Brantley Activated from 10-Day DL, Extended Spring Rehab Details (March 28 - April 6)

who's ready for the Indians' Home Opener? Dr. Smooth is!👋 today, on April 6, the Cleveland Indians activated Michael Brantley from the 10-Day DL prior to the game versus the Kansas City Royals! Tyler Naquin was optioned to the Triple A Columbus Clippers in a corresponding roster move. Michael is in the starting lineup, despite the cold, wintry mix of weather conditions expected this afternoon, batting 5th and playing in left field.

after staying back in Arizona to play in extended spring training with minor leaguers and the rookie league kids in order to continue building up endurance, Michael is now set to begin his 2018 campaign with the Tribe! or, more specifically, his last campaign with the Tribe.😞 yes, that is correct. this is most likely going to be the final year that Indians fans have to witness the amazingness that is Michael while he's still a member of the Indians. following this brief delay to the start of his regular season, it is now officially the beginning of the end of an era--the Michael Brantley Era in Cleveland. trust and believe, the tears will be flowing hard from me; i just hope i can hold out until October.😭 but i digress.

over the past 11 months, Michael has endured quite a bit in regard to his ankle. the initial onset of pain occurred

Brantley's Cactus League 2018 Rehab #s and My Predictions

hi again, Brantley fans! welcome to my Part 2 blog of Michael Brantley's Cactus League 2018 Rehab information. i kept the emphasis in this one on the numbers, rather than detailed daily updates. here you will find statistics, number breakdowns, and game lines from Michael's rehab game appearances with the Cleveland Indians. in addition, there's a section at the bottom of this post containing some predictions i made about his 2018 regular season. if you're looking for all the specifics of Michael's running progressions and rehab game at bats and plate appearances from spring training, then you'll want to read my previous Part 1 blog: Brantley's Cactus League 2018 Rehab & Game Details. (should you be so inclined, may i recommend having both blogs open in two separate tabs to easily and conveniently compare the game line information with Michael's rehab details per date.💁)


note: i like to lead off my Cactus League #s post by reminding everyone that it can be quite difficult to get a "full" game experience during spring. what i mean by that is, when i do my in-season documentation, i have access to all the info i like/want during a game because i have my MLB Gameday open on the computer and Gameday audio subscription playing. in spring training, those are not always options/reliable. not every game has someone providing play-by-play and color commentary of the contest. when that happens, i'm stuck

Brantley's Cactus League 2018 Rehab & Game Details

hey there, Brantley fans!👋 welcome to another season of blogs about our beloved Dr. Smooth! i can't say it's good to be back, per se, because i was writing all offseason and never really left... 🗍🖉🗐📓lol

so let me get right to it. if you haven't heard by now, Michael is going to open the season on the 10-Day DL. no, he did not suffer a setback. he simply hasn't quite built up the necessary endurance yet that's needed to play complete games every day. he last appeared in a Cactus League game on March 25, so the Indians can backdate his DL stint to March 26. that would potentially allow him to be activated in time for the Home Opener on April 6 versus the Kansas City Royals. fingers crossed he gets adequate playing time with the minor leaguers before then to make that a reality.🤞

in my previous updates blog, Michael was limited to throwing, hitting live BP, and doing straight-ahead running. since then, he's progressed to forward and backward running, lateral movements, outfield progression, a simulated game, baserunning workouts, and three minor league games before finally getting approval to play in Cactus League games with the Indians. he made it through every step on his rehab check list, but

Brantley To Open Indians' 2018 Season on 10-Day DL

today, on March 25, Terry Francona told reporters that Michael Brantley will open the Cleveland Indians' 2018 season on the 10-Day DL. Michael is currently playing in the team's Cactus League game versus the Cincinnati Reds right now, so the club can make his DL stint retroactive to tomorrow, March 26 (if he sits out the final two spring games). in doing that, Michael would only need to spend seven days on the disabled list during the regular season and would be eligible for activation in time for the Tribe's Home Opener versus the Kansas City Royals on April 6. should that scenario play out, Michael would miss just the first six games/two road series between March 29 and April 4. (in my opinion, this is a realistic possibility.👍)

photo courtesy of @Indians on twitter

the skipper made it clear that Michael has NOT

Brantley News & Ankle Updates from February 2018 (Pre-Spring Games)

play ball! the Cleveland Indians will do just that tomorrow when their first Cactus League game officially gets underway. well, most of the Indians, that is. stop me if you've heard this before--Michael Brantley is not quite ready to play in spring games yet. once again, the Tribe is being cautious with the left fielder's rehab, this time from right ankle surgery, and going slow with his running program. he's currently a little over four months removed from the procedure he had done in the offseason on October 18, 2017, to stabilize the ligaments.

like last year, i decided to give you guys all the February updates that i've come across prior to game action. after months of not getting any satisfying information about Michael's status, this blog contains details on where Michael is in his recovery, what he's allowed to do activity-wise, and a tentative plan for progression in the next couple weeks. there are also plenty of quotes, pictures, and links to videos, as well as an interview that Michael did with himself!😀

if you've missed any news since Michael had his surgery, i've got you. here are all the previous blogs i've written with updates between October 19, 2017, and January 27, 2018:
Brantley Undergoes Right Ankle Surgery, Recovery Will Take 4-5 Months
Brantley News from October 2017
Brantley News from November 2017 & Why He Shouldn't

Brantley News & Ankle Updates from January 2018

hi, Brantley fans! let me cut right to the chase. January was another slow news month as far as information about Michael's rehab from right ankle surgery goes. he is now over three months into his recovery, but we haven't gotten any insight as to where he is in the process and what type of baseball activities he's been doing thus far, if any. has he started to run on a treadmill yet? no clue. did he swing the bat at all during the offseason? couldn't tell ya. besides that, there's been no timetable put on Michael and it's currently unknown whether or not he'll be ready to open up the 2018 season with the Tribe.🤔

the consolation though is that we're definitely going to hear some detailed updates shortly because Michael is due to report to camp in just two and a half weeks (or possibly sooner)! so hang in there a little longer, #TeamBrantley. the countdown to February 18 is on!😃

meanwhile, if you've missed anything since Michael's surgery or need a refresher, here are my three previous news/update blogs:
Brantley News from October 2017
Brantley News from November 2017 & Why He Shouldn't Move to 1st Base
Brantley News & Ankle Updates from December 2017


now let's get to the January news and updates!

Brantley News & Ankle Updates from December 2017

Happy Almost New Year, Brantley fans! we're coming down the homestretch of the offseason, as spring training is right around the corner!😎 but first, here's the latest and last news about Michael from 2017. while there wasn't much information this month regarding his rehab and recovery from right ankle surgery, we at least now know what position he'll be playing with the Indians in 2018.

there's also a surprise at the end of this post detailing something i'll be starting in the new year, so be sure to read it!

for all the offseason 2017 news from October and November, plus my argument to keep Michael in left field (before we officially found out where he'd be playing), please read my previous blogs:
Brantley News from October 2017
Brantley News from November 2017 & Why He Shouldn't Move to 1st Base


December 5: in an article on indians.com, Jordan Bastian discussed some of the Tribe's needs for 2018. he once again stated that Cleveland might consider moving Michael

Brantley News from November 2017 & Why He Shouldn't Move to 1st Base

hello, Brantley fans! how's your offseason going? good i hope. earlier today, i posted a quick and unexpected, albeit very pleasant surprise involving Michael. now i've got a monthly news post for ya, except it's not so much "news" as it is complaints and speculation. this blog starts off on a positive note, then evolves into disappointment from fans over the Indians' decision to keep Michael for $12 million.🙄

in addition, it contains numerous article blurbs stating that Dr. Smooth could be in for a position change in 2018. that prompted me to take some time and make a compelling argument detailing why Michael should remain the Tribe's left fielder next season and not move to 1st base. so let's get into it!

for information about Michael from October (following the Tribe's elimination from the postseason), check out my Brantley News from October 2017 blog.


November 3: the Cleveland Indians announced that they

Brantley's Cactus League 2017 Rehab #s and My Predictions

this is the second part of Michael Brantley's Cactus League Rehab information. this blog contains Michael's numbers, statistics, and game lines from his rehab game appearances. i've also included a section at the end with my predictions for his 2017 regular season. the main focus here is on the spring numbers, but if you're interested in all of the details of Michael's daily hitting progressions during spring, or more specific information about his individual rehab game at bats and plate appearances, or pictures and videos of him, then please read my previous blog: Brantley's Cactus League 2017 Rehab & Game Details.

the format of this post will be easily recognizable to those of you who are longtime readers of my blogs. i've basically set this up like a monthly post by sectioning it into an overview, situational stats, fielding information, number breakdowns, and game lines. on the other hand, if you're new and unfamiliar with my typical layout, you can now begin to get accustomed to how i write my Brantley blogs.

note: Michael played in two minor league rehab games during spring and, just like last year, i could not get all the usual details and data that i like to document. for games of this kind, fans have no access to what's going on unless they physically go to the field that the games are played on. there's no way to watch them on TV or online, there's no way to follow along pitch-by-pitch on a Gameday, and there's no way to listen to Gameday audio because it doesn't exist. the only avenue to get info, if you're not in Arizona, is by

Brantley's Cactus League 2017 Rehab & Game Details

Brantley fans! i have the best news for you all on this, our Indians' baseball eve! it was just formally announced today that we will see Michael Brantley open up the season on the 25-man roster and bat 3rd in the Indians' starting lineup tomorrow, April 3! Happy Day Before Opening Day, indeed! i could not be more ecstatic!😁

when i last left off in my previous updates blog post, Michael was starting to take live batting practice in the indoor batting cages. since then, he's taken live BP on the field, played in some simulated games, advanced to playing in minor league games, and then received clearance to play in Cactus League spring games with the Indians. he hit every benchmark that he needed to and now he's ready to begin the regular season.

making it to this point took a lot of hard work on Michael's part; it was such a long road back. i'm sure nobody wants the 2017 campaign to get underway more than him so he can finally join his teammates on the field again instead of watching and coaching them from the dugout. lead by example this year, boy!

i'm going to do this similarly to how i did it a year ago, by splitting Michael's Cactus League rehab information into two separate blogs so that there's not an overwhelming amount of stuff in one huge post. this first blog contains his daily rehab updates, quotes, pictures, and videos throughout the duration of Indians spring games. all of Michael's hitting progressions are included here, as well as

Brantley's February 2017 Hitting Progressions (Pre-Spring Games)

Indians spring training games begin tomorrow! finally, the boys are back in action! well, all except one. sadly, Michael Brantley is not ready to play in spring games yet because the team is being extra careful with him and taking his rehab slowly. so as we wait for Michael to get the all clear, i thought i'd post an updates blog with details about his February hitting progressions--from tee work to batting practice!--prior to Cactus League games. there are a lot of photos of Michael in here, too!👍

and, in an unprecedented twist, FIVE different baseball writers published false information regarding Michael this month. not on purpose, of course, but it's quite astonishing that so many people would make mistakes within a similar time period and in relation to the same player. for three of these guys especially, that's a rarity because they are typically some of my most credible sources when it comes to all things Tribe. nevertheless, i called attention to those faux pas, as you would expect, and then corrected them, as you will soon discover.

before i get started though, if you'd like to see any of the updates between Michael's biceps tenodesis surgery on August 15, 2016, and Tribe Fest on January 28, 2017, check out

Brantley's January 2017 Hitting Progressions + Other News & Pics

hello there, Brantley fans! spring training is right around the corner and that's when we'll start to get a much better idea of where Michael is at physically and how he can handle the day-to-day activities that baseball requires of him. but for now, i have accumulated every bit of news that came out about Michael in the month of January, including his hitting progressions, rehab information, quotes, and pictures. so let's get into it!


January 3: Jordan Bastian tweeted that Michael began some non-contact swinging over the holiday break while back home and will continue his rehab in Cleveland this week.

January 4: in his first Indians Inbox of 2017 on indians.com, Bastian addressed Jonah Keri's statement on Michael--"this is a horrific, horrifically bad injury and there's some problems"--from December 23, 2016. Bastian sensibly pointed out that nothing else yet thus far supports Keri's claim and because this is the middle of the offseason, everything right now should be treated as speculation. he also remarked

Brantley News & Updates from November & December 2016

Happy New Year's Eve, Brantley fans! since the conclusion of the World Series, there really hasn't been a whole lot of notable information on the update front other than the plan for Michael's upcoming hitting progression being unveiled during the Winter Meetings. the rumor mill, however, was abuzz with unfounded gossip around the Christmas holiday. so before the clock strikes midnight and we start the new year, i present you with this last bit of news about Michael in 2016 from both November and December.


November News & Updates

November 4: the Indians twitter account reported that Michael is expected to resume baseball activities in December and be ready for spring training. Jordan Bastian followed up by tweeting the Indians are planning on Michael being ready for a normal spring training and will navigate the offseason with that expectation.

"Michael's progressing really well," Indians President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti said in Bastian's article on indians.com. "he's right on schedule for his rehab." and from a video on indians.com, Antonetti further elaborated, "he'll complete all of his normal physical work and then begin baseball activities at

Brantley's Second Half 2016

before i start posting all of my Brantley wrap up blogs, i have to post about his (atypical) second half of 2016. for the first time in Michael Brantley's Major League career, he missed out on the entire second half of the year. he was still on the disabled list when baseball resumed after the All Star Break, and then his season-ending surgery in August ensured that he would not be playing again in 2016. therefore, he remained on the DL and was merely a spectator for the whole second half.

consequently, this was a bit of a challenge for me because i've never previously written a second half blog where Michael literally had no statistics, so there was no template for me to go by. that said, i did manage to write it and filled in whatever sections i could. honestly, this post is more for documentation purposes than anything else, so if it has no appeal to you, i understand. more blogs will be published as the week continues, and hopefully those will pique your interest.


post-All Star Break in 2016, Michael had no numbers of any kind.

2nd Half 2016 batting average:

Brantley's Overall 2016 Minor League Rehab #s

as promised, here is the blog featuring Michael Brantley's overall 2016 minor league rehab numbers. if only i was posting this because he was back in the big leagues again. sigh. unfortunately, Michael just had season-ending surgery on August 15. therefore, there is no more wondering about when he will resume his rehab, cause it's done.

this blog combines Michael's rehab numbers from April with his rehab numbers from July. (oddly enough, Michael played as many rehab games this year as he did regular season games with the Cleveland Indians.) he spent time rehabbing with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Lake County Captains, Akron RubberDucks, and Columbus Clippers. i have done a cumulative breakdown of Michael's overall numbers as well as broken down his total numbers from each minor league team he played with.

THERE ARE FIVE SECTIONS OF STATISTICAL BREAKDOWNS IN THIS BLOG. FEEL FREE TO SKIM THROUGH CERTAIN PARTS AND/OR JUST FOCUS ON WHAT YOU MOST WANT TO READ ABOUT.


i'm beginning with how Michael did in his OVERALL 2016 minor league rehab assignment, which incorporates stats from his appearances with the Scrappers, Captains, RubberDucks, and Clippers all together.

Brantley's July 2016 Minor League Rehab #s (2nd DL Stint)

this is the second part of Michael Brantley's rehab information accumulated during his second DL stint in 2016. it contains Michael's numbers and statistics from his second minor league rehab assignment of the year, spanning between July 11 and 17. if you're looking for a very thorough account of his daily hitting progressions and the details about all his rehab game plate appearances, then please read this in conjunction with my previous blog: Brantley's May - August 2016 DL Stint Updates & Rehab Game Details.

note: if you are wondering why i didn't post Michael's July rehab numbers at the end of July, here's why. initially, i anticipated Michael would be continuing with his rehab assignment sometime in August. and, since it would have occurred while he was on the same DL stint (stemming from May 14), i planned on combining his rehab numbers from both July and August, as i saw no reason to split the July and August numbers. but because Michael recently had surgery and is not going to resume his rehab this season, i can now post his rehab stats from his second DL stint, consisting of games in the month of July only.


like earlier this season, i'm first going to break down Michael's overall July rehab numbers, and then separately break down his stats from

Brantley's May - August 2016 DL Stint Updates & Rehab Game Details

originally, i had a very happy introduction planned for this blog that was fixated on Michael Brantley's activation from the disabled list. unfortunately, Michael will not be returning to game action this year because he just had season-ending surgery. thus, my lede had to change.

Michael has had a rough time this year, to say the least. he began the regular season late because he was on the 15-Day DL, still recovering and rehabbing from his offseason right shoulder surgery for a torn labrum. he played seven games on a minor league rehab assignment before being activated on April 25. between his activation date and May 9, he appeared in 11 total Indians games over 15 days. it came to light on May 10 that he was feeling soreness and his shoulder was not bouncing back like they'd hoped. after a few days off, Michael was re-evaluated on May 13, but we didn't get any news until May 14. that's when it was announced that Michael was placed on the 15-Day DL with right shoulder inflammation and would be visiting with his surgeon, Dr. Craig Morgan, in Wilmington, Delaware on May 17 for a checkup.

that was your little season summation through May 14. next are all the Michael updates from this most recent stay on the DL.

Brantley To Have Season-Ending Right Shoulder Surgery

i wish i had better news to report. let me just cut to the chase and give it to you like i'm ripping off a band-aid--quick and painful. Michael Brantley's rehab attempts are officially over now because today, on August 13, Terry Francona announced that he will need to have another surgery on his right shoulder, which will ultimately end his 2016 season. it's scheduled for Monday, August 15 at TMI Sports Medicine in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Keith Meister and Dr. Mark Shickendantz will both perform the operation of which the specifics were not yet released.

8/13/16, photo courtesy of Chuck Crow via The Plain Dealer

Brantley Transferred to 60-Day DL (w/ DL Updates) (My 200th Blog!)

this morning, on July 3, it was announced in a press release on indians.com that Michael Brantley was transferred from the 15-Day DL to the 60-Day DL in order to make room for Abraham Almonte--who was just reinstated from the restricted list--on the 40-man roster. this was only a paper move and does not change anything per a tweet from Jordan Bastian. Terry Francona also commented, "there's no hidden flags there." Michael's new placement on the disabled list is still retroactive to May 9, and he's eligible for activation on July 9 according to Bastian's indians.com article. however, Michael is still a ways away from returning.

this all originated from the offseason right shoulder surgery Michael had on November 9, 2015 for a torn labrum. he's been doing everything he can to recover, rehab, and make a comeback, but has faced some obstacles along the way. he played two games in spring training with the Tribe before experiencing some shoulder soreness and was shut down for the rest of Cactus League play. he was later placed on the 15-Day DL prior to the start of the season. soon after the season opened, Michael was able to go out on a minor league rehab assignment with both the Columbus Clippers and Akron RubberDucks and was activated from the DL on April 25.

Michael played in a total of 11 games with the Indians before he began

Brantley Placed on 15-Day DL with Right Shoulder Inflammation

i'm afraid i have some disheartening news for Michael Brantley fans. this afternoon, on May 14, the Indians announced that Michael was placed on the 15-Day DL with right shoulder inflammation. the move is retroactive to May 10, meaning he can potentially be activated on May 25. this marks Michael's second time on the disabled list this season, as he opened the year on the 15-Day DL while still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, and it's his third DL stint overall in his MLB career.

screenshot cropped from indians.com

i am stunned about this considering just yesterday Terry Francona said that any talk of putting Michael on the DL was