MLB Player News

Ozuna is expected to be the Cardinals' cleanup hitter more often than not this season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Manager Mike Matheny is typically coy about lineup matters during spring training, but he hasn't shied away from utilizing the former Marlin consistently in the cleanup spot this year. Ozuna bashed 37 homers and drove in 124 runs with Miami last season, and if he's going to spend much of his time in the meat of the Cardinals' order, he very well could replicate those numbers.

Carpenter (back) started a swinging progression Tuesday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

As anticipated, the Cardinals first baseman advanced in his recovery program from a sore back. This swinging program currently entails simply swinging in a cage, but it also signals that he's relatively close to returning to game action. No word has come forth as to when he could get back into the lineup, but more information should be available as he swings more. Goold did comment that Carpenter needs to get back into games soon so that he'll be ready for Opening Day. If Carpenter misses any regular-season time, look for Jose Martinez to fill in at first base.

Reyes is 3-for-11 (.273) with two home runs so far this spring.

Reyes underwent wrist surgery during the offseason, but the operation doesn't appear to be hindering him in any way this spring. The 22-year-old will likely open the season at Triple-A El Paso after batting .258 with 25 homers and 102 RBI at Double-A last season.

Manager Andy Green said Sunday that Dickerson (elbow) is not progressing as hoped, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Injury woes continue to plague the 27-year-old, as he already missed all of last season due to a back injury. According to Green, Dickerson is not expected to play for a while. This likely rules him out for a big-league roster spot unless he miraculously returns soon and demolishes the ball. No concrete timetable for his return is in place yet, but more information should emerge as he is able to progress further in his rehab program.

Carpenter (back) worked out on the main field Monday and could swing a bat as early as Tuesday, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.

He has been sidelined thus far in spring training with a sore back, but at least it appears he is making progress. As long as he can get into games in a week or two, he still should be able to get enough reps to be ready for Opening Day. That said, the 32-year-old should be discounted slightly in drafts, as back issues can linger and pop back up, and the Cardinals have no shortage of options to spell him if he needs maintenance days during the season.

Harper went 2-for-3 with a home run, a second run scored and three RBI in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

He yanked a two-run bomb to right field off Alex Wilson for his first homer of the spring. Harper had trouble staying healthy again last season, but his 1.008 OPS was the second-best mark of his career, and if he can stay on the field for 150-plus games he should once again figure prominently in the NL MVP discussion.

Colon went 2-for-3 with his first home run of the spring and five RBI in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

The former Royals prospect is in camp on a non-roster invite and should be considered a long shot for the 25-man roster, but Colon's making some noise with a .385/.429/.615 line to begin the spring. If he keeps raking, the 28-year-old could win a big-league utility role -- either with the Braves or another organization willing to take a chance on him.

Harper (toe) got the start at designated hitter and hit third in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and a walk.

His toe didn't seem to bother him at all, and Harper even attempted a stolen base after getting his free pass, although it was wiped out by a foul ball. Look for him to be back in the outfield soon, and the minor procedure he had for an ingrown toenail should be a distant memory by Opening Day.

Turner went 2-for-3 with his second home run of spring training in Saturday's victory over the Diamondbacks.

The slugging third baseman has picked up where he left off after what was seemingly a never-ending hot streak during the 2017 campaign. Despite being 33 years old, Turner is showing no signs of slowing down and appears to still be in his prime as a hitter. He will spend the majority of the season in the heart of a young and potent Dodgers lineup, giving him one of the higher floors amongst the top-tier third basemen in fantasy.

Cespedes (shoulder) played four innings in left field and went 1-for-3 at the plate Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Friday's game marked the first time that Cespedes has played in the outfield this spring. While he ended the 2017 season on the disabled list with a hamstring injury, a bout of shoulder soreness has bothered him this spring. Fortunately, Cespedes has downplayed the severity of his sore shoulder by saying that it's an issue he routinely experiences during the early stages of spring training.