MLB Player News

White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham was scratched from Monday's game due to leg tightness, MLB.com reports.

"It's too early in camp to kind of push anything," Beckham said. "It's kind of a fluke thing that I'm not playing today. It's not really a big deal."

Beckham has played in two games this spring, going 1 for 4 with one walk. He hit .267/.322/.372 with five home runs and 24 RBI in 371 at-bats last season.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, who is sidelined with flexor tendinitis in his right arm, played catch Monday, MLB.com reports.

"He's coming, it's just normal soreness," manager Ron Washington said of Andrus. "Like I've said, I've got it, too, but I don't have to throw from a position."

Andrus, who has also dealt with back issues over the past week, hit .271/.328/.331 with four home runs, 91 runs and 42 stolen bases in 620 at-bats last season.

Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik told The News Tribune on Monday that the loser of the Nick Franklin/Brad Miller battle at shortstop will be optioned to Tacoma, where he will get regular at-bats. 

"With young players," Zduriencik said, "it's very important that they play regularly."

Franklin and Miller would have played alongside one another this season, but the team signed Robinson Cano to play second base. There have been trade rumors floating around Franklin all winter, and a deal is still just as solid a possibility as a demotion (if he loses the competition). 

Franklin, 23, hit .225 with 12 home runs and six steals in 102 games last year for the Mariners. Miller, 24, hit .265 with eight home runs and five steals in 76 games. 

In an effort to maximize the versatility of their bench, the Rays will start Logan Forsythe at first base in Monday's exhibition game against the Phillies.

Forsythe, who has never played first in the majors, told the Tampa Bay Times that he is open to the opportunity to play first, and "even has a new first baseman's glove."

Forsythe, 27, hit .214 with six home runs and six steals over 75 games with the Padres last season. He made appearances at second base, third base, left field, right field, and shortstop. 

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus will be shelved for a few days with tendinitis in his forearm, ESPN has reported. The team is not worried about any lingering issues. He has also dealt with back pain.

Andrus has averaged 90 runs and 33 stolen bases in each of the last four seasons in blossoming into one of the premier shortstops in baseball.

Mariners shortstop Nick Franklin went 2 for 3 with his first spring home run in his team's 12-1 win over the Padres Friday.

Franklin's name has simmered in trade rumors in recent days as the team looks to alleviate a logjam at shortstop that also includes Brad Miller. Both the Mets and the Rays reportedly have interest in acquiring Franklin, who hit .225/.303/.382 with 12 home runs, 45 RBI and six stolen bases in 369 at-bats with the Mariners last season.

White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham is using a more upright stance at the plate, according to MLB.com. 

Beckham has struggled to hit in the majors, and could be facing a crucial season in his career. While he's going to try a slightly different stance, he said he doesn't want to talk much about his changes anymore. Beckham has attempted to alter his stance in the past, and it hasn't worked out for him, so he's cautious about speaking of specific changes.

Beckham hit .267/.322/.372 in 371 at-bats last season.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus was able to play through lingering back issues Thursday, in the team's spring opener against the Royals. He went 0 for 2 with one strikeout before being replaced, and had little issue playing the field in an 11-7 win.

Andrus was considered day to day due to the injury, so it isn't much of a surprise that he was able to play. This is not expected to be an issue that troubles him moving forward.  

Rookie middle infielder Yangervis Solarte has been the MVP of Yankees spring training so far, according to the YESNetwork. Solarte continued his brilliant play Wednesday with a spectacular bare-handed play in the first and two-run homer in the second inning of the exhibition opener against against Pittsburgh.

The Mets aren't the only team interested in trading for Mariners infielder Nick Franklin. The Rays are also looking at possible trades involving Franklin, sources told CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman.