MLB Player News

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Monday outfielder Darin Ruf is not a lock to make the Opening Day roster, per The News Journal. Amaro added sending Ruf to Triple-A to play every day is not ideal, but it is possible.

Ruf is batting .220 (11 for 50) with two doubles, two home runs, two RBI, two walks, five runs and 11 strikeouts in 18 spring games.

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller is in the lineup for Monday's game against the Angels.

Miller missed the last three games due to a stomach virus but appears ready to continue his preparation for the regular season. He has hit .297/.372/.595 with two home runs in 37 at-bats this spring.

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller missed his third straight game on Sunday, as he struggled with an illness. 

Manager Lloyd McClendon said that Miller is suffering from a stomach virus, but he's feeling better, per MLB.com.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is in the starting lineup for Sunday's matchup with the White Sox.

Brantley missed a few days due to back tightness. He's 9 for 28 with one double and two walks this spring.

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson still doesn't know what his role will be when Opening Day rolls around, but he's showing he belongs on the roster, reports MLB.com.

"There's always stuff I need to work on, and I need to continue to impress," Pederson said after launching his fifth home run of the spring Saturday, boosting his batting average to .373.

Manager Don Mattingly remains quiet on what he will do when the decision has to be made, but Pederson is doing what he can to impress.

"[Opening Day] is out of my control," Pederson said. "It's something you dream about as a kid, playing in the big leagues, and you do anything you can to make that dream come true."

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus expressed optimism he will have both first baseman Miguel Cabrera and designated hitter Victor Martinez available for Opening Day, reports MLive.com.

"I'd say, as of right now, I'm optimistic that we can have them both ready for Opening Day," Ausmus said. "But I'm probably more optimistic that at this point that Miggy will be ready to play."

Cabrera, who hit his second home run of spring training Saturday, missed nearly a month after surgery to remove bone spurs in his right ankle while Martinez underwent surgery in early February for a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper remained in the game after slipping on the warning track while fielding a ball on Saturday, according to masnsports.com.

The same report stated that Harper was flexing his right hand after bracing his fall while tracking down a ball. Manager Matt Williams said that Harper is fine.

Harper, 22, is hitting .233 this spring with two homers and nine strikeouts.

Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run home run for the Tigers on Saturday, the second straight game in which he's homered. 

Cabrera went one for three and brought his spring average to .385.

Manager Brad Ausmus said he'd be "a little surprised" if Cabrera was not in the Tigers' lineup on opening day. 

Victor Martinez, also returning from injury, has also begun playing in Tigers' spring games. Ausmus said he was optimistic Martinez would also be ready for Opening Day, but he wasn't as optimistic as he was for Cabrera. 

With the No. 2 spot still undecided in the Cubs' lineup, manager Joe Maddon said outfielder Jorge Soler could be the man for the job, according to MLB.com.

“He’s a really interesting baseball player,” Maddon said. “I’d heard good things, but his impression on me has been really strong.”

Outfielder Chris Coghlan has been the frontrunner for the role but Maddon likes Soler's plate discipline.

“With [Soler], it goes beyond his power. This guy looks over a baseball now. This guy has great decision-making ability at the plate," Maddon said. That bleeds into either you’re driving in the second leadoff hitter plus one, or he’s setting up somebody after him because the guy is going to take his walks."

Soler is hitting .333 this spring with three home runs, eight doubles and 20 RBI.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley will miss his fifth game in a row on Saturday, due to back tightness, per Paul Hoynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. 

Brantley is expected to return to the Indians' lineup for Sunday's game.