MLB Player News

Buxton (foot) ran in the outfield Saturday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. "He looks good. The swelling has not become a real issue. I'm encouraged we're going to see him out there sometime soon," said manager Rocco Baldelli.

Buxton suffered a left mid-foot sprain during Monday's intrasquad game and was carted off the field. It's encouraging that he's running and he has said he plans to be ready on Opening Day. However, he didn't participate in the team's live batting practice, so we'll need to see if he can increase his activities in the next few days.

Miller (heel/ankle) remains hopeful he'll be ready for Opening Day and feels he'll be able to ramp up quickly once he's given a green light to run again, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. "I think really just kind of taking it day to day," Miller said. "I think we've got it figured out, what we think's going on and got a way to kind of tame the inflammation and build it back up smart. I'm able to hit still and throw and all that, so I think when I get the thumbs up, I'll be able to go pretty quick."

Miller has been besieged by right heel and ankle soreness for the majority of summer camp, although he's been able to work back to participating in fielding drills and limited live batting practice while nursing the injuries. However, Miller has not been a part of any intrasquad games for precautionary reasons, and despite his optimism that he'd have a short preparation curve once given full clearance, the Cardinals are planning on exercising patience with the veteran since Edmundo Sosa and Max Schrock are both capable of providing infield depth.

Carpenter, who slugged a two-run homer during Friday's intrasquad game, was actually most satisfied with a long out he made because of the quality of his improved swing, Matt Rogers of MLB.com reports. "For me, 100 percent, it was the swing on the backdoor cutter from Miles [Mikolas]," Carpenter said. "For me to be able to take that swing on that pitch is right where I want to be. That pitch, to be able to stay on that pitch and be able to hit in the gap and get a chance for an extra-base hit -- I was way happier with that swing."

The veteran is considered a strong candidate to handle designated-hitter duties during the coming season, and he operated in that role Friday while hitting fifth. Carpenter spent considerable time this offseason working on his swing and looking to find his "hitting identity" after a pair of uneven seasons at the plate in 2018 and 2019 that have featured the two highest strikeout rates (23.4 and 26.2 percent) of his career. Specifically, Carpenter has been looking to hit to all fields more consistently in a manner akin to prior seasons, and he was encouragingly able to accomplish that both Friday and earlier in summer camp as well. The 34-year-old is also embracing the idea of primarily slotting in at DH, remarking Friday he's "more than willing to do it and learn it and adapt to it."

Cespedes is set to appear in both exhibition games against the Yankees this weekend, once as the designated hitter and once in left field, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

It's unlikely the veteran slugger will play the whole game in either case, but it's still an excellent sign that Cespedes is on track to be in the Opening Day lineup. Expect him to get most of his at-bats as the Mets' DH, but if Cespedes demonstrates he can handle a defensive assignment as well, it would only boost his playing time.

O'Keefe is benefiting from plenty of instructional time during summer camp, and the possibility exists he could see some action at the big-league level in 2020, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "He's super excited to be a part of the organization, and a lot of the things that we've thrown at him on the defensive side he's really taken to," manager Scott Servais said. "He's got things to work on, but he's got power and a lot of arm strength. We're trying to focus on his receiving and getting that up to speed."

O'Keefe has yet to play above Double-A despite the fact he's 26 years old, although he does have a trio of double-digit home-run tallies on his minors resume. The Rule 5 pick out of the Cardinals organization appeared in 10 Cactus League games but logged only nine at-bats, hitting .222 with two RBI, two walks and two runs. While Tom Murphy and Austin Nola are set to handle most of the catching reps this season, Johns points out both may need reinforcement at some point -- Murphy has already missed time during summer camp twice due to fouling a ball off his foot and has started a relatively modest 110 games across his first five big-league seasons, while Nola has only four games of experience behind the dish.

Ohtani will likely be the Angels' starting pitcher on Sundays throughout the 2020 season, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani will be on a unique pitching schedule in which he starts exactly once per week on the same day of the week. General manager Billy Eppler indicated that the team is targeting Sunday as Ohtani's designated starting day, and the Angels have already lined up that plan by scheduling his final intrasquad appearance for this coming Sunday. The Angels don't have any Sunday off-days during the shortened 2020 campaign, so Ohtani could get in 10 starts if the plan unfolds without a hitch.

Manager Bud Black said Thursday that Blackmon (illness) is in the midst of a training program that would put the outfielder on track to be ready for the Rockies' July 24 season opener versus the Rangers, Kyle Newman of The Denver Post reports.

Though he was cleared to join the Rockies at summer camp Monday after submitting two negative test results for the coronavirus, Blackmon was placed on the COVID-19 injured list a day later. Black clarified that the transaction was merely procedural, as Blackmon -- who previously tested positive for COVID-19 in late June -- remains healthy since joining the club for workouts. Expect Blackmon to gradually increase the intensity of his activities over the next week, and if his body responds well, he should be ready to handle an everyday role when the Rockies kick off their 60-game season in Texas.

Beer was diagnosed with a contusion after being hit in the face with a one-hopper during Wednesday's intrasquad game, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Manager Torey Lovullo said the 23-year-old didn't sustain a concussion, so he appears to have escaped the situation with only a bruise. Beer missed some time early in summer training after testing positive for COVID-19, and he may take it easy for a couple days after Wednesday's incident.

In reference to the likelihood Willie Calhoun's hip injury keeping him out for Opening Day, manager Chris Woodward said Wednesday, "I think Nick [Solak} falls in line to take those at-bats," T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Woodward has discussed wanting to find ways to make sure Solak receives regular at-bats, and the injury to Calhoun provides a clear answer to that problem. Solak had a .293/.393/.491 slash line in 33 games last season and was expected to fill a utility role, but a strong showing in left field could earn him an everyday spot in the lineup even after Calhoun returns.

Dickerson said Tuesday that his back feels great at summer camp as he prepares to fill a regular role in the heart of the Giants' lineup against right-handed pitching in 2020, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Dickerson dealt with chronic back issues that required surgery in 2017 and then underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018, keeping him sidelined for two full seasons before he returned to action in 2019. After being traded from San Diego to San Francisco last June, Dickerson immediately went on a tear, batting .386 with six home runs, 10 doubles and 23 RBI in his first 30 games with the club. An oblique injury would confine him to the shelf for much of the second half and limited his production when he returned, but a healthy Dickerson is now beginning to show flashes of the promise he displayed last June and July. He hit a soaring home run off Shaun Anderson in an intrasquad game Tuesday, further solidifying his status as a pillar in middle of the order. If Dickerson can hold up for the entirety of a 60-game slate, he could prove to be a sneaky value late in fantasy drafts.