MLB Player News

Manager Terry Francona announced Thursday that Brantley (ankle) should be able to return sometime around Opening Day, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.

Francona seemed encouraged about Brantley's progress during his interview Thursday. He said that the outfielder's status for Opening Day is still up in the air, but if he does miss the opener, he won't miss it by much. Based on the skipper's comments, it sounds like Brantley is shaping up to join the Indians' starting lineup a week or two into the season at the latest.

Brantley (ankle) was the designated hitter in a minor-league game Wednesday but did not run the bases, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.

Although he has yet to run the bases, it seems like Brantley's rehab program is being fast-tracked a bit. The embattled outfielder partook in outfield drills Thursday and is "doing terrific" according to manager Terry Francona. No timetable for his return was revealed, but things appear to be looking up.

Carpenter manned first base in Wednesday's 3-1 Grapefruit League win over the Astros and went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run.

Carpenter made his in-the-field debut following a turn at designated hitter in his first Grapefruit League game Tuesday, but what he did at the plate was just as much of a story. The veteran infielder connected off starter Justin Verlander for a two-out, two-run shot in the third with Tommy Pham aboard, following a first-inning single. It's been an auspicious start to spring for Carpenter, who'd also walked and scored in both of his plate appearances Tuesday.

Miller (toe) will play in a minor-league game Thursday at Port Charlotte and is expected to get four or five at-bats, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports.

It's a positive step for the infielder, who's missed all but the opening game of spring with his broken right pinkie toe. Miller's status is likely to be updated following Thursday's game action, but manager Kevin Cash has already stated he's expecting the 28-year-old to be ready by Opening Day.

Blackmon may continue to bat leadoff now that Carlos Gonzalez is back with the Rockies, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

No official word has come forth on this front, but the primary reason Blackmon would've dropped in the order was to get another solid run-producer in the middle of the lineup. With Gonzalez back in the fray, the Rockies have another proven slugger that can fill the hole in the middle of the lineup. As a result, Blackmon may be able to stay atop the order.

Torrens was sent to Double-A San Antonio on Wednesday.

Torrens was plucked from Low-A in the 2016 Rule 5 draft and the Padres managed to keep him on their roster for the entire season despite him being clearly not major-league ready. The 21-year-old hit just .163/.243/.203 in 139 plate appearances, though it's tough to blame him for that, as he really should have been spending the year at High-A. He'll head back to a level that will suit him better this season and is likely at least a year away from returning to the big leagues.

Carpenter (back) will make his Grapefruit League debut in the field Wednesday against the Astros, Joe Trezza of MLB.com. He'll play first base and bat third.

Carpenter checked out fine while serving as the Cardinals' designated hitter in Tuesday's exhibition against the Marlins, drawing walks in both of his plate appearances on the day. The veteran's return to the infield suggests the Cardinals aren't too concerned about his health heading into Opening Day, but Carpenter will still need to pick up several at-bats over the next week to ensure he's ready to handle a full-time role when the season begins.

Ozuna, who came into Tuesday's 11-4 Grapefruit League win over the Marlins with just four hits in 28 at-bats, went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and two runs against his former team.

The slugging outfielder was bound to break out of his funk sooner or later, and he picked on some of his former teammates while doing so Tuesday. Ozuna's first-inning two-bagger plated Dexter Fowler and opened the scoring on what would be a prolific afternoon for the Cardinals' offense, giving him his third RBI of spring in the process. While strikeouts have been a knock on Ozuna's spring thus far, he encouragingly made contact in all four trips to the plate Tuesday, snapping a streak of nine consecutive games with at least one whiff.

Carpenter (back) filled the designated hitter role in his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday, drawing two walks and scoring twice in a pair of plate appearances during an 11-4 win over the Marlins.

He finally saw game action after dealing with a back issue since a mid-February weight lifting session brought about a sprain. Carpenter's exit after two at-bats was planned, according to Joe Trezza of MLB.com, as opposed to a sign of any setback. He's now slated to play first base on Wednesday versus the Astros. As far as his debut outing, Carpenter encouragingly took multiple swings and ran the bases without issue, leaving him highly satisfied with his long-awaited return to the field. "I felt great," Carpenter said of his brief return. "I saw the ball well. Now, it's just about building at-bats through the spring and I'll be ready to go."

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Tuesday that Miller (toe) would be sidelined for another 4-to-5 days before returning to Grapefruit League play, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Miller made his spring debut Feb. 23 but hasn't seen any action since while recovering from a broken right pinkie toe. Despite Miller's lack of at-bats to date, Cash suggested that the extended absence won't affect the 28-year-old's availability for Opening Day. Even if that proves to be the case, Miller will have some ground to make up against his competitors for the starting role at second base over the rest of spring training. Joey Wendle, Micah Johnson and Daniel Robertson have all impressed with on-base marks above .400 in exhibition play, though none of those players offer as much fantasy upside as Miller, who has a 30-homer campaign and a season of double-digit steals on his resume.