MLB Player News

Red Sox infielder Xander Bogaerts is struggling to find a comfortable stance at the plate, this spring. 

Bogaerts struggled through a slump last season, when he hit .240. He's hitting .243 this spring, and manager John Farrell said he looks "jumpy" at bat, per the Providence Journal.  

"It’s just some stuff I’d been doing a lot last year, and it’s carrying over this year," Bogaerts said. "I’m diving to the ball. I have to stay more square to the ball."

If Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy begins the season on the disabled list due to a hamstring injury, the team is more likely to choose Danny Muno over prospect Matt Reynolds to replace him on the roster, a team source told ESPN.

If Murphy is out, the Mets prefer to have Muno and Ruben Tejada play at second base, with Reynolds being sent to Triple-A to start at shortstop.

One of the reasons the Mets are considering sending Reynolds to the minors is because the team doesn't want to avoid a dilemma in case Reynolds thrives in Murphy's absence and manager Terry Collins wants to keep him around as a bench option. They do not want to start his MLB service time for a backup role.

Diamondbacks manger Chip Hale may favor shortstop Nick Ahmed as the starter when the season begins, but contrary to a report, he is not ready to give him that title just yet, reports MLB.com.

"To name him the starter is hard to do, because we still have camp left," Hale said. "I'm not ready to do that. He's been very impressive. [Gammons] was assuming because of the way we were glowing about [Ahmed]."

The organization still likes what they have seen from Chris Owings, who could still be in the mix.

"We knew Owings, if he was healthy, was going to play somewhere," general manager Dave Stewart said. "We knew he was going to be a starter for us."

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts has improved his first-step quickness as a result of his offseason training program and feels like he "can reach anything," ESPN.com reports.

"Just in general I feel quicker, stronger," Bogaerts said. "Regardless of whether you see it or not, I know what I feel, and I feel like I can reach anything."

Bogaerts had an uneven first full season at the plate, hitting .240/.297/.362 with 12 home runs and 46 RBI in 538 at-bats.

"I’m just one year older, but I just feel more comfortable," he said. "I struggled really badly last year. I don’t think it’ll get any worse than that. I’ve been through a lot, from the World Series through struggling that much, so what else can I do?"

After shifting between shortstop and third base in 2014, Bogaerts is in line to serve as the team's full-time shortstop in 2015.

Angels infielder Taylor Featherston has impressed the team with his defensive versatility, but his ability to stick in the organization will be determined by his offense, MLB.com reports.

"Taylor is a kid that feels very comfortable on second, third or short. He's very athletic. He has a good arm," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "On the defensive side, he's shown that he is ready for the challenge of the Major Leagues. On the offensive side, it's going to take a little bit of comfort level in the batter's box. He's getting better."

Featherston is preparing for an eventual utility role.

"I've talked to some guys in the past that have done that, and they always say every few innings or so they have their things that can keep them going," he said. "They're stretching, they're in the cage getting flips, they're always prepared. You never know when it's going to be your turn. I don't know how [Scioscia] likes to run it, and I better learn quick. It's my job to be prepared and be comfortable so that every time I come in it's just a smooth transition."

Featherston is 7 for 19 with two doubles and six RBI in 12 appearances this spring.

Indians utility player Zach Walters will miss the rest of spring training, and possibly the start of the season, with an oblique injury.

MRI results on Saturday showed a high-grade strain of his right oblique.

"It's safe to say he's going to miss some time," Indians manager Terry Francona told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. "Regardless of what the MRI says, you have to treat the symptoms. Guys can't start doing baseball activities until they're pain-free, and that varies with every one of them, regardless of what the diagnosis is." 

Indians utility player Zach Walters will undergo more follow-up tests on his injured right oblique to gather more information, according to MLB.com. Walters injured his oblique while swinging at a pitch during Wednesday's 10-5 Cactus League loss to the Royals.

"He's pretty sore," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Walters. "We're going to have to get him checked and see where that goes."

Indians manager Terry Francona said that the abdominal injury Zach Walters sustained on Thursday is more of an oblique injury, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. 

Walters injured his oblique while swinging at a pitch during Wednesday's 10-5 Cactus League loss to the Royals. Walters is experiencing soreness and will have the injury evaluated again. 

The Indians acquired Walters last year in a deal that sent infielder Asdrubal Cabrera to the Nationals. 

Indians utility player Zach Walters injured an abdominal muscle in the fifth inning during Thursday's 10-5 Cactus League loss to the Royals, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. 

Walters was injured while swinging and was forced to leave the game early. 

The Indians acquired Walters last year in a deal that sent infielder Asdrubal Cabrera to the Nationals. 

Diamondbacks shortstop Chris Owings saw his first action of the spring Thursday, making four plate appearances, getting some chances on defense and even sliding into home plate.

"It was good to get out there and play the game and not hesitate," Owings said after playing in a "B" game Thursday, per MLB.com. "Take full swings and get some ground balls. Slide at home. Those are all things that I've got to do for the first time, get it out of the way and then do it all over again tomorrow."

Owings is working his way back from offseason surgery on his left shoulder. He's made adjustments at the plate since suffering the injury, keeping both hands on the bat during his follow-through to reduce the stress on the left shoulder.

"I think that's a big adjustment putting it into games," Owings said. "I've been doing BP, but not thinking about it, I had one swing that was a slider away that I kind of wailed at a little bit. I think once I start doing that every time it'll be good."