MLB Player News

Twins designated hitter Kennys Vargas is trying to work on his all-around game, according to Twincities.com.

Manager Paul Molitor recognizes the power that Vargas has at the plate, but wants him to work on his swing-path.

"We all know he can hit them extremely far," Molitor said, "but that's part of the swing-path things we're working on with him so he doesn't come around the ball too much. He didn't keep it fair that much, but he did."

Although Vargas is currently the team's designated hitter, Molitor wants to be sure he is ready to play first base behind Joe Mauer.

"I don't want him to get comfortable with that idea," Molitor said. "We all know that's probably a role that he would most likely fill than any other. We're trying to be creative with ways to keep him sharp defensively. I've been putting him out there as much as I can."

Molitor also recognizes that Vargas is improving as a fielder.

"He's obviously better," he said. "I've seen Kennys for a lot of years over on the other side. He's put the time in, but he's not overly mobile and he needs to build his stamina where he can play defense for 150-200 pitches a game."

While the Blue Jays have yet to make an announcement, Devon Travis will win the starting job at second base over Ryan Goins and Steve Tolleson, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman.

Travis, who was acquired in a November trade with Detroit, is doing well offensively this spring. He is batting .400 (16 for 40) with six doubles, six RBI, three walks, four runs and five strikeouts in 16 spring games.

He is considered Toronto's fifth-best prospect by Baseball America. Travis has a career .323/.388/.487/.876 slash line over three seasons in the minors.

Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera (ankle) will start at first base Wednesday against the Marlins and will play four innings, according to MLB.com.

He told head athletic trainer Kevin Rand he was ready to play in the field after he filled the role of DH in his first two spring games Sunday and Tuesday.

The Blue Jays have several unsettled roles on the roster and some, like the battle to start at second base, won't be decided until the end of spring training, MLB.com reports.

"There are some things we have a pretty good idea of right now," manager John Gibbons said Tuesday. "But yeah, for the most part, to be fair to some of the guys still involved and things like that, there will be a lot of things we won't announce until the end."

At second base, prospect Devon Travis has battled Ryan Goins and Steve Tolleson to start, but the team may favor Tolleson in a close battle with the infielder out of minor-league options.

"You like to keep guys around if you can," said Gibbons, speaking generally about options. "If two guys are equal and one is out of options, there's a good chance he's gonna stay. But that's not the overriding factor. You always weigh it, because everyone runs into depth problems."

Travis has impressed this spring, going 14 for 38 at the plate and smacking six doubles this spring.

"Every scout that's watched him play, and the guys in the Detroit organization that we've talked to, they all say this kid can flat-out play," Gibbons said. "You just watch. He's getting great results right now, but you just watch him in the box, this kid's got a great swing, a short stroke. He's got an idea up there. He's not just swinging, just letting it fly. You watch his defence, he looks great there, too. You've got to weigh all that."

Miguel Cabrera made his spring debut in the Tigers lineup on Sunday, batting third and playing DH. 

Cabrera has missed most of the spring, rehabbing from ankle surgery. He went one for three on Sunday, with two strikeouts and a fly ball single to left. 

Afterward, manager Brad Ausmus said that Cabrera had a "better than 50 percent chance" of being ready by Opening Day, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press.

Tigers first basemen Miguel Cabrera (ankle) and Victor Martinez (knee) will serve as the designated hitters for the team's two split-squad Grapefruit League games Sunday.

Neither player has seen Grapefruit League action this spring, though both were able to play on the minor-league side Saturday. Cabrera is returning from ankle surgery, while Martinez is working his way back from knee surgery. If they don't encounter a setback over spring training's final two weeks, both look headed for the team's Opening Day lineup.

After getting three hits and a walk in five plate appearances in a minor league game, Miguel Cabrera is ready to play for the Tigers.

Cabrera returned to game action on Saturday after recovering from ankle surgery. 

Afterward, he said everything felt good and began campaigning for manager Brad Ausmus to put him in the starting lineup on Sunday, according to Detroit Free Press beat writer Anthony Fenech. 

After hitting and running the bases in the minor league game, Cabrera said he'd prefer to play first base on Sunday to keep his ankle loose. 

Miguel Cabrera returned to the field for the Tigers a day earlier than expected. Cabrera was going to test his surgically repaired ankle by running the bases on Saturday, then play on Sunday. 

Instead, he was inserted into a pair of minor league games on Saturday. Cabrera singled in one game and ran to first base. Then he went to an adjacent field and hit a single in that game as well. 

Cabrera added a third single, a 10-pitch walk, and finished his day with a strikeout. 

The Tigers may be getting back Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez as soon as Sunday. 

Cabrera is returning from ankle surgery, and Martinez is recovering from knee surgery. 

Both players will run the bases on Saturday, and, depending on how they do, manager Brad Ausmus is considering putting them in Sunday's lineup.

"The final hurdle in terms of them getting into a game on the big league side would be running the bases and them being fine with that," Ausmus said, per MLive's Chris Iott. "It depends on today."

The Tigers have split squad games on Sunday, so both Cabrera and Martinez could play DH. Or the team could have them play in a minor league game and not run the bases. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera designated hitter Victor Martinez went through three pitches in an hour-long batting practice session, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Manager Brad Ausmus told reporters that the hurdles Cabrera and Martinez have yet to clear are mostly "running and agility" exercises, according to the MLB.com. Once they clear those hurdles, Ausmus will determine the amount of at-bats they will receive in Grapefruit League play on the fly.

"We still have hurdles to cross," Ausmus said, "mostly the running and agility stuff. As much as you can run them and do agility (work), it's hard to simulate game movements."