MLB Player News

Cabrera went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

Cabrera now has two home runs this spring to go along with a 1.270 OPS. The veteran had his 2018 season cut short due to a ruptured biceps, but the early returns in 2019 indicate he could be back to full health, and he could be a nice discount option in fantasy leagues.

Blackmon (illness) is starting in right field and batting leadoff in Sunday's spring game against the Dodgers, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Blackmon was unable to travel with the team to Mexico for the two-game series against the Diamondbacks due to an illness, but his quick return to the lineup should alleviate any concerns. The 32-year-old has yet to find his footing at the plate as he is 2-for-13 through five spring training games.

Harper is not in the lineup for Sunday's spring game against the Orioles, according to Joe Trezza of MLB.com.

Harper was expected to receive Sunday off after making his spring debut Saturday, and that will indeed be the case. He is set to play right field for the first time this spring in Monday's exhibition matchup with the Rays.

Ozuna took normal fielding practice and threw to bases prior to Saturday's Grapefruit League contest against the Astros, Glenn Sattell of MLB.com reports.

It's another step in the right direction with Ozuna's planned Monday return to the outfield. Sattell reports Ozuna uncorked several strong throws during Saturday's session and got through them without any setbacks. The slugger has only seen time as a designated hitter thus far this spring after undergoing right shoulder surgery last October, and he's been following a throwing program since that point. According to manager Mike Shildt, Ozuna is expected to proceed with his planned spring outfield debut Monday if his shoulder is free of any discomfort Sunday.

Harper walked in both of his plate appearances and scored a run in his spring debut Saturday against the Blue Jays.

Walks are nothing new for Harper, who owns a career walk rate of 14.8 percent and has walked at least 17 percent of the time in three of the last four seasons. He didn't play in the field Saturday but is expected to do so for the first time in a Phillies uniform Monday against the Rays.

Blackmon (illness) stepped in for some at-bats Saturday at camp during Kyle Freeland's simulated game, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Blackmon wasn't cleared to make the trip with the Rockies to Mexico for weekend games against the Diamondbacks, but his ability to pick up some at-bats one day after coming down ill with a stomach bug suggests he's trending positively on the health front. Look for him to rejoin Colorado's Cactus League lineup early next week.

Manager Brad Ausmus said Saturday that Ohtani (elbow) won't be activated from the Angels' injured list before May, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani, who began his throwing program this week while he works back from Tommy John surgery, isn't scheduled to pitch this season but remains on track to serve as a designated hitter for the club. Earlier in the offseason, there was some optimism that Ohtani might receive clearance to enter the lineup at some point during the first month of 2019, but Ausmus has dismissed that possibility in recognition of where the two-way phenom currently stands in his rehab. Ohtani is merely hitting soft toss at this point, so he'll need to advance to live batting practice before the Angels even clear him to get at-bats in simulated games or minor-league rehab games. It will likely take at least a few weeks for Ohtani to take enough swings against live pitching before the Angels consider activating him, a reality that may make it difficult to justify rostering him in leagues with limited bench spots.

Blackmon fell ill Friday and didn't travel to Mexico with the Rockies for the team's two-game series with the Diamondbacks, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

The Rockies are still scheduled to play split-squad games in Arizona on Saturday (versus the Indians) and Sunday (versus the Dodgers), so Blackmon could conceivably play in either of those contests. It's more likely, however, that Blackmon receives the weekend off entirely to recover from the ailment. Expect him to return to action at some point during the upcoming week, which would keep him on track to enter the regular season without any limitations.

Harper will serve as the Phillies' designated hitter and will bat third Saturday against the Blue Jays in his Grapefruit League debut.

As anticipated, the Phillies have cleared out a prime spot in the order for their prized free-agent pickup, who slots in between Jean Segura and Rhys Hoskins. The complexion of the top half of the Philadelphia lineup could change when Cesar Hernandez (hip) is healthy again, but any combination of hitters in front of and behind Harper should be a boon to his RBI and runs count. If health prevails, Harper could be poised for a monster debut season in Philadelphia while playing in a home park that has historically been favorable for left-handed power.

Ohtani (elbow) will throw Wednesday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in October, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani's rehab process will be an unusually complex one. He won't pitch all season but will still have to spend a considerable amount of time getting his arm in shape for 2020, even as he works his way back toward a return as a hitter in May. Setbacks on the pitching side could impact his hitting timeline, though up to now everything seems to have moved smoothly.