MLB Player News

If the Blue Jays don't make a middle-infield acquisition over the remainder of the offseason, Ryan Goins is expected to enter spring training as the starter at second base, MLB.com reports.

"We really like Goins, we like what he did in September," manager John Gibbons said last week. "He gave us a shot in the arm. I thought he handled the ball well enough to be top dog going in there."

Goins hit .252/.264/.345 with two home runs and eight RBI in 119 at-bats with the Blue Jays last season after hitting .257/.311/.369 with six home runs and 46 RBI in 377 at-bats with Triple-A Buffalo.

Miguel Cabrera, who had surgery in late October to repair a Grade 2-3 groin strain that impacted his play down the stretch last season, is making progress in his recovery and should be ready for the start of spring training.

"All the reports are good," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said at the winter meetings Wednesday. "I've talked to our head trainer a number of times about it, and he said he's getting his rehab in and as far as reports go, everything is going well. Knock on wood."

Cabrera, who has been the Tigers' starting third baseman each of the last two season, will move back to first base this season with Prince Fielder now in Texas.

The Athletics and Diamondbacks have discussed a deal involving trading outfielder Yoenis Cespedes for outfielder A.J. Pollock, pitcher Tyler Skaggs and more, but neither side was comfortable with the deal, Fox Sports reports.

The framework suggests the Diamondbacks are serious about adding power to the lineup.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski told MLB.com that Miguel Cabrera will be moving from third base to replace Prince Fielder at first base. That move, according to Dombrowski, will open up third base for prospect Nick Castellanos.

Cabrera recently informed the club that he wanted to move to first base, filling the vacancy created by the offseason trade of Fielder to the Rangers. Castellanos came up through the Tigers' minor league system as a third baseman, but he began his conversion to the outfield in 2012. He did not play any games at third base this past season.

The Indians tendered contracts to six of nine arbitration-eligible players Monday, including pitchers Justin Masterson, Mark Rzepczynski, Vinnie Pestano and Josh Tomlin, as well as outfielders Michael Brantley and Drew Stubbs.

According to MLB.com, the team avoided arbitration with two other players, signing relievers Frank Hermann and Blake Wood to one-year contracts, each worth $560,000 for '14. 

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski told the Detroit News he has yet to determine whether Miguel Cabrera will remain at third base next season. Even though Cabrera has indicated he wants to fill the first base vacancy created by the trade of Prince Fielder to the Rangers, when asked about the Tigers' plan for Cabrera, Dombrowski said, "We are not prepared to answer that question yet."

Dombrowski did indicate that the organization will have a clearer idea of how they will use Cabrera going into the winter meetings, which will begin in Orlando, Fla. on Dec. 9.

Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera told the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal he wants to return to first base, where he played as a regular for his first four seasons with Detroit, from 2008 to 2011. Since the trade of Prince Fielder last week, the Tigers have a vacancy at first base.

Cabrera has already made his preference known with the organization, saying, "I already told the Tigers."

The Twins added first basemen Max Kepler and Kennys Vargas, middle infielder Jorge Polanco and pitcher Logan Darnell to the 40-man roster Wednesday.

Kepler hit .237/.312/.424 with nine home runs and 40 RBI in 236 at-bats with Class A Cedar Rapids. Vargas hit .267/.344/.468 with 19 home runs and 93 RBI in 457 at-bats with high Class A Fort Meyers. Polanco hit .308/.362/.452 with five home runs and 78 RBI in 465 at-bats for Class A Cedar Rapids.

Darnell went 10-10 with a 3.22 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 120:45 K:BB ratio in 153 2/3 innings between Double-A New Britain and Triple-A Rochester.

The Royals added infielders Christian Colon and Chelsor Cuthbert, outfielder Lane Adams and pitcher Michael Mariot to the 40-man roster Wednesday while also designating infielder Irving Falu and pitcher Noel Arguelles for assignment.

Colon hit .273/.335/.379 with 12 home runs, 58 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 512 at-bats with Triple-A Omaha. Cuthbert hit .247/.316/.387 with eight home runs and 59 RBI in 518 at-bats between high Class A Wilmington and Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Adams hit .265/.353/.415 with 12 home runs, 65 RBI and 38 stolen bases in 479 at-bats between high Class A Wilmington and Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Mariot went 4-5 with a 3.56 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 66:25 K:BB ratio in 60 2/3 innings with Triple-A Omaha.

Falu went 1 for 4 in one appearance with the Royals while hitting .256/.320/.329 with two home runs, 31 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 508 at-bats in his fifth season with Triple-A Omaha. Arguelles went 1-8 with a 5.93 ERA, 1.77 WHIP and 44:53 K:BB ratio in 71 1/3 innings with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

The Astros claimed infielder Ryan Jackson off waivers from the Cardinals Wednesday while also releasing pitcher John Ely and designating outfielder J.D. Martinez for assignment. Infielder Jake Elmore was also claimed off waivers by the White Sox.

Jackson went 0 for 7 in seven appearances with the Cardinals last season while also hitting .278/.352/.346 with three home runs, 34 RBI and nine stolen bases in 442 at-bats with Triple-A Memphis. Ely pitched just four Triple-A innings before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Martinez hit .250/.272/.378 with seven home runs and 36 RBI in 296 at-bats with the Astros last season.