MLB Player News

The Angels hope that Ohtani (ankle, elbow) will be able to make two or three starts per week as a designated hitter, though manager Mike Scioscia noted the 23-year-old's greatest impact will come on the mound, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports. "He's probably going to influence our team more as a pitcher," Scioscia said. "But that's not to say he's not going to have a chance to make a difference on the offensive end, too."

Ohtani, who is easing back to full strength from a Grade 1 UCL sprain and an October ankle procedure, threw his first bullpen session of the spring Thursday and looks on track to be ready for the start of the season. In an effort to make the lefty's transition from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB as seamless as possible, Scioscia said the Angels would deploy a six-man rotation to open the season, thereby allowing Ohtani to remain on the once-a-week pitching regimen he used in Japan. Though there's a good chance Ohtani will have his innings capped at some point in the second half if he stays healthy, his 100 mile-per-hour fastball and deep selection of breaking pitches could make him an elite fantasy option right away, at least on a per-start basis.

Ohtani (ankle, elbow) threw his first official bullpen Thursday, Pedro Moura of The Athletic Los Angeles reports.

Ohtani also took batting practice Wednesday, and the two-way superstar remains on track to be fully operational for the start of spring training. He shouldn't face any restrictions in camp, though the Angels may ultimately choose to monitor his workload seeing as he spent all offseason working his way back from a pair of injuries (an ankle injury that required surgery in October along with a Grade 1 UCL sprain).

Brantley (ankle) has been able to begin some partial hitting drills and will start to work in agility drills in the coming weeks, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.

Brantley is also throwing and doing some straight-line running but hasn't started cutting or sprinting at this point in time. It appears as though he's on schedule to be fully cleared by Opening Day, although more should be known once he's allowed to start more extensive agility drills to test the ankle.

Soler has dropped 20 pounds during the offseason due to an improved diet and has also worked to retool his swing, Maria Torres of The Kansas City Star reports.

Upon being traded to the Royals last winter, Soler was expected to seize a full-time role in the majors in 2017, something that hadn't been afforded to him in a crowded Cubs outfield the prior two seasons. The 25-year-old ended up falling well short of expectations, slashing just .144/.245/.258 while striking out in 32.7 percent of his plate appearances across 35 games with the Royals, resulting in the outfielder spending most of the year at Triple-A Omaha. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds last season, Soler is hoping a lither frame in addition to the adjustment in his approach in the batter's box will be enough to help him improve his outfield defense and contact rate, respectively, without sacrificing his signature power. Soler's pedigree makes him an intriguing late-round target in fantasy drafts, but in order to win an Opening Day starting gig, he'll need to convince the coaching staff in spring training that the changes he's made in the offseason will set him up for more success in 2018.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said last week that Miller (groin) is considered the leading in-house candidate to serve as the team's primary first baseman in 2018, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Logan Morrison, who served as the Rays' everyday first baseman during a breakout 2017 campaign, remains a free agent, and it's unclear how much interest Tampa Bay has in re-signing the veteran or exploring any other available options at the position. If the team opts to stand pat, Miller would be poised to gain eligibility quickly at first base in 2018, though any late additions to the roster wouldn't completely close off his path to regular at-bats against right-handed pitching. As the roster currently stands, the Rays are prepared to stage an open competition at second base, where Miller would likely slot in as the top option on the depth chart if the team decides to sign or trade for another first baseman.

Solak has been invited to the Yankees' spring training camp as a non-roster invitee.

Solak is unlikely to compete for a major-league job, as he's played just 30 games above High-A. The 2016 second-round pick hit .286/.344/.429 in those 30 games for Double-A Trenton last year. Another strong season could leave him in line for a major-league call-up at some point in 2019, though he's likely to be blocked by the highly rated Gleyber Torres at second base.

Goins agreed to a minor-league contract with the Royals on Wednesday which includes an invitation to spring training.

Goins will move on from Toronto after being non-tendered by the club following eight years with the organization, as the second baseman looks to find a role with the Royals in 2018. Last season, he appeared in a career-high 143 major-league games, slashing .237/.286/.356 with nine home runs and 62 RBI, both of which were also career bests. The soon-to-be 30-year-old should provide a solid safety net at both the second base and shortstop position for Kansas City, but obviously has limited upside for fantasy purposes.

Miller (groin) agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with Tampa Bay on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Roger Mooney of The Tampa Bay Times reports.

This was the second offseason as an arbitration-eligible player for Miller, as the 28-year-old collected a $975,000 bump from 2017. During this past season, he was unable to repeat his lofty numbers from 2016, slashing just .201/.327/.337 with nine home runs and 40 RBI. Recently, he underwent offseason core muscle surgery in November, but is expected to be fully operational come spring training.

General manager Billy Eppler said Ohtani (ankle, elbow) is scheduled to throw off a mound in the next two weeks, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani is steadily ramping up his throwing program as he continues to work his way back from a grade one sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament. The two-way superstar also underwent ankle surgery in October, though the team remains unconcerned about both issues and expect him to be fully ready to go by the start of spring training.

Ford was selected by the Mariners with the 11th overall pick in the Rule 5 draft Thursday.

Rule 5 picks rarely end up contributing in fantasy, but Ford might have the best chance of this year's class. He is a 25-year-old first baseman who has never played in the majors, but his numbers last year were awfully impressive. Ford had a .270/.404/.471 slash line with 20 home runs and a 72:94 K:BB in 126 games between Double-A and Triple-A. Entering the season, Ryon Healy and Daniel Vogelbach are ahead of Ford on the organizational depth chart, but they are not imposing figures, relative to the rest of the league's first basemen. Ford will need to be kept on the active roster all season, otherwise he will be exposed to waivers and offered back to the Yankees.