MLB Player News

Brantley is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.

Brantley isn't dealing with any sort of injury but will rest for the second time in less than a week with the Indians intent to keep him fresh for the long haul after he was sidelined for most of the 2016 campaign. It's an opportune time anyway for the Tribe to keep the lefty-hitting Brantley on the bench with southpaw Patrick Corbin on the mound, though Brantley doesn't seem to be at much risk of falling into a platoon this season. Brandon Guyer will take Brantley's post in left field and bat third in the order.

Vargas (foot) started at DH and went 0-for-3 with two walks Saturday for Triple-A Rochester.

Vargas suffered a bruised foot late in spring training, but it's not an issue as the Triple-A season begins. He could be called up early in the season if he begins the year hot in the minors.

Canha has been added to Saturday's starting lineup, John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group reports.

With Trevor Plouffe scratched due to illness, Ryon Healy will move from DH to third base and Canha will slot into the lineup as the designated hitter, batting eighth. Saturday's start will be Canha's second of the year. He's 0-for-5 with a strikeout in the early going this season.

Cabrera went 0-for-3 in Friday's win over the Red Sox and the veteran slugger is hitless through three games this season.

Cabrera is one of the better hitters in baseball, so there's little doubt he'll figure things out soon. He batted .316 with 38 home runs and 108 RBI in 2016. Expect similar numbers this season.

Buxton is batting in the seventh slot for Saturday's game against the White Sox, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

Buxton has batted third in the first four games this season, but he's off to a horrendous 1-for-18 start with 11 strikeouts. Accordingly, with Jorge Polanco hitting .400, a shuffle was in order. Buxton's speed and defensive abilities will keep him in the starting lineup, but he'll need to improve at the plate if he wants to see more at-bats.

Martinez (foot) began swinging a bat Friday and manager Brad Ausmus said he is progressing well, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Martinez is rehabbing in extended spring training, but continues to make strides towards a full recovery. The veteran slugger sprained a ligament while diving in a Grapefruit League game, delaying the start of his 2017 season and enabling a right-field platoon between Mikie Mahtook and Tyler Collins. Barring any setbacks, expect Martinez to ramp up his rehabilitation within the coming weeks.

Miller went 1-for-3 with a run and a walk in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays.

Miller's spring funk has carried into the first four games of the regular season, as he's hitting just .188 with at least one strikeout in each of those four outings. Thursday's effort provided a glimmer of hope, however, considering the 27-year-old had gone hitless over eight at-bats over the prior two games. Miller will try to make this April drastically different from last season's, a month in which he slashed .185/.254/.354 over 65 at-bats.

Manager Paul Molitor said he won't consider moving Buxton out of the third spot in the lineup yet, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports.

Buxton is 1-for-14 in the first three games with seven strikeouts. It's a jarringly negative recurrence of his whiff issues from last year, but a small enough sample size that more patience is required. Still, hitting third may not be the best use of his high-upside skills and athleticism, including his game-breaking speed that could make him an elite source of stolen bases. Expect this setup to continue for at least another week, but if his struggles continue, Buxton may find himself on the move within the lineup.

Martinez (foot) is progressing well in his rehab and is scheduled to be examined Thursday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports. "They like the progress he's made. There are no negatives on J.D.," said manager Brad Ausmus on Thursday.

Martinez is working his way back from a mid-foot sprain he suffered making a catch during a spring training game on March 18. Thursday's doctor's appointment should shed further light on Martinez's progress, but provided that everything is going according to schedule, he should be on track to return by late April or early May. Mikie Mahtook and Tyler Collins will platoon in right field until Martinez is ready to return.

Brantley is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Rangers.

After an injury-plagued 2016 season, a healthy Brantley has gotten off to a decent start to open the new campaign, going 3-for-9 with two RBI in the team's first two games. Given that he's in the midst of his age-30 season and carries some durability concerns, Brantley figures to be rested more frequently in 2017 than in seasons past, and manager Terry Francona will take advantage of Thursday's off day to give the veteran outfielder an extended breather. Brandon Guyer will fill in for Brantley in left field.