MLB Player News

Brantley (shoulder) hopes to take some swings against live pitching soon, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. "There's a whole schedule laid out and I know we've got to go over it and kind of see how each day lines up. I'm not sure where we're going from here right now, but we should be starting to hit some baseballs here soon," Brantley said Monday.

Brantley remains optimistic about his chances of getting ready for Opening Day but the Indians are still preparing to open the season with him on the DL following November shoulder surgery. Taking some swings against live pitching is the next hurdle to clear as he works his way back.

Brantley (shoulder) has graduated to hitting off of a tee, and is still targeting Opening Day for his return, Jordan Bastain of MLB.com

While Brantley may still insist Opening Day is a possibility, WTAM 1100's Nick Camino notes that it's probably not a realistic goal. A breakout star in 2014, Brantley backed that up with another well-rounded 2015 campaign, derailed only by an injuries that limited him to just 137 games. Timetables for Brantley have generally ranged from mid-April to early May, but more clarity on the situation should come as the regular season approaches.

Brantley (shoulder) took the day off Thursday after his first day of non-contact swings Thursday, MLB.com reports. "He's doing really well, which is not a surprise. I hate to say he's ahead of schedule, because I don't think that's fair to him. He's got a lot of hurdles," manager Terry Francona said.

Brantley's timetable still has a fair amount of uncertainty surrounding it but it's encouraging to see that he's already taking some dry swings. Expect the Indians to take it slow with Brantley in the early weeks of spring training.

Cabrera went through a normal offseason this winter, starting his workouts following a three-week vacation at the end of the 2015 season, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Offseason ankle surgery entering 2015 and a calf injury during the year ultimately sapped Cabrera's power last season, holding him to just 18 home runs while he played at less than full health. As it stands, 2016 will mark the first time since 2013 that Cabrera enters spring training without an ailment to recover from. This winter, Cabrera focused his workouts on strengthening his legs, with the hope that he can return his power to a level more in line with his previous career norms.

Brantley (shoulder) took non-contact swings at the team's spring training facility Wednesday, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.

This will probably be standard for Brantley over the coming weeks, as he is not expected to return from labrum surgery until late April or early May. That timetable is far from precise, and if he misses too much time, a fourth straight double-double season would be tough to accomplish. That said, he has hit above .284 in four straight seasons, so his reasonable floor is four months of a high average hitter who is hitting near the top of Cleveland's lineup.

Brantley (shoulder) is expected to return from labrum surgery sometime in late April or early May, but the projection is admittedly hazy, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.

Hoynes reports that the Indians have been encouraged by Brantley's recovery, but the uncertainty surrounding when he can begin his rehab isn't exactly reassuring. Any extended absence will have to be covered by Rajai Davis and Collin Cowgill in left field. What's also worrying is that Brantley apparently enjoys swinging in the offseason, which could potentially lead to a slow start. "In the offseason people know I love to hit," said Brantley. "I hit a lot. It's just been a change in my timetable."

The Tigers and Martinez agreed to a two-year contract Monday, avoiding arbitration, Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports.

Martinez backed up his breakout in 2014 with 38 homers and 102 RBI last season en route to a final slash line of .282/.344/.535. As he enters his age-29 season, he's been afforded some security with the aim of truly cashing in once this new deal is complete.

Indians manager Terry Francona acknowledged that it is unlikely Brantley (shoulder) will be ready to rejoin the team's lineup by Opening Day, the Indians' official site reports. "He won't open the season, most likely, with us," Francona said of Brantley. "We'll look at a number of guys. We'll see what fits the best. We'll probably have some platooning going on, especially earlier in the year. There's a number of guys that are coming in [to help]."

A report in December suggested that Brantley was behind schedule in his rehab following offseason shoulder surgery, but the Indians quickly released a statement to shoot that down. With Lonnie Chisenhall already expected to see regular time in right field against right-handed starters, there may be an open competition in spring training for the starts on that side of the platoon in left while Brantley goes through the final stages of his recovery in April. Barring the addition of a left-handed hitting veteran to the outfield mix this spring, Tyler Naquin and James Ramsey could emerge as candidates to work in tandem with Rajai Davis, Joey Butler, and Collin Cowgill.

Choi was selected by the Angels in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft on Thursday, JJ Cooper of Baseball America reports.

Choi has spent six years in the Mariners' minor league system, and in 2015 he played 18 games with Triple-A Tacoma. He batted .298/.403/.421 with 17 hits and 16 RBI's in those 18 games. He hasn't shown a ton of power in his career but he's been an efficient bat a majority of the time. He'll start the 2016 season behind Albert Pujols, CJ Cron, and possibly Efren Navarro.

Butxon could begin the 2016 season in the minors, manager Paul Molitor told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "There will be a question about whether Triple-A at-bats are needed for him to start the season or will he make an impression that will be so favorable that we will lean to go with him right out of the chute," Molitor said in remarks to the media at the MLB winter meetings.

It seems unlikely that Buxton would begin the season in the minors given that the Twins traded away Aaron Hicks this winter, but he did struggle in his first exposure to the majors last season. Buxton hit just .209 with a .576 OPS in the majors and looked overmatched as he was often lost and free swinging at the plate. He had an ugly 6:44 BB:K ratio in stark contrast to his minor league career where he showed impressive control of the strike zone. Eddie Rosario could begin the season in center field, but the odds are still high that Buxton wins the job in spring training as the organization's top prospect.