MLB Player News

The Tigers have opened talks with first baseman Miguel Cabrera on a contract extension, but the discussions remain very preliminary, sources told FOX Sports 1. Cabrera is under contract through the 2015 season.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons refuted the idea that Ryan Goins was named the team's starting second baseman, according to the National Post.

"I don't think I said Goins was the starting second baseman," Gibbons said.

Goins made 32 appearances (29 starts) at second base in his first MLB season last year, hitting .252/.264/.345 with two home runs, eight RBI and an ugly 28:2 K:BB ratio in 119 at-bats.

Outfielder J.D. Martinez, who has been a perennial disappointment since a promising start to his major league career with the Astros in 2011, has been waived by the team. The 26-year-old compounded his problems with a poor exhibition season.

Martinez still boasts too much potential to stay unemployed long. He is likely to be picked up by a team that needs young, talented outfielders and have the patience to groom him.

Brad Miller has performing much better offensively (.447/1.000/1.512) this spring than Nick Franklin (.235/.412/.745), and it would seem he is running away with the starting shortstop job for the Mariners. However, manager Lloyd McClendon considers it a closer race than you would think.

"I think they’ve both played well to this point," McClendon said, per The Seattle Times. "I will reserve my thoughts on that for a little while longer. But they’ve both done a nice job. I’ve been pleased. As far as separation, I don’t think they’ve really separated themselves. I evaluate things a little different than how you guys evaluate them. I don’t particularly evaluate on given performance on any day. I see good things from both of them."

Struggling Athletics slugger Yoenis Cespedes received words of encouragement Wednesday from teammate Brandon Moss, who sees the outfielder working to emerge from a slump that has dragged his spring batting average down to a troubling .128.

"If he was up there raking and was hitting .128, and really feeling good at the plate, that would be one thing," Moss told the Bay Area News Group. "But he's up there working on things, trying to shorten his swing."

Cespedes has regressed since a fine rookie season in 2012. He experienced significant drops in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage and his problems have followed him to spring training.

Lloyd McClendon knows who will be in what is a strengthened Mariners lineup to start this season, but he is still experimenting with the batting order, per the Tacoma News-Tribune.

McClendon will bat sizzling shortstop Brad Miller second and third baseman Kyle Seager fifth in the game Wednesday against Milwaukee. He is planning on batting deposed shortstop Nick Franklin leadoff on Thursday. The Mariners have reportedly been actively seeking to trade Franklin.

Mariners shortstop Brad Miller continued to shine Tuesday, going 3 for 4 with three runs and his fourth spring home run in his team's 5-5 tie with the Padres.

Miller played second base Tuesday as the team used Nick Franklin at shortstop, likely in an attempt to showcase him for a potential trade. Miller, who is 14 for 34 with four home runs this spring, likely has the starting shortstop role all sewn up.

The Royals optioned infielder Christian Colon, catcher Francisco Pena and pitcher Michael Mariot to Triple-A Omaha Friday.

Colon went 1 for 2 with one run and one RBI Friday and went 8 for 27 in 14 games with the Royals. Pena hit his first spring home run Friday and is 2 for 9 in six games. Mariot allowed one earned run in one inning Friday and has given up six earned runs in six innings this spring.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera crushed two home runs, leading Detroit to a 17-5 rout of the Cardinals Monday. Cabrera had a productive day, going 3 for 4 with four RBI.

Cabrera opened the scoring with a two-run homer off Shelby Miller in the third inning. He then added another two-run homer off Keith Butler in the fourth inning. It was his first home runs of the spring.

Cabrera is batting .474 (9 for 19) with one double and five RBI in eight spring games.

The Twins made a slew of roster moves Sunday. The team announced pitchers Logan Darnell, Edgar Ibarra, Brooks Raley and Trevor May were optioned to Triple-A Rochester. 

The Twins also announced first baseman Kennys Vargas was optioned to Double-A New Britain, while infielder Jorge Polanco  and outfielder Max Kepler  were optioned to Class A Ft. Myers.

The Twins also reassigned pitchers Alex Meyer, Lester Oliveros and Yohan Pino, catchers Kyle Knudson, Matt Koch  and Stuart Turner, outfielders Byron Buxton  and Chris Rahl  and infielder Miguel Sano to minor-league camp.