Michael Brantley will not be in the lineup for the Cleveland Indians on opening day despite making major progress following offseason shoulder surgery.
Brantley had targeted the April 4 opener against the Boston Red Sox as his return date, but Terry Francona said Sunday that he is not quite ready and will not be in left field on opening day.
"We will let this thing calm down a little bit, then ramp him back up," Francona said. "He's not going to start the season with us as our starting left fielder. He will certainly travel with us. So if that's the case, let's give him a chance to be healthy for the whole year."
Brantley, who underwent surgery in November, reported some soreness in his right shoulder after playing in only two exhibition games.
He hit .310/.379/.480 with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 529 at-bats last season.
Via Associated Press