MLB Player News

Winker is under consideration for the Reds' left field job this spring, though he's not the favorite. "I would not say he can't make the team," manager Bryan Price said Friday. "We know right now that we've got some guys competing for left field. I would say Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler and Yorman [Rodriguez] are probably -- I hate to say the favorites -- but they're guys we're looking at. They've done what they needed to do at the Triple-A level."

It's still very unlikely that Winker will win the job, even with a monster spring, because he's not on the 40-man roster yet and hasn't played at all in Triple-A. Given the Reds' presumed status as a non-contender this year, there's little reason to rush Winker's progression until he's absolutely beating the door down in front of him.

Brantley (shoulder) took the day off Thursday after his first day of non-contact swings Thursday, MLB.com reports. "He's doing really well, which is not a surprise. I hate to say he's ahead of schedule, because I don't think that's fair to him. He's got a lot of hurdles," manager Terry Francona said.

Brantley's timetable still has a fair amount of uncertainty surrounding it but it's encouraging to see that he's already taking some dry swings. Expect the Indians to take it slow with Brantley in the early weeks of spring training.

Cabrera went through a normal offseason this winter, starting his workouts following a three-week vacation at the end of the 2015 season, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Offseason ankle surgery entering 2015 and a calf injury during the year ultimately sapped Cabrera's power last season, holding him to just 18 home runs while he played at less than full health. As it stands, 2016 will mark the first time since 2013 that Cabrera enters spring training without an ailment to recover from. This winter, Cabrera focused his workouts on strengthening his legs, with the hope that he can return his power to a level more in line with his previous career norms.

Brantley (shoulder) took non-contact swings at the team's spring training facility Wednesday, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.

This will probably be standard for Brantley over the coming weeks, as he is not expected to return from labrum surgery until late April or early May. That timetable is far from precise, and if he misses too much time, a fourth straight double-double season would be tough to accomplish. That said, he has hit above .284 in four straight seasons, so his reasonable floor is four months of a high average hitter who is hitting near the top of Cleveland's lineup.

A season after getting a late start due to a knee ailment, McCutchen is already working out at the Pirates' spring training complex. "I'm ready to go, as opposed to last year," McCutchen told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. That's why I've been here working out."

"Baseball's back, and I'm looking forward to it," McCutchen said. "My knee's great, my body's great. I won't have to worry about that at all. I'm motivated in the sense that I didn't do ... physically, I wasn't where I needed to be at the beginning of the season." The Pittsburgh center fielder looks to improve upon his recent early-season performance. He's struggled in April, posting a .246/.343/.428 split from 2013 to 2015.

Brantley (shoulder) is expected to return from labrum surgery sometime in late April or early May, but the projection is admittedly hazy, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.

Hoynes reports that the Indians have been encouraged by Brantley's recovery, but the uncertainty surrounding when he can begin his rehab isn't exactly reassuring. Any extended absence will have to be covered by Rajai Davis and Collin Cowgill in left field. What's also worrying is that Brantley apparently enjoys swinging in the offseason, which could potentially lead to a slow start. "In the offseason people know I love to hit," said Brantley. "I hit a lot. It's just been a change in my timetable."

Belt and the Giants agreed to a one-year, $6.2 million contract, avoiding arbitration, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The deal goes just a bit in favor of the Giants, as it falls a bit short of the $6.4 million midpoint. The 27-year-old bounced back nicely last season with a .280 batting average, an .834 OPS, and 18 home runs. Now that his contract situation is out of the way, Belt can return to being a solid fantasy option at first base, assuming he can replicate his 2015 numbers.

The Tigers and Martinez agreed to a two-year contract Monday, avoiding arbitration, Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports.

Martinez backed up his breakout in 2014 with 38 homers and 102 RBI last season en route to a final slash line of .282/.344/.535. As he enters his age-29 season, he's been afforded some security with the aim of truly cashing in once this new deal is complete.

Indians manager Terry Francona acknowledged that it is unlikely Brantley (shoulder) will be ready to rejoin the team's lineup by Opening Day, the Indians' official site reports. "He won't open the season, most likely, with us," Francona said of Brantley. "We'll look at a number of guys. We'll see what fits the best. We'll probably have some platooning going on, especially earlier in the year. There's a number of guys that are coming in [to help]."

A report in December suggested that Brantley was behind schedule in his rehab following offseason shoulder surgery, but the Indians quickly released a statement to shoot that down. With Lonnie Chisenhall already expected to see regular time in right field against right-handed starters, there may be an open competition in spring training for the starts on that side of the platoon in left while Brantley goes through the final stages of his recovery in April. Barring the addition of a left-handed hitting veteran to the outfield mix this spring, Tyler Naquin and James Ramsey could emerge as candidates to work in tandem with Rajai Davis, Joey Butler, and Collin Cowgill.

Winker will probably begin the 2016 season at Triple-A Louisville, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

This is the obvious strategy for the Reds - Winker spent all of 2015 at Double-A Pensacola, coming on strong after initially struggling. He's not yet on the 40-man roster, and the team won't contend, so there's no rush to start his options clock.