Mark Ellis (knee) is expected to return to the Cardinals lineup on Saturday. If not, he'll certainly be in Sunday's lineup. He has been fighting tendinitis in his knee since last Thursday which has kept him out of Grapefruit League action. He's expected to function as a reserve infielder for the Cardinals this year.

Mark Ellis (left knee) remains out of the lineup. Ellis has been battling some tendinitis, which has kept him out of Grapefruit League action since last Thursday. The veteran said Wednesday that he is "definitely on the up and up." Fresh off a clean MRI, Ellis expects to return soon.

Mark Ellis will have his left knee re-evaluated on Wednesday. Ellis has been battling some tendinitis, which has kept him out of Grapefruit League action since last Thursday. It doesn't sound like an issue to worry about, but more will be known after Wednesday's exam.

Cardinals signed 2B Mark Ellis to a one-year, $5.25 million contract. The one-year pact also carries about $1 million in performance-based bonuses. Ellis should be a perfect fit as a bench piece in St. Louis, where he will back up the left-handed Kolten Wong at second base. The 36-year-old Ellis still rates very well defensively.

Mark Ellis' one-year contract with the Cardinals is worth $5.25 million, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The deal was agreed to last Friday and will be made official this week after Ellis passes his physical. The 36-year-old right-handed-hitter will provide insurance at second base behind youngster Kolten Wong, a lefty. It's a nice subtle addition for St. Louis.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals are close to signing Mark Ellis to a one-year contract. Goold says Ellis just needs to pass a physical before the deal is announced. The Cards plan to hand over the second base job to Kolten Wong after moving Matt Carpenter to third, but Ellis will provide some nice insurance should Wong struggle. He batted .264/.328/.357 with 13 homers over the last two seasons for the Dodgers and offers a reliable glove.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Cardinals met with Mark Ellis' agent Tuesday. The Cards are looking for a right-handed hitting middle infielder that can offer some protection for Kolten Wong. It's not clear whether Ellis would be willing to accept a bench job, though. He batted .264/.328/.357 with 13 homers over the last two seasons for the Dodgers.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal hears that the Rays, Royals and Dodgers are among the teams interested in Mark Ellis. The Dodgers declined a $5.75 million option on Ellis following the season, but they remain interested in bringing him back at a lesser rate. However, he might be able to find more playing time elsewhere. For what it's worth, Rosenthal considers the Rays an unlikely fit at this time.

Acording to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star, the Royals could have interest in free agent second baseman Mark Ellis. Dutton cites a conversation with a team official who said they believe Ellis still has "something left". Though he'll turn 37 during the 2014 season, he did slash .270/.323/.351 with six homers and 48 RBI in 126 games for the Dodgers this past season. Fantasy owners are holding out hope that Emilio Bonifacio secures their second base job however, as Ellis' upside is extremely limited.

Dodgers declined 2B Mark Ellis' $5.75 million club option for 2014. Ellis will receive a $1 million buyout and head into free agency. The 36-year-old batted .270/.323/.351 with six home runs and 48 RBI over 126 games this season. The Dodgers haven't ruled out bringing him back for 2014, but the newly-signed Alexander Guerrero appears poised to take over the starting second base job.