MLB Player News

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is in the starting lineup for Sunday's matchup with the White Sox.

Brantley missed a few days due to back tightness. He's 9 for 28 with one double and two walks this spring.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus expressed optimism he will have both first baseman Miguel Cabrera and designated hitter Victor Martinez available for Opening Day, reports MLive.com.

"I'd say, as of right now, I'm optimistic that we can have them both ready for Opening Day," Ausmus said. "But I'm probably more optimistic that at this point that Miggy will be ready to play."

Cabrera, who hit his second home run of spring training Saturday, missed nearly a month after surgery to remove bone spurs in his right ankle while Martinez underwent surgery in early February for a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run home run for the Tigers on Saturday, the second straight game in which he's homered. 

Cabrera went one for three and brought his spring average to .385.

Manager Brad Ausmus said he'd be "a little surprised" if Cabrera was not in the Tigers' lineup on opening day. 

Victor Martinez, also returning from injury, has also begun playing in Tigers' spring games. Ausmus said he was optimistic Martinez would also be ready for Opening Day, but he wasn't as optimistic as he was for Cabrera. 

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley will miss his fifth game in a row on Saturday, due to back tightness, per Paul Hoynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. 

Brantley is expected to return to the Indians' lineup for Sunday's game. 

Athletics first baseman Mark Canha has shown a flair for the dramatic this spring.

On Friday, he hit a walk-off, three-run home run, surprising no one. 

"The only question was whether he was going to hit it to right or hit it to left," manager Bob Melvin said, per SFGate. 

Two days earlier, Canha hit a two-out, two-run, game-tying home run in the ninth inning. 

"It’s fun. That’s what I try to tell myself in those situations, just have fun, because I tend to get nervous," Canha said. 

Canha is a Rule V pick, meaning the Athletics have to keep him on the MLB roster or risk losing him. He's hitting .267 with three homers and five RBI so far this spring. 

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is battling off injury issues this spring. But, the outfielder is still working to get better. And listening to his father, reports MLB.com.

"Hitting it over the left fielder's head -- not always in front," Michael Brantley said. "Making sure that we're catching the ball still out front, but still staying through it so we could stay behind the ball and drive the ball to left-center and over the left fielder's head this year."

His dad, Mickey Brantley is now a hitting coach and continues to give his son advice. Brantley wants to continue to be aggressive at the plate.

"That's not going to change. It worked OK," Brantley said with a laugh. "I don't want to change things that work. There's no set way of going about it, but you've got to be aggressive in this game. The pitching is getting too good to not be aggressive anymore."

Indians manager Terry Francona said Friday the team is taking no chances with outfielder Michael Brantley, who still had back soreness Friday, per MLB.com. Francona said Brantley is likely to miss a few more spring games and has no specific game in mind for his return.

Brantley, who is coming off a breakout season in 2014, is batting .321 (9 for 28) with one double, two runs, two RBI, two walks and three strikeouts in 10 spring games.

After a breakout season in 2014, Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez knows pitchers will change how they pitch to him, which he said he's ready for, reports MLB.com.

"They weren't last year, how can I put it, just serving them up, just not making adjustments," Martinez said. "This is the new age of baseball, where everything is computers and calculations and sabermetrics. If you have a hole, they're going to find it and they're going to make the adjustments game to game because of that. Every game you play in, there's advance scouts watching you and there's computers that are charting you. So when they go sit down, they're looking at a screen with all your percentages of what you hit good, what you hit bad."

Manager Brad Ausmus agreed that it will not be easy for Martinez to duplicate his 2014 season, where he hit 23 home runs with 76 RBI while batting .315.

"They definitely have a more in-depth scouting reports compared to a year ago," Ausmus said. "They're much more aware of him as a power threat, so they'll be more careful with him. That's the nature of baseball."

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is suffering from tightness in his back, manager Terry Francona said, per MLB.com.

The back issue is expected to sideline Brantley for a few days.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera went 0 for 2 and played four innings in the field Wednesday.

"I feel very good," Cabrera said after his debut in the field, per MLB.com. "I'm glad to be back at first and try to get in the rhythm, try to get in baseball shape. I was so happy to be out there at first base and try to play defense."

Cabrera made multiple tough plays in the field, giving his surgically-repaired ankle and foot a test.

"It feels very good," Cabrera said. "I try to make plays, and to make that play in that situation, I don't think about my ankle, my feet. Right now I'm focused on [trying to] go out there and play."

Cabrera is expected to be back at first base Thursday before receiving a day off Friday.