MLB Player News

Manager Brad Ausmus said Saturday that Ohtani (elbow) won't be activated from the Angels' injured list before May, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani, who began his throwing program this week while he works back from Tommy John surgery, isn't scheduled to pitch this season but remains on track to serve as a designated hitter for the club. Earlier in the offseason, there was some optimism that Ohtani might receive clearance to enter the lineup at some point during the first month of 2019, but Ausmus has dismissed that possibility in recognition of where the two-way phenom currently stands in his rehab. Ohtani is merely hitting soft toss at this point, so he'll need to advance to live batting practice before the Angels even clear him to get at-bats in simulated games or minor-league rehab games. It will likely take at least a few weeks for Ohtani to take enough swings against live pitching before the Angels consider activating him, a reality that may make it difficult to justify rostering him in leagues with limited bench spots.

Blackmon fell ill Friday and didn't travel to Mexico with the Rockies for the team's two-game series with the Diamondbacks, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

The Rockies are still scheduled to play split-squad games in Arizona on Saturday (versus the Indians) and Sunday (versus the Dodgers), so Blackmon could conceivably play in either of those contests. It's more likely, however, that Blackmon receives the weekend off entirely to recover from the ailment. Expect him to return to action at some point during the upcoming week, which would keep him on track to enter the regular season without any limitations.

Harper will serve as the Phillies' designated hitter and will bat third Saturday against the Blue Jays in his Grapefruit League debut.

As anticipated, the Phillies have cleared out a prime spot in the order for their prized free-agent pickup, who slots in between Jean Segura and Rhys Hoskins. The complexion of the top half of the Philadelphia lineup could change when Cesar Hernandez (hip) is healthy again, but any combination of hitters in front of and behind Harper should be a boon to his RBI and runs count. If health prevails, Harper could be poised for a monster debut season in Philadelphia while playing in a home park that has historically been favorable for left-handed power.

Ohtani (elbow) will throw Wednesday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in October, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani's rehab process will be an unusually complex one. He won't pitch all season but will still have to spend a considerable amount of time getting his arm in shape for 2020, even as he works his way back toward a return as a hitter in May. Setbacks on the pitching side could impact his hitting timeline, though up to now everything seems to have moved smoothly.

Ozuna could play left field during Monday's spring game against the Nationals, Rob Rains of StLSportsPage.com reports.

Manager Mike Shildt previously indicated Ozuna wouldn't play the outfield in games until mid-March, so a return Monday would be fairly close to that suggestion. The 28-year-old was cleared for all baseball activities in mid-February, but the Cardinals have remained cautious as he returns from surgery on his right shoulder. Assuming he returns to outfield work with no setbacks, Ozuna should have no issue being ready for Opening Day.

Reyes went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Thursday's win over the Rangers.

Reyes cranked a two-run homer over the left-field wall to cap off a four-run fifth inning. The 23-year-old outfielder is now 7-for-23 with five RBI and two runs scored in spring training.

Belt went 2-for-3 in Wednesday's spring training loss to the Rangers.

Belt has now gone 4-for-13 with a home run in five spring appearances. The first baseman underwent a procedure on his right knee at the tail end of the 2018 season, so his early presence and production in camp are good indicators that he's 100 percent well ahead of Opening Day.

Canha went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run, three walks and two runs overall in a 7-4 Cactus League win over the Mariners on Wednesday.

The veteran is angling for a reserve outfield spot this spring. However, prior to Wednesday's outburst, he hadn't exactly acquitted himself well at the plate. Canha only had two hits in the 14 spring at-bats he'd logged prior to facing the Mariners, but his final line against Seattle was reminiscent of the contributions the 29-year-old made last season. Canha launched a career-high 17 round trippers in 2018, and he complemented the power with a career-best 8.3 percent walk rate. Given his ability to fill in at all three outfield spots as well as designated hitter, Canha's chances of sticking on the Opening Day roster appear solid for the time being.

Manager Brad Ausmus said Thursday that Ohtani (elbow) will begin a throwing program "on the soon side," Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ausmus' comments aren't all that specific, but at the very least, Ohtani looks poised to play catch before the Angels break camp. Once that happens, Ausmus noted that Ohtani will decrease his volume of swings, which could affect when he's ready to make his season debut as a designated hitter. Ohtani, who has been limited to hitting soft toss at this stage of his recovery, is said to be targeting a return from the injured list in early May.

Brantley went hitless in two at-bats Wednesday against the Marlins.

Manager AJ Hinch deployed what looked like an Opening Day lineup, which had Brantley, a left-handed batter, hitting fourth behind George Springer, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman (back) and ahead of Carlos Correa. "I do want him in the middle of all those righthanded hitters somewhere," Hinch told Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. "And whether that falls ahead or behind of any of these guys, that's what I'm looking at this spring. I just want him up to bat with some traffic and somebody behind him that's a threat that can keep the line moving." A left-handed presence was missing from the middle of Houston's order last season, which is a main reason the Astros signed Brantley during the offseason. His excellent contact rate (9.5 K%) is a bonus, though it should also enable him to pile up a lot of RBI if he sticks in the heart of the order.