MLB Player News

Rangers manager Ron Washington provided his projected lineup/batting order for the 2014 season, according to ESPN.

Washington has penciled left fielder Shin-Soo Choo into the leadoff spot. He will be followed by shortstop Elvis Andrus, first baseman Prince Fielder, third baseman Adrian Beltre, right fielder Alex Rios, DH Mitch Moreland, catcher Geovany Soto, second baseman Jurickson Profar and center fielder Leonys Martin.

Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said Monday infielders Nick Franklin and Brad Miller will compete for the starting job at shortstop, according to MLB.com. McClendon said he's not looking to move either player to another position.

"That's a good problem to have," McClendon said.

The Nationals have been discussing a potential trade for Rays catcher Jose Lobaton for a while, seriously and reportedly for more than a month, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

The paper suggests the Rays could be targeting Nationals infielder Danny Espinosa, who said he's been by told by the Nationals he will compete for the starting job at second base this spring.

The Yankees announced Wednesday they signed nine players to minor-league contracts, which included an invitation to spring training.

They were pitcher Bruce Billings, infielder Russ Canzler, pitcher Robert Coello, pitcher Brian Gordon, pitcher Chris Leroux, outfielder Antoan Richardson, infielder Scott Sizemore, infielder Yangervis Solarte and infielder Zelous Wheeler.

White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham believes he can have a productive season at the plate in 2014, if he is able to avoid the injury issues that plagued him in 2013, according to MLB.com.

"I feel good and my body feels healed from the injuries I had," Beckham said. "I felt like I was just limping around the last month and a half. It was tough.

"But it was a tough year for everybody. Not just me, but the way the team went, how many games we lost. It was very trying on us and our patience, but it will be good motivation for this year to make sure we remember. We don't always want to harp on it, but we always want to remember what it felt like so we're not in that position this year."

The Rays and Padres announced a seven-player trade Wednesday. The Padres acquired pitcher Alex Torres and pitcher Jesse Hahn from the Rays in exchange for infielder Logan Forsythe, pitcher Brad Boxberger, pitcher Matt Andriese, pitcher Matt Lollis and infielder Maxx Tissenbaum.

Forsythe appeared in 228 games over the last three seasons for San Diego, batting .241 with a .310 on-base percentage, .349 slugging percentage and .659 OPS. He has seen playing time at second base, third base, shortstop, left field and right field.

Boxberger is 0-1 with a 2.72 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 42 MLB relief appearances. He is striking out 10.3 batters per nine innings.

Andriese, who pitched at Double-A and Triple-A in 2013, owns a career 26-16 record, 3.18 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 66 minor-league appearances (59 starts). He is striking out 7.8 batters per nine innings.

Lollis has spent five seasons in the minors, going 15-33 with a 4.79 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 149 appearances (48 starts). Lollis was used exclusively as a reliever for the first time in his career in 2013.

Tissenbaum has hit .282 with a .375 on-base percentage, .363 slugging percentage and .739 OPS through 159 minor-league games. The 2012 11th-round pick has played all four infield positions in the minors.

The Rays have acquired infielder Logan Forsythe from the Padres in a four-player trade, MLBDailyDish.com reports. Rays pitcher Alex Torres is likely headed to San Diego, with each team expected to receive an additional prospect.

Forsythe turned 27 in January and won't be eligible for arbitration until after the 2014 season. He hit .214/.281/.332 with six home runs, 19 RBI and six stolen bases in 220 at-bats last season.

Torres turned 26 in December and won't be eligible for arbitration until after the 2016 season. He saw his first extended big-league action last season, going 4-2 with a 1.71 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 62:20 K:BB ratio in 58 innings.

The trade is expected to be announced Friday but has not been finalized as of yet.

The White Sox have avoided arbitration with Gordon Beckham and Alejandro De Aza.

Gordon and De Aza were the only two players on the club due arbitration. The team does not have to worry about signing any more players.

The Astros announced Tuesday that outfielder Adron Chambers and infielder Gregorio Petit have been signed to minor-league deals with invitations to spring training.

Chambers went 4 for 26 with the Cardinals last season while also hitting .252/.338/.387 with eight home runs, 43 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 333 at-bats with Triple-A Memphis. Petit hit .292/.344/.380 with four home runs, 61 RBI and five stolen bases in 503 at-bats with Triple-A Tuscon.

The Yankees have inquired with the Padres about acquiring infield depth, with Padres infielder Logan Forsythe being the most realistic target, FOX Sports 1 reports.

The Yankees don't have enough talent at the minor-league level to make a run at third baseman Chase Headley, but Forsythe could work as part of a platoon at third base, though he has spent a majority of his major-league time at second base, which is another area of concern for the Yankees.

Forsythe hit .214/.281/.332 with six home runs, 19 RBI and six stolen bases in 220 at-bats with the Padres last season. He has hit .290/.363/.430 in 221 major-league at-bats against left-handed pitching over three seasons.