MLB Player News

The Cardinals have optioned infielder Ryan Jackson down to Triple-A Memphis in order to clear a spot on the roster for David Freese, according to MLB.com. He went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts in two pinch-hit appearances. 

Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada isn't regarded as an imposing presence at the plate. His defense has earned him the most praise during his brief tenure in the majors. However, that reliability in the field has come under scrutiny. He committed three errors in his first four games before recording another blunder Saturday against Miami.

Tejada, who is also hitting just .176 at the plate, made just 12 errors in 112 games last season.

"I'm not concerned about his focus," manager Terry Collins told MLB.com on Saturday. "We know he's a better player than what's going on defensively right now. If there's one guy on the field who you want the ball hit at, it's usually him."

Red Sox infielder Pedro Ciriaco was given his first start at shortstop this season Saturday in Toronto with Jose Iglesias day to day with a forearm issue. 

Ciriaco was listed ninth in the order by manager John Farrell. He entered Friday's game as a pinch-hitter for Iglesias in the fourth inning and smacked an RBI single to shallow left field. He finished the game 2 for 4 and added a double. He also stole a base in the game. 

Red Sox infielder Pedro Ciriaco made his first appearance of the season during Friday's series opener against the Blue Jays. Ciriaco came in for an injured Jose Iglesias, who suffered a right arm contusion, and made his presence felt.

He knocked in a run in the fourth inning and also added a double as he finished 2 for 4 with an RBI in a 6-4 victory. Ciriaco could see more time on the field depending on Iglesias' injury.

Diamondbacks shortstop Cliff Pennington hit a walk-off single to give the Diamondbacks the win in a wild 16-inning game against the Cardinals.

Pennington went 3 for 6 with three singles during the affair. He also walked twice. Pennington has been batting eighth this season, and could see his on-base percentage increase as teams walk him to face Arizona's pitcher. He should play quite a bit, but isn't a threat to hit for power. 

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford endured another hitless game Tuesday against the Dodgers. Crawford has started the season mired in a 0-for-7 slump.

Crawford is coming off a productive spring. He hit .375 (24 for 64) with one homer, three triples, six doubles and nine RBI in 23 spring games.

After receiving a look at the middle level toward the end of last season, Red Sox infield prospect Xander Bogaerts will begin the 2013 campaign at Double-A Portland, the Boston Globe reports. Bogaerts is regarded as the top prospect in the Red Sox organization by MLB.com -- even higher than outfielder Jackie Bradley -- and is expected to continue working as a shortstop with Portland.

Just 20 years old, Bogaerts displayed solid raw power with Class A Salem last season with 15 homers and 27 doubles en route to a .505 slugging percentage. He also went deep five times in 23 games following his late promotion to Double-A.

Shortstop Cliff Pennington did not have a memorable Arizona debut Monday against the Cardinals. Pennington was hitless in four at-bats, which included three strikeouts.

Pennington is now hitless in his last 10 regular-season at-bats dating back to last season, striking out five times in that span.

The number served as a reminder to Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada that he still has room to grow as a major-league hitter. It also indicated that he is being held to a higher standard as he enters his fourth season in the majors. But either outlook doesn't erase Tejada's lowly .096 batting average from the spring, a mark the team is hoping the 23-year-old can quickly improve.

"I cannot explain what happened in spring training, why he didn't swing the bat the way he's capable of," Mets manager Terry Collins told MLB.com. "Ruben and I had a number of discussions in the last two weeks, and he reassured me he will be ready, and he will be the same player that we've seen in the past during the season."

Tejada raced out to a fast start in the Mets' 11-2 season-opening win over San Diego on Monday, finishing 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.

Mets manager Terry Collins indicated Thursday that he's unconcerned with shortstop Ruben Tejada's poor start in spring training.

"When the bright lights are on, when there's people sitting in the second deck, what they do in those circumstances is what I look at," Collins told MLB.com.

Tejada, who didn't play in the Mets' Thursday game against the Nationals, is hitting .080/.193/.160 with four hits in 50 at-bats this spring.