10 burning questions 10 days before season

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As players from Team USA and Puerto Rico return to their MLB teams after an excellent three-week adventure, the good news is that Opening Day is right around the corner. So with that in mind, here are 10 questions that still need to be answered in the next 10 days.
1. How much can the Indians count on Michael Brantley?
As much as the signing of Edwin Encarnación, Brantley's return from two surgeries on his right shoulder has caused the Indians to be viewed alongside the Red Sox as the co-favorites in the American League. But Brantley didn't play in his first Cactus League game until Monday, and it remains to be seen how durable he'll be.
Ideally, Brantley will bat third and play every day. If he can't, Cleveland manager Terry Francona may have to platoon at all three spots in the outfield. If Brantley is healthy, there won't be room to keep both Abraham Almonte and Austin Jackson.
2. Who is going to follow Rick Porcello, Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez in the Red Sox's rotation?
David Price's left elbow injury and a mid-spring bout of left arm fatigue for Drew Pomeranz -- along with the trade of Clay Buchholz to Philadelphia -- has created an opportunity for guys such as Kyle Kendrick and knuckleballer Steven Wright to earn spots in the rotation.

Kendrick -- a longtime wing man to Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay in Philadelphia -- is resurrecting a career that went off the rails while pitching for the Rockies in 2015. He's been one of the best pitchers in the Grapefruit League, compiling a 1.96 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP over 23 innings. Wright was pitching well last season when he jammed his right shoulder pinch-running in an Interleague game in August, and he needs a strong finish to the spring to nail down a spot.
3. Which young infielder will earn a spot in Kansas City?
This is the classic Spring Training conundrum: a fight for a job featuring a phenom (Adalberto Mondesi Jr.) and three other players who the organization values (Whit Merrifield, Christian Colón and Cheslor Cuthbert). It's fascinating, because there are genuinely four players under consideration for the job, which formally opened up when Omar Infante was released last June.
Merrifield -- who was the primary second baseman last year despite a .716 OPS -- and Colon were expected to battle for the job. But the 21-year-old switch-hitting Mondesi crushed the ball early in camp, putting himself into consideration, and Cuthbert, who hit 12 homers while replacing an injured Mike Moustakas at third base last year, has played second base well with Moustakas back at third. Royals manager Ned Yost says the decision will go to the end, which is cool.

4. Can Bronson Arroyo land a spot in the Reds' rotation?
Before 2014, Arroyo was remarkably healthy, making 30-plus starts nine years in a row and reportedly not missing a start since he hurt himself spearfishing in the Florida Keys as a kid. But he's had nothing but bad luck at the end of his career, fighting through Tommy John surgery with the D-backs and then a torn rotator cuff that wrecked his attempt at a comeback last year with Dusty Baker's Nationals.
Arroyo is 40 years old and in camp with Cincinnati, and his upcoming starts will go a long way toward determining if he can grab one of the spots open behind Opening Day starter Scott Feldman and lefty Brandon Finnegan. Anthony DeSclafani's scary elbow injury and the offseason trade of Dan Straily has opened up spots, and Arroyo joins Amir Garrett, Cody Reed, Robert Stephenson and Sal Romano in the mix.
5. Who will close for the Nationals?
After the Nats were unable to land one of the three big free-agent closers (Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon), general manager Mike Rizzo has insisted he can find his answer internally. He's very encouraged by what he's seen this spring, with prospectKoda Glover joining Shawn Kelley and Blake Treinen in the mix competing for the job.
All three have pitched well, showing swing-and-miss stuff (and, as a bonus, veteran Matt Albers has quietly strung up zeros on the scoreboard). Glover has been working the ninth inning, which seems significant. The Nationals still could make a last-minute trade, but it appears they're going to go with one of these three if they have a save situation against the Marlins on Opening Day.

6. How much will Cubs manager Joe Maddon play Jason Heyward?
There have been few tangible positive results from the work Heyward has done in video rooms and batting cages after hitting a soft .230 last season. He was optimistic at the start of Spring Training about changes he'd made trying to get back to the batting stroke he had in 2012, when he was a 22-year-old natural with the Braves, but he is 5-for-40 with one home run and 10 strikeouts in the Cactus League entering Friday.
Heyward remains at least a platoon right fielder because of his National League Gold Glove Award-winning defense (and, yes, his $184 million contract). But Kyle Schwarber has moved over from left field to right at times recently, which would be a way to get Javier Báez and Ben Zobrist in the game at the same time. The really nasty dilemma for Chicago is probably still a season or two away -- what do the Cubs do with Heyward when top prospectEloy Jiménez is deemed ready to unleash his big bat on the NL?
7. Whither Jung Ho Kang?
The Pirates need everything to click if they are to get back to the postseason, but they may have to do without their power-hitting infielder for a long time. He's been unable to get his work visa to travel from South Korea after being convicted of drunk driving for the third time.
Neal Huntington softened Kang's absence by signing David Freese to a two-year contract extension this past August, but Kang is a hitter with .900 OPS potential when he's right. He's missed, and there's no way of knowing what he'll contribute this season, if anything.
8. Speaking of Pittsburgh, will José Quintana stay with the White Sox?
Trades this close to Opening Day are uncommon, but White Sox general manager Rick Hahn remains open for business on Quintana, who may have elevated his stock by shutting down Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. He could play a huge role in helping the Pirates, Astros or Yankees grab a postseason spot, and the Braves are also intrigued.

Why wouldn't they be? Quintana is under control for four years, and they have nothing but long-term question marks behind Julio Teheran, who was his teammate with Colombia in the Classic.
9. Will the Rangers go with Rule 5 Draft pick Mike Hauschild in their rotation?
Texas always seems to have depth issues with its starting pitching, and that has been exposed as Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross will begin the season on the disabled list. A.J. Griffin, Dillon Gee, Nick Martinez, knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa and Hauschild are in the running for the last two spots in manager Jeff Banister's rotation.

The Rangers gushed about Hauschild after selecting him from the Astros in December, and he hasn't disappointed. He's worked 15 1/3 innings with a 1.24 WHIP this spring entering Thursday, picking up where he left off last season in Triple-A. Hauschild is effective with all his pitches, including a low-90s fastball, but he has been overshadowed "by guys with more physical ability,'' according to Texas GM Jon Daniels.
10. Will Christian Bethancourt become a one-man battery for the Padres?
Bethancourt has always had a cannon behind the plate, and Padres GM A.J. Preller and manager Andy Green have experimented with him on the mound in Spring Training. The results (6 1/3 innings, three hits, three walks and two strikeouts) have been intriguing, raising the possibility of his opening the season in a unique hybrid role -- relief pitcher/backup catcher/extra outfielder (he started seven games in the corners last season).
With Bethancourt and Rule 5 Draft pick Luis Torrens in the mix, there's a chance San Diego could have four catchers on its Opening Day roster. Héctor Sánchez, a longtime Giants backup to Buster Posey who has had a great camp, is also pushing for a job behind 24-year-old regular Austin Hedges. This is the craziest situation to watch as teams march toward Opening Day. Thanks, Padres.