MLB Player News

Rays manager Kevin Cash said that Miller (toe) will likely be held out of Grapefruit League games until next Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Miller was recently able to partake in a simulated game as a designated hitter after being sidelined since late February with a broken right pinkie toe. According to Topkin, playing through the injury isn't a problem for Miller, but the impact the broken toe has on his stride is a concern for the Rays, given that the 28-year-old has previously dealt with hip issues and is coming off offseason core-muscle surgery. Miller is tentatively slated to serve as the Rays' primary second baseman this season, though he could also split time at first base with the newly acquired C.J. Cron.

Martinez will play left field in Wednesday's game against the Twins, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

This will be Martinez's debut in a spring-training game, but he has participated in two controlled minor-league games. He homered off Rick Porcello on Monday and has five hits, three RBI and four walks in the two simulated sessions. While he'll be playing the field Wednesday, Martinez is expected to get most of his playing time as Boston's designated hitter.

Miller (toe) played as the designated hitter for both teams in a simulated game Tuesday, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports.

There were no setbacks reported for the infielder, who went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and will be off from all physical activity Wednesday. It remains to be seen if manager Kevin Cash will determine that Miller's participation Tuesday was sufficient from him to return to Grapefruit League action. Miller has been out since Feb. 23.

Reed went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Tuesday's game against the Nationals.

Reed's homered in two straight games, but is hitting just .174 through nine spring games. He continues to battle with J.D. Davis (.455, two HR) and Tyler White (.188) for a temporary roster spot opened up by the absence of Yulieski Gurriel, who will be out until mid-to-late April with a hand injury. None of those three, however, are expected to have a large role. Marwin Gonzalez is the likely fill-in for Gurriel at first base.

Brantley (ankle) advanced to agility drills in his running program Tuesday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

This is another positive step in his rehab program, as he just progressed to defensive drills Friday. His return timetable will still be nip and tuck with Opening Day, but it's encouraging to see progress regardless. A firmer timetable for Brantley's return to game action should emerge as he makes more steps forward in his recovery.

Miller (toe) will receive at-bats as a designated hitter during a simulated game Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The simulated game marks Miller's first competitive action since Feb. 23 and likely represents the final hurdle he'll need to clear before returning to the Rays' Grapefruit League lineup. Miller, who is nursing a broken right pinkie toe, still looks primed to open the campaign as the Rays' main second baseman, though there's a good chance he cedes at-bats to Daniel Robertson or Christian Arroyo against lefty pitching.

Jimenez (knee) said he hopes to be back on the field next week, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Jimenez is dealing with tendinitis in his left knee, but the 21-year-old said he's feeling better and remains unconcerned about the issue. "I don't think it's something serious," Jimenez said. "My concern is I want to be playing now." The White Sox will likely continue to play it safe with the highly regarded prospect, but barring any setbacks, it sounds like he should be back in Cactus League action sooner rather than later.

Vogelbach, who went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and a walk in Friday's 4-2 Cactus League win over the Brewers, is 4-for-9 with a double, Friday's homer, three RBI, three walks and four runs across four spring training games.

The burly infielder is knocking the cover off the ball and has apparently recovered fully from a bruised foot caused by a foul ball Feb. 23. Vogelbach opened the 2017 season in a platoon at first with veteran Danny Valencia, but a rough go against major-league pitching earned him a trip down to Triple-A Tacoma. He then proceeded to put together a strong season with the Rainiers -- slashing .290/.388/.455 with 25 doubles, 17 home runs and 83 RBI -- before finding his way back up to the big-league club as part of September call-ups. He'll look to parlay another year of seasoning into an Opening Day roster spot in 2018, and his strong start to spring certainly has him trending in the right direction.

Ohtani struck out eight of the 12 batters he faced in a "B" game Friday against the Brewers, the Orange County Register reports.

The velocity on Ohtani's fastball sat between 92-96 mph on Friday, while he mixed an impressive array of secondary offerings including a curveball, slider and splitter. He threw a total of 52 pitches in his second spring start, and while Ohtani allowed four hits, only one -- a double from 2017 Brewers first-round pick Keston Hiura -- was well hit. If the Angels continue to start Ohtani on the schedule if a six-man rotation, he'll likely appear in his next game situation Thursday.

Jimenez is being treated for tendinitis in his left knee and will be sidelined for a few days, Richard Justice of MLB.com reports.

Manager Rick Renteria is still hopeful that Jimenez will get into MLB games this spring, but the corner outfielder will be denied an opportunity to really steal headlines in March in the manner he would have been capable of prior to this injury. Considering Jimenez would not have been up in the big leagues until this summer at the earliest, and possibly not until 2019, the injury has little impact on his fantasy value.