MLB Player News

Brantley (shoulder) may not be ready to play on Opening Day, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Brantley is recovering from surgery to repair his right labrum and has been progressing slowly. He's currently away from the team due to a personal matter, but prior to that, he had not appeared in any Grapefruit League games. On Wednesday, general manager Dana Brown said Brantley's availability for Opening Day is in doubt, but the team hopes he'll be able to return to the field no later than April 10.

Manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that Turner (face) will probably be out two weeks, Mike Monaco of ESPN reports.

The timeline offered by Cora suggests that Turner, who was hit in the face Monday and required 16 stitches to seal the wound, will be cutting it close for Opening Day. If the veteran infielder needs to miss time, he likely won't need to spend more than the minimum 10 days on the injured list at the start of the regular season.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Stanton could play "40, 50, 60" games in the outfield this season, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

Not only will putting Stanton in the outfield free up more chances for others in the designated hitter spot, but Boone also feels that the veteran slugger is more engaged and that it's good for him physically to play the field some. He's expected to play some right field when the Yankees are at home, with Aaron Judge shifting over to the roomier left field. Stanton will be used in left in places like Fenway Park, where there's not as much ground to cover. Stanton made 38 total starts in the outfield in 2022, so he should already have eligibility at the position in the majority of fantasy leagues heading into 2023.

Torrens went 2-for-2 with two solo home runs in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Rangers.

The power display was a bit unexpected, as Torrens had only three home runs in 151 at-bats with Seattle last season. However, the veteran backstop did go deep 15 times in 2021, so he has shown off some pop in his career. Torrens is likely third in Chicago's catching pecking order behind Yan Gomes and Tucker Barnhart, so his fantasy value will be limited unless he's able to move up the depth chart. He's on a minor-league deal and could start the year with Triple-A Iowa, though the Cubs may decide to carry three catchers in the early going.

Lewis went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's spring game against the Athletics.

Lewis made his second spring appearance at designated hitter after missing time while building up strength in his legs.

Alvarez (hand) is hoping to resume swinging a bat next week, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday he was hoping Alvarez would be ready to swing a bat by this weekend, but apparently it will take a little longer than that. It does not appear at this point that Alvarez had a setback, but the team clearly wants to make sure the slugger's nagging hand soreness is behind him before he ramps things up again. There's been no indication that the injury could affect Alvarez's Opening Day availability, but it's certainly an uneasy feeling seeing him miss so much time.

Winker (neck, knee) is making his Cactus League debut Tuesday.

Winker will DH and bat second in what is also his unofficial Brewers debut. He had a rough go of it in Seattle last season, due in part to neck and knee injuries, but there is bounce-back potential ahead for the 2021 NL All-Star.

Ozuna has gotten more plate appearances than any Atlanta player who isn't either participating in the WBC or competing for a job through the early part of the Grapefruit League schedule, and he's been used exclusively at designated hitter, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

The 32-year-old worked to improve his shoulder strength in the offseason in an effort to not be such a liability in the field, but Atlanta would be content simply to get some value out of his bat at this point. Ozuna has two years and $32 million remaining on his contract with a $16 million club option for 2025, but over the last two seasons he's played only 172 games due to injuries and off-field issues, posting decent power numbers with 30 homers and 82 RBI but slashing a weak .222/.278/.397.

McCutchen (hand) will serve as the Pirates' designated hitter and No. 3 batter in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays.

McCutchen exited early in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Twins due to hand soreness, but as anticipated, his removal from that contest proved to be merely a precaution. At least at the start of the season, the 36-year-old should handle a near-everyday role as he opens his second stint in Pittsburgh, with McCutchen expected to move between the corner outfield and designated hitter.

Turner (face) has left the hospital and returned home to rest, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

According to an update from his wife Kourtney Turner, Turner had to undergo 16 stitches and is dealing with a lot of swelling, but the veteran suffered no fractures and cleared all of his scans. The injury occurred when he was struck in the face during Monday's Grapefruit League contest against the Tigers. It's very positive news, but the timetable as to when Turner will return to action this spring is not yet known.