MLB Player News

Tigers outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who was acquired in a December trade with Boston, said he has yet to speak with the team about a long-term deal, but he is open to staying with Detroit past this season. He is entering the final year of his contract.

"Now that I'm here, that's an option," he said, per MLive.com. "But I'm just here to perform and play the best I can with this team."

Another big question lingering is where Cespedes will bat in Detroit's loaded lineup. However, it is a topic manager Brad Ausmus didn't want to get into quite yet.

"I'm not going to get into (that) now -- I haven't even talked to him," Ausmus said. "But he's going to be someone who is a big part of this offense."

Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said Thursday there "is no favorite" between Chris Taylor and Brad Miller, who will compete this spring to become Seattle's starting shortstop.

Manager Lloyd McClendon shared similar sentiments Thursday.

"We had two young men who performed well in spurts," McClendon said. "They’ll be given the opportunity to battle [this spring]."

While the Rockies have fielded calls for outfielder Charlie Blackmon, the team “is not initiating trade talks," a major-league source told The Denver Post.

Blackmon made his first All-Star team in 2014. He hit .288 with three triples, 19 home runs, 27 doubles, 72 RBI, 82 runs and 28 stolen bases in 154 games.

Rockies have included outfielder Charlie Blackmon in trade talks with multiple teams in hopes of adding pitching depth, reports FOX Sports on Saturday. 

According to the report, the Rockies are having trouble attracting pitchers to pitch at Coors Field, which explains why they haven't signed a pitcher this offseason. The Mets could be a match since they're looking to unload Dillon Gee, but they would have to offer more than just Gee in order to complete the trade.

Blackmon made the All-Star team for the first time in his career last year. The 28-year-old hit .288/.335/.440 with 19 home runs and 72 RBI in 648 plate appearances in 2014. He's not arbitration eligible until 2016.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt has filed for $4.5 million in arbitration while outfielder Gregor Blanco has filed for $4 million, 16 WAPT Sports reports.

The team has offered Belt $3 million and Blanco $3.3 million. Belt is in his first year of arbitration eligibility while Blanco is eligible for arbitration for a second year.

The Tigers have avoided arbitration with outfielder J.D. Martinez by agreeing to a one-year, $3-million deal, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Martinez was eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason. He hit .315/.358/.553 with 23 home runs and 76 RBI in 441 at-bats in 2014.

The Dodgers have avoided arbitration with closer Kenley Jansen and third baseman Justin Turner prior to Friday's deadline, reports the Los Angeles Times. Jansen agreed to a $7.425 million salary for 2015, while Turner settled for $2.5 million.

Last season Jansen posted a 2.76 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 101:19 K:BB ratio in 65 1/3 innings in 2014.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera was cleared to remove his walking boot, per his social media account on Thursday.

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.. He had the boot removed by his surgeon, Dr. Robert Anderson, and will be wearing arched shoes for during "daily living" for the next month before his CT scan in February, team trainer Kevin Rand told MLive.com. His CT scan appointment will come a week before Detroit's first full-squad workouts.

"He's cleared to walk with that during activities of daily living here for the next month before he's reexamined in February," Rand said. "Hopefully at that time in February it'll come back clean and he'll be cleared to start conditioning activities, running and such."

Cabrera remains without a timetable to start a full conditioning program. His status for the season opener will likely depend on the results of his exam.

Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said the center-field competition this spring will be between Joc Pederson and Andre Ethier, according to MLB Network Radio.

Earlier Wednesday, manager Don Mattingly indicated as much to the media as well. Mattingly said if Pederson makes the team out of camp, then "he's going to play a lot." But added Ethier will get the chance to compete for a spot in the starting lineup this spring.

"If you put up the numbers, you'll play," Mattingly said, per TrueBlueLA.com.

The Tigers aren't expecting first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who is recovering from ankle surgery, to be full go at the start of spring training, trainer Kevin Rand said Monday.

Cabrera is scheduled to wear a walking boot until a mid-February follow-up exam with Dr. Robert Anderson, who performed the surgery in October. If all goes well, Cabrera will be cleared for baseball activities. The Tigers begin full-squad workouts Feb. 24.

"Obviously, he isn’t a position from a conditioning standpoint at that point," Rand said, per MLB.com.

The Tigers still aren't certain about Cabrera's opening-day status. Detroit opens the season April 6 against the Twins.

"That’s too far out right now," Rand said. "First of all, we have to get him cleared to do the activities."

Cabrera is currently doing partial weight-bearing activities.