MLB Player News

Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson is in a good position in the middle of spring training. The young outfielder is getting close to locking up the starting role in center field when the season begins, reports MLB.com.

"We haven't made any decision yet on who's going to play where, but we do like the way things are going for Joc," said manager Don Mattingly, who started Pederson on Tuesday along with outfielders Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but Pederson, who went 0 for 3 Tuesday, has the eye of Mattingly.

"We're still competing, but obviously we like what we see," Mattingly said. "We look at the process as much as hitting .409 [Pederson's average coming into Tuesday]. How he's working, how he's dealing with it all. I was talking to him today about having good at-bats and taking that into the season."

Outfielder Michael Brantley returned to the Indians' lineup on Tuesday, returning from an illness that kept him out over the weekend. 

Brantley started in left field and batted third. He grounded out, flew out and walked at the plate and made two putouts in the field, before leaving at the start of the seventh. 

The Tigers did not provide any injury updates on Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, according to the Detroit Free Press. Cabrera took ground ball and participated in batting practice, along with Martinez.

Royals manager Ned Yost said Tuesday that second basmean Christian Colon is "absolutely" the favorite for the team's backup infielder role, the Kansas City Star reports.

Colon saw his first major-league action in 2014, going 15 for 45 with three walks and two stolen bases. He also hit .311/.366/.433 with eight home runs, 47 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 344 at-bats with Triple-A Omaha.

Colon has excelled this spring, going 9 of 20 with one double and four walks.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen was held out of the lineup again on Tuesday due to lower body soreness, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. McCutchen has been sidelined since Thursday due to the issue, and has vowed not to return until he's 100 percent. He took part in batting practice and did some other work in the morning.

"Taking it slow, no point in rushing it," McCutchen said. "I'm just doing standard stuff and taking my time. It's better safe than sorry.

"I'm fine. I can do that stuff," McCutchen said. "I'm going out and not feeling any type of hindrance. Until it gets out of the system I'm going to take it day by day."

McCutchen is hitting .167 (2 for 12) with one double, one RBI, one walk and one run in five spring training games.

Tigers catcher Alex Avila and Yoenis Cespedes are in the starting lineup for Monday's spring game against the Cardinals.

Avila was pulled from Wednesday's game with lower back stiffness. He was initially scheduled to return Friday before being crossed off the team's travel roster. Cespedes came out of Thursday's game with quad tightness and was not expected to appear Sunday or Monday, but he'll make his return to action in Jupiter against the Cardinals.

Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen doesn't want to push things too hard too fast. The former league MVP has been sidelined by a lower body injury for the last two days and wants to get right before getting back on the field, reports MLB.com.

"I've just been trying to get my legs under me," McCutchen said. "When you get back to baseball stuff after all the offseason workouts, it just takes a little time. I don't want to get back out there until I'm 100 percent."

McCutchen will take his time to get back on the field and is in no rush.

"We're dealing with him day to day," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He's down again [Sunday], we have the day off [Monday] and we'll re-evaluate on Tuesday. I think we're in a good place with him."

Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon is struggling at the plate this spring, going just 1 for 8 so far. Even though he missed Wednesday's game with an abdominal injury, Blackmon wants to show more discipline at the plate and wait on pitches, reports MLB.com.

"I'm trying to see a lot of pitches," Blackmon said. "The other day, I took a 2-0 pitch on purpose [Friday while facing White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana, against whom he singled earlier in the game]. I want to be comfortable hitting later in the count, deeper in the count, with more strikes. In the season, if I get a 2-0 pitch over the plate, I'm going to try to hit it real hard. I'm not going to be trying to extend the at-bat."

The Indians continue to battle a stomach bug that's spreading through the locker room. 

On Sunday, outfielder Michael Brantley and pitcher Cody Anderson were scratched after being laid up with flu-like symptoms. 

Meanwhile, Brandon Moss, who missed the last two games with illness, returned to the Indians lineup on Sunday. Moss was fourth in the Indians' lineup, playing right field. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera and designated Victor Martinez are both running bases for the first time since undergoing surgery, according to MLB.com.

Cabrera, 31, had surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankle back in October. The first baseman finished 2014 with a batting average of .313 with 25 homeruns.

Martinez tore the medial meniscus in his left knee in February. In 2014 he batted .335 with 32 homeruns.

The Tigers are hopeful that both players will be ready to go by opening day, but there is no definite timetable for their respective returns.