MLB Player News

Ohtani (ankle, elbow) is set to face Milwaukee on Saturday during the Angels' Cactus League contest, Pedro Moura of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani continues to work his way back from a Grade 1 UCL sprain and an ankle procedure he underwent in October. The right-hander is in line to throw a couple innings against the Brewers during his debut, and he should get an opportunity to DH in the following days. Recently, Ohtani was able to throw a live batting practice session as well as receive some time of his own in the batters' box, which signals another step forward in his return to full health.

Solak was traded to the Rays on Tuesday as part of a three-team deal, Robert Murray of FanRagSports.com reports.

This makes sense, as the 22-year-old's path to the majors in New York was blocked by the highly-touted Gleyber Torres. Solak, who offers a plus hit tool with a relatively high floor, is coming off a respectable 2017 campaign spent with High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton, where he hit a combined .297/.384/.452 with 12 homers and 14 stolen bases in 130 games. According to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, the Yankees will receive Brandon Drury in return, while the Diamondbacks acquired Steven Souza.

Reed has a chance to win a roster spot to start the season, the Astros official site reports.

Reed hit .261/.358/.525 at Triple-A Fresno last season but received just six plate appearances for the big-league club. With Yuli Gurriel starting the season with a five-game suspension, a spot could be open for Reed, at least for the first few games of the year. The Astros have Evan Gattis holding down the designated hitter spot and Marwin Gonzalez perfectly capable of filling in at first base, though, so Reed will have to impress to stick on the roster.

Miller is expected to split time at first base with C.J. Cron in 2018, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Miller was expected to open the season as the Rays' primary first baseman, but the recent acquisition of Cron has pushed him into a timeshare. Considering Miller and Cron both hit better against right-handed pitching, it's still somewhat unclear how manager Kevin Cash intends to divvy up at-bats, but their playing time will likely be fluid throughout the season. Either way, it'll be tough to count on Miller from a fantasy standpoint in 2018 given his new position and reduced playing time.

Brantley (ankle) took part in batting practice Monday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Brantley, who underwent ankle surgery in October, is still behind other outfielders as spring camp starts up, but he continues to progress through his rehab with hopes of being ready for the start of the season. For the time being, however, his status for Opening Day remains up in the air, as the Indians are looking to proceed cautiously with the 30-year-old outfielder in an attempt to increase his longevity. Cleveland will continue to evaluate Brantley as he tests out his ankle during camp, so his status will be worth monitoring throughout spring.

General Manager Jerry Dipoto said Lewis had a scope on his right knee, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

This is another tough break for Lewis, who just can't seem to stay healthy. In two seasons as a pro, the 22-year-old has appeared in just 81 games due to recurring knee issues stemming from ACL surgery he underwent in July of 2016. The hope is that Lewis, who underwent the procedure some 10 days ago, will be back on the field near the end of April, though the team will obviously proceed cautiously with the injury-prone outfielder.

Martinez signed with Boston on Monday, Pedro Gomez of ESPN reports.

The long-rumored deal has finally been signed, and Boston now has the power bat they've coveted all offseason. Moving from Chase Field to anywhere other than Colorado represents a downgrade in terms of park factors, but the move should still be a fine one for Martinez's fantasy value. While the Green Monster may depress Martinez's home run total a bit, his overall production should remain quite strong in a solid Red Sox lineup. Expect big things from the 30-year-old slugger in Boston this year.

Cabrera arrived at the Tigers' spring-training facility Sunday and said he feels healthy after focusing his offseason workouts on strengthening his core and back muscles, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Injuries to the two muscle groups not only played a role in limiting Cabrera to 130 games last season, but more significantly, they hampered him greatly at the plate. While playing with two herniated discs in his back in 2017, Cabrera struggled to a .249/.329/.399 slash line in 529 plate appearances, amounting to a 228-point drop in OPS from the season prior. It's likely that some of the 34-year-old's performance dip was also a byproduct of aging, but with a modicum of better health entering the upcoming season, Cabrera seems capable of bouncing back on some level, though to what extent is difficult to predict.

Brantley (ankle) is behind other outfielders and is questionable for Opening Day, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Brantley, who underwent surgery on his ankle in October, has taken part in loss toss and some limited hitting in the cages, but is limited to straight-ahead jogging for now. The Indians will continue to evaluate Brantley as he tests out the ankle during training camp, so he could still be ready for the start of the season, but president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said the team is taking a longer-view approach, one that gets Cleveland "the best version of Michael Brantley for as much of the season as possible."

Ohtani (ankle, elbow) will not only be available to pinch hit on days where he is not pitching or starting at DH, but he will be available as a pinch runner as well, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Ohtani has famously been clocked as an 80-grade runner in the past, so from a pure talent standpoint, he may be the Angels' best pinch-running option late in games. This adds some minor value to his profile in leagues where owners can start him as a hitter. Ohtani will throw two innings of live batting practice Saturday and will hit in live batting practice Tuesday and Wednesday, suggesting that he is close to fully recovered from lingering ankle and elbow issues.