Talks between the Red Sox and Rangers about a trade involving Mike Lowell have accelerated, according to a baseball source. Lowell may not have a chance to play much in Boston with David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis and Adrian Beltre at first and third base. A trade between Boston and Texas for Lowell broke down this winter when the third baseman failed a physical.

The Tigers have traded pitcher Nate Robertson to the Marlins. Florida will send a minor leaguer to Detroit for the left-hander. Robertson is owed $10 million this season on the final year of his contract. FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Tigers will pay $9.6 million of the salary.

Mike Lowell played third base for the Red Sox on Monday and the Rangers had a scout in attendance. "Lowell playing third base; Rangers have a scout in the house," Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com wrote on his Twitter page. The Red Sox and Rangers failed to consume a deal involving Lowell over the winter after the third baseman failed a physical.

The teams scouting Mike Lowell include the Mets, Marlins, Brewers and Twins. His surgically repaired thumb appears fine, and a trade appears likely as the Red Sox don't want him stuck behind Adrian Beltre, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz. "He can still really hit, he can play first and can probably go to third once in a while. If the Red Sox pay most of the $12 million, this guy is a valuable asset to any team,'' a scout told the Boston Globe.

Adam Dunn said Friday afternoon that he does not have a deadline when it comes to getting a contract extension from the Nationals. Dunn, who is a free agent after the season, said he is willing to have his agent talk to the club about an extension after the season starts, but he said he would like to get something done so he doesn't have to hear his name in trade rumors. "It's not a deadline," Dunn said. "There is progress being made, but I don't want any distractions during the season. When [the trade deadline] comes around, my name gets thrown around. I hate that. "If we are close to getting something done and it drags on for a couple of weeks into the season, OK. But I don't want it to drag on until the All-Star Break or things like that. We'll just pick it up again [after the season]."

Blue Jays starting pitcher David Purcey is reportedly drawing attention on the trade market. "#Cubs scout saw Jays' Jason Frasor get hammered Sunday, but Frasor was under weather. Jays' David Purcey also drawing attention from clubs," Ken Rosenthal wrote on his Twitter page. Purcey went 1-3 with a 6.19 ERA in just nine starts last season.

The Marlins were one of the teams that had a scout on hand to watch Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell make his spring debut on Monday. Lowell's name has come up in discussions within the Marlins organization, but their level of interest in re-acquiring the veteran is unclear.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa isn't buying into trade rumors involving Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard. La Russa also disagrees with the assertion that the rumors might be distracting. "The media can be really useful or really abusive. To come up with that one is really abusive," La Russa said. "To the extent that anyone takes it seriously, it could distract the Phillies, it could distract here. I'm pretty sure neither is happening."

Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard said they don't expect to be traded on Monday, a day after reports surfaced that the Phillies had held internal discussions about swapping Howard for Pujols. "I really don't have anything to say about it," Howard said. "Truthfully, I can go back to all the stuff that happened when I was in Double-A -- all the talk about trade rumors," he added. "I don't know anything about anything. I'm not really focused on it. If that were the case -- I don't know if it is or not -- it is what it is. You just keep going out there and doing your thing. If you get a call saying you're trade, then you're traded. Until that happens, I'm still a Phillie. I'm still here. Let's ride it out." Pujols was more direct while discussing the rumors. "There's people, stupid, that like to write something when it's not the truth, and that's all I have to say about that," Pujols said. "If I'm getting traded, they need to come to me. That's not my job to go to them," he added. "I've been saying all along I want to be here, but whatever, it's not up to me. I just think somebody tried to be funny, but it's so stupid when somebody takes something like that serious."

According to sources, an idea has been kicked around the Phillies' organization internally, with discussions about proposing a swap of Ryan Howard for Albert Pujols. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro flatly denied that the internal discussions have taken place. "Lies," he said. "That's a lie. I don't know who you're talking to, but that's a lie." Howard was born in St. Louis and the Cardinals could conceivably sign him to a more affordable extension than Pujols will command.