MLB Player News

The Mets have avoided arbitration with shortstop Ruben Tejada by signing him to a one-year deal, the team announced Wednesday. The deal is worth $1.1 million, The Star-Ledger reports.

Tejada is the favorite to start at shortstop for the Mets in 2014 unless another infield option is brought in. He hit .202/.259/.260 with zero home runs and 10 RBI in 208 at-bats last season.

The Mets appear ready to move forward with Ruben Tejada as their starting shortstop, despite Tejada coming off a poor season in 2013. It has been rumored the Mets have shown interest in free agent shortstop Stephen Drew, but it seems unlikely the team will sign him.

"I'd say that trade possibilities -- just with the passage of time and knowing more about various situations -- a trade is probably less likely now," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson told MLB.com. "The same three alternatives exist: sign a free agent, make a trade, or go with what we have subject to probably bringing in a backup to Tejada. I'd say right now, it's probably more likely that we will go with Option C, which is Ruben at shortstop with the addition of a backup."

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Wednesday the candidates for the starting second-base job this spring will be Alexander Guerrero, Miguel Rojas and Dee Gordon. Although, Colletti added Guerrero "is certainly leading the pack."

The Mets are not particularly interested in upgrading at shortstop, special assistent J.P. Ricciardi told WEEI.com Friday. The team appears to be planning to enter the season with Ruben Tejada as the starter, despite a disappointing 2013 campaign.

"I think we are," Ricciardi said. "He's a young player."

Tejada hit just .202/.259/.260 in 208 at-bats for the Mets last season, but Ricciardi said a thin shortstop market limits their options to upgrade. Tejada is still just 24, despite having over 1,200 major-league at-bats under his belt. 

The Padres have traded outfielder/first baseman Jesus Guzman to the Astros for infielder Ryan Jackson, the teams announced Wednesday.

Guzman, 29, hit .226/.297/.378 with nine home runs and 35 RBI in 288 at-bats with the Padres last season. He has played 113 games at first base, 93 games in left field and 13 games in right field in four seasons with the Padres.

Jackson was claimed off waivers by the Astros in November after spending five years in the Cardinals ogranization. He hit .278/.352/.346 with three home runs, 34 RBI and nine stolen bases in 442 at-bats with Triple-A Memphis last season. Jackson has spent most of his minor-league career at shortstop.

The Mets may open the season with Ruben Tejada at short, according to ESPN.com.

Tejada was injured for most of the season, and there were reports about some bad blood over the team's handling of the injury. While the Mets may have explored trades for shortstops, that doesn't seem likely at this point. Tejada hit .202/.259/.260 in 208 at-bats. 

ESPN.com reports that Ruben Tejada is increasingly likely to emerge as the Mets' starting shortstop out of spring training. General manager Sandy Alderson acknowledged he has looked into trading for a shortstop this offseason, but conceded he has not found a deal that would improve the club overall.

Alderson also cited the progress made by Tejada during a recent four-week fitness program near Ann Arbor, Mich., though he is still working his way back from the broken right fibula he sustained last September.

Mets infielder Ruben Tejada is considering filing a grievance against the Mets that accuses the team of short-changing Tejada one day of service time in order to delay his free agency one year, Yahoo! Sports reports.

Tejada was recalled from the minors Sept. 10, later than all the team's other September call-ups. The result was that Tejada finished the season with two years, 171 days of service time, one day less than what's considered three full years. As is stands, he wouldn't reach free agency until after the 2017 season; however, if he does file the grievance and is awarded the extra day of service time, he'll be a free agent after the 2016 season.

Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers expects Chris Owings and Didi Gregorius to compete for the starting shortstop job in 2014, MLB.com reports.

"Let them fight it out. We like both of them a lot," Towers said. "I love the competition in Spring Training. ... Just because Didi was there all year, I don't want him to think he's the everyday shortstop."

Gregorius hit .252/.332/.373 with seven home runs and 28 RBI in 357 at-bats with the Diamondbacks in 2013, whiel Owings hit .291/.361/.382 with no home runs and five RBI in 55 at-bats in the majors.

Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon is being listed as an outfielder for his team in the Dominican Winter League, the Los Angeles Times reports Tuesday. Gordon is playing some outfield for Tigres del Licey. 

Gordon took some fly balls in pre-game drills late in the season with the Dodgers this season. It is unclear at this time whether or not the team is realistically considering a position switch for the middle infielder. 

Gordon hit just .234 last season over 94 at-bats with 10 stolen bases. He's hit just .256 over parts of three seasons with the team.