MLB Player News

The Red Sox traded outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to the Tigers on Thursday in exchange for pitcher Rick Porcello. The Tigers also acquired reliever Alex Wilson and minor-league pitcher Gabe Speier.

Cespedes is in the final year of a four-year, $36 million contract, while Porcello is in his final year of arbitration.

The 29-year-old Cespedes has a .263 average, .464 slugging percentage and .780 OPS in 416 games over three MLB seasons. Porcello, who won a career-high 15 games and had a career-low 3.43 ERA in 2014, is 76-63 with a 4.30 ERA in six MLB seasons.

Wilson has a 2-1 record, 3.38 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 44 relief outings for Boston. He had a 1.91 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 18 outings in 2014.

The 19-year-old Speier is 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 12 career appearances (eight starts) in the minors. He was a 19th-round pick in 2013.

The Nationals and Mariners have discussed shortstop Ian Desmond in trade discussions on "multiple occasions," FOXSports.com reports.

The Nationals have interest in Mariners shortstop Brad Miller, according to the report, but the talks have yet to turn serious. Desmond hit .255/.313/.430 with 24 home runs, 91 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 593 at-bats in 2014.

The Nationals will adjust their defensive alignment in 2015, according to The Washington Post. 

Bryce Harper is expected to take over in right field, while Jayson Werth moves to left. The move should allow the club to get better use of Harper's arm. Harper is also expected to take on a bigger role in the lineup. He will likely hit somewhere between the second and fourth spot in the lineup, according to manager Matt Williams. Last season, Harper was mostly used as the team's sixth hitter. 

The Red Sox and Reds have discussed a deal to send outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to Cincinnati, but no recent progress has been made, according to FOXSports.com's Jon Morosi.

Cespedes, who was traded from Oakland to Boston during the 2014 season, hit .260 with 22 home runs and 100 RBI last year. 

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera is no longer in a walking boot, per his social media account on Monday.

Cabrera underwent right ankle surgery to remove bone spurs and to repair a stress fracture in a bone at the top of his foot on Oct. 22.

The injuries caused a drop in Cabrera's power numbers in 2014, as he finished the year with a .313 batting average, 25 homers and 109 RBI over 611 at-bats. He is still on track to be re-evaluated once he's three months removed from the procedure. However, there's no update on when he'll be fully recovered this spring, per the Detroit News.

The Mets have had trade discussions with the Mariners about shortstops Brad Miller and Chris Taylor, sources told ESPN. However, the Mets are expected to wait until January to see how the shortstop market develops.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Sunday the "likelihood" of Wilmer Flores being the starting shortstop at the start of the season is increasing.

Reds manager Walt Jocketty said Tuesday he has not talked to the Red Sox about a trade involving outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. 

The Reds seem like a potential trade partner for the Red Sox since they are in need of an outfielder and Boston is in the market for a starting pitcher. Four of the Reds' starting pitchers -- Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Alfredo Simon and Mike Leake -- are due to be free agents following the 2015 season.

Dodgers tendered contracts for all eight arbitration-eligible players, including agreeing to a one-year deal for Darwin Barney prior to Tuesday's midnight deadline, per the team's official website. Those players include: Catcher A.J. Ellis, closer Kenley Jansen, infielder Dee Gordon, third baseman Justin Turner, catcher Drew Butera, pitcher Juan Nicascio and newly-acquired outfielder Chris Heisey.

The Giants have tendered contracts to all six arbitration-eligible players, per the team's official website on Tuesday. Those players include: Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, Gregor Blanco, Hector Sanchez, Travis Ishikawa and Yusmeiro Petit.

As expected, the Tigers have tendered contracts to all four arbitration-eligible players prior to the midnight deadline on Tuesday, reports the Detroit Free-Press. Those players include: Al Alburquerque, J.D. Martinez, Rick Porcello and David Price.