MLB Player News

ESPN.com reports that Ruben Tejada is increasingly likely to emerge as the Mets' starting shortstop out of spring training. General manager Sandy Alderson acknowledged he has looked into trading for a shortstop this offseason, but conceded he has not found a deal that would improve the club overall.

Alderson also cited the progress made by Tejada during a recent four-week fitness program near Ann Arbor, Mich., though he is still working his way back from the broken right fibula he sustained last September.

Red Sox president Larry Lucchino told WEEI.com Monday he is "pretty darn confident" that Jackie Bradley and Xander Bogaerts can be productive starters for the team in 2014.

"I think that Xander still has some refining of his game," said Lucchino. "He just turned 21 in the postseason. Jackie Bradley, taking you back a few months as to the views of him by experienced baseball people, he's going to have a long and productive career. I feel very confident about them, as confident as you can be with someone at that age and stage."

Bogaerts hit .250/.320/.364 in 44 at-bats last season, but saw his role grow in the postseason, when he picked up 23 plate appearances in six World Series games. Bradley earned a starting spot out of spring training, but hit just .189/.280/.337 in 95 at-bats, and did not factor in the playoffs.

The team has free agents at shortstop and center field, so they may need their young players to step up without a fallback option in 2014.

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.

Mets infielder Ruben Tejada is considering filing a grievance against the Mets that accuses the team of short-changing Tejada one day of service time in order to delay his free agency one year, Yahoo! Sports reports.

Tejada was recalled from the minors Sept. 10, later than all the team's other September call-ups. The result was that Tejada finished the season with two years, 171 days of service time, one day less than what's considered three full years. As is stands, he wouldn't reach free agency until after the 2017 season; however, if he does file the grievance and is awarded the extra day of service time, he'll be a free agent after the 2016 season.

Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers expects Chris Owings and Didi Gregorius to compete for the starting shortstop job in 2014, MLB.com reports.

"Let them fight it out. We like both of them a lot," Towers said. "I love the competition in Spring Training. ... Just because Didi was there all year, I don't want him to think he's the everyday shortstop."

Gregorius hit .252/.332/.373 with seven home runs and 28 RBI in 357 at-bats with the Diamondbacks in 2013, whiel Owings hit .291/.361/.382 with no home runs and five RBI in 55 at-bats in the majors.

The Red Sox are not considering signing third baseman Xander Bogaerts to a long-term deal, MLB.com reports.

Bogaerts went 11 for 44 with one home run, five RBI and one stolen base during the regular season in his Red Sox debut, as well as 8 for 27 with two RBI and six walks in the postseason. He hit .297/.388/.477 with 15 home runs, 67 RBI and seven stolen bases in 444 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon is being listed as an outfielder for his team in the Dominican Winter League, the Los Angeles Times reports Tuesday. Gordon is playing some outfield for Tigres del Licey. 

Gordon took some fly balls in pre-game drills late in the season with the Dodgers this season. It is unclear at this time whether or not the team is realistically considering a position switch for the middle infielder. 

Gordon hit just .234 last season over 94 at-bats with 10 stolen bases. He's hit just .256 over parts of three seasons with the team. 

Red Sox manager John Farrell put Xander Bogaerts in the starting lineup for Wednesday's Game 1 of the World Series, pencilling him in at third base and seventh in the batting order.

Farrell had hinted earlier in the week that he might start the rookie over Will Middlebrooks, who started 90 games at third base during the regular season.

Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada is progressing well in his recovery from a broken fibula, according to Newsday.

Tejada is on pace to be ready in six-to-eight weeks, which was the initial diagnosis. Tejada was injured in mid-September after a collision on a shallow fly ball. Tejada hit just .202 in 208 at-bats.  

The Boston Herald reports that Red Sox manager John Farrell has indicated he may start rookie Xander Bogaerts at third base in Game 1 of the World Series and possibly beyond. Farrell told the Herald he had spoken with third baseman Will Middlebrooks to let him know he "may be in a little different role," implying he would head to the bench to make way for Bogaerts.

Bogaerts started the final two games of the American League Championship Series against the Tigers, going 2 for 4 with three walks in those contests.