MLB Player News

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly still hasn't awarded the center field job to anyone. 

With a week to go in spring training, Andre Ethier and Joc Pederson are still vying for the starting role. Mattingly said he hasn't made a decision, "Because I don't have to yet," per MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. 

Pederson is hitting .375 with nine RBI this spring. Ethier is at .333, also with nine RBI. 

Athletics first baseman Mark Canha has shown a flair for the dramatic this spring.

On Friday, he hit a walk-off, three-run home run, surprising no one. 

"The only question was whether he was going to hit it to right or hit it to left," manager Bob Melvin said, per SFGate. 

Two days earlier, Canha hit a two-out, two-run, game-tying home run in the ninth inning. 

"It’s fun. That’s what I try to tell myself in those situations, just have fun, because I tend to get nervous," Canha said. 

Canha is a Rule V pick, meaning the Athletics have to keep him on the MLB roster or risk losing him. He's hitting .267 with three homers and five RBI so far this spring. 

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is battling off injury issues this spring. But, the outfielder is still working to get better. And listening to his father, reports MLB.com.

"Hitting it over the left fielder's head -- not always in front," Michael Brantley said. "Making sure that we're catching the ball still out front, but still staying through it so we could stay behind the ball and drive the ball to left-center and over the left fielder's head this year."

His dad, Mickey Brantley is now a hitting coach and continues to give his son advice. Brantley wants to continue to be aggressive at the plate.

"That's not going to change. It worked OK," Brantley said with a laugh. "I don't want to change things that work. There's no set way of going about it, but you've got to be aggressive in this game. The pitching is getting too good to not be aggressive anymore."

Indians manager Terry Francona said Friday the team is taking no chances with outfielder Michael Brantley, who still had back soreness Friday, per MLB.com. Francona said Brantley is likely to miss a few more spring games and has no specific game in mind for his return.

Brantley, who is coming off a breakout season in 2014, is batting .321 (9 for 28) with one double, two runs, two RBI, two walks and three strikeouts in 10 spring games.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper returned to the spring lineup Friday against the Cardinals after sitting out Thursday due to an illness. Harper is batting .231 (6 for 26) with one double, one home run, three RBI, five runs, seven strikeouts and 10 walks in 12 spring games.

After a breakout season in 2014, Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez knows pitchers will change how they pitch to him, which he said he's ready for, reports MLB.com.

"They weren't last year, how can I put it, just serving them up, just not making adjustments," Martinez said. "This is the new age of baseball, where everything is computers and calculations and sabermetrics. If you have a hole, they're going to find it and they're going to make the adjustments game to game because of that. Every game you play in, there's advance scouts watching you and there's computers that are charting you. So when they go sit down, they're looking at a screen with all your percentages of what you hit good, what you hit bad."

Manager Brad Ausmus agreed that it will not be easy for Martinez to duplicate his 2014 season, where he hit 23 home runs with 76 RBI while batting .315.

"They definitely have a more in-depth scouting reports compared to a year ago," Ausmus said. "They're much more aware of him as a power threat, so they'll be more careful with him. That's the nature of baseball."

Nationals manager Matt Williams said outfielder Bryce Harper was held out of Thursday's spring lineup against the Mets due to a stomach illness. Harper is batting .231 (6 for 26) with one double, one home run, three RBI, five runs, seven strikeouts and 10 walks in 12 spring games.

“He was really feeling bad yesterday, and then today he’s still not feeling well,” Williams said, per NatsInsider.com. “He came in, did a little bit of light swinging in the cage, and he’s still not feeling good. So we sent him home again (Thursday). I think he’ll be OK to go (Friday). But we wanted to get him out of here and not get anybody else sick at this point.”

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is suffering from tightness in his back, manager Terry Francona said, per MLB.com.

The back issue is expected to sideline Brantley for a few days.

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson went 1 for 3 with a solo home run in his team's 9-5 win over the Padres Wednesday.

Pederson has done little to cool the hype for his rookie season, as the outfielder pushed aside an 0-for-5 performance in his last two games to slug his fourth home run of the spring Wednesday. He has hit .409/.477/.773 with four home runs and two stolen bases in 44 at-bats over 18 games.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera went 0 for 2 and played four innings in the field Wednesday.

"I feel very good," Cabrera said after his debut in the field, per MLB.com. "I'm glad to be back at first and try to get in the rhythm, try to get in baseball shape. I was so happy to be out there at first base and try to play defense."

Cabrera made multiple tough plays in the field, giving his surgically-repaired ankle and foot a test.

"It feels very good," Cabrera said. "I try to make plays, and to make that play in that situation, I don't think about my ankle, my feet. Right now I'm focused on [trying to] go out there and play."

Cabrera is expected to be back at first base Thursday before receiving a day off Friday.