MLB Player News

Brantley (ankle) has shown improvement in the running portion of his injury rehab, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Manager Terry Francona reported Sunday that Brantley had a great workout Saturday and is making strides when it comes to running. The veteran outfielder had been having issues decelerating while running but apparently made some solid progress in that area during his recent workout. This is certainly encouraging news, but Brantley still has a few hurdles to clear before he's deemed healthy and fully ready for live action. He's still targeting a return to the lineup prior to the Indians' Opening Day matchup with the Mariners on March 29.

Cespedes (hamstring) will bat second and serve as the Mets' designated hitter in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record reports.

As is often the case for veteran players coming off injury-shortened seasons, Cespedes won't handle a huge workload in spring training, hence the Mets' decision to hold the 32-year-old out for their first two games of Grapefruit League play. It appears that Cespedes, who was shut down for the final five weeks of last season while recovering from a right hamstring strain, has entered the spring at full strength, though it may take a few games before first-year manager Mickey Callaway is ready to deploy Cespedes at his normal post in left field.

Manager Mike Matheny reported Sunday that Carpenter's back is "doing better," Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.

Carpenter has been sidelined with a sore back during the opening days of spring training, but Matheny's comments suggest the veteran infielder could be back in action sooner than later. Carpenter's back injury doesn't seem like anything overly concerning at this time, and barring any setbacks, he should be ready for Opening Day.

Vogelbach is dealing with a bruise in his right foot and will be sidelined for 3-to-4 days, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

Vogelbach was hit by a pitch on the foot during Friday's game, and though X-rays came back negative, the power-hitting first baseman is expected to miss some time in order to allow the bruising to reside. With Ryon Healy (hand) also out, look for Mike Ford and Evan White to see additional reps at first base this week.

Manager Mickey Callaway said Cespedes (hamstring) will play Sunday against the Marlins, Tim Britton of The Athletic New York reports.

As expected, Cespedes is set to make his 2018 Grapefruit League debut Sunday. After appearing in just 81 games last season due to nagging lower-body injuries, the 32-year-old should enter the 2018 season at full strength, barring anything unforeseen happens in camp. While Cespedes certainly carries injury concerns, it should be noted that he worked on increasing his flexibility in the offseason in an attempt to help him better withstand the rigors a 162-game schedule. If he's able to stay healthy, he could prove to be a bargain, as Cespedes proved he can still be productive when healthy, hitting .292/.352/.540 with 17 home runs across 321 plate appearances in 2017.

Choi (teeth) returned to spring camp and will play first base against the Angels in Saturday's Cactus League game.

Choi recently got his wisdom teeth removed and was forced to step away from the Brewers camp for a few days. He should be at full health moving forward as he's plugged into the third spot in the order for Saturday's affair.

Martinez's signing with the Red Sox has been delayed by a medical matter, Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston reports.

It's expected that more information regarding the undisclosed medical issue will surface later Saturday, but a baseball source with knowledge of the situation said the medical issue would not have an impact on Martinez's immediate future. Additional medical experts are involved as the team and Martinez work through the issue, including experts consulted by the player's agent, Scott Boras. The source described the process between the team and player as cooperative.

Dickerson is battling an elbow issue in addition to his back injury, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Dickerson has been recovering from back surgery that he underwent last June, though it appears that he was around full health prior to his elbow injury. The club will likely remain overly cautious with Dickerson and ease him back into play, especially since he hasn't received any game action in almost 16 months.

Vogelbach is dealing with a right foot injury that he suffered during Friday's spring game, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.

Vogelbach was hit by a pitch but remained in the game, which may not have been the best course of action since he admitted the foot "blew up" on him overnight. The 25-year-old was seen in a walking boot with a crutch when he appeared at the team's facility Saturday and will likely miss a little time while recovering from this ailment.

Canha (wrist) will take the field versus the Padres during Oakland's Cactus League game Saturday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Canha underwent surgery on his right wrist to remove a cyst in early November, but he looks to be at full health as the club gets underway with spring contests. In 2017, he played in 57 big-league games, hitting just .208/.262/.382 with five home runs and 14 RBI. He will need to bounce back this spring in order to make the Opening Day roster.