MLB Player News

Ohtani (ankle, elbow) will not only be available to pinch hit on days where he is not pitching or starting at DH, but he will be available as a pinch runner as well, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Ohtani has famously been clocked as an 80-grade runner in the past, so from a pure talent standpoint, he may be the Angels' best pinch-running option late in games. This adds some minor value to his profile in leagues where owners can start him as a hitter. Ohtani will throw two innings of live batting practice Saturday and will hit in live batting practice Tuesday and Wednesday, suggesting that he is close to fully recovered from lingering ankle and elbow issues.

Miller (groin) has fully recovered from offseason core muscle surgery that addressed his groin and lower abdominals in late October, Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times reports.

Last week, Rays manager Kevin Cash stated that Miller is the top in-house candidate to take over the first base job for this upcoming season, although there is always the chance that the club acquires veteran talent on the free-agent market at any given time. In the event that the Rays make a move, Miller would stilll be in line to receive a majority of time at the keystone. During the 2017 campaign he slashed .201/.327/.337 with nine home runs, 40 RBI and five stolen bases in 110 games.

The Angels hope that Ohtani (ankle, elbow) will be able to make two or three starts per week as a designated hitter, though manager Mike Scioscia noted the 23-year-old's greatest impact will come on the mound, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports. "He's probably going to influence our team more as a pitcher," Scioscia said. "But that's not to say he's not going to have a chance to make a difference on the offensive end, too."

Ohtani, who is easing back to full strength from a Grade 1 UCL sprain and an October ankle procedure, threw his first bullpen session of the spring Thursday and looks on track to be ready for the start of the season. In an effort to make the lefty's transition from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB as seamless as possible, Scioscia said the Angels would deploy a six-man rotation to open the season, thereby allowing Ohtani to remain on the once-a-week pitching regimen he used in Japan. Though there's a good chance Ohtani will have his innings capped at some point in the second half if he stays healthy, his 100 mile-per-hour fastball and deep selection of breaking pitches could make him an elite fantasy option right away, at least on a per-start basis.

Manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter (shoulder) will likely bat third in 2018, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

With Dexter Fowler expected to return to the top of the order as the team's leadoff hitter, Carpenter will likely open the season as the Cardinals' No. 3 hitter for the second straight year. While he batted third for the first 45 games in 2017, he slashed just .221/.353/.429 in 201 plate appearances during that stretch and was eventually moved to back the leadoff spot due to his -- and Fowler's -- struggles. Carpenter will now get another shot to prove he belongs in the heart of the team's lineup, though either way, he should hold value wherever he hits. The 32-year-old was shut down near the end of last season due to shoulder inflammation, but the issue didn't require surgery and he's expected to be fully healthy entering spring training.

Ohtani (ankle, elbow) threw his first official bullpen Thursday, Pedro Moura of The Athletic Los Angeles reports.

Ohtani also took batting practice Wednesday, and the two-way superstar remains on track to be fully operational for the start of spring training. He shouldn't face any restrictions in camp, though the Angels may ultimately choose to monitor his workload seeing as he spent all offseason working his way back from a pair of injuries (an ankle injury that required surgery in October along with a Grade 1 UCL sprain).

The Padres are "cautiously optimistic" that Dickerson (back) is fully recovered from surgery he underwent in June, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

The 27-year-old hasn't been seen at Padres camp yet, but the club seems to be happy with his recovery process thus far. If he's back to his old self, Dickerson should compete with Franchy Cordero, Matt Szczur and Travis Jankowski for the fourth outfielder role during spring training. Dickerson had a solid 2016 campaign, but his lost 2017 season and relative lack of speed and versatility all make it seem like he's on the outside looking in for a roster spot at this point. Things should become clearer as spring training rolls along, though.

Torrens will likely spend most if not all of 2018 in the minors, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

The 22-year-old spent all of last season on the active roster, but it was more out of necessity rather than a reflection of his performance. He hadn't played an inning above Low-A prior to 2017, but he had to stay in the majors all season if the Padres wanted to keep him due to his status as a Rule 5 selection. Perhaps Torrens would be in the mix for an Opening Day roster spot if he had hit better, but his .163 batting average left much to be desired. He'll head back to the low minors for more seasoning, likely looking toward 2019 or 2020 for a return trip to San Diego.

Brantley (ankle) has been able to begin some partial hitting drills and will start to work in agility drills in the coming weeks, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.

Brantley is also throwing and doing some straight-line running but hasn't started cutting or sprinting at this point in time. It appears as though he's on schedule to be fully cleared by Opening Day, although more should be known once he's allowed to start more extensive agility drills to test the ankle.

Manager Bud Black said Wednesday that the Rockies are contemplating moving Blackmon down in the order to take advantage of his power, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.

The Rockies will experiment with batting Blackmon lower in the lineup during Cactus League action, and Black suggested there's a real chance Blackmon could be in the heart of the order on Opening Day. Raimel Tapia, Ian Desmond and David Dahl were all mentioned as possible replacements for Blackmon in the leadoff spot. If this change sticks, it would likely result in Blackmon seeing fewer stolen-base opportunities while shifting his counting production more toward RBI than runs.

Soler has dropped 20 pounds during the offseason due to an improved diet and has also worked to retool his swing, Maria Torres of The Kansas City Star reports.

Upon being traded to the Royals last winter, Soler was expected to seize a full-time role in the majors in 2017, something that hadn't been afforded to him in a crowded Cubs outfield the prior two seasons. The 25-year-old ended up falling well short of expectations, slashing just .144/.245/.258 while striking out in 32.7 percent of his plate appearances across 35 games with the Royals, resulting in the outfielder spending most of the year at Triple-A Omaha. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds last season, Soler is hoping a lither frame in addition to the adjustment in his approach in the batter's box will be enough to help him improve his outfield defense and contact rate, respectively, without sacrificing his signature power. Soler's pedigree makes him an intriguing late-round target in fantasy drafts, but in order to win an Opening Day starting gig, he'll need to convince the coaching staff in spring training that the changes he's made in the offseason will set him up for more success in 2018.