MLB Player News

Brantley (ankle) has shown improvement in the running portion of his injury rehab, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Manager Terry Francona reported Sunday that Brantley had a great workout Saturday and is making strides when it comes to running. The veteran outfielder had been having issues decelerating while running but apparently made some solid progress in that area during his recent workout. This is certainly encouraging news, but Brantley still has a few hurdles to clear before he's deemed healthy and fully ready for live action. He's still targeting a return to the lineup prior to the Indians' Opening Day matchup with the Mariners on March 29.

Vogelbach is dealing with a bruise in his right foot and will be sidelined for 3-to-4 days, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

Vogelbach was hit by a pitch on the foot during Friday's game, and though X-rays came back negative, the power-hitting first baseman is expected to miss some time in order to allow the bruising to reside. With Ryon Healy (hand) also out, look for Mike Ford and Evan White to see additional reps at first base this week.

Martinez's signing with the Red Sox has been delayed by a medical matter, Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston reports.

It's expected that more information regarding the undisclosed medical issue will surface later Saturday, but a baseball source with knowledge of the situation said the medical issue would not have an impact on Martinez's immediate future. Additional medical experts are involved as the team and Martinez work through the issue, including experts consulted by the player's agent, Scott Boras. The source described the process between the team and player as cooperative.

Vogelbach is dealing with a right foot injury that he suffered during Friday's spring game, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.

Vogelbach was hit by a pitch but remained in the game, which may not have been the best course of action since he admitted the foot "blew up" on him overnight. The 25-year-old was seen in a walking boot with a crutch when he appeared at the team's facility Saturday and will likely miss a little time while recovering from this ailment.

Canha (wrist) will take the field versus the Padres during Oakland's Cactus League game Saturday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Canha underwent surgery on his right wrist to remove a cyst in early November, but he looks to be at full health as the club gets underway with spring contests. In 2017, he played in 57 big-league games, hitting just .208/.262/.382 with five home runs and 14 RBI. He will need to bounce back this spring in order to make the Opening Day roster.

Vargas will compete for the Twins' final bench spot during spring training, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Vargas is likely frontrunner given he's out of minor-league options, but he'll still need to impress the Twins' brass during camp to assure himself a spot on the Opening Day roster as a backup option at first baseman and designated hitter. In 78 games with the big club last season, the 27-year-old hit just .253/.314/.444 with 11 homers. He's flashed some serious power potential in the past -- launching the third longest homer in the majors last season -- but that comes with a lowly 68 percent contact rate. Even if he breaks camp with the Twins, it would likely take an injury or two for him to see extended playing time.

Ohtani (ankle, elbow) is set to face Milwaukee on Saturday during the Angels' Cactus League contest, Pedro Moura of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani continues to work his way back from a Grade 1 UCL sprain and an ankle procedure he underwent in October. The right-hander is in line to throw a couple innings against the Brewers during his debut, and he should get an opportunity to DH in the following days. Recently, Ohtani was able to throw a live batting practice session as well as receive some time of his own in the batters' box, which signals another step forward in his return to full health.

Solak was traded to the Rays on Tuesday as part of a three-team deal, Robert Murray of FanRagSports.com reports.

This makes sense, as the 22-year-old's path to the majors in New York was blocked by the highly-touted Gleyber Torres. Solak, who offers a plus hit tool with a relatively high floor, is coming off a respectable 2017 campaign spent with High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton, where he hit a combined .297/.384/.452 with 12 homers and 14 stolen bases in 130 games. According to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, the Yankees will receive Brandon Drury in return, while the Diamondbacks acquired Steven Souza.

Reed has a chance to win a roster spot to start the season, the Astros official site reports.

Reed hit .261/.358/.525 at Triple-A Fresno last season but received just six plate appearances for the big-league club. With Yuli Gurriel starting the season with a five-game suspension, a spot could be open for Reed, at least for the first few games of the year. The Astros have Evan Gattis holding down the designated hitter spot and Marwin Gonzalez perfectly capable of filling in at first base, though, so Reed will have to impress to stick on the roster.

Miller is expected to split time at first base with C.J. Cron in 2018, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Miller was expected to open the season as the Rays' primary first baseman, but the recent acquisition of Cron has pushed him into a timeshare. Considering Miller and Cron both hit better against right-handed pitching, it's still somewhat unclear how manager Kevin Cash intends to divvy up at-bats, but their playing time will likely be fluid throughout the season. Either way, it'll be tough to count on Miller from a fantasy standpoint in 2018 given his new position and reduced playing time.