MLB Player News

It comes as no surprise that Wilmer Flores is starting ahead of Ruben Tejada on Friday night. The former has apparently supplanted the latter as the top shortstop with the Mets, per ESPN, following a conference between Terry Collins and general manager Sandy Alderson.

Flores has earned consistent playing time since late July, though he has not exactly sizzled at the plate. He has five hits in 21 at-bats without a multi-hit game during his recent stretch.

The Diamondbacks have demoted outfielder Roger Kieschnick and shortstop Nick Ahmed to Triple-A Reno.

Kieschnick, who was called up just last week, has just eight hits in 41 at-bats in stints with Arizona this season. Ahmed owns a weak stat line of .228/.254/.316 in the bigs in 2014.

Diamondbacks shortstop Chris Owings took 30-35 swings off a tee Thursday, according to MLB.com. Owings has been sidelined since June 25 with a shoulder injury and remains without a timetable moving forward.

"I'm starting to feel a lot better," Owings said. "It's just been a slow process. It's not been fun. But … time just hasn't been on our side. So I just have to wait it out."

Slumping Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada has been benched for the Thursday afternoon game in Washington. Wilmer Flores is set to start instead.

Tejada has a hit in just three of the last 10 games in which he received a plate appearance and seven of his last 20. His average has fallen from .246 to .226 since July 8.

The Diamondbacks activated infielder Cliff Pennington (thumb) off the 15-day disabled list prior Wednesday's game against the Royals. Pitcher Bo Schultz was optioned to Triple-A Reno to clear a roster spot.

Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon wasn't in the starting lineup Sunday against the Cubs for the first time since July 5. It was just the seventh time since April 24 he was not in the starting lineup.

"It wasn't really planned," manager Don Mattingly said of the day off, per MLB.com. "I was kind of trying to wait for a lefty. Different coaches were coming to me like, 'It looks like Dee needs a day.' Just, I think, leg-wise and things like that.

"I think Dee's at the point where he wants to play every day, and he's kind of probably a little bit nervous about saying he needs a day. We understand that. I think that's where coaches are important, the guys who are dealing with him every day, seeing him every day, maybe he has a little more confidence in saying that one little word that tells you, 'Yeah, I need a day.' We'll be careful with him. We'll see where is. He's pretty young. I think he'll keep up the pace."

Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers has announced that the deal that shipped Martin Prado to the Yankees has Jordan Pacheco and Cliff Pennington set to platoon at third base.

Pacheco will handle the duties until Pennington returns from a thumb injury. He owns a .259/.312/.376 stat line and has yet to go deep this season.

The Nationals have sent infielder Zach Walters to the Indians in exchange for shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, according to numerous media reports Thursday.

Walters, 24, is hitting .205/.279/.462 in 39 at-bats for the Nationals this season, but was hitting .300/.358/.608 in 60 games at Triple-A Syracuse prior to being called up. 

Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada returned to the starting lineup during Wednesday's 11-2 win against the Phillies, and for one day at least quieted the speculation he might get supplanted at shortstop by Wilmer Flores.

Tejada went 3 for 4 with one run, one RBI and one walk in the win. He entered the game mired in a 4-for-38 slump in his previous 14 games.

Diamondbacks shortstop Chris Owings still hasn't taken live batting practice, according to MLB.com.

Owings has been sidelined since June 25 with a shoulder injury. He's been slow to recover. There's currently no timetable for his return. Owings was hitting .277/.313/.458 over 238 at-bats.