Cleveland Indians: Michael Brantley looks great in minor league game

Michael Brantley is looking to be a full-time player for the Cleveland Indians in 2017, and he continued his comeback Wednesday in a minor league game.

While Cleveland Indians fans may currently be worried about Jason Kipnis, Michael Brantley is giving fans something to be happy about.

Brantley played in a minor league game on Wednesday, providing fans with a positive highlight after a year filled with injuries.

Brantley hitting a double doesn’t mean he is ready to return as a full-time member of the lineup, but it certainly isn’t a bad sign. The key for him is to be able to play every day without feeling any pain in his shoulder.

Brantley is set to play in another minor league game on Friday, and if he feels fine then it could lead to him playing with the big league club as spring training comes to a close.

With Kipnis potentially missing some time, even if it is just a week or two, Brantley’s presence in the lineup would be a great addition, although it should only happen if he feels no pain whatsoever when he plays.

The team is deep enough to where someone like Austin Jackson could start the season on the roster if Brantley isn’t ready to go, so there is nothing to worry about if Brantley needs a bit of extra time to prepare before being thrust back into full-time action. A problem only arises if that extra time goes from weeks to months.

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It is too early to worry, and Brantley’s participation in the minor league game shows he is trending in the right direction.