MLB Player News

Cespedes (ankle) has been hitting in simulated games and running in a straight line at full speed, but has yet to make full-speed changes of direction, David Lennon of Newsday reports.

Cespedes' right ankle evidently remains tender after it was fractured in multiple places during an encounter with a wild boar last May. He's making steady progress, but with less than three weeks remaining until Opening Day, it may be tough for him to avoid a trip to the injured list. The Mets have yet to announce their plans for the outfielder. If he does indeed miss time, more at-bats would open up for J.D. Davis in left field to begin the season.

Miller (back) participated in a full workout Sunday and will be evaluated Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Miller was originally expected to return to action Saturday, but he continued to sit out for precautionary reasons. The veteran has reportedly been taking practice swings without issues, and manager Mike Shildt said Miller could be in the lineup Tuesday if all goes well with the evaluation.

Pederson (side/hip) recorded five at-bats during a minor-league game Sunday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Pederson will likely play in another minor-league game before appearing in the Cactus League, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. The 27-year-old has yet to make his spring debut due to soreness in his right side and hip that arose at the beginning of camp. Given the Dodgers' depth in the outfield, the team will continue to take a conservative approach to bringing Pederson back, but it looks as though he'll be able to avoid a trip to the injured list. The left-handed power hitter slugged a career-high 36 home runs during 2019 and registered an impressive .920 against right-handed pitching.

Turner will be away from camp until Monday to watch his wife run in the Los Angeles Marathon, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Turner is expected to be back with the team by Monday's game against the Padres, though whether or not he winds up playing remains to be seen. The loss of a few days of at-bats shouldn't have a meaningful impact on the veteran's readiness for the upcoming season.

Pederson (side/hip) will play five innings in a minor-league game Sunday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Pederson has been slowed by soreness in his side and hip since early in camp. He's cutting things somewhat close to be ready by the start of the regular season. The Dodgers are deep enough that they can afford to treat him carefully and send him on a brief trip to the injured list if necessary, though they haven't officially indicated that they plan on doing so.

Torrens "is in the race" for a spot on the Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Francisco Mejia and Austin Hedges remain heavy favorites to share duties behind the plate once the regular season begins, but both have struggled this spring, with Mejia going hitless in 13 at-bats and Hedges batting .214. Torrens is only 2-for-11, but he represents a middle ground between Mejia's solid bat and Hedges' elite defense. Still, Torrens will likely need to turn it on over the next few weeks to break camp with the big-league club.

Miller (back) remains sidelined, according to Jeff Jones of The News-Democrat.

It was thought that Miller would rejoin the lineup Saturday, but he is not ready to resume playing in games just yet, and it remains to be seen when he will be. However, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports Miller is taking practice swings and is simply being held out for precautionary reasons.

Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a Grapefruit League tie against the Mets on Thursday.

Carpenter struggled with some relatively minor back issues earlier in Grapefruit League play, but he's subsequently been able to suit up for three games without issues. The two-run round tripper Thursday was Carpenter's third spring hit and first of the extra-base variety. The veteran is looking to rebound from an injury-shortened and sub-par season in 2019, one that saw him generate the second-lowest batting average (.226), on-base percentage (.334) and slugging percentage (.392) of his career.

Pederson (side/hip) has been cleared for a full workout Friday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Pederson has dealt with a strained side and sore hip since early in camp and has yet to get into a Cactus League game. He's expected to get some at-bats in minor-league camp soon, with his availability for Opening Day still up in the air.

Turner (hand) is in the lineup as expected Friday against Seattle, batting third and playing third base, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Turner was hit on the hand by a pitch Wednesday against the Giants, but X-rays came back negative and he wasn't expected to miss much time. His preparation for the upcoming season shouldn't be impacted by the minor delay.