MLB Player News

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.

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."