No setbacks, but Brantley will start on disabled list

Michael Brantley has made steady progress throughout spring training recovering from ankle surgery five months ago. But he will begin the season on the disabled list, the Indians announced on March 25.

With the season opener in Seattle four days away, Tribe management determined the Indians AllStar left fielder won’t be ready to face the Mariners. Brantley would be eligible to return from the DL by the time the Indians play the Royals on April 6 in their home opener at Progressive Field.

The decision to put Brantley on the DL means Tyler Naquin will make the 25-man roster to start the season. Naquin has homered twice with 10 RBI and is hitting .294 this spring.

“I informed him as he was running out to stretch,” Indians manager Terry Francona told reporters covering spring training, referring to Naquin. “Nake had a great spring.”

There have been no setbacks in Brantley’s rehab from the Oct. 18 surgery to repair ankle ligament damage suffered Aug. 8 when Brantley was injured chasing down a fly ball, Francona said. Brantley was in the starting lineup in left field on March 25 when the Tribe played the Cincinnati Reds in the final Cactus League game this spring at Goodyear, Ariz.

“Michael is going to start the year on the disabled list,” Francona said before the game. “He’ll play in today’s game. He’s doing great. I just think, after we put our heads together, it would be good for him. He just not quite ready maybe to carry enough of the load. There’s no setback or anything like that.”

Even as far back as TribeFest in January, Francona referred to the opener as an arbitrary target date for Brantley. Brantley, who played in only 11 games in 2016 because of complications from 2015 shoulder surgery, made the All-Star team last season but ended up playing in only two regular-season games after the injury. He played 90 games overall last season.

Brantley is too important to the Indians long-range plans this season to be rushed into the lineup when he isn’t 100 percent healthy, Francona said. The Indians made that clear when they decided to pick up his $11.5 million option for 2018 not knowing at the time when Brantley would be able to play.

Brantley was 2-for-7 in Cactus League games before facing the Reds. He homered in his first at-bat of the spring.

The Indians still have a decision to make on outfielder Brandon Guyer, who is recovering from left wrist surgery. The final spot is coming down to a choice between Guyer and Rob Refsnyder. A decision is expected when the Indians break camp on March 27.

Guyer played in his first Cactus League game this spring on March 24 and singled in his first at-bat. He could also start the season on this disabled list.

“Guyer really feels like he’s ready and he actually looks pretty good,” Francona said. “I think what we’ll end up doing is we’ll get the trainers, (Indians president) Chris (Antonetti), (general manager) Mike Chernoff and Brandon, and we’ll sit together and make our decision. And I told him that.”

In other news, Mike Napoli, 36, will begin the season at the Indians AAA team in Columbus. Napoli signed with the Indians in spring training. He was released last week and was not picked up by another team.

“In my opinion, he can still be a major-league player,” Francona said. “Even like he said, even platooning or something. But while we have him, his influence will be much appreciated.

“He’s one of the very best. If he’s around Bobby Bradley and Yandy Diaz and things like that, it will be wonderful. I’m sure Trem (Clippers manager Chris Tremie) will be thrilled.”

Diaz and Bradley are top prospects in the Indians organization.

Brantley