Yanks grab Cutch

 When Andrew McCutchen was traded to the Giants this winter after his long tenure with the PIttsburgh Pirates, the hope for McCutchen was that he was going to be returning to the postseason.

He almost assuredly will be, but it won't be with the Giants. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, San Francisco traded McCutchen to the Yankees late Thursday night, just two days before the official trade deadline ends. In return, the Yankees will send the Giants two minor league players.

There's a lot to be made of this trade, but let's start with what McCutchen brings the Yankees. It hasn't been a fantastic season for the 2013 MVP, but he does have an OPS-plus on the year of 110 thanks to a .255/.357/.415 line with 15 homers and 13 steals in his 130 games with the Giants. He's been particularly effective against left-handed pitching, with an .812 OPS when he faces off against southpaws. While the hits haven't dropped for the 2013 MVP, he has drawn 73 walks, so the approach has been sound for the 31-year-old all season.

Let's also keep in mind that McCutchen is going to be hitting in a much friendlier ball park for the remainder of the season. The ball jumps out to right field in New York, and we know that he's willing to go the other way. Don't expect massive power totals as he adjusts to a new league, but assuming he gets regular playing time, he should see an increase in his slugging percentage while providing a homer or five in the friendly confines.

McCutchen should help the Yankees, and if you play in an AL-Only league, he's worth a pickup. The question now is: What does this move mean for the future of Aaron Judge? There's no question that New York's search for  outfielders isn't as public the superstar slugger was healthy. Is it possible that this is more than just insurance? Possibly, but the assumption is that the trade cost was low for New York, and the Yankees might have wanted to add a lefty-killer like McCutchen, anyway. Here's hoping we get a chance to see both of them in the lineup sooner than later.

Stanton fifth quickest to 300 homers

The Yankees outfield news is not done, as the biggest -- literally and figuratively -- acquisition of the 2018 offseason made history on Thursday night. Giancarlo Stanton took Francisco Liriano deep in the second inning, and it gave him 33 homers on the year, and it was the 300th homer of his career.

Stanton is the fifth-quickest player to 300 homers, behind only Ralph Kiner, Ryan Howard, Juan Gonzalez and Alex Rodriguez. He's also the ninth-youngest player to reach the mark at 28-years, 295 days. It's impressive company -- although the reminder of what Howard and Gonzalez were at one point is a bit of a nostalgic kick in the shins.

As good as Stanton has been, one can't help but think how much better things can be. His 2018 season line of .277/.351/.525 is excellent, but it's even better when you consider that Stanton started off the year so terribly, fluttering at breaking-ball pitches and falling victim to the BABIP (batting average balls in play) monster when he did make hard contact. He's going to be spending the majority of his career playing his home games in one of the best homer parks in baseball, and he's strong enough to take the ball out of any part of any park. He's well on his way to Cooperstown at this point, and going on a bit of a ledge, it wouldn't shock me if someday Stanton challenged for the single-season homer record.

Gant

Gant helps with bat, on mound in win over Pirates

The Cardinals have been one of the best teams in baseball in the second-half of the 2018 season, and one of the reasons they've been so good is their starters. An underrated part of that staff is John Gant, and he was excellent on Thursday against the Pirates. He threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the 5-0 win, and he also added his second homer of the season in the victory.

Acquired in the deal that sent Jaime Garcia to Atlanta in 2017, Gant has pitched well all year for the Cardinals with a 3.34 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in his 91 2/3 innings, but he's been particularly good in his last five starts. The 26-year-old right-hander has given up no more than a run in four of those starts, and the exception to that number was a two-run effort. He's never going to be an elite strikeout-artist, but he limits the amount of hard contact, and in general, he doesn't beat himself by putting runners on via walk.

If Gant is still available in your re-draft league -- or especially if he's available in dynasty formats -- he's well worth a roster add at this point in the year. Even if he doesn't pile up the strikeouts, the low WHIP and ability to keep the ball in the ballpark make him a solid fantasy starter, one that gets overlooked too often.

American League Quick Hits: Angels' manager Mike Scioscia announced Thursday that Shohei Ohtani (elbow) will return to the rotation on Sunday against the Astros in Houston ... Wade LeBlanc scattered three hits over seven shutout innings in a 7-1 win over the Athletics on Thursday ... Jean Segura was a late scratch from the Mariners' starting lineup on Thursday. Segura left Wednesday's game against the Padres after fouling a ball off of his left foot ... White Sox' manager Rick Renteria said Thursday that 1B Jose Abreu (abdomen) is still at least a week away from resuming baseball activities ...Twins OF Eddie Rosario exited Thursday's game against the Indians with a left quad strain. Rosario was 1-for-2 with an infield single before getting replaced in left field by Robbie Grossman in the bottom of the fifth inning ... RHP Matt Shoemaker (forearm) is expected to rejoin the Angels' rotation on Monday ... Yankees manager Aaron Boone said C Gary Sanchez (groin) would come off the disabled list for Saturday's game ... Twins acquired catcher Chris Gimenez and a PTBN or cash from the Cubs for catcher Bobby Wilson ... Tigers placed SS Jose Iglesias on the 10-day disabled list with a lower abdominal strain ... According to Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports, the agents for White Sox top prospect Eloy Jimenez are considering filing a grievance over his lack of a promotion to the majors ... Mariners acquired INF/OF Kristopher Negron from the Diamondbacks for cash considerations ... Yankees OF  Clint Frazier (concussion) is beginning a minor league rehab assignment Thursday at High-A Tampa.

 

National League Quick Hits: Cubs OF Jason Heyward was lifted from Thursday's game against the Braves due to right hamstring tightness ... Diamondbacks OF Jarrod Dyson (groin) will begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Reno on Friday ... Diamondbacks acquired C Chris Stewart from the Braves for cash considerations; optioned him to Triple-A Reno ... Dodgers activated RHP Josh Fields from the 60-day disabled list ... Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha (oblique) is slated to resume playing catch on Friday and could restart a rehab assignment in the minors next week. Wacha had a setback Tuesday, leaving his start for Double-A Springfield because of fatigue ... Reds 3B Eugenio Suarez was scratched from the Reds' starting lineup Thursday afternoon against the Brewers due to a mid-back spasm ... Zach Davies will be called up to start for the Brewers on Monday against the Cubs ... Cubs 3B Kris Bryant (shoulder) is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Saturday. Bryant wrapped up his minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Thursday ... Brewers manager Craig Counsell said that RHP Dan Jennings, who came out of Thursday's game, is day-to-day with a sprained ankle ... Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that Mets LHP Jerry Blevins has cleared revocable trade waivers. He could interest teams looking for a hurler who can get southpaws out down the stretch ... RHP Zach Davies will be called up to start for the Brewers on Monday against the Cubs ... Reds RHP Austin Brice left an appearance Thursday against the Brewers due to an apparent injury. Brice was called up from Triple-A Louisville on Thursday.

Yelich & Mustard

Is there anyone hotter than Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich right now? Less than 24 hours after recording his first career multi-homer game, the 26-year-old burgeoning superstar hit for the cycle to lead the Brewers to a 13-12 win over the Reds in extra-innings on Wednesday. He went 6-for-6 -- notching the third six-hit effort in the major leagues this season --- with a two-run homer, his 26th of the year. He’s slugged an astounding eight home runs in his last 10 games. Last season, he managed 18 total in 156 games in Miami. Yelich has already surpassed his previous career-high (21 homers), established back in 2016. He’s hitting an absurd .372 (58-for-156) with 33 runs scored, 15 round-trippers, 32 RBI and a pair of stolen bases in 36 games since the All-Star break.

Yelich has blossomed into a full-fledged five-category fantasy superstar in his first year with Milwaukee. Not only is he hitting .319 in 524 plate appearances, but he’s on pace to eclipse 30-homers and has also chipped in 14 stolen bases for good measure. To put those numbers in context for a moment. According to the Baseball-Reference Play Index, only nine hitters since 2010 have recorded a .300 batting average while topping 30 homers and 15 steals in a single campaign. Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt and Ryan Braun are the only ones to accomplish the feat multiple times. It was reasonable to expect Yelich to take a modest step forward in the power department moving to Miller Park, but I’m not sure any reasonable fantasy owners could have forecast his evolution into one of the most dynamic power and speed threats of the last decade virtually overnight.


Deal or No Deal?

According to multiple reports, the Blue Jays are expected to place veteran third baseman Josh Donaldson -- who has roughly $4 million remaining on his expiring contract -- on revocable trade waivers with the intent of trading the 32-year-old impending free agent before Friday’s waiver trade deadline. The former American League MVP hasn’t appeared in a major-league game since May 28 due to a calf injury. He kicked off a minor-league rehab assignment, going 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk at High-A Dunedin on Tuesday. According to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, he was held out of the lineup on Wednesday because of soreness in his calves and legs. The central question here is whether a contender should even consider dealing for him given all of his medical red flags. There’s no doubt concerning the Blue Jays’ strong desire to move him before August 31, but he hasn’t even been healthy enough to showcase for other teams on his current rehab stint. It’s a bizarre situation that will be resolved within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Price Exits Early, Avoids Serious Injury

The Red Sox postseason aspirations flashed before their eyes momentarily when David Price was struck on the left wrist by a 102-mph line drive off the bat of Austin Dean and forced to exit Wednesday’s 14-6 comeback win over the Marlins after only three innings. However, it appears the veteran southpaw somehow avoided major injury. He was diagnosed with a wrist contusion and x-rays came back negative. If he can manage the swelling, he should be able to avoid a trip to the disabled list. Price told reporters after the game that he fully expects to make his next scheduled start in Atlanta on Monday.

The Red Sox own an American League-leading 92-42 record, and remain 7 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees in the American League East race, despite a rash of significant injuries to their starting rotation. Eduardo Rodriguez is slated to return to the rotation on Saturday, but their ace Chris Sale remains sidelined. The 29-year-old southpaw threw on flat ground for the third consecutive day Wednesday, but there’s still no timetable for his return. He’s been out since August 15 because of shoulder inflammation. It’s been Price who has admirably filled the gaping void in recent weeks. The 33-year-old left-hander is 4-0 with a 1.62 ERA and 43/7 K/BB ratio in seven starts since the All-Star break. It appears that the Red Sox dodged a bullet. They simply can’t afford to lose Price for an extended stretch at this stage in the year.

Pujols Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery

Veteran slugger Albert Pujols underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the 2018 season. The news came as a bit of a shock considering that he was playing regularly and started the Angels last game on Tuesday. The 38-year-old bounced back admirably from a horrific 2017 campaign, hitting .245 with 19 homers and 64 RBI in 117 games this year, but he’s no longer a viable mixed league option at first base. He's still owed $87 million over the next three years. From a fantasy perspective, the future Hall of Famers’ absence opens up even more opportunities at designated hitter for rookie sensation Shohei Ohtani over the final month. The 24-year-old has been on fire recently, recording a truly sublime .327/.413/.709 triple-slash line with six home runs, 18 RBI and four stolen bases in 22 games since August 1. He’s certainly lived up to the hype and exceeded even the most optimistic expectations with his performance at the plate this year. Remember when anonymous scouts questioned his ability as hitter in spring training? Good times.


American League Quick Hits: Indians placed Andrew Miller on the 10-day disabled list with an external impingement in his left shoulder. … X-rays came back negative on Jean Segura's left foot after he Wednesday's game against the Padres early. … Justin Upton (finger laceration) hopes to return from the 10-day disabled list on Thursday. … Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports reports that Kendrys Morales has cleared revocable waivers. … Astros manager A.J. Hinch told reporters that Charlie Morton (shoulder) is expected back in early September. ... Mookie Betts went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored in the Red Sox’ victory over the Marlins. … Eduardo Nunez also went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the victory. … Adalberto Mondesi went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and four RBI in the Royals’ blowout win over the Tigers. … Alex Bregman reached base four times in Houston’s walk-off victory over the Athletics. … Adam Jones went 2-for-5 with a grand slam and five RBI in the Orioles 10-5 win over the Blue Jays. … Mychal Givens recorded a one-out save, his fifth of the year, in that one. … Devon Travis went 3-for-4 with a home run in the loss … Reynaldo Lopez fired seven innings of one-run ball in the White Sox’ victory over the Yankees. … Jace Fry worked a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his fourth save of the year in that one. … C.J. Cron went 4-for-5 with a homer and a double to lead the Rays past the Braves. … Mitch Moreland was unavailable Wednesday due to a contusion in his left knee. … Mark Trumbo will have season-ending surgery on his right knee … Cedric Mullins (hip) hopes to return to the Orioles lineup on Friday.

National League Quick Hits: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Kenley Jansen will be their closer starting on Friday with the series against the Diamondbacks. … Cardinals manager Mike Shildt told reporters that Matt Carpenter, who left Wednesday’s game early due to nausea, is dealing with a a 24 hour virus. … Braves acquired Lucas Duda from the Royals for cash considerations or a player to be named later. … Bryce Harper was out of the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Phillies due to illness. … Trevor Williams struck out eight over six innings to lead the Pirates to a victory over the Cardinals. … Felipe Vasquez notched his 28th save in that contest. … Alex Wood hurled seven shutout innings in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Rangers. … Kenta Maeda picked up his first save of the year in that one. … Juan Soto went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer in a loss to the Phillies. … Manuel Margot went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI and Luis Urias went 3-for-5 with a double in the Padres’ win over the Mariners. … Joey Lucchesi whiffed nine batters to pick up a victory in that one …. Todd Frazier went 2-for-5 with five RBI in the Mets’ win over the Cubs … Giants placed Steven Duggar on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder injury. … Jeremy Hellickson (wrist) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday. … Ross Stripling (back) will throw a bullpen session on Thursday. … Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters on Wednesday that Mike Soroka won't pitch again in a game this season. … Brandon Morrow (biceps) played long toss from a distance of 105 feet on Wednesday. … Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters on Wednesday that it's doubtful that Jeff Samardzija (shoulder) returns this season.

A's top Astros as Division Lead still up for grabs

Nick Martini's favourite drink

 I like my Martini's shaken but not stirred.

Nick Martini’s road trip was not going well at all. The A’s leadoff hitter was 2-for-20 when he stepped to the plate with one out in the ninth inning Tuesday, and he’d made a costly two-base throwing error the night before.


Martini delivered an RBI double off Roberto Osuna to give the A’s a 4-3 lead over the Astros, and Oakland won by that score, closing the gap in the AL West to 1½ games again. The A’s are a season-high 5½ games ahead of Seattle for the second wild-card spot and 27 games over .500, matching their season high. With a month to play, they’ve ensured themselves a winning record on the road, where they’re 41-27.

The Astros, helped by Martini’s error, had thumped Oakland 11-4 on Monday, but since June 16, the A’s are 9-1 following losses in series openers.

Ramon Laureano started things in the ninth with a one-out walk against Osuna, and Jonathan Lucroy rolled a single just out of Jose Altuve’s reach and into right. That brought up Martini, who hit a ground-rule bouncer to center on the first pitch he got.

“He’s a pretty level-headed kid,” manager Bob Melvin said of Martini. “We’ve seen him go through some tough periods offensively and stay with it and then come up with a good game. Last couple of nights, not his best nights ... but was able to put it away and focus on a particular at-bat. Obviously, that was a huge at-bat.”

Martini, who was still dripping from being doused with “30 gallons of water” in the clubhouse, said he didn’t want to fall behind Osuna, and that looking for something early can be a good way to go when in a funk.

“I think it helps,” he said. “You want to try to swing your way out of it because the deeper you get, the worse things can get. ... I just tried to get one early, and that was that.”

Blake Treinen then worked a 1-2-3 ninth, his 33rd save in 37 chances.

Laureano showed off his arm again in a huge situation. George Springer singled to lead off the eighth, and he tried to go from first to third on Alex Bregman’s single to center, but Laureano nailed him for the first out of the inning, with the game tied.
“He’s shown he’s got a lot of game,” Melvin said. “Obviously, the throw was maybe the biggest play of the game for us.”

Until the ninth, the A’s had done almost nothing since Matt Olson’s three-run blast off Charlie Morton in the third. Oakland’s only hit between that homer and the eighth was an infield single by Laureano in the fourth, and the Astros came back to tie it in the fifth on Bregman’s two-out, two-run double off Edwin Jackson. Jackson, who allowed a run on a groundout in the second, exited and Shawn Kelley got Altuve to ground out to end the inning. Kelley, unscored upon in nine outings with Oakland, also worked a 1-2-3 sixth.

Briefly: Reliever Ryan Dull was recalled from Triple-A Nashville to take Brett Anderson’s roster spot. ... A’s cleanup hitter Khris Davis is 2-for-26 with 12 strikeouts on the trip.

Rodon VS Godzilla

A matchup at Yankee Stadium against a team that entered the night having won eight of its last nine games didn’t look like the greatest setup for Carlos Rodon on Monday. Then again, it hasn’t seemed to matter much who Rodon is facing these days. Why not Godzilla.

The White Sox ace limited the Yankees to just two runs over seven superb innings Monday as Chicago captured its fourth straight victory. Rodon walked four batters and recorded a season-low two strikeouts, but he also permitted just two base hits.

Rodon hasn’t lost since June even as he’s pitching for a team sitting 27 games under .500. In nine starts since the beginning of July, the southpaw has put up a microscopic 1.84 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 49/27 K/BB ratio over 63 2/3 innings. The only time he allowed more than two runs over that stretch was on August 15 in Detroit, when he held the Tigers to three runs over eight innings.

Sure, you’d like to see more than 71 strikeouts over 93 1/3 frames, especially when you’re talking about a guy who entered the season having fanned more than a batter per inning in his career. I’m sure some will point to this as a reason to sell high on Rodon, and when you look at the gap between his ERA and FIP, perhaps those people will wind up being right.

I’m hanging tight with the left-hander, though. Rodon’s fastball velocity is right at his career mark, and he still possesses one of the most devastating strikeout pitches in the game in his slider. We could easily see him rebound in the strikeout department down the stretch.

I also feel the need to point out how Rodon’s improved efficiency has allowed him to consistently pitch deeper into games. The southpaw has already pitched into the eighth inning in six of 14 starts this season. Prior to this year, he had thrown a pitch in the eighth inning in just six of 63 starts.

Rodon faces a stiff test his next time out as he tries to keep things rolling, as he’ll take on the Red Sox in Chicago this weekend.

Urias’ Arrival

The Padres on Tuesday will get a look at a guy they hope will be part of their middle infield for a long time.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune was first to report and many others confirmed that infield prospect Luis Urias will be summoned from Triple-A El Paso to make his major league debut Tuesday against the Mariners. Urias is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 22 overall prospect and No. 4 prospect in the Padres’ system and is slated to serve as the big club’s regular second baseman for the rest of the season (and hopefully beyond).

Urias has one of the more interesting profiles of any top prospect in the game. He has consistently been an on-base machine since turning pro back in 2014 as a 17-year-old, boasting a career .397 OBP on the farm and a 244/220 K/BB ratio. This year at El Paso, the now 21-year-old has posted a .296/.398/.447 batting line with eight home runs, 30 doubles and seven triples.

What’s questionable at this point is how much home run pop Urias can provide for fantasy owners. While he has good raw power, it hasn’t shown up much in games yet. The eight longballs Urias has hit this year are a career high and nearly doubled his career total of nine over four seasons coming into 2018. Lifting the ball in the air has been an issue, as Urias has never had even a 30 percent flyball rate at any level.

Urias is also unlikely to chip in in the steals department. He’s only 2-for-3 in stolen base attempts this season and has been caught (38) more times than he’s been successful (35) in his minor league career.

However, while the youngster might not have much upside at this point in his career when it comes to counting stats, Urias is about as bankable as a prospect comes for batting average. He should also score a decent number of runs, especially if the Padres bat him at or near the top of the lineup. Urias is worth taking a chance on in all fantasy leagues.

White Whacks Another One

You would’ve had a hard time before the season finding someone who didn’t think the Astros would be one of the best teams in the game. It probably would’ve been even more difficult finding someone who thought Tyler White would be an integral part of the club, but that’s exactly what he’s become.

White cranked a three-run home run and added an RBI single Monday as the Astros turned a 4-0 deficit against the A’s into an 11-4 victory. Alex Bregman matched White’s four RBI and had four hits as Houston extended their lead in the American League West to 2.5 games.

Since being recalled on July 29, White is batting .342 with seven home runs and 20 RBI over 22 games. He’s started 20 games over that stretch. By comparison, Evan Gattis and Yuli Gurriel – White’s two chief competitors for playing time – have started 15 and 22 games, respectively, during that span. Gattis is hitting .188 with four homers since July 29 and Gurriel is batting .250 with two homers.

White’s production in the majors prior to this season in spot duty has been hit-or-miss, but he’s crushed the ball in the minors, batting .300/.371/.528 in 2017 at Triple-A Fresno and .333/.444/.569 at Fresno in 2018. He’s also blistering the ball during his recent hot stretch, as he came into action Monday with a 39.7 percent hard-hit rate.

White has batted either fourth or fifth in six of his last seven starts, although he hit seventh Monday with George Springer returning to action. He’s obviously not guaranteed playing time moving forward, but if he keeps hitting like this, he’ll remain in the lineup. White is currently still a free agent in over 80 percent of Yahoo leagues.


American League Quick Hits: Josh Donaldson (calf) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with High-A Dunedin … Trey Mancini went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and five RBI in the Orioles’ win over the Blue Jays on Monday … Shohei Ohtani (elbow) threw a successful 50-pitch simulated game Monday before later cranking a three-run homer versus the Rockies … Chris Sale (shoulder) resumed a throwing program Monday … Mike Trout homered and reached base four times Monday versus the Rockies ... Matt Chapman went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in the Athletics' loss to the Astros on Monday … Gleyber Torres went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer and a stolen base in the Yankees’ loss to the White Sox on Monday … Sean Manaea (shoulder) will visit Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Tuesday … David Hess scattered four hits over six shutout frames in a win over the Blue Jays on Monday, fanning five in the process … Jonathan Villar went 2-for-2 with two walks, a stolen base and scored a pair of runs in the Orioles' win over the Blue Jays on Monday ... Rafael Devers (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday … Matt Shoemaker (forearm) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Inland Empire on Wednesday … The Mariners placed Marco Gonzales on the disabled list with a cervical neck strain …

National League Quick Hits: DJ LeMahieu went 3-for-5 with a grand slam against the Angels on Monday ... Chris Stratton whiffed six across eight innings of one-run ball in the Giants’ victory over the Diamondbacks on Monday … Anthony Rizzo went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBI, and two runs scored Monday in the Cubs' defeat of the Mets … Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has reported that the Phillies have claimed Jose Bautista on revocable trade waivers and have until Tuesday to work out a trade for the veteran … Rhys Hoskins went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in the Phillies' loss to the Nationals on Monday … Buster Posey underwent successful surgery Monday on his right hip to repair a torn labrum and impingement … Brandon Nimmo (finger) is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Tuesday … Kelvin Herrera is out for the season after being diagnosed with a torn Lisfranc ligament in his left foot. Justin Miller notched a save for the Nationals on Monday and the club is expected to use a committee at closer with Sean Doolittle (foot) also still out … Patrick Corbin fanned nine while holding the Giants to two runs over seven frames on Monday but took a loss …

Let's play : " Ask the Beaver "

Heading into the finale of their three-game series against the Yankees on August 19, Kendrys Morales was having a rather uneventful season.

The 35-year-old was slashing just .245/.331/.410 with 13 homers and 40 RBI in his first 101 games of the season. There were no indications that a sudden breakout was imminent or that a prodigious power surge was on the horizon.

Then, baseball.

In that finale against the Yankees, Morales slugged a first-inning homer off of Yankees' southpaw J.A. Happ. He carried that good feeling over to the next day, where he blasted a pair of home runs off of Orioles’ right-hander Andrew Cashner.

Three homers in two games. Not bad.

Then the next day, he did it again. A solo shot off of Dylan Bundy in the fifth inning as part of a three-hit night for Morales. On Wednesday, he extended the streak to four games, blasting a seventh-inning offering from David Hess into the seats in right field.

Now four games in a row, Impressive.

Then Morales went out in Friday’s series opener against the Phillies, and he left the yard again. This time it was a solo shot off of Jake Arrieta to lead off the second inning. That pulled him to within one game of the Blue Jays’ franchise record held by Jose Cruz Jr.

He would join Cruz Jr. in Blue Jays’ lore on Saturday, when he crushed a Nick Pivetta fastball over the wall in right-center field in the fourth inning. He also matched Cardinals’ slugger Matt Carpenter for the longest such streak in the big leagues this season.

All good things need to come to an end though. There’s no way that he could go out on Sunday and make it seven straight games with a home run, right?

Wrong again. On Sunday, it was a 1-0 offering from Vince Velasquez in the third inning that Morales pulverized over the right field wall in Toronto.

To put how rare this feat is into historical context, only six other players have ever homered in at least seven straight contests. Ken Griffey Jr., Don Mattingly and Dale Long hold the record with eight straight games. Kevin Mench, Barry Bonds and Jim Thome have each done so in seven straight. That’s it. For the most part, that’s some extremely impressive company.

Blue Jays’ manager John Gibbons explained to reporters that he couldn’t be happier for Morales, "It's pretty impressive… It's a surprise he still gets pitches to hit. ... I don't think any of us can comprehend how hard it is to do. It really couldn't happen to a better guy."

Teammate Curtis Granderson has also been in awe of Morales’ accomplishment, "I remember watching Griffey do it… But to see Morales do what he's been doing and just continue to do it, left-handed, right-handed, it doesn't matter who the pitchers are, it's that one thing that happens in the game when you get hot, you can be really hot, it doesn't matter what's going on."

With this massive week included, Morales is now hitting .264/.343/.484 with 21 homers and 53 RBI on the season.

All eyes will be on Morales on Monday when the Blue Jays travel to Camden Yards to take on the Orioles. He’ll be facing Orioles’ rookie right-hander David Hess, who boasts a 5.50 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 72 innings on the season. He has also allowed 16 home runs on the season, one of those to Morales on Wednesday.

Morales has also feasted on Orioles’ pitching this season. In 11 games against the O’s he’s slashing a ridiculous .410/.452/.821 with five homers and eight RBI.

With little left to play for this season, I’d love to see Blue Jays’ manager John Gibbons move Morales up in the order on Monday in an effort to get him an extra at-bat with a chance to make history. Then again, given his ownership of Orioles’ pitching this season, he may not need it.

Down Goes Manaea

The Athletics have been one of the most surprising and uplifting stories of the 2018 baseball season. With Sunday’s victory over the Twins they now sit a season-high 27 games over the .500 mark at 79-52 and are just 1 ½ games behind the Astros in the race for the top spot in the American League West.

If they’re going to run down the Astros, they’re going to have to do so without the ace of their staff, at least for a little while.

Sean Manaea was placed on the disabled list on Sunday with what is being termed as a left-shoulder impingement. He was lifted from his last start after throwing just 67 pitches due to the injury, and his velocity has been down all season so there’s a chance that this is an issue that he has been battling for awhile.

The 26-year-old hurler is 12-9 on the season with a 3.59 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 108/32 K/BB ratio across 160 ⅔ innings in his 27 starts this season. He’s the only member of the Athletics’ current rotation that started the season there. If you’ll recall, the A’s began the year with a fearsome fivesome of Manaea, Kendall Graveman, Daniel Gossett, Daniel Mengden and Andrew Triggs. They also had Paul Blackburn on the disabled list and had recently inked Trevor Cahill to a contract, though he was set to begin the season in the minor leagues to get stretched out.

Manaea now joins Triggs, Blackburn and Gossett, as well as Jharel Cotton who was injured during spring training, on as starting pitchers residing on the disabled list.

That leaves the current rotation looking like this:

Trevor Cahill - Signed to a one-year contract as spring training was winding down

Mike Fiers - Acquired from the Tigers in a waiver deal earlier this month

Brett Anderson - Signed a minor league deal with the A’s at the end of the spring and didn’t join the rotation until May

Edwin Jackson - Signed by the A’s to a minor league contract in June after he opted out of his deal with the Nationals

Daniel Mengden - Began the season in the rotation, but was demoted to Triple-A after struggling to a 4.47 ERA and pitiful 5.46 K/9 over 16 starts.

So given all of the turmoil, the laundry list of injuries and salvaging of veteran arms off of the scrap heap, it’s remarkable that the Athletics have the stellar record that they do and remain in the thick of the race in the American League West.

It’s even more remarkable that as a unit, the Athletics’ starting pitchers own a 4.03 ERA and 1,21 WHIP on the season, both marks better than the league average. It’s fair to say that A’s pitching coach Scott Emerson deserves a raise for the job that he has done patching things together this year.

So without Manaea for an indeterminate amount of time, I anticipate that Mengden will once again fill in for the ailing hurler and the machine will continue chugging along toward a playoff berth.

American League Quick Hits: USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports that Josh Donaldson (calf) is slated to begin a rehab assignment with High-A Dunedin in the next 48 hour. The Blue Jays’ hope is that he can prove his health and potentially be dealt to a contender before the trade deadline at the end of the month… Tigers’ manager Ron Gardenhire indicated that Daniel Norris (groin) would pitch out of the bullpen if he’s able to make it back before the end of the season… Mallex Smith (illness) was released from the hospital Sunday and is "doing considerably better," Rays manager Kevin Cash said… Jorge Soler (toe) went through baserunning drills without issue on Sunday and is expected to head out on a minor league rehab assignment this week…Ian Kennedy (oblique) will begin his minor league rehab assignment on Wednesday…  George Springer missed his sixth straight start on Sunday due to a sore left quad. He’s still considered day-to-day and is tentatively expected to return to the lineup on Monday… Lance McCullers is not expected to throw from a mound anytime soon, and if he does return this season it will be out of the Astros’ bullpen… Juan Nicasio was forced to undergo season-ending surgery on his ailing right knee… Cedric Mullins was held out of Sunday’s lineup after tweaking his hip on Saturday. He’s considered day-to-day… Blake Snell delivered another outstanding start, striking out eight over six innings of one-run ball in a victory over the Red Sox. He’s now 16-5 on the season… Michael Kopech earned his first big league victory on Sunday, striking out four over six innings of one-run ball against the Tigers… Jason Kipnis went 4-for-5 with an inside-the-park home run, four RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base in the Indians' 12-5 win over the Royals… Matt Chapman clubbed a pair of home runs, giving him 20 on the season, as the Athletics topped the Twins… Tyler Austin blasted a pair of home runs on the losing side in that contest… Luis Severino became the first 17-game winner in major league baseball with a victory over the Orioles on Sunday night… Luke Voit went 3-for-3 with a homer, leaing the Yankees to a four-game sweep over the Orioles.

National League Quick Hits: Kelvin Herrera had to be carted off of the field after suffering a serious foot injury during the ninth inning of Sunday’s game against the Mets… Roman Quinn was held out of action on Sunday after tweaking his left hamstring while diving for a ball on Saturday… Cody Reed will work out of the Reds’ starting rotation for the remainder of the season while Sal Romano and Robert Stephenson move to the bullpen… Joey Votto wasn’t activated from the disabled list on Sunday as originally planned, and he may not return after Monday’s off-day either as his foot injury is “way worse” than originally thought according to interim manager Jim Riggleman… Martin Prado is expected to be activated from the disabled list on September 1… Kolten Wong missed Sunday’s game with a strained hamstring, but the Cardinals are hopeful that he’ll be able to avoid the disabled list… Mike Montgomery (shoulder) will rejoin the Cubs' rotation Thursday in Atlanta… The Giants officially put Buster Posey on the disabled list in advance of his season-ending hip surgery on Monday… Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said Sunday that Josh Harrison (hamstring) "is going to need an extended period of down time before his leg is 100 percent."... Jeff Samardzija is seeking a second opinion on his ailing right shoulder… Kevin Gausman fired five scoreless innings in a victory over the Marlins… Adam Eaton went 4-for-6 with a two-run homer and a stolen base in a rout over the Mets… Wilson Ramos went 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBI as the Phillies clipped the Blue Jays… Kyle Hendricks hurled seven scoreless innings in a victory over the Reds… Matt Carpenter went 4-for-5 with four doubles as the Cardinals slaughtered the Rockies… Tyler O’Neill homered for the third time in his past four games and remains an interesting mixed league addition while Marcell Ozuna is sidelined… Zack Greinke didn’t allow an earned run over 6 ⅔ innings in a victory against the Mariners… Paul Goldschmidt slugged his 30th homer to pace the D’Backs offense in that win… Manny Machado slugged his 31st home run as the Dodgers toppled the Padres… Justin Turner went 3-for-5 and drove in five runs in that one



14. What is circumference of baseball? 9 inches
A – 7 inches
B – 8 inches
C – 9 inches

 True or False? The size of pitching rubber is 24 inches by 12 inches.

Ask the Beaver

 
 Answer :  9 inches
Answer :  False the pitching rubber is 6 inches

Power Galore

Ronald Acuna

Last week, we touched upon the Ronald Acuna Bean-ball Extravaganza. Initially, Jose Urena pegged Acuna on the elbow with a 97 mph fastball. He was fortunate to avoid injury. This was ostensibly in reaction to previous leadoff home runs hit by Acuna. When the two clubs met again on Thursday, Acuna struck back with another long home run. The Marlins responded… by pegging him again. This time, journeyman veteran Javy Guerra hit Acuna on the hand. Again, he was lucky to escape a trip to the disabled list. The Braves finally took umbrage and retaliated by hitting also-ran Rookie of the Year candidate Brian Anderson.

This was all caused by a sort of friction between old school traditionalist players and the newer “celebrationists.” Baseball once had a stodgier atmosphere on the field. Players were expected to behave like business professionals. By this thinking, a subdued fist pump is appropriate for a particularly grand display of power. This is especially true for “unestablished” players. The sport is slowly adjusting to a younger culture – one that appreciates bat flips and displays of joy and sorrow. Acuna is one of many players who openly celebrates his exploits. If the Marlins’ pitchers can’t get over allowing home runs to Acuna – and they’re going to allow a LOT of them over the next six seasons – then this is going to become a bitter rivalry.

Kendrys Morales

Weekly Leaders

Kendrys Morales: 6 HR
Khris Davis: 5 HR
Christian Yelich: 4 HR
12 others: 3 HR

Morales led a busy week on the home run leaderboard. The switch-hitting 35-year-old was a fantasy afterthought entering the season. After a dismal April, he quickly dropped off everybody’s wish list. He’s since made critical adjustments to turn his season around. After June 5, Morales has hit .309/.391/.574 with 15 home runs in 235 plate appearances. He’s also taken a more selective approach at the plate. Better discipline is a common adjustment for aging hitters looking to milk a little more life out of their career. The homer barrage is just a happy windfall for his unsuspecting owners.

By comparison, we’ve mentioned Davis in this column all season. His scalding performance over the last month – 18 home runs since July 22 – helped him to surge to the home run lead. With 39 home runs in the bag, he’s now on the cusp of becoming the first player of the season to reach the 40 homer plateau. J.D. Martinez is nipping at his heels with 38 home runs. Davis’ success this year may stem from a six point increase to his fly ball rate – mostly at the expense of line drives. As a result, his .269 average on balls in play (BABIP) is a career-worst. It’s ok though, the extra home runs have buoyed his batting average.

Yelich, 26, has been one of the steadiest players in the league for years. He supplies a little bit of everything through sheer athleticism and baseball savvy. The lefty hitter is known for having one of the highest ground ball rates in the league which he couples with plenty of hard contact. A move from cavernous Marlins Stadium to power-happy Miller Park has caused his home run rate spike. He’s already set a career high with 22 home runs.

My Top 10 Projected Home Run Leaders

Kris Davis

Khris Davis, Oakland Athletics: 39 HR, 47 HR projected
J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox: 38 HR, 46 HR projected
Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians: 37 HR, 44 HR projected
Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers: 34 HR, 42 HR projected
Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals: 34 HR, 42 HR projected
Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees, 32 HR, 41 HR projected
Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners: 31 HR, 40 HR projected
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels: 30 HR, 39 HR projected
Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies: 31 HR, 38 HR projected
Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals: 30 HR, 38 HR projected

We’ve reached the point of the season when the projected standings almost perfectly mirror the actual leaderboard. Mookie Betts, who was part of this section for most of the season, is virtually out of the running with 27 home runs. A few players who could force their way in include Paul Goldschmidt, Francisco Lindor, Manny Machado, Eugenio Suarez, and Max Muncy. All five have 29 home runs. Looking farther afield, don’t rule out Trevor Story (26 HR, 34 HR projected). He’s gone on unreal hot streaks in the past.

Disabled

***Justin Upton, Los Angeles Angels (index finger laceration)
***Marcell Ozuna, St. Louis Cardinals (right shoulder inflammation)
*** Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets (index finger contusion)
***Mark Trumbo, Baltimore Orioles (right knee inflammation)
***Christian Villanueva, San Diego Padres
***Justin Bour, Philadelphia Phillies (left oblique strain)
***Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds (right leg contusion)
***Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox (abdominal surgery)
***Didi Gregorius, New York Yankees (left heel contusion)
Yangervis Solarte, Toronto Blue Jays (right oblique)
Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox (left hamstring strain)
Jake Lamb, Arizona Diamondbacks
Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs (left shoulder discomfort)
Jesse Winker, Cincinnati Reds
Yoenis Cespedes, New York Mets
Clint Frazier, New York Yankees (post-concussion syndrome)
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (chip fracture in right wrist)
Zack Cozart, Los Angeles Angels
Lonnie Chisenhall, Cleveland Indians (calf strain)
Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees (groin strain)
Jorge Soler, Kansas City Royals (fractured foot)
Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays (calf strain)
Franchy Cordero, San Diego Padres (forearm strain)
Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers


The good news is that quite a few players returned from the disabled list including some major contributors. It’s good to see Trout, Jose Altuve, and Edwin Encarnacion back in fantasy lineups. Tommy Pham’s return was welcome too, although he ruined it by promptly dislocating a finger. He missed a couple days and should be back in the regular lineup today or tomorrow. Adrian Beltre, Scott Schebler, and Jay Bruce were also activated.

Unfortunately, the injury bug bit deeply, taking down nine players. Villanueva and Trumbo may miss the rest of the season. If you were relying on them to win your league, you were already in trouble. Of greater consequence are the losses of Upton, Votto, Nimmo, Abreu, Gregorius, and Ozuna. A shoulder injury almost ensures Ozuna won’t have a chance to redeem himself with a torrid September. Even if he returns in short order, he probably won’t be completely healthy. Bour missed out on a chance for some designated hitter reps in Toronto. If George Springer isn’t in the lineup today, I suspect he’ll also be placed on the disabled list for a minimum stay. He’s been day-to-day with a quad injury for five days.

Power Spotlight

The Kansas City Royals lost the 2018 season before it even began. Usually, hopeless rebuilding ball clubs find a few diamonds in the rough simply because they have so much playing time available. This is how the Phillies discovered Odubel Herrera, a player who might not have become a major league regular without his fortuitous Rule 5 selection. The Braves turned up Johan Camargo. Every team exiting a long rebuild has similar success stories with untouted players.

The Royals have mostly failed in this regard. Veterans who might have rebounded performed poorly. Prospects have struggled. Alcides Escobar clings to the roster like a pernicious wart. Recently, the club decided to find some time for Ryan O’Hearn. The lefty was never a particularly well-regarded prospect. Scouting complements included phrases like “loft in his swing.” These were offset with comments about middling bat speed and contact issues.

All of those problems still appear to be present, although it hasn’t stopped O’Hearn from hitting six home runs in 61 plate appearances. Baseball is filled with players like Adam Duvall, Evan Gattis, and C.J. Cron who make a low average, low OBP, high power profile work just well enough to play every day. O’Hearn could be the latest player of this profile. Since he performed well during his first couple weeks in the majors, he’s going to get a good long look over the remainder of the season. The Royals will mostly face Quad-A quality opponents. Don’t be surprised if O’Hearn posts strong home run totals. Prepare for painful rate stats.

As an alternative, the Astros may have developed a right-handed Max Muncy clone. Tyler White mixes a high contact rate and well above average plate discipline. His patience does lead to a higher than expected strikeout rate – an area in which he could stand to improve. White has played fairly regularly since the start of August. He even hit cleanup on Wednesday and Friday. Houston seems to recognize his potential which bodes well for continued opportunities.

The Dark Knight Rises Again

Sunrise over Gotham City, it awakens knowing the Dark Knight is staying put.

Friday morning, Jon Heyman of Fancred reported that the Brewers were the mystery team that had claimed right-hander Matt Harvey off of revocable waivers from the Reds.

The two sides had until 1:30 PM on Friday afternoon to work out a deal, but ultimately, the two sides couldn’t find the common ground required to make it work.

Reds’ general manager Nick Krall confirmed to reporters on Friday that Harvey would be remaining with the team for the remainder of the season, explaining, "We made an organizational decision, and we couldn't come to an agreement that made sense for us… We felt that it made more sense to keep him and gain positive momentum for our club for the end of this season and heading into next season, and he's been a positive influence on that club, so that was our decision-making process."

While that sounds nice, it’s very surprising that they weren’t able to work out a deal and come away with something for the impending free agent. It’s especially so, when you consider the fact that any team acquiring him wouldn’t have to take on any salary at all, as the Mets already assumed the remainder of the $5.625 million owed to him for this season when he was dealt to the Reds in the deal for Devin Mesoraco.

The Dark Knight Rises

Harvey has been pitching very well with the Reds, and he didn’t let the trade talks impact his performance on the field on Friday. After it was clear that he was going to remain in Cincinnati, Harvey went out and dominated against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, racking up six strikeouts over 5 ⅓ innings of one-run ball.

While Harvey certainly would have helped to improve a Brewers’ rotation that is still trying to overcome the losses of Brent Suter and Jimmy Nelson, there are other fish in the sea. That’s assuming that they still want to keep their line in the water.

For now, they’ll continue to roll with veteran southpaw Wade Miley holding down the fifth and final spot in the starting rotation. He wasn’t great on Friday, and allowed a parade of baserunners, but was able to limit the Pirates to just two runs over his five innings, despite the 10 hits and a walk he gave up.

He’s probably their best in-house option at the moment to continue occupying that spot. Zach Davies is still trying to get himself straightened out in the minor leagues, but is expected to rejoin the Brewers in early September. Jordan Lyles has struggled out of the bullpen since coming over from the Rockies and there really aren’t any MLB-ready reinforcements ready to make the leap from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

I expect that Brewers’ general manager David Stearns and company will be working the phones furiously over the next couple of days in an effort to at least add one more worthwhile arm to the mix.

As for the Reds, perhaps they’ll consider trying to re-sign the 29-year-old Harvey as a free agent after the season, and will use these next six weeks as a way to continue selling him on their organization. Given the fact that he has revitalized his career there, it’s certainly in the realm of possibility.

Closing Time

Fantasy owners were dealt a major blow this week when one of baseball’s elite closers hit the disabled list. On Friday, we learned that Yankees’ left-hander Aroldis Chapman received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his ailing left knee and won’t even be re-evaluated for another two weeks.

The Yankees are still hopeful that he’ll be able to return in time to help them down the stretch, but that doesn’t appear to be a given at this stage.

In the meantime, there’s an opening at the back end of one of the finest bullpens in all of baseball, and where there’s opportunity, there are saves to be had, provided you speculate correctly.

The prevailing wisdom, prior to Friday at least, was that primary setup man Dellin Betances would assume the closer’s mantle. That still could be the case, but if we put any trust in what we saw in Friday’s battle against the Orioles, perhaps Yankees’ skipper Aaron Boone prefers to go in a different direction.

On Friday, after getting six strong innings from starter CC Sabathia in his return from the disabled list, Boone went with his preferred seventh-inning option, David Robertson, in what was then a 2-2 ballgame. He allowed a couple of unearned runs to score in the frame, then the Yankees struck back to re-tie the game with two of their own in the top half of the eighth.

It’s there, that the more telling decision was made. Boone then turned to Betances to come on with the score knotted up at 4-4 and the 4-5-6 hitters coming up for the Orioles. It’s possible that Boone just wanted to use his best reliever in the highest-leverage situation of the game, which is completely understandable. Perhaps he also though was trying to keep Betances in the eighth inning role that he has grown accustomed to and flourished in.

The score remained tied at 4-4 heading into the home half of the ninth inning. Now, most managers typically won’t turn to their closer in this situation, opting to wait for their team to take the lead first. So Boone giving the ball to Chad Green there doesn’t indicate anything, to me at least.

It’s what happened next that fantasy owners need to take note of. The Yankees struck for three runs on a pair of homers in the top half of the 10th inning, then with a lead to protect it was former Orioles’ closer Zach Britton that came on to lock down the save. He allowed a two-out homer to Chris Davis, but was able to convert the save chance, his first as a member of hte Yankees.

Could Boone have simply been throwing Britton a bone, given the fact that he was facing his former team in his old stomping grounds? Absolutely. But if I’m speculating on saves and need to throw my support behind one hurler in the Yankees’ bullpen to accrue saves while Chapman is sidelined, my money’s on Britton.

American League Quick Hits: Chris Sale (shoulder) has yet to resume his throwing program. With a runaway lead in the American League East, the Red Sox have no reason to rush their star southpaw back, so they’ll continue to take every possible precaution… Tommy Pham missed his third straight game with a dislocated ring finger on his right hand… The Rays were forced to place Mallex Smith on the 10-day disabled list with a viral infection. Smith had to be hospitalized on Friday, but the Rays believe his stay there will be brief…  Mark Trumbo is leaning toward undergoing season-ending surgery on his ailing right knee… Aaron Sanchez (finger) will return to the Blue Jays’ rotation on Saturday against the Phillies… Gary Sanchez (groin) began his minor league rehab assignment with the Gulf Coast League Yankees on Friday… Jesse Hahn underwent a successful procedure to have his right elbow repaired, but will not require Tommy John surgery… Bartolo Colon landed on the 10-day disabled list with a lower back strain. There’s a chance this could be the end of the line for the 45-year-old hurler… James Paxton (forearm) threw a successful bullpen session prior to Friday's game against the Diamondbacks. He’s expected to rejoin the rotation next weekend against the Athletics… Mike Leake (illness) will return to the Mariners' rotation on Sunday against the Diamondbacks…. George Springer missed his fourth straight game with his quad injury. He’s still considered day-to-day… Joey Gallo was forced to leave Friday’s game with an apparent ankle injury, but not before clubbing his 34th home run of the season… Kendrys Morales homered for the fifth straight game, powering the Blue Jays past the Phillies. He’s hitting .476 with six bombs and nine RBI in his last five games… Neil Walker crushed a go-ahead solo homer in the 10th inning against the Orioles… Luke Voit homered twice and drove in four runs to lead the Bombers in that win… J.D. Martinez went 3-for-5 and drove in his 110th run in a loss to the Rays… Willy Adames homered, stole a base and scored three times to lead the charge for the Rays… Matt Chapman clubbed a three-run homer, his 18th of the year, leading the A’s in a rout over the Twins… Yonder Alonso homered twice and drove in three runs as the Indians fell to the Royals.

Mike Trout made his long-awaited return to the Angels on Friday, going 2-for-3 with a triple and a walk… Marwin Gonzalez crushed a grand slam as the Astros blasted the Angels… Rougned Odor belted a game-tying two-run homer off of Giants’ closer Will Smith with two outs in the ninth inning on Friday, ultimately leading the Rangers to a come-from-behind victory… Ryan O’Hearn and Hunter Dozier slugged back-to-back home runs off of Indians’ closer Cody Allen, propelling the Royals to an improbable walk-off win…

National League Quick Hits: Giants vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean said in an interview on KNBR 680 AM in San Francisco on Thursday that Buster Posey's right hip surgery is "imminent" and the recovery time is "six-plus months."... Jason Heyward was held out of the Cubs’ lineup again on Friday as his left ankle continues to bother him… Reds’ general manager Nick Krall also confirmed Friday that Billy Hamilton will not be traded before the waiver deadline…The Diamondbacks signed Japanese right-hander Shumpei Yoshikawa to a minor league contract. He’s the first hurler to skip playing the in NPB entirely since Junichi Tazawa signed with the Red Sox in 2008… Jeff Samardzija experienced renewed soreness in his injured right shoulder after his rehab start with Double-A Richmond on Thursday…  Eugenio Suarez clubbed a game-tying solo homer of of Pedro Strop in the ninth inning on Friday, though the Reds went on to lose in the 10th… David Bote provided the game-winner, with a walk-off homer in the home half of the 10th inning… Daniel Murphy clubbed his first home run as a member of the Cubs in that win… Alec Mills struck out eight over 5 ⅔ innings of one-run ball in his first big league start...Jason Vargas struck out eight over six shutout innings in a victory over the Nationals… In his return from the disabled list, Jay Bruce blasted a two-run homer to power the Mets to victory… Dan Straily fired six scoreless innings in a victory over the Braves… Rich Hill racked up eight strikeouts over six shutout innings as the Dodgers defeated the Padres… Andrew McCutchen homered, singled, walked twice and stole two bases in Friday’s loss to the Rangers...Orlando Arcia delivered a walk-off RBI single in the 15th inning as the Brewers outlasted the Pirates in a wild game at Miller Park…. Prior to the game, the Brewers optioned struggling closer Corey Knebel to Triple-A Colorado Springs.