MLB Player News

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.

Turner is not in the Dodgers' lineup Thursday against the Padres, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

The third baseman is getting a breather in the getaway day game, with Logan Forsythe sliding over to the hot corner and Chase Utley filling in at second base. Expect Turner to rejoin the lineup Friday.

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.

Ozuna went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Nationals.

He's off to a quick start, collecting three hits and three RBI through the Marlins' first two games. Ozuna has yet to really put things together through three-plus seasons in the majors, but at 26 years old he could still have some untapped potential.

Harper went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI in Wednesday's win over the Marlins.

It's only been two games, but Harper seems poised to put together another outstanding April after hitting .286/.406/.714 with nine homers in the first month of 2016. If he can stay healthy this time, the 24-year-old will likely add five more dominant months to his ledger by the end of the season.

Belt went 2-for-5 with a triple, a solo homer and two runs in Wednesday's loss to the Diamondbacks.

it's nice to see Belt go yard early, but we'll need to see more before raising expectations; after all, this is a first baseman who's topped out at 18 homers to this point in his career. Belt's plate discipline is impressive, and it could ultimately result in some borderline-elite batting averages; that seems more likely than a sudden power spike in his late 20s, although such a thing can't be ruled out.

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.

Jimenez (shoulder) isn't expected to come off the minor-league DL for another two-to-three weeks, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports.

Jimenez, the Cubs' top prospect, was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right shoulder during spring training and is still recuperating. While he hasn't experienced any notable setbacks in his recovery since succumbing to the injury three weeks ago, it may take a little time before Jimenez is cleared to ramp up his activity and play in games. Once he's formally given the green light to return, Jimenez is expected to report to High-A Myrtle Beach after he tore up the Midwest League in 2016 as a 19-year-old.

Cabrera won't play Wednesday after the scheduled Tigers-White Sox game was postponed due to rain, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports.

With rain descending on Chicago again Wednesday, the Tigers and White Sox will have a game postponed for the second time in the series. Wednesday's game will be made up as part of a straight doubleheader May 26. The two teams are on track to play Thursday at 2:10 p.m ET in the series finale.

Brantley went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two strikeouts in Tuesday's contest against the Rangers.

After spending a majority of the past year rehabbing from shoulder surgery, Brantley has looked good through the team's first two games of 2017. He's 3-for-9 with a pair of RBI, although he's also gone down on strikes in three at-bats. It wouldn't be a major surprise to see the outfielder left off the lineup card in one of the team's upcoming games as skipper Terry Francona carefully manages his star left fielder's return.