MLB Player News

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said Wednesday he hasn't ruled out moving Xander Bogaerts back to shortstop this season. However, manager John Farrell took a different stance Thursday, per MLB.com.

"We don't want to move Xander back and forth. We want some stability defensively," Farrell said. "Until that combination of players changes, we'll stay as is."

John Farrell has expressed support for Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts despite monumental struggles at the plate. The manager is planning to keep Bogaerts in the lineup.

"The one message we've been very strong and clear on is that we're committed to him," Farrell told the Providence Journal. "The one thing that we have to do is be consistent with him. He feels and senses the positive view of him. That is a long-term player for us, and we're not going to abandon someone because there's some growing pains along the way."

Bogaerts owned a .395 on-base percentage and .464 slugging percentage after more than 200 plate appearances. But he is hitting a disturbing .110 with a .151 OBP in his last 106 plate appearances with 29 strikeouts and just four walks. He has been flailing away at pitches out of the zone and has been dropped to ninth in the batting order.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson told reporters that shortstop Chris Owings is still not 100 percent from his left shoulder injury. Once he's fully recovered, the team will have him resume hitting, MLB.com reports.

On Sunday, Major League Baseball revealed the National League reserves for the 2014 All-Star Game, which will be held on July 15 at Target Field in Minneapolis.

The following players were selected as reserves:

C Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers
C Devin Mesoraco, Reds
1B Freddie Freeman, Braves
2B Dee Gordon, Dodgers
2B Daniel Murphy, Mets
SS Starlin Castro, Cubs
3B Todd Frazier, Reds
3B Matt Carpenter, Cardinals
IF/OF Josh Harrison, Pirates
OF Charlie Blackmon, Rockies
OF Hunter Pence, Giants
OF Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins

Royals infielder Pedro Ciriaco accepted his assignment to Triple-A Omaha, reports the Kansas City Star. Ciriaco hit .213 over 47 major-league at-bats before being designated for assignment.

Royals infielder Pedro Ciriaco has cleared waivers and must decide by Sunday whether to accept an assignment to Triple-A Omaha, MLB.com reports.

Ciriaco, who was designated for assignment Monday, can choose to become a free agent. He hit .213/.229/.255 in 47 at-bats with the Royals but has posted a .794 OPS in 61 at-bats with Omaha.

Xander Bogaerts' starting rate has dropped from 86 to 40 percent in the last four weeks, which is fine. He's been in a debilitating slump since about the time the Red Sox moved him from shortstop to third base, batting .078 (6 for 77) in 21 games (going hitless in 15 of them), so you can understand why Fantasy owners would want to try their luck with someone else.

But what concerns me is how his ownership rate has dropped from 95 to 82 during that same time.

Granted, it's your team, and anything that prevents you from running it your way is not in the spirit of Fantasy Baseball ... so, you know, take whatever I have to say however you need to take it. But Bogaerts was as high-end as prospects get coming into the year and, less a month ago, was meeting expectatons and then some with a .299 batting average and .840 OPS. He's eligible at the two weakest positions in Fantasy and is as capable as anyone at either of elevating his game to the highest stratosphere in the second half.

I won't argue this slump has been really bad, almost unbelievably bad, but it's also been fairly short. When a player with his ability lives up to it 75 percent of the time, why focus on the 25 percent of the time he doesn't?

In spite of infielder Xander Bogaerts continued struggles at the plate, Red Sox manager John Farrell told MLB.com the team is not thinking about sending him down to the minors for some more seasoning.

"We haven't even considered that," Farrell said.

Bogaerts entered play Wednesday 0 for his last 19 and 2 for 42 since June 18. He is hitting .242/.322/.366 in 298 at-bats over 80 games during his rookie season. 

Diamondbacks shortstop Chris Owings has been diagnosed with a bruised shoulder, MLB.com reports.

Owings is on the disabled list retroactive to June 26 with the shoulder injury. He should return around the All-Star break if his rehab progresses well. Owings has hit .277/.313/.458 with six home runs, 21 RBI and seven stolen bases in 238 at-bats.

The Royals announced Monday outfielder Justin Maxwell and infielder Pedro Ciriaco were designated for assignment. Maxwell hit .150 in 20 games, while Ciriaco hit .213 in 25 games.