MLB Player News

Cespedes left Thursday's exhibition game after being hit by a pitch on the wrist, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports. However, Cespedes told reporters after leaving the game that he was fine.

Cespedes returned to the lineup Thursday after sitting out one game due to hip stiffness only to leave the game early after being hit on the wrist. Given that Cespedes immediately told reporters that his wrist is fine after leaving the game, this won't likely be an injury that holds him out of the lineup for long.

Cespedes (hip) will return to the lineup as a designated hitter for Thursday's spring game, Adam Rubin of ESPN reports.

Cespedes only missed one day of Grapefruit League action after being removed from Tuesday's game due to stiffness in his hip. He should return to the outfield within the next few days.

Martinez is tied for the team lead in home runs with four this spring.

Martinez is one of the most underrated players in the game today. He is one of only nine players to accumulate 60 or more homers with an OPS of at least .890 over the last two seasons. He's not the Tigers' biggest name and that means he'll likely drop further in your draft than guys like Miggy, VMart or even Justin Upton. But his value may be even greater than it has been in the last two years if those big boppers in the Detroit lineup have big years.

Winker (hip) resumed baseball activity Wednesday, Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

After suffering a strained hip flexor on Friday, Winker was able to participate in some baseball activities Wednesday. However, Buchanan stopped short of saying that Winker was a full go Wednesday, so the highly-touted prospect may need a few more days before he's back to 100 percent.

Buxton was scratched from Wednesday's lineup due to illness, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

This shouldn't have an impact on his fantasy value as long as it doesn't develop into something more serious. Buxton is hitting just .200/.261/.300 through eight games this spring, but he is slotted to be the starting center fielder come Opening Day.

Brantley (shoulder) will play in a minor league spring game Thursday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Brantley is expected to play four or five innings in the outfield and get "a few" at-bats Thursday in what will be his first game action since November shoulder surgery. While the outfielder is ahead of schedule, he remains without a timetable to make his Cactus League debut.

Cespedes skipped Tuesday's spring training game with hip stiffness, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Manager Terry Collins was quick to downplay the situation, indicating the injury was nothing concerning. It sounds as though Cespedes will be able to return to to game action without missing much time, but it could be a situation worth monitoring if the stiffness persists.

Brantley's (shoulder) first game action figures to come in a minor league game later this month, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

The Indians medical staff still hasn't cleared Brantley for game action and his presence in a minor league won't necessarily put him on track to open the season with the Indians. We'll have a better idea of an eventual return date if he's able to participate in an exhibition game before spring wraps up.

Turner (knee) went 1-for-1 with a double, a walk, two runs and a RBI in Monday's game against the Brewers.

He said after Monday's game that as long as he feels good Tuesday, the plan is to play in games Wednesday and Friday of this week. His spring debut couldn't have gone any better, and it sounds like he is on track to be ready for Opening Day. We will update his status if there is a change in his availability later this week.

Vogelbach was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times' Gordon Wittenmyer reports.

While he is on the 40-man roster, Vogelbach was never going to make the big league roster out of camp, as he profiles as a designated hitter and therefore would simply be a pinch hitter in the majors on a National League roster. Vogelbach slashed .214/.353/.500 with a home run and a double in 14 spring at-bats. He is pretty obvious trade bait, considering he belongs in the American League, but if he is still on the roster when the Cubs have a prolonged interleague stretch in late July and early August, Vogelbach could be called up to make his big league debut as the team's DH.