MLB Player News

The Nationals are shopping infielder Danny Espinosa at the winter meetings, according to a report by Yahoo.com. Espinosa flamed out of the majors last season, hitting just .158/.193/.272 while also dealing with shoulder and wrist injuries.

If Espinosa is not moved, he could step into a utility role in 2014. He has logged 39 apperances at shortstop in his career, while playing the majority of his games at second base. 

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa will be given the chance to make the team as a backup infielder, though the team is looking to acquire a middle infielder as well, MLB.com reports.

Espinosa stuggled considerably at the plate last season, hitting just .158/.193/.272 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 158 at-bats. He led the National League in strikeouts in 2012 and hasn't shown any improvement at the plate since, according to one evaluator.

"He has that long upper-cut swing," the talent evaluator told MLB.com. "He has to shorten his swing in order to make more contact. He has to realize that the pitchers can tell what his weaknesses are. They don't have to throw him a strike to get him out. He doesn't make consistent contact. He has to realize that the pitchers have made an adjustment and he has to make an adjustment. He has made no adjustments since he has been in the big leagues."

Espinosa faces an uphill battle to crack the Nationals' 25-man roster.

Even though their trade with the Tigers Wednesday would seem to open up a starting spot for both, the Rangers would still consider trading shortstop Elvis Andrus or second baseman Jurickson Profar in the right deal, FOXSports.com reports.

The Cardinals and Rays are two teams rumored to be in the running.

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa, who played all of 2013 with a torn rotator cuff and never made it back to the majors after a trip to the DL for a broken wrist in early June, is expected to be healthy entering 2014, general manager Mike Rizzo told The Washington Post earlier in November.

"Espinosa is checked out," Rizzo said. "His shoulder is healthy, and he's ready to commence his baseball activities to get ready for spring training."

Of course, he won't have a job waiting for him. Anthony Rendon took over at second base after Espinosa went down and performed well enough to retain the job heading into 2014.

Espinosa, who averaged 19.0 homers and 18.5 steals in 2011 and 2012, hit .158 with three homers and one steal in 158 at-bats last year and wasn't much better at Triple-A Syracuse, hitting .216 with two homers and six steals in 283 at-bats.

Padres second baseman Logan Forsythe is still hoping to avoid surgery fix his plantar fasciitis issue. Forsythe has been limited to five at-bats since Sept. 5 because of the injury.

He is expected to receive cortisone shots a day after the season ends and rest his foot in a protective boot before making a decision.

"A couple weeks out of the boot, we'll test it," Forsythe said.

Padres second baseman Logan Forsythe was out of the lineup Friday against the Braves due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot, but he was still able to take the field as a sub. Forsythe entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and drove in a run on a single to give the Padres a 4-3 win.

It is not clear if Forsythe will be able to play in the field moving forward, or if the injury will limit him to reserve duty moving forward.

Padres second baseman Logan Forsythe has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis again on his right foot, according to MLB.com. Forsythe's injury could keep him out for the remainder of the season.

"I've got to knock this out," Forsythe said.

Nationals infielder Danny Espinosa will not be promoted because the team doesn't want him to sit on the bench, according to Nats Insider.

Espinosa will continue to receive a full-time workload at Triple-A Syracuse. He's hitting .158/.193/.272 in 158 at-bats in the majors.

The Nationals are attempting to deal infielder Danny Espinosa , according to MLB.com. 

It seems unlikely Espinosa will be called up once rosters expand, making him expendable. He's hitting just .209 at Triple-A, however, which is hurting his trade value. Espinosa hit .158/.193/.272 in 158 at-bats in the majors. 

Scott Boras said teams are asking him about Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa , according to The Washington Post. 

Espinosa has been trying to turn things around at Triple-A Syracuse after losing his job to Anthony Rendon. While he's hitting just .209/.273/.281 in 69 games, Espinosa is still on the minds of other teams. "Believe me, every park I go into people ask me about Danny. They want to know what he’s doing. Other teams. This guy has real value," Boras said. Espinosa does not appear to be a candidate for a September callup. 

Espinosa is hitting .158/.193/.272 in 158 at-bats in the majors.