MLB Player News

Brantley (shoulder) took batting practice on back-to-back days for the first time this spring, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Brantley has yet to hit live pitching, but his increased activity is promising. The Indians haven't set an estimated return for Brantley, who played in just 11 games during the 2016 season, as they're aiming to keep him from feeling pressured to rush his rehab. However, the club has remained optimistic that he should be able to play in a Cactus League game at some point this spring.

Soler went 0-for-2 against the Cubs on Wednesday and is now 0-for-8 with two walks through four spring games. "They're just getting their timing down," manager Ned Yost told the Kansas City Star. "I don't really think too much about it until about the halfway point."

Soler's getting a chance to sit back and observe Thursday, with Alex Gordon taking over in right field and Brandon Moss in left. He was hit by a pitch on the shoulder in his first at-bat against his former team Wednesday, but Soler stayed in the game and there has been nothing to suggest his absence Thursday is related. The 25-year-old Soler is expected to open the season in an everyday role after coming over from Chicago in a December trade, playing primarily in right field but perhaps seeing occasional time in left.

Brantley (shoulder) took batting practice on the field Monday, Nick Camino of WTAM 1100 in Cleveland reports.

Brantley took batting practice indoors over the weekend, marking a milestone is his rehab after he'd been previously restricted to playing soft toss. This is another small step in the right direction for Brantley, though his availability for Opening Day still remains in jeopardy.

Martinez (pectoral) will man right field and bat in the cleanup spot in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Braves.

Martinez was only sidelined a couple of days with pectoral tightness, and his reentry into the lineup indicates he's fully recovered from the issue. Even though an injury-plagued 2016 season dinged his final numbers, Martinez still profiles as one of the game's top power bats. His .908 OPS last season was actually superior to what he provided in 2015, when he smacked a career-high 38 homers.

Canha went 1-for-2 with an RBI double and walk in Sunday's 5-3 Cactus League loss to the Angels.

Canha brought home Eric Young, Jr. and Alejandro De Aza in the third with a double to left, drawing the A's even with the Angels at 1-1 at the time. The right fielder, who'll platoon with offseason acquisition Matt Joyce this season, hit out of the two-hole Sunday and has looked strong this spring after missing the majority of 2016 with a hip injury.

Vogelbach went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles in Saturday's 13-3 Cactus League victory over the Padres.

The 24-year-old is vying to platoon with lefty masher Danny Valencia at first base this season, and got his spring off to a strong start with Saturday's effort. Vogelbach packs plenty of power on his 6-foot, 250-pound frame, and worked all offseason to sharpen his defensive skills in anticipation of his expected role in 2017.

Cabrera was hit by a pitch in the arm during Saturday's spring training game against Houston but stayed in the contest, MLive.com reports.

If there were even a hint of an injury, Cabrera would have likely been pulled, so there doesn't seem to be any cause for concern here. Cabrera will continue to work in camp with the Tigers until he plays for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic next month.

Martinez was scratched from Saturday's Grapefruit League game with pectoral tightness, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

The move is likely precautionary. Martinez is expected to once again be a big part of the offense, so the Tigers won't risk any health issues in spring training. Juan Perez will take over in right field. Consider Martinez day-to-day unless something changes.

Miller, who went 0-for-3 in Friday's 3-1 Grapefruit League victory over the Twins, handled back-to-back chances at second base cleanly, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The slugging infielder and the Rays were content with Miller's debut effort at second in live action this spring, which drew praise from manager Kevin Cash following the game. Assuming the 27-year-old locks down his new position as expected, the team will be able to deploy Matt Duffy in the shortstop role that he's comfortable in. Miller is expected to see plenty of reps at the keystone this spring in preparation for the regular season.

Canha, who missed the majority of last season due to hip surgery, has earned strong praise from manager Bob Melvin for his performance in early workouts, Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area reports. "He worked hard in the offseason. His swing looks good," Melvin said. "He looks like he's in great shape and I think he's out to prove a serious point this year - that he can be a very productive guy at the big league level, as we've seen before."

The 28-year-old saw only 44 plate appearances in 2016 before his injury, which prevented him from building on a solid rookie campaign the season prior. Canha, who's slated to platoon with newcomer Matt Joyce in right field this season, will draw the start in left field and hit cleanup in Saturday's Cactus League opener versus the Cubs.