanks top the Tigers Wednesday, 9-8.

Tigers outfielder Johnny Damon missed his first matchup with his old team on Wednesday due to turf toe in his left big toe, but the injury is not believed to be serious. Magglio Ordonez also missed the game with a muscle tweak behind his left knee. Both are day-to-day.

Two reunions will be part of one big meeting on Wednesday afternoon in Lakeland, Fla., where the Tigers will host Curtis Granderson and the Yankees in a Spring Training tilt, although Johnny Damon was scratched from the lineup with turf toe.

After a rough first spring game on Monday, Nick Johnson showed no rust on Tuesday, belting two homers against the Pirates -- his first during Grapefruit play.

Jacoby Ellsbury clubbed two homers and drove in three runs, and Jon Lester allowed just one unearned run over 2 2/3 innings in the Sox's 8-6 loss to the Rays on Wednesday.

Nomar Garciaparra, a two-time batting champion and six-time All-Star, announced his retirement on Wednesday at a press conference held by his original team.

Sporting a beard and a new uniform, former Marlins outfielder Jeremy Hermida, now with the Red Sox, enjoyed a successful return to Roger Dean Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

They are the diminutive duo for sure, but the listed heights of Dustin Pedroia (5-foot-9) and Marco Scutaro (5-10) hardly do justice to how big the new double-play combo will be for the Red Sox.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield was effective over three scoreless innings, giving up two hits while fanning one as the Red Sox pounded the Marlins, 9-0, on Tuesday in Jupiter, Fla.

Hitting coach Don Mattingly looked comfortable on his first semi-official morning as Dodgers manager, and in a few years, he might seem even more at home if he becomes the successor to Joe Torre.

Left-handed pitcher Jay Marshall was returned to the A's on Wednesday because of a voided waiver claim and then automatically released by Oakland.

Joba Chamberlain struggled again, but Mark Teixeira's first spring homer and two hits from Curtis Granderson against his former club helped the Yanks top the Tigers Wednesday, 9-8.

Matt LaPorta is not just one of the more promising young players on a developing Indians ballclub, he's a fountain of what Tribe players have begun to refer to as "LaPortaisms."

The Cliff Lee era for the Seattle Mariners began in earnest on Wednesday as the left-hander made his initial Cactus League start against the Rangers at Surprise Stadium.