MLB Player News

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon is hoping for more consistency in 2015, according to the Denver Post. 

Blackmon had a breakout season in 2014, but admits it's hard to be on every single game. "Last year, I swung the bat really well at certain times," he said. "But you go through a lot of ups and downs over 162 games, and that was a learning experience. I think that's going to help me this year."

Blackmon said his strong start made him a target for other teams, and that may have contributed to a slight slump during the season. Blackmon added that he's hoping to hit the ball to all fields this season.

Manager Walt Weiss is hoping Blackmon can deliver more of the same. "I don't know if he necessarily has to have an encore. I'm thinking more of the same," Weiss said. "I think Charlie would say that he wants to be more consistent."

The 28-year-old Blackmon hit .288/.335/.440 over 593 at-bats last year. 

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley (back) went 0 for 3 in his spring debut Thursday against the Reds.

Manager Terry Francona said Monday that Brantley was expected to make his debut Thursday, and the outfielder was able to play after dealing with a sore lower back earlier this spring. He hit .327/.385/.506 with 20 home runs, 97 RBI and 23 stolen bases in 611 at-bats last season.

Tigers outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was scratched from the lineup Thursday against Atlanta due to lower back tightness, according to the team's official website. Cespedes was acquired in an offseason trade with the Red Sox. He hit a grand slam in his first spring training at-bat in a Tigers uniform.

Cespedes will not be in the Tigers will face the Mets on Friday in Port St. Lucie. He's likely to return Saturday against Atlanta, per the Detroit Free Press.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (ankle) has run at 72 percent body weight on the AlterG anti-gravity treadmill, manager Brad Ausmus said Thursday. Once Cabrera can run at 80 percent body weight, he will be cleared to run on flat ground and have grounders hit directly at him.

"He should be really close," Ausmus said, per the Detroit Free Press.

Cabrera participated in batting practice on the field Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

"He was hitting balls 425 feet out to left-center," Ausmus said.

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton hit third and started in right field for his spring debut Thursday against the Cardinals.

Stanton, who hasn't played in a game since getting hit in the face by a pitch in September, hit off coaches and participated in a few live batting practices before getting into a spring game Thursday.

“It’s been great to see him, he looks good, I know he’s in great shape and know it’s the start of the process to prepare yourself for the season,” manager Mike Redmond said, per The Palm Beach Post. “He’s on the same plan as everybody else.”

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson, who is competing for the starting job in center field, got his spring campaign started off on the right foot Wednesday against the White Sox. The highly touted prospect went 2 for 2 with one double and one run.

One person who was likely happy to see Pederson get off to a quick start was teammate Justin Turner, who spent the offseason working out in Los Angeles with the 22-year-old outfielder.

"He doesn't talk about anything but hitting, ever," Turner said, per the Los Angeles Times. "He loves to talk hitting. He's not afraid to ask questions, which I love. One of my pet peeves is when you're around guys who have a lot of valuable information and you don't ask them anything. When I'm around guys, I ask questions. I want to know what they're doing, what they're thinking, because I want to learn."

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon was not in Wednesday's spring lineup against the Diamondbacks due to an abdominal injury, per MLB.com. However, Blackmon planned to take batting practice Wednesday.

Yoenis Cespedes made quite the impression in his first game in a Tigers uniform Tuesday. Cespedes, who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Red Sox, clubbed a grand slam in his spring debut, helping Detroit to a 15-2 win over Baltimore.

In his first at-bat, Cespedes popped out to first baseman Christian Walker in the first inning and then flied out to right field in his second at-bat. However, in his third at-bat he connected for a grand slam down the left-field line off Oliver Drake to put Detroit ahead 11-0.

The Marlins opted to push back outfielder Giancarlo Stanton's spring debut to Thursday. Stanton, who hasn't played since getting hit in the face in September, was originally scheduled to face the University of Miami in an exhibition game Tuesday.

"It just made more sense -- he can get more at-bats on the backfield," manager Mike Redmond said, per The Miami Herald. "We have simulated games going on back there. So, it just made more sense for him instead of going over there for one at-bat, keep him back here and he can get more at-bats and more work done back here and then he'll be ready to roll for Thursday."

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter hopes to combine the aggressiveness he displayed in 2013 with the patience he showed in 2014, MLB.com reports.

"I've had both extremes of it," Carpenter said. "I've had it where I've led the leagues in walks [2014], and I've had where I've led the league in hits [2013]. I'm trying to search for that perfect balance where you're aggressive, but you're still patient.

"In the postseason, I felt that I was more aggressive than I had been at any point in my career, but at the same time, I wasn't flailing at balls. I didn't lose anything. Now, it's finding the perfect balance to where I'm swinging the bat, I'm being aggressive, I'm trying to do damage, but at the same time, I'm a guy who can walk a lot, get on base and set the tone as a leadoff hitter. I think that's part of growing up as a baseball player. You learn and you adapt and you continue to try to figure out who you are as a hitter."

Carpenter homered four times during last year's postseason after hitting just eight home runs during the regular season, with his first two postseason blasts coming on the first pitch of his at-bats. He's looking to capture that approach more often this season.

"I think he's a smart enough guy to do it because he knows what he does really well," hitting coach John Mabry said. "That's what you take pride in -- those guys who put in all the work to get to where they are and then say, 'I'm not happy.' They want to put in the extra work to get to that next step, the next level."

Carpenter is looking to build off a 2014 season in which he hit .272/.375/.375 with eight home runs and 59 RBI in 595 at-bats.