MLB Player News

As expected, the Dodgers shipped shortstop Dee Gordon to Triple-A Albuquerque Tuesday, according to the team's official website. Gordon hit .206 with a .386 on-base percentage and a .206 slugging in 20 Cactus League games before he was sent down.

The Cardinals are placing third baseman David Freese on the disabled list to begin the season, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Tuesday. Freese has a back injury. 

St. Louis will return Ryan Jackson to the major-league roster to take Freese's place. The third baseman, expected to begin the year as the starter, underwent an MRI Monday which gave the Cardinals encouraging results. 

Unfortunately, after Freese was given an anti-inflammatory injection, it appears the team has decided to shelve him. He'll have his DL stay retroactive to March 23 and should be able to return shortly into the regular season, if healthy. 

Jackson will be on the roster until Freese is healthy enough to return. The 25-year-old is hitting .136 this spring over 22 at-bats. He played in 13 games for the Red Birds last year and hit .118 over 17 at-bats without an RBI. 

The Boston Red Sox made a few more cuts on Monday following a Grapefruit League loss to the Orioles. Boston reassigned shortstop and prospect Xander Bogaerts to minor-league camp. Infielders Drew Sutton and Jon Diaz will head to minor-league camp with Bogaerts. 

The 20-year-old Bogaerts hit .286 this spring after striking out in his only at-bat on Monday. He showed promise in the field and at the plate but the Red Sox weren't ready to let him go in the majors since he's never played above Double-A. He hit .326 over his final 92 at-bats last year with Double-A Portland after hitting .302 over 384 at-bats at Class A Salem. 

He is considered the No. 8 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America to start the season. 

Giants veteran infielder Marco Scutaro has developed into a mentor for shortstop Brandon Crawford, according to The Oakland Tribune. 

"We've gotten to know each pretty well, and I really like him," Crawford said. "He's just a consummate professional player. He's quiet and just goes about his job. He puts in a lot of work, and he's seen pretty much everything. He's played in both leagues and he's played both second and short. So there's a lot I can learn from him. I already have."

Scutaro said he's glad to mentor Crawford and feels one day Crawford's offensive skills might match his defensive prowess. 

"I've talked to him about trying to be a little more consistent with his swing," Scutaro said. "At the end of the season, he was swinging the bat really well, so I think it's just a matter of time for him to start being more productive at the plate. When he starts doing that, he's going to be an All-Star player, there's no doubt."

Red Sox infielder Pedro Ciriaco, who has been out with back spasms, was able to play in a Class A game on Monday, reports the Boston Globe. Ciriaco went 1-for-4 in that game with a double and two strikeouts. He should be considered healthy going forward. 

Boston infielder Pedro Ciriaco, who is dealing with back spasms, made it through a full workout for the Red Sox on Saturday, reports the Boston Globe. 

Boston is hoping to get Ciriaco in a game on Sunday, though it is unsure if it will be a major-league game or a minor-league game. 

With the Dodgers scrambling to find a replacement for injured shortstop Hanley Ramirez, the team plans to use an internal option for opening day, CBSSports.com Senior Baseball Columnist Scott Miller reports.

However, lagging prospect Dee Gordon is not viewed as a candidate for the position and is still expected to start the season in the minors to gain more seasoning. Los Angeles plans to use Luis Cruz at short and a rotation at third base, according to Miller.

Gordon returned to the lineup Friday after sitting out the past couple days with a sprained left ankle. He entered the Cactus League contest hitting .241 with seven stolen bases this spring.

Red Sox manager John Farrell said Thursday he's hopeful infielder Pedro Ciriaco, who has been sidelined by back spasms, will return to game action Saturday.

With the news Hanley Ramirez will miss the first two months of the season because of thumb surgery, Dee Gordon is suddenly an interesting Fantasy option again.

Granted, the Dodgers haven't said he'll play in Ramirez's stead, and given his .241 batting average this spring, it's hardly a forgone conclusion. But the Dodgers' alternatives on the left side of the infield are underwhelming at best. Gordon would certainly bring an element of speed to a lineup that's mostly dependent on the home run, and judging by his .405 on-base percentage this spring, he might not even need to hit well to make the most of it.

If I'm hurting for steals late in a Rotisserie draft, I'd take a flier on him.

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford went 3 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Padres. He is batting .316 (12 for 38) with a homer and five RBI through 15 spring games.

Crawford hopes to improve over last year, his first full season, when he hit .248 with .304 on-base percentage. Crawford is batting .273 this spring, and he's hitting .321 with a .403 OBP in March. He thinks the improvement is a sign of good things to come.

"I'd like to think it is," said Crawford. "I've hit wherever I've gone in the minors, and I had a good second half last year I'd like to build on. I've really been feeling good, and I've been gaining confidence this spring. I've been in the league a little while, and I think I'm ready to take that next step as a hitter."