MLB Player News

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.

Tigers catcher Alex Avila and Yoenis Cespedes are in the starting lineup for Monday's spring game against the Cardinals.

Avila was pulled from Wednesday's game with lower back stiffness. He was initially scheduled to return Friday before being crossed off the team's travel roster. Cespedes came out of Thursday's game with quad tightness and was not expected to appear Sunday or Monday, but he'll make his return to action in Jupiter against the Cardinals.

The Indians continue to battle a stomach bug that's spreading through the locker room. 

On Sunday, outfielder Michael Brantley and pitcher Cody Anderson were scratched after being laid up with flu-like symptoms. 

Meanwhile, Brandon Moss, who missed the last two games with illness, returned to the Indians lineup on Sunday. Moss was fourth in the Indians' lineup, playing right field. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera and designated Victor Martinez are both running bases for the first time since undergoing surgery, according to MLB.com.

Cabrera, 31, had surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankle back in October. The first baseman finished 2014 with a batting average of .313 with 25 homeruns.

Martinez tore the medial meniscus in his left knee in February. In 2014 he batted .335 with 32 homeruns.

The Tigers are hopeful that both players will be ready to go by opening day, but there is no definite timetable for their respective returns.