MLB Daily Dish April 7: Pablo Sandoval, Kendrys Morales, Ryan Braun, Omar Infante

Monday proved to be a relatively busy day across baseball, with a couple of significant injuries flaring up and several signings taking place across the league. We've got it covered for you:

Injuries

• Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun is having thumb issues again, a recurrence of what plagued him at the beginning of the 2013 season. One option would be to have surgery in an attempt to rectify the problem once and for all, though Braun would miss significant time again should he choose to go that route. (via MLB.com's Adam McCalvy)

• New York Yankees closer David Robertson is headed to the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 1 left groin strain. Right-hander Shawn Kelley will likely serve as the replacement, though left-hander Matt Thornton is also an option out of the bullpen. The injury isn't expected to be serious and Robertson should return to action before long. (via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch)
• Kansas City Royals second baseman Omar Infante received stitches after he was hit in the chin by a pitch from Rays reliever Heath Bell. Infante underwent tests to determine whether his jaw was broken, and the Royals believe he suffered a concussion. (via the Kansas City Star's Andy McCullough)
• Tampa Bay Rays left-handed starter Matt Moore will undergo an MRI on Tuesday after leaving Monday night's game due to soreness in his pitching elbow. The injury does not appear to be serious. (via the Tampa Tribune's Roger Mooney)
• Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis will have an arthroscopic procedure to deal with torn cartilage in his knee. Ellis, who posted a .238/.318/.364 slash line last season, is expected to miss just 4-6 weeks. (via the Los Angeles Times' Dylan Hernandez)

Rumors

• The San Francisco Giants are "cautiously optimistic" about resigning third baseman Pablo Sandoval to a deal this season. There were talks about a deal taking place during the offseason, and now it appears that both sides are trying to get a deal done during the season. Concerns about Sandoval's injury history and weight will complicate the matter, though both parties have exchanged contract proposals thus far. (via ESPN's Buster Olney)
• Free-agent first baseman/designated hitter Kendrys Morales might find himself on a big league roster soon. Morales' agent, Scott Boras, is informing teams that he could soon land a deal for the former top-5 MVP finisher. Morales, a consistent power threat who has averaged a homer per 20.5 at-bats dating back to the beginning of 2009, boasts an .813 career OPS. (via FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal)

Signings

• The Boston Red Sox signed utilityman Ryan Roberts to a major league deal contract. The deal is worth a guaranteed $1 million, plus $250K in incentives. Roberts hasn't posted an OBP above .300 since 2011, but he's shown a propensity to reach base in the past, with some pop as well. His primary value lies in his ability to play a variety of positions, including second base, third base and left field. (via Beverly Hills Sports Council, Roberts' agency, which since has deleted its tweet)

• The Cincinnati Reds re-signed infielder Chris Nelson to a minor league contract. The Colorado Rockies' 9th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Nelson should begin the season at Triple-A Louisville. The utilityman posted an .810 OPS as recently as 2012, but he slumped to a .227/.273/.327 slash line last season. Our own Chris Cotillo reported that Nelson can opt out of his deal on May 6th. (via Louisville Bats Twitter account)
• The Miami Marlins signed 31-year-old right-hander Micah Owings to a minor league contract, pending a physical. Owings will head to Triple-A New Orleans after first reporting to extended spring training in Jupiter. He will return to the mound after attempting to convert to the outfield last season. (via our own Chris Cotillo)
• The Chicago White Sox signed right-hander Tommy Hanson to a minor league deal. After being released by the Texas Rangers following a poor spring performance, the 27-year-old agreed to a deal with the White Sox on Monday. Hanson's ERA has risen in every season of his career, culminating in a 5.42 mark last season. (via CBS Sports' Jon Heyman)

Trades

• The Baltimore Orioles acquired right-hander Preston Guilmet from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for infielder Torsten Boss. Guilmet, a ninth-round selection in 2009, owns a 2.57 ERA in 297.2 innings of work in the minors, including an impressive 1.68 mark at Triple-A last season. (via Baltimore Orioles Twitter account)
• The Minnesota Twins acquired infielder Eduardo Nunez from the New York Yankees in exchange for left-hander Miguel Sulbaran. Nunez's value comes primarily from his versatility, as he's played five different positions in his career while compiling a solid .267 average with the Yankees. (via Twins' Director of Baseball Communications Dustin Morse)

Miscellaneous

• Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki went 3-for-3 with a homer, a walk and a pair of runs scored as the Rockies cruised past the White Sox, 8-1.
• Angels starter C.J. Wilson allowed four hits and a walk in eight innings of one-run ball against the Houston Astros. The Angels won, 9-1.