McCullers wing suffering

Lance McCullers' right arm has given plenty of opposing hitters trouble over the years.

It's also given him a lot of trouble.

McCullers was removed from his start Saturday against the Dodgers with right elbow discomfort, the latest in a line of injuries that have hampered the talented pitcher in recent seasons. McCullers had thrown four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out five, before being removed ahead of the start of the fifth inning.



He'll head back to Houston Sunday to be examined by team doctors, manager A.J. Hinch said. Speaking to media at his locker, McCullers said he's hopeful it's not serious but struck a tone of someone not convinced it will be.

"It's weird when you have an in-game injury and you're trying to evaluate on that day," McCullers told reporters after the game. "I'm hopeful that it's going to be good news, but I'll deal with it. Whatever's done is done, and I'm looking to help contribute to the team whenever that time comes again."

Injuries small and not-so-small are nothing new for the 24-year-old. McCullers had the start of his 2016 season delayed by right shoulder inflammation. Later that year, a right elbow sprain -- which, incidentally, was initially assessed as right elbow discomfort -- ended his season in August. Not confined to arm-related injuries, McCullers also missed several weeks last season with two separate DL stints for back discomfort.

The Astros, who haven't had a starter miss a turn yet this year due to injury, certainly got no sympathy from their opponent Saturday -- with Alex Wood's trip to the DL, all five of the Dodgers' starters have now spent time on the shelf this year -- but McCullers' fantasy owners are in a bad spot with the news. With only a few weeks left to go before fantasy playoffs, owners could be left scrambling to find a serviceable starter to fill McCullers' shoes if he is indeed out for any extended period.

And while the Astros have no shortage of terrific pitchers in their major league rotation, how they fill McCullers' shoes is a question with no obvious answer, too. Their Triple-A Fresno roster lacks any household names; Brad Peacock, who relieved McCullers on Saturday, has starting experience but isn't stretched out, having pitched one inning or fewer in his previous nine appearances before being pressed into duty Saturday. The true answer may lie outside the organization, as the non-waiver trade deadline has passed but plenty of options could still be available after passing through waivers.

All those questions are on hold for the moment, though. For now, we wait.

Scioscia To Step Down After 2018

Angels manager Mike Scioscia is presently the longest-tenured manager in the majors.

That tenure may be coming to a close.

Scioscia declined comment Saturday, but sources told The Athletic' Ken Rosenthal that the veteran manager, who's been at the helm of the Angels since the outset of the 2000 season, will step down from his post at the end of the season. Angels general manager Billy Eppler also declined to comment for Rosenthal's piece.

Reached by text later Saturday, Scioscia told ESPN's Alden Gonzalez, "Nothing has changed since I spoke on this last October. I am focused on this year and will talk to Arte (Moreno), John (Carpino) and Billy (Eppler) after the season."

The timing makes sense, with Scioscia's 10-year contract expiring at the end of the 2018 season and no new deal in place. It also makes sense from an on-field product, as the Angels have fallen behind in an increasingly competitive AL West. Scioscia's Angels last went to the postseason in 2014 and last won a playoff game in 2009.

If Scioscia does walk away, it will be as the author of more than 1,625 wins and a world championship in 2002. He's currently 18th on the all-time wins list for managers.

Harper (Knee) Questionable for Sunday

Bryce Harper was down, then up, then out Saturday, but he could be back in as early as Sunday.

The outfielder was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning of their nightcap against the Reds, briefly going down in pain before taking his base, and after he seemed pained chasing down a Mason Williams double in the top half of the seventh inning he was pulled for Adam Eaton. Harper said after the game that his right knee, where he was hit by an Austin Brice breaking ball, was sore but that it wasn't an overly worrisome situation.

"I was just in pain," Harper said. "There was no point in being out there."

Harper was noncommittal on his possible availability for Sunday's series finale. Fantasy owners will want to check in before keeping him out or inserting him into their Sunday lineups.

National League Quick Hits: Buster Posey (head) passed his concussion test and was cleared to start at first base Sunday. Posey won't return to his usual post behind the plate just yet, but it's still very positive news that he'll be back on the field after leaving Friday's game and sitting out Saturday. He appears to have dodged a bullet this time ... Padres placed OF Wil Myers on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to August 3, with a left foot contusion. Myers was set to miss his second straight game on Saturday after fouling a ball off of his foot on Thursday, so the Padres thought it best to just sit him down for a few days and let the injury heal rather than rushing him back and risking further aggravation. He expressed optimism he'll miss just the minimum 10 days before returning ... Dodgers placed LHP Alex Wood on the 10-day disabled list with left adductor tendinitis. Wood was said to have left Friday night's start against the Astros due to a tight left hamstring, but the Dodgers on Saturday termed it an adductor injury. Either way, he'll be out for at least the next 10 days, the first time he's been on the DL this year. The southpaw has a 3.58 ERA through 22 starts this year. Ross Stripling will take his spot in the starting rotation for at least the near term ... Zack Wheeler struck out nine batters while firing seven scoreless innings to earn a win against the Braves on Saturday. The excellent outing evens his record at 6-6 with a 3.89 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 21 starts ... Andrew McCutchen went 5-for-5 with a homer and two RBI, but the Giants fell to the Diamondbacks on Saturday. It's the second time that McCutchen has picked up five or more hits in a game, as he had a six-hit affair against the Dodgers on April 7 ... Giants optioned RHP Chris Stratton to Triple-A Sacramento. It's been a long, hard fall for the right-hander, who owned a 2.32 ERA after his first five starts of the year. After a beatdown at the hands of the Diamondbacks on Friday, his ERA sits at 5.52.

American League Quick Hits: Mike Trout (wrist) sat out a third straight game Saturday and told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register he "felt it pretty good" when he tried to swing a bat before Saturday's game. "It’s obviously frustrating," Trout said. "You don't want to be sitting on the bench watching your team out there... I’ve got to take care of it." He remains day to day, for now ... Nathan Eovaldi put up zeroes for eight innings Saturday, leading the Red Sox to a 4-1 win over the Yankees. It's early, but the best trade of the deadline is shaping up to be the one that brought Eovaldi to the Red Sox. Through two starts, he's now fired 15 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and a walk while striking out nine ... the Rangers signed free agent starter Drew Hutchison to a one-year contract. The Rangers aren't going anywhere fast in 2018 and could give the right-hander an extended look in the starting rotation down the stretch, beginning Sunday when he's expected to start against the Orioles ... Angels placed LHP Tyler Skaggs on the 10-day disabled list with a left adductor strain. Skaggs relayed to reporters that he was "frustrated" with the injury -- which he said he sustained during his last start -- and that he expects to miss the minimum ... Rangers placed OF Delino DeShields on the 7-day concussion disabled list. DeShields was a late scratch Friday for a headache, so this isn't completely out of the blue. He suffered a minor head injury in mid-July when he hit his head on the ground during a play in the outfield, so it's not a promising development that he's now feeling symptoms of that ...Rougned Odor homered in his third consecutive game Saturday as the Rangers bested the Orioles 3-1. Few are hotter than Odor right now, with Saturday's homer giving him three homers, eight RBI and six runs scored in his last three contests ... Joey Gallo hit a two-run home run Saturday, also his third in as many games, in the win ... Khris Davis hit his 30th homer of the season, the third consecutive year he's hit the 30-homer plateau. Of course, in each of the past two years he's gotten to 40 as well ... Dee Gordon (ankle) was not in the Mariners' lineup for Saturday's game against the Blue Jays. Gordon played Friday night but told reporters after the game that his ankle was still pretty sore. He should be back in there Sunday ... Corey Kluber threw a complete game three-hit shutout to help the Indians defeat the Angels 3-0 on Saturday. The Kluber struggles -- if you want to call them struggles -- appear to be over.

Rick's Slick

Since the middle of June, Rick Porcello has been in the habit of alternating good and bad starts each time that he takes the hill. Given that he struggled against the Twins his last time out, if he followed the trend he was going to have a nice outing against the Yankees on Friday.

That he did. In style too.

The 29-year-old hurler delivered perhaps his finest start of the season, allowing one run on just one hit over nine masterful innings. The lone blemish on his day was a solo home run off the bat of rookie third baseman Miguel Andujar in the third inning.

The only other Yankees’ batter to reach against him was Brett Gardner, who was hit with an 0-2 pitch to lead off the game, and he was erased on a double play. He retired the final 21 batters that he faced in succession.

Porcello also matched his season-high with nine strikeouts in the contest. It’s the fifth time that he has struck out nine batters in a game this season, one during each month of the season.

What’s really impressive though, it that he required only 86 pitches to complete his gem. That’s the fewest pitches needed in a nine-inning complete game since Corey Kluber threw one on 85 pitches during the 2014 season.

Porcello threw 68 of his 86 pitches for strikes, including first-pitch strikes to 23 out of the 28 batters he faced.

He became the first Red Sox’ hurler to allow zero or one hit in a nine-inning complete game against their hated rival since Pedro Martinez accomplished the feat in September of 1999. That’s the infamous Chili Davis game where Martinez allowed just a solo home run to the veteran slugger and nothing more while striking out a jaw-dropping 17 hitters.

Porcello worked so efficiently in this one, that the game only took 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete. That’s the shortest duration of any game between the Yankees and Red Sox since May 16 of 1994.

With the victory, the former American League Cy Young Award winner improves to 14-4 on the season to go along with a 3.84 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 135/33 K/BB ratio across 140 ⅔ innings in his 23 starts.

For the Red Sox, the win moves them 7 ½ games ahead of the reeling Bombers in the race for the crown in the American League East.

Oh My, Ohtani!

After an extremely impressive start to the season, Shohei Ohtani has fallen on hard times. He hasn’t made an appearance as a pitcher since June 6 due to elbow issues, and he may not make it back to the hill before the end of the season.

He has also been scuffling at the plate. Entering play on Friday, he had hit just .200 with three homers and a 24/5 K/BB ratio in 65 at-bats since returning from the disabled list.

Friday was a big step in the right direction for getting him back on track.

The two-way star delivered the finest offensive game of his career, leading the Angels to victory over the Indians. Ohtani got the Angels on the board first, crushing a two-run homer off of Indians’ starter Mike Clevinger in the first inning. It was the first home run that Ohtani has hit on the road in his big league career.

He wasn’t finished though. He victimized Clevinger again in his next at-bat, this time for a solo shot in the third inning that tied the score at 3-3. That one was crushed 443 feet to right field. The Halos wouldn’t trail again the rest of the game. It was the first multi-homer game of the 24-year-old’s career.

If a pair of home runs weren’t enough, Ohtani tacked on singles in the eighth and ninth innings, finishing the evening 4-for-5 with three runs scored. He also put his blazing speed on full display, deftly swiping his third base of the season in the eighth inning.

With the career-high four hits, Ohtani raised his season slash to .272/.343/.533 to go along with 11 homers, 28 RBI and three stolen bases.

With the two homers, Ohtani joins Babe Ruth as the only other player since 1900 to have double digit home runs and multiple wins in the same season. Ruth accomplished the feat three times (1918, 1919, 1921).

He also became the first player in the big leagues this season to tally four hits, two homers and a stolen base in the same ballgame.

Verlander Stymies Dodgers

Justin Verlander’s magnificent 2018 campaign continued rolling along on Friday as the right-hander delivered an absolutely dominant performance in a victory over the Dodgers.

The right-hander matched his career-high with 14 strikeouts over 7 ⅔  innings of one-run baseball, allowing just four hits and a walk along the way.

The only blemish on his night came on the very first batter of the game, where Joc Pederson clubbed a solo home run to right field. After that, Verlander took over. He pounded the strike zone, throwing 76 of his 105 pitches for strikes. No other Dodgers’ hitter would advance past first base against him in the ballgame.

The victory was his 11th on the season and the 199th of his career. He also eclipsed the 200-strikeout plateau for the eighth time in his career.

At this point, he looks to be neck and neck with Red Sox’ ace Chris Sale in the race for the American League Cy Young Award. Verlander boasts a 2.19 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 204/28 K/BB ratio across 156 ⅓ innings in his 24 starts.

American League Quick Hits: Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Yankees plan to call up Chance Adams to make his major league debut Saturday in Boston… Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Thursday that Jonathan Villar could see some starts at shortstop in addition to playing regularly at second base… Rays placed OF Tommy Pham on the 10-day disabled list with a fractured right foot.. The Rays are hopeful that he’ll be able to return in less than a month… Xander Bogaerts (hand) remained out of the Red Sox lineup on Friday, but should return at some point over the weekend… Mike Trout missed his second straight start with a jammed right wrist. He’s optimistic that he’ll be able to return on Saturday… Delino DeShields was scratched from the Rangers’ lineup on Friday due to a headache… Chris Young has been diagnosed with labral tears in both of his hips and will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2018 season… Yan Gomes was pulled from Friday's contest against the Angels as a precautionary measure due to discomfort in his right knee… Ian Kinsler will be placed on the disabled list on Saturday with a hamstring injury. Tony Renda will be recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday to take his place… Steve Pearce followed up his three-homer game on Thursday with a solo shot on Saturday as the Red Sox topped the Yankees… Yoan Moncada delivered a go-ahead RBI double in the 10th inning to lead the White Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Rays… Rougned Odor belted a grand slam in a rout of the Orioles… Ryan Borucki earned his first big league win, allowing just an unearned run over eight stellar innings against the Mariners… Blaine Hardy allowed just one hit over seven shutout innings in a no-decision against the Athletics… Ramon Laureano came through with a walk-off RBI single in the 13th inning of his big league debut, leading the A’s to victory over the Tigers… Brett Anderson fired seven scoreless innings in a no-decision there as well…

National League Quick Hits: Friday’s game between the Reds and Nationals was postponed due to rain. It’ll be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Saturday… Dexter Fowler is heading to the disabled list after suffering a fractured left foot on Friday… Jung Ho Kang will be sidelined for the next 4-6 weeks after having a debridement procedure on his left wrist Friday… Steven Matz landed on the 10-day disabled list with a minor flexor pronator strain in his left arm… Reds pitching prospect Hunter Greene has been diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He’ll miss the remainder of the 2018 season… The Diamondbacks optioned the struggling Chris Owings to Triple-A Reno… Marlins’ skipper Don Mattingly gave Kyle Barraclough a vote of confidence, stating that the right-hander will remain the club’s closer… Adam Wainwright (elbow) could begin a rehab assignment with High-A Palm Beach next week… Luke Gregerson will visit Dr. James Andrews next week to get a second opinion on his ailing right shoulder….Tony Cingrani received a cortisone injection in his ailing left shoulder on Friday…  Buster Posey was removed from Friday's game against the Diamondbacks after taking a foul tip off of his catcher's mask. He’s being monitored for a possible concussion… Christian Villanueva clubbed his 20th homer in a losing effort against the Cubs… Javier Baez reached three times and blasted his 23rd homer as the Cubs topped the Padres… Jacob deGrom suffered another tough-luck loss, striking out nine over eight innings of two-run ball over eight innings. He also drove in the Mets’ lone run on the other side of the ball… Anibal Sanchez racked up a season-high nine strikeouts over six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Mets. He now boasts a 2.89 ERA and 83/26 K/BB ratio in 84 innings on the year… Vince Velasquez fanned seven over 6 ⅓ shutout innings in a win over the Marlins… Matt Carpenter slugged another leadoff homer in a loss to the Pirates… Chris Archer was knocked around for five runs (four earned) on seven hits and four walks in only 4 ⅓ innings… Eric Thames clubbed a walk-off three-run homer off of Rockies’ closer Wade Davis to lead the Brewers to victory… Paul Goldschmidt crushed his 24th homer in a win over the Giants.

Let's look at the kids

Let's continue our look at the most skilled young players in the game by moving on to hitters.

These bats have been the most skilled young hitters:

60+ BPV, Age 28 or Under

Name                Age  Lg  Position     bb%  ct%  Eye   PX   HctX  xPX   Spd  BPV
==================  ===  ==  ===========  ===  ===  ====  ===  ====  ====  ===  ===
Betts, Mookie        25  AL           RF  12%  85%  0.96  164   148   161  140  140
Ramirez, Jose        25  AL        3B/2B  14%  87%  1.33  162   134   144  101  139
Trout, Mike          26  AL        CF/DH  21%  74%  1.04  176   128   154  110  114
Bregman, Alex        24  AL        3B/SS  13%  86%  1.09  136   131   157   95  109
Machado, Manny       25  NL        3B/SS  11%  85%  0.82  129   116   114  111  100
Soto, Juan           19  NL           LF  16%  78%  0.84  151   110   117  105   97
Pederson, Joc        26  NL           CF  10%  82%  0.62  148   136   146   96   96
Lindor, Francisco    24  AL           SS  10%  82%  0.61  154   135   145   79   96
Arenado, Nolan       27  NL           3B  12%  80%  0.68  154   131   136   92   95
Muncy, Max           27  NL     1B/3B/2B  18%  71%  0.74  187   120   176   72   91
Simmons, Andrelton   28  AL           SS   7%  95%  1.56   66   133    76  125   87
Suarez, Eugenio      26  NL           3B  11%  75%  0.52  160   151   170   98   83
Flores, Wilmer       26  NL        3B/1B   8%  90%  0.96   98   122   123   79   82
Rendon, Anthony      28  NL           3B   9%  82%  0.57  132   123   120   85   80
Bogaerts, Xander     25  AL           SS   8%  79%  0.43  145   117   102   95   79
Marte, Ketel         24  NL        2B/SS   9%  86%  0.68   90   116    83  149   79
Gregorius, Didi      28  AL           SS   8%  85%  0.62  111   115    99   99   78
Benintendi, Andrew   23  AL           LF  12%  80%  0.72  122    89    93  109   78
Polanco, Gregory     26  NL           RF  12%  73%  0.54  155   102   131  109   77
Albies, Ozzie        21  NL           2B   4%  82%  0.25  130   118   116  118   77
Verdugo, Alex        22  NL           LF   9%  86%  0.71  102   141   106  102   76
Baez, Javier         25  NL     2B/SS/3B   4%  74%  0.14  157   107   118  150   74
Profar, Jurickson    25  AL        SS/3B   9%  85%  0.65  105   104    86  102   73
Hicks, Aaron         28  AL           CF  13%  77%  0.68  127   125   148  106   70
Realmuto, Jacob      27  NL            C   5%  79%  0.27  132   123   110  116   70
Franco, Maikel       25  NL           3B   6%  85%  0.47  108    89    95   91   70
Freeman, Freddie     28  NL           1B  12%  79%  0.65  126   132   131   84   69
Aguilar, Jesus       27  NL           1B  11%  70%  0.40  191   116   173   47   69
Hanson, Alen         25  NL  2B/3B/SS/RF   4%  81%  0.24  118    89    78  128   69
Story, Trevor        25  NL           SS   8%  72%  0.32  157   127   158  125   69
Shaw, Travis         28  NL           3B  13%  81%  0.79  123   117   121   62   68
Panik, Joe           27  NL           2B   8%  94%  1.38   52   106    65  114   68
Kepler, Max          25  AL           RF  11%  82%  0.70  105   121   123  104   67
Andujar, Miguel      23  AL           3B   4%  82%  0.25  123   115    93   99   66
Bauers, Jake         22  AL        1B/LF  13%  72%  0.53  151   121   135   93   66
Rosario, Eddie       26  AL           LF   6%  81%  0.35  117   114   130  109   65
Altuve, Jose         28  AL           2B   9%  86%  0.75   77   116   107  121   64
Hoskins, Rhys        25  NL        LF/1B  14%  71%  0.56  157    94   143   83   63
Kemp, Tony           26  AL           LF  13%  87%  1.24   70    92    59   97   62
Bellinger, Cody      22  NL        1B/LF  11%  72%  0.43  136   104   140  137   62
Myers, Wil           27  NL        1B/LF   7%  70%  0.24  171   142   167   91   60

 *min 50 AB

Piercing Attack

Steve Pearce

Not leaving anything to chance, the AL-East-leading Red Sox made a splash at this year’s trade deadline, acquiring Gold Glover Ian Kinsler to sure up second base while also adding flamethrower Nathan Eovaldi to bolster the team’s starting rotation. But a month before either of those trades took place, the Red Sox added a platoon partner for Mitch Moreland at first base by poaching veteran Steve Pearce from the division-rival Blue Jays.

At the time, not much was made of the Pearce addition. But on Thursday night, the 35-year-old gave a performance for the ages, lifting the Red Sox to a series-opening 15-7 victory over the visiting Yankees on the strength of three home runs and six RBI.

Early on, it looked like the Yankees had the Red Sox right where they wanted them. Didi Gregorius staked the Bombers to a 3-0 advantage by swatting a home run into the right-field bullpen (his first of two long balls on the night) while Aaron Hicks added another tater to stretch New York’s lead to four. CC Sabathia, who has owned the Red Sox in recent years, labored through three ineffective innings before getting the hook from first-year manager Aaron Boone. Sabathia took a line drive off his leg in the third inning, which may have been a factor in Boone’s decision.

Jonathan Holder has emerged as a legitimate force in the Yankees’ bullpen this year but the 25-year-old ran into a buzz-saw Thursday night. Pitching in relief of Sabathia, the right-hander faced seven hitters in the fourth inning without recording a single out. Holder completely self-destructed, allowing five hits including four for extra bases. The back-breaker was Pearce’s three-run missile to left field, which gave the Red Sox their first lead of the night. Holder seemed oblivious to Boston’s base-runners, allowing steals to Andrew Benintendi and Ian Kinsler. He also botched a fielder’s choice, allowing Jackie Bradley to score from third base, though it took an impossible slide for him to elude Austin Romine’s tag at home plate. In total, the Red Sox sent 13 men to the plate as part of an eight-run fourth inning. The half-inning took 31 minutes to complete as three Yankees (including Luis Cessa, who was scheduled to start Saturday’s game) combined to throw an exhausting 43 pitches.

The game was already well in hand by the time Pearce clobbered his third round-tripper of the evening, a majestic blast over the Green Monster in left field. The veteran came to the dish with a chance for his fourth home run of the night (which would have tied a major league record), but instead drew a one-out walk to load the bases in the eighth inning. Pearce, who has now played for every team in the AL East including his opponent Thursday night, has been a man possessed since arriving in Bean-town. He’s hit a blistering .358 over 53 at-bats for his new club. With first-time All-Star Mitch Moreland beginning to fade (4-for-28 with eight strikeouts in the second half), Pearce may be ready to shed his platoon status and become a regular in Boston’s starting nine. Whether he plays enough to warrant fantasy attention remains to be seen, but after watching him erupt for three homers on Thursday night, it’s clear that Pearce has a chance to be a big contributor down the stretch.

Pearce was the headliner on Thursday but his teammates were also busy with the bats, including Mookie Betts, who went 4-for-4 with three singles, a double and a stolen base while reaching in all six of his plate appearances. Mookie’s four-hit outburst raised his season average to .346, which leads the major leagues. The top-five hitters in Boston’s order—that includes Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Pearce, J.D. Martinez and newcomer Ian Kinsler—combined to go 16-for-26 (.615) with five doubles, three homers and 13 RBI in Thursday’s slugfest.

It seems ridiculous to suggest the Yankees, a team on pace for over 100 victories, have entered must-win territory. But with the prospect of a one-game Wild Card against the sizzling-hot A’s staring them in the face, the Bombers have to be thinking now or never. The Yankees have essentially played .500 ball over the past month (16-14 in their last 30 games), which probably won’t cut it with Boston steamrolling their opponents on a near-nightly basis. If the Yankees don’t at least split the weekend series at Fenway, they can probably kiss the division goodbye.

New York’s resiliency has been tested all year, but now the obstacles are really piling up. Aaron Judge, who has hit a monstrous .455 against the Red Sox this year, is still two weeks away from returning from a fractured wrist while Gary Sanchez, who has tormented David Price throughout his Yankees tenure, remains on the shelf with a strained groin. Yankees fans probably had a good chuckle at the Mets’ expense when Noah Syndergaard landed on the DL with hand, foot, mouth disease but now the tables have turned—left-hander J.A. Happ is battling the same illness. And just when it looked like Sonny Gray had it all figured out, the right-hander unraveled Wednesday in an ugly loss to Baltimore, allowing eight hits and seven runs over 2 2/3 lackluster innings. Thursday Boone announced that Gray will shift to the bullpen with Lance Lynn, who the Bombers acquired from Minnesota earlier this week, will occupy his spot in the starting rotation. On top of all those concerns, staff ace Luis Severino has face-planted to a brutal 8.84 ERA over his last four starts.

The Yankees face a light schedule this month with upcoming series against the White Sox, Rangers, Marlins and Orioles. Beating up on inferior competition could be a way for New York to close the gap in the AL East, but if the surging Red Sox continue their historic pace, it might not matter.

AL Quick Hits: Tommy Pham left Thursday’s game against the Angels after taking a pitch off his right foot. Fortunately, his X-rays came back negative. The Rays outfielder was acquired in a trade with St. Louis earlier this week … Blake Snell will return to the mound Saturday against the White Sox after missing time with a shoulder injury. Along with recent trade acquisition Tyler Glasnow, Snell is one of just two starting pitchers on the Rays’ major league roster … Xander Bogaerts was held out Thursday against the Yankees. The Red Sox shortstop suffered a hand contusion when he was bit by a pitch Tuesday night. He was available off the bench Thursday night and could return to the starting lineup as soon as Friday … Mike Trout sat out Thursday’s matinee against Tampa Bay with a jammed right wrist, though his X-rays and MRI results both came back negative. The Halos are calling him day-to-day … Chris Sale was sent to the DL with left shoulder inflammation earlier this week but is slated to return Wednesday against the Blue Jays. The Red Sox ace has cruised to a dominant 0.69 ERA over his eight-start unbeaten streak … Tyler Clippard started Thursday against Seattle, though he only logged an inning in what the Blue Jays billed as a “bullpen game.” It was the veteran’s first major league start in over 10 years … Thursday Rougned Odor became the fourth player in major league history to record five walks and a home run in the same game. The others were Hank Aaron, Edgar Martinez and Mark McGwire … Chris Tillman inked a minor league deal with Texas on Thursday following his release from Baltimore. He’ll begin his Rangers tenure with Triple-A Round Rock … Dee Gordon exited Thursday’s game after turning his ankle on a play at second base. He went 1-for-3 with a single and a stolen base before his departure.

NL Quick Hits: Marcell Ozuna bowed out of Thursday’s action due to left toe discomfort. However, he expects to return to the Cardinals’ starting nine on Friday after having a corn removed from his foot … Jose Martinez slugged a walk-off single Thursday in the Cardinals’ come-from-behind victory over Colorado. Rockies closer Wade Davis was charged with his fifth blown save in Thursday’s defeat … Maikel Franco launched a walk-off homer Thursday against the Marlins and punctuated his blast with a righteous bat flip. The game-winner extended his hitting streak to five games … Wil Myers exited Thursday’s game against the Cubs with a left foot contusion. X-rays were negative, though the Padres outfielder left the stadium in a walking boot and is scheduled to undergo both an MRI and a CT scan … Justin Turner, who had been on the disabled list with a strained groin, returned to the Dodgers’ lineup Thursday against the Brewers. He went 1-for-2 with a homer and three runs scored as L.A. cruised to a stress-free 21-5 victory … Johnny Cueto underwent successful Tommy John surgery on Thursday. The operation was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. Assuming the normal recovery time, there’s a good chance we won’t see Cueto back on a big-league mound until 2020 … Pablo Sandoval will head for season-ending surgery after an MRI revealed a “significant” tear in his right hamstring. The Giants third baseman hit .248 with nine homers over 230 at-bats this season … Hunter Strickland threw 20 pitches to live hitters Thursday at the Giants’ spring training facility in Scottsdale. The Giants reliever has been out with a broken hand since mid-June but expects to return from the disabled list when first eligible on August 19 … Jake Lamb has opted for surgery to repair a “fraying” left rotator cuff. The surgery will sideline Lamb for the remainder of 2018, though the D’Backs third baseman should be ready for the start of spring training … David Peralta was back in Arizona’s starting lineup Thursday after missing the previous two games with left shoulder tightness. He returned in style, notching four hits in a loss to San Francisco … Todd Frazier returned from the DL Thursday and went 0-for-4 in a loss to Atlanta. It took the 32-year-old a little less than a month to recover from a left rib cage strain … Steven Matz has been diagnosed with a mild flexor-pronator strain. The left-hander will likely need a stint on the disabled list, though the Mets have yet to make a roster move … Remember Rick Ankiel? Well apparently the 39-year-old is considering a comeback. The former Cardinal wants to give pitching another shot despite spending the latter part of his career as an outfielder.  

Ankiel

Old Style Rivalries

The Red Sox and Yankees kick off a pivotal four-game series in Fenway Park on Thursday. Before diving into the broader historical context, compelling narratives to watch and wide-ranging playoff implications, let’s take a brief look at the projected pitching matchups.

Thursday: C.C. Sabathia (6-4, 3.53 ERA) vs. Brian Johnson (1-3, 3.45 ERA)
Friday: Luis Severino (14-4, 2.94 ERA) vs. Rick Porcello (13-4, 4.03 ERA)
Saturday: J.A. Happ (11-6, 4.05 ERA) vs. Nathan Eovaldi (4-4, 3.80 ERA)
Sunday: Masahiro Tanaka (9-2, 3.84 ERA) vs. David Price (11-6, 3.97 ERA)

Here’s an oversimplification: The battle for American League East supremacy features a collision between a pair of well-funded, monolithic institutions. The irresistible David versus Goliath relationship, which energized fans on both sides of the rivalry for decades leading up to a climactic 2004 campaign, is long-gone. The intensity and emotion between the two teams has evaporated since the halcyon days of Jason Varitek and Alex Rodriguez scuffling at home plate. Iconic personalities and transcendent, generational talents like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz are mere memories. Nearly fifteen years later, this clash at its core is a Goliath versus Goliath slugfest. Per Baseball-Reference, the two franchises have spent nearly $450 million ($438.8 million to be exact) on player salaries this season. That extreme financial advantage manifests itself in the sheer quantity of talent spread across their entire major-league rosters. There are very few weaknesses in the traditional sense of the word in either clubhouse.

That’s not to say that these teams are devoid of upper-echelon, elite talent. That’s hardly the case. Aaron Judge, who will miss this series due to a fractured wrist, and Mookie Betts are young, franchise cornerstones and perennial MVP candidates. The infusion of veteran, middle-of-the-order sluggers like J.D. Martinez and Giancarlo Stanton adds additional fuel to the fire. Let’s also not forget about youngsters Andrew Benintendi and Gleyber Torres, who are on the precipice of evolving into full-fledged stars. The staggering amount of talent up and down these two rosters is what makes this such an intriguing matchup.  

It’s the first time in years the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry has legitimate buzz, real stakes and massive playoff ramifications. The Yankees (68-38) trail the Red Sox (75-34) by 5 1/2 games and hold a six-game lead over the Mariners and Athletics in the Wild Card race. If the Yankees are going to push the Red Sox for the division crown, it has to start with a strong showing this weekend because these two teams will not meet again until September 18.

From a pure fantasy standpoint, the overwhelming majority of performances to focus on in this series are on the pitching side of the ledger. Boston finds itself in a vulnerable position without their ace Chris Sale, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation Tuesday. The southpaw is only expected to miss one start, but it means that the Red Sox will have to rely on untested rotation arms like Johnson and Eovaldi. It also places additional pressure on Price in the series finale on Sunday night. The mercurial lefty was lit up for eight runs on five homers in the Bronx on July 1.

New York has some question marks of their own besides Sonny Gray, who was lit up yet again on Wednesday. The magnifying glass will be trained on Severino, who owns a disastrous 8.84 ERA over his last four starts dating back to July 7. The 24-year-old possesses an electric fastball/slider combo, but he’s been hit hard in recent weeks, giving up seven home runs over 19 1/3 innings during that span. If his struggles against weaker competition are a harbinger, New York could be in trouble. It’s worth noting that Tanaka is enjoying one of the best runs of his career. He hasn’t allowed a run in 15 innings, while racking up 17 strikeouts in two starts since the All-Star break. Unless we hop in a time machine, we can never go back to the fever-pitch level of intensity we witnessed in 2004. However, this weekend’s Red Sox-Yankees series has plenty of potential.

Johnny Cueto To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

The Giants announced that Johnny Cueto will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery on Thursday to repair an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his right elbow. The 32-year-old righty was attempting to pitch through a UCL injury, but posted an ugly 6.86 ERA, 1.76 WHIP and a 12/7 K/BB ratio in four starts since returning from the disabled list on July 5. Not only will he miss the remainder of the 2018 campaign, but given the timing of the surgery, he may not be able to pitch again until 2020. He's signed through 2021, with a club option for the 2022 season.

Obviously, it’s a massive blow to the Giants’ rotation and fantasy owners that invested a mid-round pick on Cueto as a potential bounce-back candidate this spring. San Francisco has been crippled by injuries to their rotation this year. Madison Bumgarner missed the first nine weeks of the season with a fractured left pinkie finger and has been limited to 10 starts. Jeff Samardzija has made just 10 starts due to injury and was placed back on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation on July 15. 31-year-old southpaw Derek Holland has been a pleasant surprise as a reclamation project, compiling a 3.90 ERA over 24 appearances (20 starts). The lone bright spot for the Giants pitching staff, besides lights-out closer Will Smith, has been rookie sensation Dereck Rodriguez. The 26-year-old righty owns a 2.59 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and a 54/18 K/BB ratio over 12 appearances (10 starts) this season.   

American League Quick Hits: There was no resolution in Roberto Osuna's domestic assault case during a Wednesday hearing in Toronto. His next court date is scheduled for September 5. Osuna was traded to the Astros Monday and is eligible to be activated from his 75-game domestic violence suspension Sunday. … Carlos Correa (back) will play seven innings at shortstop in his rehab debut Thursday at Double-A Corpus Christi. … Jose Altuve (knee) is expected to begin running and hitting on Friday. … George Springer (shoulder) was held out of the Astros’ lineup on Wednesday and is considered day-to-day. ... Xander Bogaerts is likely to miss Thursday's series opener against the Yankees with soreness in his right wrist. ... Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he is “optimistic” about J.A. Happ being able to start against the Red Sox on Saturday. He was diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease earlier this week. … Boone also told reporters that he won't rule out removing Sonny Gray, who was lit up for seven runs in a loss to the Orioles on Wednesday, from the rotation ... Gleyber Torres went 2-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBI in that loss. ... Carlos Carrasco struck out 10 batters and fired 7 1/3 shutout innings Wednesday in the Indians’ win over the Twins. ... Brad Hand recorded the final five outs to pick up his 26th save and preserve that victory. ... Nelson Cruz connected for his 26th home run of the season in a loss to the Astros. ... Marcus Stroman was roughed up for seven runs across five-plus innings of work in a loss to the Athletics. ...Tyler Glasnow struck out five batters, issued one walk and allowed one run over three innings in his Rays debut. ...Tommy Pham started in left field and batted cleanup in his Rays debut. ... Jake Bauers went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a pair of walks in the Rays win over the Angels. ... Mallex Smith stole a pair of bases in that contest. He’s up to 20 thefts on the year. ... Alex Gordon went 2-for-4 with a dinger and four RBI in the Royals lopsided win over the White Sox. ... Yoan Moncada hit his 14th homer in that loss. ... Mike Fiers was removed from his start Wednesday versus the Reds due to a left shin contusion. ... Shane Greene worked a scoreless ninth inning for his 23rd save Wednesday in Detroit’s win over the Reds. ... Kyle Seager (paternity leave) will return to the Mariners’ lineup for Thursday's series opener against the Blue Jays. ... Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that Robinson Cano has been working out at first and third base in the Dominican Republic. He's eligible to be activated from his 80-game suspension on August 14. ... Blake Snell threw a successful bullpen session on Wednesday. ... Byron Buxton was placed on the minor-league disabled list with a strained left wrist. ... The Astros optioned Kyle Tucker to Triple-A Fresno...The Athletics optioned Dustin Fowler to Triple-A Nashville. ... The Rays designated Adeiny Hechavarria for assignment ... The Mariners signed Mark Rzepczynski to a minor-league contract.

National League Quick Hits: Chris Archer will make his Pirates debut on Friday night at PNC Park against the Cardinals. ... Kevin Gausman is expected to make his Braves debut against the Mets on Saturday. … Yu Darvish told reporters that he "felt good" after his bullpen session Wednesday. ... DJ LeMahieu faced live pitching on Wednesday and expects to be activated before Thursday's game against the Cardinals. ... Justin Turner (groin) will be activated from the disabled list Thursday. ... Brian Dozier went 3-for-4 with a solo home run in his Dodgers debut Wednesday. He batted fifth and played second base. … Lorenzo Cain went 3-for-4 and finished a homer shy of the cycle in the Brewers loss to the Dodgers. ... Jonathan Schoop batted fourth and played second base, going 0-for-5 at the plate in his Brewers debut. ... Noah Syndergaard gave up three runs over seven innings against the Nationals in his return from a brief stint on the 10-day disabled list with hand, foot and mouth disease. ... Anthony Rendon clubbed his 16th homer in the Nationals win over the Mets. … Trea Turner stole a pair of bases in that win. He leads the majors with 28 thefts this season. ... Willson Contreras went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBI in the Cubs victory over the Pirates. ... Cole Hamels struck out nine batters over five innings in his Cubs debut. … Ross Stripling (toe) expects to be activated from the disabled list to start against the Rockies next week. … Kolten Wong will make a rehab start on Thursday for Low-A Peoria. ... Corey Dickerson (hamstring) is hoping to return from the disabled list on Saturday against the Cardinals. ... Yoenis Cespedes will undergo surgery to remove calcification from his right heel on Thursday. He’s expected to miss the next 8-10 months. ... Brent Suter underwent Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow on Tuesday. … Steven Matz will have his left forearm examined on Wednesday or Thursday. ... J.P. Crawford (hand) has shifted his minor league rehab assignment to High-A Clearwater. ... Jay Bruce (hip) resumed swinging a bat on Wednesday. ... Todd Frazier (ribs) went 1-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in a minor league rehab game with Low-A Brooklyn. ... Phillip Evans will undergo an MRI on his left knee Thursday. ... The Braves optioned Kolby Allard to Triple-A Gwinnett. ... The Nationals designated Shawn Kelley for assignment. … The Cardinals released Greg Holland.

   

Deadline Deals a plenty

MLB trade deadline day is one of the busiest days of the year here at Rotoworld. Even with big names like Manny Machado, Zach Britton, Cole Hamels, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Brad Hand already off the board, the action was still fast and furious throughout the morning and afternoon on Tuesday, leading right up to -- and even a little past -- the 4 p.m. ET deadline.

We’ll take a slightly different approach to this edition of the Daily Dose, analyzing each trade that went down yesterday in the order of their potential fantasy impact …

Pirates acquired RHP Chris Archer from the Pirates for OF Austin Meadows, RHP Tyler Glasnow, and a player to be named later.

Archer has been the subject of trade rumors for several years, and the Rays finally found a deal to their liking at this year’s deadline. They got a promising young outfielder in Meadows and a former top-10 pitching prospect in Glasnow, and word is that PTBNL will be more than just a throw-in. But the obvious headline here, in term of fantasy consequence, is the increased upside that should come with Archer’s move from the American League East to the National League Central. The shallower lineups, the bigger ballparks -- it’s easy to see this one paying huge dividends for Archer owners. The 29-year-old right-hander had turned the corner after a rough start to the 2018 season with Tampa Bay, delivering a 2.70 ERA and 50/16 K/BB ratio over his final 43 1/3 innings (eight starts) in a Rays uniform. He averaged 245 strikeouts per season between 2015-2017. Now in a more pitcher-friendly situation, Archer has the opportunity to truly flourish. He is due just $7.7 million in 2019 and carries a couple of inexpensive club options for 2020 and 2021. Also notable here is that Glasnow, a former top-10 prospect, is joining the Rays’ rotation immediately. He posted a 2.95 ERA and 49 strikeouts over his final 39 2/3 innings out of the Pittsburgh bullpen.

Brewers acquired 2B Jonathan Schoop from the Orioles for RHP Luis Ortiz and INFs Jean Carmona and Jonathan Villar.

This is an odd one on the surface, as the Brewers just acquired Mike Moustakas from the Royals on Saturday, pushing Travis Shaw over to second base. But after making failed attempts at a number of available starting pitchers in the days and hours leading up to the trade deadline, the Milwaukee front office decided it had to do upgrading of a different kind. And general manager David Stearns might have backed into a very good buy-low. Schoop had batted just .244/.273/.447 in 85 games this season with Baltimore, but he still managed 17 home runs through the stretches of inconstancy and the 26-year-old put up a career-high .841 OPS with 32 homers and 105 RBI over 160 games in 2017. His right-handed power bat should fit well at Miller Park, and he’s now surrounded by a much deeper lineup. Wherever he winds up playing on the field -- there’s talk of starts at shortstop -- Schoop is poised for a strong finish to the 2018 campaign. He is under the Brewers’ control through 2019.

Rays acquired OF Tommy Pham and international bonus money from the Cardinals for LHP Genesis Cabrera, OF Justin Williams, and RHP Roel Ramirez.

The Cardinals refrained from launching fully into rebuilding mode -- holding on to impending free agent closer Bud Norris and would-be designated hitter Jose Martinez -- but they did flip Pham to the Rays for a package of prospects on Tuesday morning. It’s been a mostly disappointing year for Pham, who talked about going for 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the spring after slashing .306/.411/.520 with 23 homers and 25 steals over 128 games in 2017. But perhaps the change of scenery will stoke the flames for the fiery 30-year-old outfielder, who at times clashed with Cardinals management. He will head to Tampa Bay with a .248/.331/.399 slash line, 14 home runs, and 10 stolen bases in 98 games this season. Pham is under control through the 2021 campaign. Taking over in center field for St. Louis will be a combination of Harrison Bader and Tyler O’Neill. They’re both talented young players, but it probably won’t be a very fruitful fantasy situation.

Braves acquired RHP Kevin Gausman and RHP Darren O'Day from the Orioles for RHP Evan Phillips, INF Jean Carlos Encarnación, C Brett Cumberland, LHP Bruce Zimmerman and international signing slots.

Gausman carried considerable fantasy hype into the 2017 campaign after posting a 3.61 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 174/47 K/BB ratio across 179 2/3 innings at age 25 in 2016. But he has a pedestrian 4.58 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 310 2/3 frames since, which is why the Orioles’ return in this trade is more quantity than quality. The hope will be that Gausman can recapture the magic in Atlanta, and there is probably some reason for optimism given the change in leagues. His potential for wins certainly gets a boost, as he leaves behind a 32-75 operation in Baltimore to join a Braves team that is 10 games above .500 at 57-47 and just a half-game back of the Phillies for first place in the Nationals League East. Gausman is under control through 2020. The inclusion of O’Day was essentially a cash dump on the part the rebuilding O’s, as he is out for the season following July 12 surgery to repair a torn hamstring.

Dodgers acquired 2B Brian Dozier from the Twins for 2B Logan Forsythe, RHP Devin Smeltzer, and OF/1B Luke Raley.

The Twins probably could have secured a big package of prospects for Dozier last winter, but they were hoping to compete in 2018 -- an understandable thought given that they reached the American League Wild Card Game in 2017. Dozier has struggled this year and so have the Twins, which brings us to this somewhat underwhelming deadline trade. Dozier joins a logjam at second base in Los Angeles and might only be guaranteed starts against left-handers, though better production could improve his case for an everyday role with the defending National League champs. The 31-year-old impending free agent had batted .224/.305/.402 with 16 home runs and eight stolen bases in 104 games this season with Minnesota. He had a .271/.359/.498 slash line with 34 homers, 93 RBI, and 16 steals in 152 games last year.

Phillies acquired C Wilson Ramos from the Rays for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Ramos landed on the disabled list July 15 with a left hamstring strain and the 30-year-old impending free agent is not expected to return to live major league action until closer to mid-August. That explains why the Rays could only get a PTBNL in return for one of the top offensive catchers in the game. But this could prove to be a solid stretch-run move for the Phillies, as Ramos was batting .297/.346/.488 with 14 home runs and 53 RBI in 78 games before the injury. He should hit for easy power at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park and he’ll be surrounded by a much better supporting cast. Look for Ramos to bat fifth in the Phillies’ lineup, behind Cesar Hernandez, Rhys Hoskins, Odubel Herrera, and Carlos Santana.

Indians acquired OF Leonys Martin and RHP Kyle Dowdy from the Tigers for SS Willi Castro.

Cleveland finally got some outfield help, though it wasn’t the kind of big splash Indians fans were clamoring for. Martin is a very good defender, but he holds a .248/.303/.367 career batting line and hasn’t been as aggressive on the basepaths in his age-30 season, with just seven steals in 10 attempts. He averaged 26 stolen bases per year between 2013-2016. Martin will probably platoon in center field with Rajai Davis. He has one more year of arbitration eligibility.

Mariners acquired OF Cameron Maybin from the Marlins for INF Bryson Brigman and international slot money.

Maybin can play all three spots in the outfield, which is of great use to Seattle, but the 31-year-old was batting just .251/.338/.343 with three home runs and 20 RBI through 99 games this season with the Marlins. He can also claim only eight stolen bases in 13 attempts this year, after tallying 33 steals in 41 tries between the Angels and Astros in 2017. Maybin will be a free agent this winter. He’s essentially a utility outfield rental for the Wild Card-hunting Mariners.

Diamondbacks acquired RHP Brad Ziegler from the Marlins for RHP Tommy Eveld.

Ziegler got off to a dreadful start this season and ultimately lost his closer job to Kyle Barraclough, but the 38-year-old right-hander has been one of the most effective relievers in baseball since early June, boasting a 0.64 ERA over his last 28 appearances. He’s a nice upgrade to the Diamondbacks’ setup corps, but Brad Boxberger remains the closer in Arizona.

Cubs acquired RHP Brandon Kintzler from the Nationals for RHP Jhon Romero.

It sounds like the Nationals at least explored the idea of selling hard at the deadline, but Kintzler was the only player to go. The veteran right-hander has quite a bit of ninth-inning experience, but Pedro Strop has been serving as the Cubs’ primary closer with Brandon Morrow (biceps) on the shelf and that’s unlikely to change.

Diamondbacks acquired LHP Jake Diekman from the Rangers for RHP Wei-Chieh Huang and a player to be named later.

Diekman has been an effective high-leverage lefty reliever in the past, but he’s actually had more success against right-handed batters this year. He’ll work in some sort of middle relief role with the Snakes.

Dodgers acquired RHP John Axford from the Blue Jays for RHP Corey Copping.

Axford owns an ugly 5.00 ERA in 72 innings over the last two years between Oakland and Toronto. The 35-year-old hasn’t earned a save since the final day of the 2016 season.

Phillies acquired LHP Aaron Loup from the Blue Jays for RHP Jacob Waguespack.

Philly’s bullpen could have used a bigger upgrade. Loup will work as a lefty specialist.

Among the names of interest not traded on Tuesday: J.T. Realmuto, Adrian Beltre, Andrew McCutchen, Zack Wheeler, Matt Harvey, Adam Jones, Justin Bour, Mike Fiers, Derek Dietrich, Craig Stammen, Kirby Yates

National League Quick Hits: Cardinals placed starter Carlos Martinez on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder strain … Yu Darvish (elbow) threw a successful 35-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday afternoon … Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Justin Turner (groin) could return this weekend … Daniel Murphy slugged two of the Nationals' five homers and drove in six runs Tuesday versus the Mets … Hyun-Jin Ryu (groin) will throw 3-4 innings in a rehab start Thursday at High-A Rancho Cucamonga … Stephen Strasburg (neck) resumed throwing on Monday … Jake Arrieta permitted just one run while fanning seven batters over seven innings in the Phillies' win over the Red Sox on Tuesday … Arodys Vizcaino (shoulder) remains a few weeks away from throwing activities … Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo announced late Tuesday night that Jake Lamb has "fraying" in his left rotator cuff and could need season-ending surgery … Dereck Rodriguez worked seven innings of one-run ball Tuesday in the Giants' extra-innings win over the Padres … Jesse Winker underwent season-ending surgery Tuesday on his right shoulder … Javier Baez cranked a three-run homer and fell a triple shy of the cycle Tuesday in Pittsburgh … Jon Gray had it going again Tuesday, allowing three runs -- two earned -- over 7 1/3 frames in the Rockies' win over the Cardinals … Jimmy Nelson (shoulder) was cleared to begin throwing breaking balls after a checkup with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Tuesday … Seranthony Dominguez pitched around a walk and a hit by pitch to record a save Tuesday in Boston … Matt Carpenter hit another home run and drove in a pair of runs in the Cardinals' loss to the Rockies on Tuesday … Ronald Acuna homered for the second consecutive game on Tuesday as the Braves topped the Marlins … Wade Miley struck out five batters and spun seven scoreless innings in the Brewers' victory over the Dodgers on Tuesday … Wilmer Flores was removed from Tuesday's game against the Nationals due to dehydration and dizziness … Padres placed starter Eric Lauer on the 10-day disabled list with a left forearm strain … Steven Matz said after his rough start Tuesday against the Nationals that he's working through a dead arm phase … Dominic Leone (arm) has reported to Triple-A Memphis and could soon begin pitching in minor league rehab games … Braves placed reliever Peter Moylan on the 10-day disabled list with a a right forearm strain … Brewers released infielder Brad Miller … Diamondbacks designated reliever Jorge De La Rosa for assignment … Phillies designated third baseman Trevor Plouffe for assignment.

American League Quick Hits: Red Sox placed starter Chris Sale on the 10-day disabled list with mild left shoulder inflammation … Xander Bogaerts is day-to-day with a right hand contusion … Carlos Correa (back) is tentatively scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Thursday at Double-A Corpus Christi … J.A. Happ has been diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease, and might not be able to make his next scheduled start Saturday versus the Red Sox … George Springer departed Tuesday night's game against the Mariners with right shoulder soreness … Ken Giles is expected to join the Blue Jays on Thursday in Seattle … Jose Altuve (knee) will not return from the disabled list when first eligible on Sunday … Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski said Tuesday that he does not anticipate Dustin Pedroia (knee) returning this season … Lourdes Gurriel is out 2-6 weeks with a Grade 1 left knee sprain and a high ankle sprain … Mike Trout blasted his 30th home run as the Angels fell to the Rays in a slugfest on Tuesday night … Felix Hernandez will make his next scheduled start Thursday against the Blue Jays … Matt Boyd was outstanding in Tuesday's victory over the Reds, racking up seven strikeouts over eight shutout frames … Ryan O'Hearn clubbed a two-run homer in his big league debut on Tuesday, propelling the Royals to a victory over the White Sox … Cody Allen recorded the final four outs against the Twins on Tuesday, picking up his 21st save of the season … 

Royals placed outfielder Brian Goodwin on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to July 30, with a left groin strain … Daniel Gossett will undergo Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery on Wednesday … Athletics top pitching prospect Jesus Luzardo will be promoted to Triple-A Nashville for his next start … Ian Kinsler singled in one of his four plate appearances in his Red Sox debut Tuesday … Mariners placed reliever Roenis Elias on the 10-day disabled list with a left triceps strain … Tigers pitching prospect Franklin Perez has been shut down for the remainder of the season due to capsular inflammation in his pitching shoulder … White Sox acquired left-hander Hunter Schryver from the Rays for international slot money … Indians acquired outfielder Oscar Mercado from the Cardinals for outfielders Conner Capel and Jhon Torres … White Sox released right-hander Chris Volstad … Indians designated outfielder Johnny Field for assignment.