If there was any question as to how long it would take for Michael Brantley to shake off the rust, it didn't take long.
In his first at-bat of Spring Training in Goodyear, Ariz. on Wednesday, the Cleveland Indians' All-Star left fielder hit a home run to right field.
Brantley, who has been recovering from offseason surgery to repair an injured right ankle that plagued him throughout the 2017 campaign, had missed the Indians' first month of Spring Training action, although he did participate in individual workouts. It remains unclear whether or not he'll be available when the Indians open the 2018 regular season on the road next Thursday against the Seattle Mariners.
"We shall see," Brantley said, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. "I'm going to take it one day at a time, like I always say. I wake up tomorrow, I've to to do my agility work, I've got to do my tests, make sure I feel good and hopefully play again. One day at a time. All is positive right now. I'm just glad to be back."
Brantley ultimately hit 1-for-3 in his Spring Training debut, which came in a 12-8 loss to the Kansas City Royals. He played left field for five innings, but only saw limited action come his way.
Should Brantley be forced to start his season on the DL, he would likely be replaced by veteran Rajai Davis, who the Indians announced would be a part of their Opening Day lineup on Thursday. Appearing in 90 games last season, Brantley, a 2-time All-Star (2014, 2017), hit for a .299 average to go along with 9 home runs, 52 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
