The 31-year-old Eaton was released by Philadelphia on Friday after going 4-8 with a 5.80 ERA in 21 games for the Phillies last year. He is 68-63 with a 4.80 ERA in nine seasons with San Diego, Texas and Philadelphia.

The Orioles have three spots in their starting rotation up for grabs behind right-handers Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara. Left-hander Rich Hill, a starting candidate acquired in a February trade with the Chicago Cubs, was scratched from Sunday's scheduled start against Washington with left elbow soreness.

"It's an opportunity to add a veteran starter," said Andy MacPhail, Baltimore's president of baseball operations. "Last year, he had 19 starts, 10 of which were quality starts. It's something that's appealing to us. It represents a low-risk opportunity to have a veteran that we can evaluate to see if it makes sense to us going forward."

SCHMIDT STILL IN DODGERS MIX (5:05 p.m. ET)
The Dodgers are set with their first four starters -- Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, Randy Wolf and Clayton Kershaw. Manager Joe Torre said Sunday that the first three pitchers are all candidates to start Opening Day against San Francisco.

The fifth starter spot remains wide open, with Jason Schmidt, Shawn Estes, Eric Milton, Claudio Vargas and young James McDonald in the mix.

Torre is encouraged with what he has seen thus far from Schmidt, who's undergone two shoulder surgeries and pitched a total of 25 2/3 innings in the first two years of a three-year, $47 million contract. Schmidt threw 21 pitches -- only 10 of them strikes -- in a "B'' game against the White Sox on Friday.

"If he goes out there and is able to take the ball on a regular basis, he'll win games,'' Torre said. "I think he's going to gain more arm strength. The best news for me is, he seems to be coming in the day after he throws feeling all right.''

-- Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com

BYRNES OUT UNTIL MID-MARCH (4:15 p.m. ET)
Arizona outfielder Eric Byrnes, returning from hamstring injuries, is being held out of spring training games because he can't run full speed on the base paths.

Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said he hopes Byrnes will be able to play in mid-March.

"The one thing he hasn't conquered yet is making the turn at second [base] when he's going from first to third," Melvin said before the Diamondbacks played Oakland on Sunday.

Melvin was optimistic that Byrnes will be ready for the season opener April 6.

"If he starts playing games [in mid-March], he's not questionable at all," Melvin said.

NATHAN TO SKIP WBC (2:43 p.m. ET)
Twins closer Joe Nathan, who has been experiencing discomfort with the AC joint of his right shoulder, said Sunday that he won't pitch in the World Baseball Classic.

"It wouldn't be fair for me to say I'm 100 percent and go play for Team USA when I'm not," Nathan said, according to MLB.com. "It wouldn't be fair for the Twins or Team USA. As hard as it is to have to watch this [event] and know I want to be there, at the same time I know this is the right decision to make sure I'm ready for April 6."

Nathan said he isn't worried.

"I'm not worried about it being a major concern," Nathan said, according to MLB.com. "I guess it's news because of the World Baseball Classic tournament going on and I'm not able to attend.

"If I went and played for Team USA, it's basically going to be getting after it every time I go out there. Staying here allows me to kind of get this thing calmed down and strengthened back up kind of at our pace."

RAYS EXPECT PENA BACK SOON (2:37 p.m. ET)
Rays slugger Carlos Pena might be back in Tampa Bay's lineup by the end of this week.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said Sunday that the first baseman, who is recovering from minor offseason surgery to his abdominal muscles, might be in the Rays' lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.

"Really, we'd like to get him in by Pittsburgh, if possible," Maddon said, according to MLB.com. "If not, it will be a little farther than that, but it could be by the time we got to Pittsburgh after the off-day.

"He's feeling good. If he starts playing around the sixth or the seventh [of March], that's almost a full camp. Or it is, based on what he normally does."

FUENTES TO SKIP FIRST ROUND OF WBC (2:30 p.m. ET)
Angels reliever Brian Fuentes will skip the early part of workouts and the opening round of the World Baseball Classic in Toronto, but he will join Team USA for the second round in Miami, assuming the Americans are still alive.

Fuentes, who has been dealing with what he described as "family issues," said his wife and four young children will be leaving Merced, Calif., and joining him in Arizona as he continues to settle in with his new team.

"This works out a lot better for me," Fuentes said. "I'm feeling a lot better about things. I'm going to join the [Classic] team in the second round. They'll have an open spot on the roster, and we're trying to make sure everything's good with the family.

"As of [Saturday], I wasn't going to do it [compete in the Classic] at all. But [Team USA officials] asked me I'd join them in Florida around the 14th [of March], and I said I could do that.

"I'll stay here in camp and throw, stay in shape, throw in [Cactus League] games. It will give me a chance to get to know the players and catchers a little better."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.