Injury Updates: Morales, Carpenter, Drew, Tejada, Sweeney, Miller

News and notes on the injury front:

• Angels DH/1B Kendrys Morales ran the bases at full-speed in spikes yesterday, the closest he's been to baseball action in over a year and a half, Lance Pugmire writes for the LA Times. An optimistic Mike Scioscia said that he expects Morales to see in-game action later this week and that the Cuban slugger will likely start the season with the club barring any setbacks.
• Rick Hummel of STL Today writes that the bulging disc in Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter's neck has caused new manager Mike Matheny to come up with a "Plan B" for the start of the season. The plan reportedly consists of Carpenter taking the fifth spot in the rotation--in order to not miss a start--with Lance Lynn ultimately taking Carpenter's spot if he is not available. No word on whether Matheny meant to actually replace Carpenter with Jason Motte.
• Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew, who endured a Morales-like lower leg fracture at home plate last season, looks very "unlikely" to recover by Opening Day, tweets Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Piecoro adds that Drew has yet to face live pitching or even attempt a slide.

• Probable Jose Reyes replacement Ruben Tejada was scratched from the Mets lineup today because of a left groin strain, reports NY Daily News' Andy Martino. The injury appears to have broken the camel's back for manager Terry Collins, who told Martino:

It’s not serious. It doesn’t have to be [in] here. You need an aspirin, you’re off for a day.

• Collins may have some cause to gripe, as Tejada's strain puts the Mets neck and neck with the Red Sox in the battle for Spring Training injury supremacy, each now with 14 reported injuries.
• The Red Sox had taken a brief lead Monday when right field hopeful Ryan Sweeney was pulled from the game due to a left quad strain, MLB.com's Ian Browne reports. Sweeney's injury is not thought to be serious.
• Continuing with the Red Sox, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tweets that Andrew Miller, one of the horde of Red Sox fifth starter candidates, could return to game action by the end of the week:

Andrew Miller threw what he described as "a great pen" and could be in a game as early as friday after recovering from elbow soreness.