MLB Player News

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."

Outfielder Michael Brantley returned to the Indians' lineup on Tuesday, returning from an illness that kept him out over the weekend. 

Brantley started in left field and batted third. He grounded out, flew out and walked at the plate and made two putouts in the field, before leaving at the start of the seventh. 

The Tigers did not provide any injury updates on Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, according to the Detroit Free Press. Cabrera took ground ball and participated in batting practice, along with Martinez.

Royals manager Ned Yost said Tuesday that second basmean Christian Colon is "absolutely" the favorite for the team's backup infielder role, the Kansas City Star reports.

Colon saw his first major-league action in 2014, going 15 for 45 with three walks and two stolen bases. He also hit .311/.366/.433 with eight home runs, 47 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 344 at-bats with Triple-A Omaha.

Colon has excelled this spring, going 9 of 20 with one double and four walks.