MLB Player News

Mets infielder Ruben Tejada will likely be called up Tuesday, according to ESPNNewYork.com.

The move was expected, as Tejada was supposed to join the team soon. Tejada's accumulated enough time in the minors this year that his free agency has been pushed back to 2017. Tejada is hitting .209/.267/.262 in 187 at-bats. 

Diamondbacks shortstop Cliff Pennington will go on paternity leave for the next three games, the Arizona Republic reports. Pennington is expected to return to the club for Friday's game against Colorado.

Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters Sunday that infielder Ruben Tejada will be called up from Triple-A in the next few days. Reports Saturday suggested that the team could be waiting until at least Tuesday to make a move to delay Tejada's free-agency clock for a year.

Tejada has hit .288/.337/.379 with two home runs and 24 RBI in 240 at-bats with Triple-A Las Vegas.

Diamondbacks shortstop prospect Chris Owings is expected to receive "significant" playing time over the rest of September, MLB.com reports.

"We're going to use him," manager Kirk Gibson told MLB.com Wednesday. "We've got to see what he can do. He's earned it, he's played well. I want to find out what he can do, for sure, I don't want him to just sit there."

Owings was named the MVP of the Pacific Coast League after hitting .330/.359/.482 with 12 home runs, 81 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 546 at-bats with Triple-A Reno.

Cardinals shortstop Ryan Jackson is in the mix for playing time, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The 25-year-old Jackson hit .278, with a .352 on-base percentage at Triple-A Memphis. He's struggled over the second half, hitting just .221. Jackson will spell Pete Kozma and Daniel Descalso occasionally, and could work his way to a bigger role if he plays well.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson called out shortstop Ruben Tejada for a lack of work ethic, according to the Star-Ledger . 

Tejada is expected to receive a lot of playing time this month, but needs to show the team he's willing to work hard. "Extra batting practice, extra this, extra that, doesn’t happen unless someone else is insisting on it. And that’s what we need to see. We need to see a commitment to improvement," Alderson said. Alderson said Tejada was given a full-time role early in his career,and it's tough for him to have to earn that spot now.

Tejada is hitting .209/.267/.262 in 187 at-bats. 

The Diamondbacks purchased the contract of shortstop Chris Owings from Triple-A Reno. He batted .330/.359/.482 with 12 homers and 81 RBI in 546 at-bats in the minors.

The Nationals purchased the contract of infielder Zach Walters from Triple-A Syracuse Tuesday. Walters was acquired from Arizona in July 2011. 

Walters has never played in a major league game and hit .253 with 29 homers and 77 RBI over 487 at-bats at Syracuse this year. 

The Dodgers recalled catcher Drew Butera, pitcher Stephen Fife, shortstop Dee Gordon, outfielder Scott Van Slyke and pitcher Peter Moylan from Triple-A Albuquerque Sunday.

The return of Willie Bloomquist after missing nearly two months with a broken bone in his hand has created a logjam at shortstop for Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson. Bloomquist's return means Gibson has a three-man rotation at shortstop, which also includes Didi Gregorius and Cliff Pennington.

"I’ll rotate the guys somewhat," Gibson said, per The Arizona Republic. "We didn’t score any runs (Friday) night, and I think Willie is probably the best shortstop we have, the most offensive. He puts the bat on the ball and allows us to do stuff."

The situation could even become more crowded if the Diamondbacks choose to bring up prospect Chris Owings, who was named MVP of the Pacific Coast League (Triple-A).

"He’s earned it, and he’s got a pretty good future ahead of him," Gibson said of Owings. "He’s going to fit in there somewhere, sometime, some way, somehow."