Altuve Rocks

George Springer and Yordan Álvarez struck solo home runs before José Altuve sent the game out of reach with a mammoth three-run shot in the fifth, propelling the Astros to a 6-2 series-clinching win on Sunday at Busch Stadium.
Altuve and Springer each finished with three hits, pacing a 13-knock barrage. They teamed to salt the game away during the fifth, when Houston held just a tenuous two-run lead.

Starter Wade Miley worked a leadoff walk and Springer scalded a double down the third-base line to begin the frame. Altuve arrived and annihilated Dakota Hudson's 2-2 slider for the 1,500th hit of his career. Altuve reached the threshold in 1,190 games — the fastest Astro to ever. He bested Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell by 174 games.

Miley managed five innings of scoreless baseball, but was anything but efficient. He required 97 pitches to finish five frames, allowing a base runner in all but one inning. The southpaw stranded eight runners, including four in scoring position. Three of his six strikeouts came while a Cardinal occupied scoring position.

 Occasions to appreciate the breadth of Jose Altuve’s baseball mastery are rare. He deflects talk surrounding almost all of his innumerable individual accomplishments. The grind of a 162-game season takes precedence.

Mets trade for Stroman, deal their 4rth & 6th pitching prospects

Out of contention and with coveted players to dangle, the Mets seem determined to be active ahead of Wednesday's trade deadline.
So naturally they made their first big move Sunday and ... were buyers?
The Mets snagged the first of a handful of high-profile starting pitchers expected to be dealt in the coming days -- including a couple on their own team -- when they acquired Marcus Stroman from the Blue Jays for pitching prospects Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods-Richardson. The trade was made official Sunday evening.
It's an interesting move for the Mets for a couple reasons. The first is, as mentioned, the team has also been rumored and is expected to deal at least one of Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler before Wednesday's deadline. Their contract situations don't mirror Stroman's -- he's under team control through the 2020 season, while Syndergaard is arbitration-eligible until 2021 and Wheeler is a free agent after this season -- but the point remains. This isn't a move for this year.
And if it's a move for next year, why turn around and deal Thor? He's only making $6 million this season, and while two years of arbitration will inflate that number, it won't be outlandish -- and if it is, it means he's provided an outlandish amount of value to your team in the meantime.
While the merits of the deal can be debated, what's not in question is the fact that the Mets acquired a talented pitcher in Stroman. The first-time All-Star is trending toward his best year as a major leaguer, posting a 2.96 ERA and 1.23 WHIP through 21 starts.

"Marcus is a dynamic talent who will bring tremendous passion to our team and energy our fans will truly appreciate,” Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen . “As a Long Island native, we believe that Marcus will thrive playing in New York."

For the Jays, the return is a mix of both quantity and quality without overwhelming in either. Kay is widely viewed as the better prospect of the two, a 2016 first-round pick of the Mets who was ranked as the team's fourth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline. Kay owns a 3.13 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 96/34 K/BB ratio over 97 2/3 innings between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse this season.
Woods-Richardson was a 2018 second-round pick of the Mets who was on the Jays' radar even then, suggesting they view him higher than others they might have targeted from the Mets organization. The 18-year-old has made 20 starts at Class-A Columbia this season, registering a 4.25 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 97/17 K/BB ratio.
It will be hard to truly judge this trade before Wednesday and, likely, before the end of the 2020 season. For now, though, we're left to do what we always do when it comes to the Mets -- wondering what they're doing.

Get To Know Bo

Another trade on Sunday has one of the game's brightest young prospects on the move to Toronto as well -- by way of promotion, not acquisition, though.

The Jays dealt infielder Eric Sogard to the Rays in exchange for two players to be named later, and the move opened a spot at the major league level for top prospect Bo Bichette. Bichette was removed from his Triple-A Buffalo game Sunday and will likely be active for the team's series opener against the Royals on Monday.
Bichette, the son of former major league bopper Dante Bichette, was a consensus top-15 prospect in all of baseball heading into the season and has put together a solid year in the minors, hitting .288/.355/.485 with eight homers and 16 steals in 60 games between High-A and Triple-A. He missed roughly six weeks with a fractured left hand earlier in the year.
Like his dad, Bichette will earn his living with his bat. He's expected to hit for both average and power at the highest level, and as evidenced by his 73 career stolen bases in the minors, the 21-year-old can also run a bit.
The promotion is the latest for the club in what's been an exciting, if also frustrating, year to be a Jays fan. Fellow face of the franchise's rebuild Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was called up at the end of April and Cavan Biggio, another highly regarded prospect, has been with the club since late May as well.
As with his peers, Bichette may encounter some growing pains as he gets accustomed to the major league game. A hair behind Guerrero and a head above Biggio with regards to expected production, Bichette will also provide many exciting moments over the season's final two months and beyond.
He's worth adding in all formats. Enjoy the ride.

Snakes Shake Up Bullpen

Greg Holland's continued struggles has manager Torey Luvollo considering going Dutch (I'm so sorry) with his bullpen usage moving forward.
Holland suffered another blown save Friday, his third this month, when he allowed two runs while getting one out in a loss to the Marlins. Since the start of July he's seen his ERA inflate from 2.33 to 3.51.
“I think in this case we’re going to keep it as fluid as possible until somebody ... (takes) control of the situation,” Lovullo said Sunday. “I don’t want to put too much on anybody right now. I think things are going well for several guys and I want to just keep it that way.”
Non-Holland options for the ninth inning include Yoan Lopez, Yoshihisa Hirano and Archie Bradley, as well as southpaw Andrew Chafin for matchup-specific situations. None of the four has more than one save this year.
Lopez has arguably been the team's best reliever for much of the year, but the more interesting name is Bradley, a popular closer candidate among fans and fantasy players for years who has been unable to grab hold of the job. He owns a 4.30 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in 46 innings of work overall, but he's reeled off nine straight scoreless appearances and has 64 strikeouts in those 46 innings.
The smart money, though, may be on Hirano. The right-hander has also pitched very well this year -- his 3.12 FIP is actually a tad lower than Bradley's 3.18 FIP -- and he's allowed a run in just one of his last 14 appearances. With Bradley providing value as a low-leverage option who can also go multiple innings if needed, and with Lopez coming off a couple shaky outings, the 35-year-old Hirano feels like the most likely candidate to be given the opportunity, and to run with it.
Act accordingly.

National League Quick Hits: Jean Segura was removed from Sunday's game against the Braves with a bruised right shin. That's much more promising news than the initial speculation, which was a right knee injury. Segura should be considered day-to-day and should be ready to return to the Phillies' lineup early in the week. ... Kyle Schwarber went 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs, a career-high seven RBI and four runs scored to lead the Cubs to an 11-4 victory on Sunday. The 26-year-old’s prodigious power production established a lofty realistic fantasy floor moving forward. However, he needs to improve upon his rather pedestrian .228/.317/.484 triple-slash line this season if he’s ever going to blossom into the four-category fantasy superstar fantasy owners envisioned earlier in his career. Even if he fails live up to those potentially unrealistic expectations, he’s always going to be worthy of a roster spot in standard mixed leagues. ... Reds activated Alex Wood from the 60-day injured list. Wood missed the first four months of the season with a nagging back issue. In Sunday's season debut against the Rockies, the southpaw allowed two runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. ... X-rays on Jeff McNeil's right shin came back negative. McNeil had to leave Sunday's game after being hit by a pitch, but he's escaped with merely a bruise. The Mets are off Monday and it's possible McNeil will be ready to play by Tuesday ... Robbie Ray matched a season-high with 11 strikeouts over six innings in a loss to the Marlins on Sunday. The mercurial 27-year-old southpaw owns a 3.91 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 173/58 K/BB ratio across 129 innings of work. He’s been at the epicenter of rampant trade speculation in recent days, and it’s possible this was his final start in a Diamondbacks uniform. If he remains in Arizona, he’ll take on the Nationals at home in his next start on Saturday. ... J.T. Realmuto went 1-for-4 with a grand slam in Sunday's 9-4 win over the Braves. The backstop has been swinging a hot stick of late, crunching three home runs in his last four games, including dingers in each of the last two contests. For the campaign as a whole, Realmuto is slashing .267/.317/.446 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI in 359 at-bats.


American League Quick Hits: Albert Pujols hit a two-run home run, his 650th of his career, in Sunday's win over the Orioles. Pujols became just the sixth player in MLB history to reach the 650-homer plateau, joining Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Alex Rodriguez and Willie Mays with his two-run blast in the sixth inning. He's got a shot at passing Mays' 660 homers with a strong finish this year, needing 11 over the course of the next two months after hitting 17 through Sunday. ... Jose Ramirez went deep for the fourth consecutive game, slugging a solo homer in the Indians’ loss to the Royals on Sunday. Ramirez took Royals reliever Kevin McCarthy deep to right field in the eighth inning and homered in every game of the four-game series against Kansas City. The 26-year-old infielder is now up to 14 round-trippers on the season and appears to have re-discovered the line-drive swing that made him a fantasy superstar over the last few years. He’s hitting a surreal .344 (32-for-93) with 21 runs scored, nine home runs, 25 RBI and four stolen bases in 22 games since July 2. Despite the loss in this contest, the Indians have emerged victorious in 12 of their 17 games since the All-Star break and will be buying, rather than selling, at the trade deadline next week. ... Tommy Pham was removed from Sunday's game against the Blue Jays with a sprained right hand. The good news, is that the X-rays didn't reveal any structural damage and he's only dealing with a minor sprain. What remains unclear though is how much time he may miss and whether or not a trip to the injured list may be necessary. ... Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports that Domingo Santana has draw some interest from the Indians and Rays, among other teams. Santana is more of a designated hitter than an outfielder and that's even more of the case right now as he deals with a sore elbow. The soon-to-be 27-year-old is making $1.95 million this season and is under team control through 2021. ... Nicholas Castellanos was scratched from Sunday's lineup due to abdominal tightness. The Tigers are calling him day-to-day for the time being. Still, the timing of the injury isn't great, as Castellanos is a good bet to be traded prior to Wednesday's deadline if he's healthy. ... White Sox activated OF Eloy Jimenez from the 10-day injured list. Jimenez resumed taking batting practice a couple days ago and it apparently went so well that the team decided to activate him without sending him out on a rehab assignment first. The rookie outfielder was sidelined for the last week and a half with a nerve issue in his right elbow. He went hitless in three at-bats in his return Sunday. ... Carlos Correa (elbow) returned to the Astros' lineup Sunday. Correa was lifted from Saturday's game after being spiked in the right elbow briefly caused some numbness in his fingers, but he's fine. He did, however, go hitless in five at-bats in Sunday's win over the Cardinals. ... Yankees placed LHP CC Sabathia on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation. It's the second time he's been on the IL with his chronic knee issue, as it's just something Sabathia has to manage at this point. He figures to be back when his 10 days are up or close to it. ... Kevin Kiermaier (thumb) is on track to be activated from the injured list when first eligible on Wednesday. Kiermaier got through his first rehab game with High-A Charlotte on Saturday with no issues and played for them again Sunday. As long as he comes out of that with no setback, it looks like the speedy outfielder will return on Wednesday. Kiermaier has been on the shelf with a sprained left thumb. ... Matt Thaiss hit a pair of home runs, including a walk-off solo homer in the bottom of the ninth, to lead the Angels to a 5-4 win over the Orioles on Sunday. The homers doubled his total for the year, giving him four in 12 games since being promoted in early July. Despite the power output, he's hit just .189/.268/.541 in 37 at-bats through Sunday. ... in a move concurrent with the Sogard acquisition, the Indians acquired RHP Hunter Wood and 3B Christian Arroyo from the Rays for OF Ruben Cardenas and international bonus pool money. Wood has pitched extremely well out of the Rays' bullpen this season, registering a 2.48 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 24/7 K/BB ratio across 29 innings. He should provide the Tribe with a nice boost in the bullpen down the stretch as they try to overcome the Twins to secure the American League Central crown.

Good Bye Marcus, we wish you well.

Welcome to the end of the Stro Show

It’s not the first time Marcus Stroman trade rumors have been at the forefront of a lost Blue Jays season.
With Toronto in the midst of a rebuilding year, the future is more uncertain than ever for the 28-year-old all-star, who has been the team’s most valuable starter in 2019 by a distance. There’s a strong argument to be made that from the franchise’s soaring highs to the more recent lows, he’s been the Jays’ most consistent pitcher since he made his major-league debut in 2014.

Regardless of the outcome leading up to the July 31 trade deadline, Stroman will always be seen as a polarizing figure in the city. From the extraordinary comeback after an ACL injury in 2015 to his recent all-star selection — and every shoulder shimmy in between — the right-hander from Medford, N.Y. has always made headlines.
 To many, a line has been drawn in the sand when it comes to the Stro Show. Maybe the chip on his shoulder was too thick cut for some and left him alienated. But if Stroman does leave town, the Jays will be losing more than a top-of-the-rotation arm. According to several young hurlers, they’ll also lose an influential mentor to the next generation of Jays pitchers.

“He’s just a good guy to have in the clubhouse. He brings a good vibe. He really just sets the example for all the guys,” said 25-year-old Ryan Borucki, before his first start of the season last week. “As a young player, you’re trying to find yourself and you’re really trying to find your groove and if you just look at a guy like him — that has all the confidence in himself, in everything that he does when it comes to pitching — how can you not want to emulate that?”

That confidence has been a major talking point over Stroman’s career. It’s the attribute behind his mantra, HDMH (Height Doesn’t Measure Heart), which he turned into a clothing line and has used to inspire many young baseball fans. The boldness he brings on the mound and on social media has drawn plenty of criticism over the years. But Blue Jays prospects such as Jordan Romano, who made his big-league debut in June and is currently in Triple-A with the Buffalo Bisons, don’t see it that way.
“A lot of people just don’t know him. If you don’t know a guy, you can say whatever you want about him. But I think if people actually took the time to get to know him, they’d definitely have different opinions,” Romano said. “I’m telling you from experience, he’s a nice guy, a good teammate and does a lot of things for the younger guys to make us feel comfortable.”
As the Jays navigate a rebuild that tests patience and passions, the locker-room door at the Rogers Centre may as well have been taken off the hinges. Forty-five different players suited up through the first 100 games of the 2019 season — many of them for the first time in the majors.
The early days in a big-league clubhouse can be intimidating for a rookie ballplayer. For Romano, that wasn’t the case, thanks to a kind gesture that sparked an unlikely friendship between a minor-league hopeful and major-league starter that has now spanned three years.
“In 2016, I came down (to Dunedin, Fla.) early to work out. Stroman was in the big leagues, but I was working out with him and it kind of just felt like I was one of the guys,” Romano said. “It didn’t feel like I was in the minors, he was in the majors. We were all just guys going through the same thing.”

 

Just a year earlier, Romano and Stroman really were going through the same thing after both suffered significant injuries: Romano tore the UCL in his right elbow, Stroman tore the ACL in his left knee. When they first met at the team’s spring training facility, they were both preparing for their comeback seasons.
“I had a beat-up glove that I’d been using for five years. I had it through college and then pro ball. He saw my glove, and he’s like, ‘Man, what are you doing with that thing? Let me get you a new one.’ The next day he shows up with a brand new Nike glove and gives it to me. I was like, ‘Wow, this is Stroman’s glove.’”

Just weeks earlier, Stroman had brought friend and teammate Aaron Sanchez to his old stomping grounds at Duke University to train with hopes of a breakout season. Sanchez was vying for a spot in the Jays starting rotation after spending most of the previous year in the bullpen.
“I’m excited for you guys to see Aaron,” he told former Star columnist Richard Griffin in 2016. “We’ve been working at it pretty hard. He’s put on some really good weight and he’s really strong in areas where he wasn’t strong in the past, and I think you’re going to see a different Aaron this year.”
Sanchez went on to win 15 games over 192 innings for the Jays and was the league leader in ERA (3.00) in his first season as a full-time starter.
Whether he’s inviting them to hang out at his home in Tampa Bay or handing out piles of clothing from his endorsement deal with Adidas, Stroman has continued to share the wealth with younger teammates in recent years. He took Borucki and Trent Thornton on Louis Vuitton shopping trips after their first major-league wins. Thomas Pannone, who has been used as a spot starter this year, has greatly benefitted from sharing the same shoe size.
As much as Pannone loves the free cleats and sneakers, he says it’s the emotional support from Stroman that means the most.  “He was very welcoming when I got (called up to the Blue Jays). He’s got that upbeat personality and kind of welcomed me in and introduced himself,” Pannone said. “He said if I ever needed anything, come to him. He pretty much welcomed me the way a veteran of a pitching staff should.”

The Stro Show

Pannone, 25, shone in his debut with the Jays last August, tossing seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball in a win over the Baltimore Orioles. He was riding high until six days later, when those same Orioles touched him up for seven earned runs over 31/3 innings. He was crushed, until an unexpected text landed on his phone. It was Stroman keeping his word.
“Marcus texted me that night right when we got back to the hotel, and made sure that my mindset was in the right spot and that I was not gonna dwell on that outing,” Pannone said. “I think he did that because he knew what I’m capable of doing, and he was showing support that he was there for me in a tough time. He reached out to me and that was big. I’ll never forget that.”
While Stroman shares much of his life with his one million social media followers between Twitter and Instagram, his leadership style with the Jays has come behind the scenes — most of the time.
“You got my number bro. Whatever you need I got you always. Keep that work ethic,” he tweeted to Romano in December of 2018. “I need a signed jersey when you get called up bro!”
For now, Stroman remains the longest-tenured Blue Jay. And if he does get traded, he’ll be remembered fondly by the young pitchers who follow. At some point, he might even get that autographed jersey, too. “I don’t even have my jersey yet,” Romano said, laughing at his own expense. “I’ll definitely get him one — but I need mine first.”

I have no doubt that the curtain is coming down on Marcus Stroman and the Blue Jays, I just hope he gets to kick the can one more time.

Marcus , the stage is set.

Seems every team wants pitching...tick..tick...tick, the clocks ticks towards the deadline..

With the summer swap season whittled down to a single Trade Deadline -- Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET -- general managers have apparently embraced a flair for the dramatic. A slow-moving market is heading into what could be a frantic few final days, as there remains a long list of obvious needs among contenders.
 One last time before Deadline day, let’s explore those needs. We have to draw the line somewhere, so these are the 10 clubs that according to myself are given at least a 20 percent chance of reaching the playoffs and what they are -- or ought to be -- looking for, in order of urgency.

1) Brewers: Starting pitching
Even if it doesn’t appear anybody’s going to run away with the National League Central, the Brewers might struggle to keep pace with the Cubs and Cardinals if they don’t make a pitching move of some sort.
The loss of both Brandon Woodruff and Jhoulys Chacin to oblique injuries this week only further amplifies an already existing rotation need and threatens to overtax a bullpen that is ordinarily a team strength but has a 6.10 ERA in July. Maybe the Brew Crew instead goes after bullpen depth, but the rotation is the most obvious area to address.

2) Nationals: Bullpen help
Maybe you can win a World Series with a relief ERA of almost 6.00, but, uh, probably best not to try.
With GM Mike Rizzo having dipped into the system quite a bit within this window of contention in Washington, it will be interesting to see what he can pull off at this Deadline. Perhaps the Nats can be a club that improves by taking on some significant salary.

 3) Phillies: Starting pitching
The needs have been a moving target for a Phillies team that’s had a rollercoaster season, but the rotation has been a pretty consistent issue here, especially with Jake Arrieta having lost effectiveness while pitching with an iffy elbow.
The improved play of late increases the odds of Philadelphia doing something interesting at the Deadline, as the club already took an all-in approach to 2019 with its wild winter.

4) Yankees: Starting pitching
You wouldn’t expect a team in the lower-third in MLB in quality starts to be on a 105-win pace. But we should know by now that the ordinary rules somehow don’t apply to the Yankees.
Still, with Luis Severino having not thrown a pitch this season, there’s no obvious choice here for a Game 1 assignment, and the rotation is in a major rut right now. The Yankees, trying to avoid going a decade without a World Series appearance for the first time since the pre-Babe Ruth era, have rightly been in persistent pursuit of a controllable arm with sizzling stuff.

5) Rays: Pitching
Blake Snell’s arthroscopic elbow surgery is a big bummer for a Rays team that was already reeling in recent weeks. With Tampa Bay’s only realistic path to the postseason now the coin-flip Wild Card Game, it would be surprising to see a team so careful about the management of its controllable assets make a super-aggressive move. But with the rotation depth chart down to Charlie Morton and … Charlie Morton, the rotation is a clear need, and bullpen depth has been a need here all along.

 6) Twins: Bullpen help
A division lead that was once gaudy (as high as 11 1/2 games) is now gaunt, and the bullpen has been bleeding runs and bodies of late. In the last two weeks, Minnesota has designated four relievers for assignment.
The Twins do have some interesting arms in their system who are probably going to get a tryout at the big league level down the stretch (and they added veteran Cody Allen on a Minors deal), but a proven commodity would sure help a club trying to nail down its first division title in nearly a decade.

7) Dodgers: Bullpen help
The Dodgers are obviously in no danger of missing October, but there’s an argument for putting them No. 1 on this list given that they’ve lost the last two World Series and (a la the 2016 Cubs) should leave nothing to chance. This is no time to get cute!
While it’s true that the L.A. ‘pen could be bolstered by guys left off the October rotation (Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling, perhaps), there are enough questions about closer Kenley Jansen and setup man Joe Kelly that a reinforcement is in order.


8) Indians: A right-handed bat
Whether or not the Indians actually take the unusual step of trading their best starting pitcher (Trevor Bauer) in the middle of a division race, bringing in a right-handed stick for the outfield and/or infield (as a platoon mate for second baseman Jason Kipnis, who has labored against lefties) is a must.
The Indians beat up on a bunch of sub-.500 clubs to get back into contention, but their lineup will need bolstering as the schedule gets more difficult and the race with the Twins hits the home stretch.

9) Cubs: Better bench depth
While we could list the Cubs as yet another team in need of bullpen help (because it’s true), a noticeable difference between the 2019 Cubs and past Joe Maddon-managed clubs is the inability to rest and rotate players. The below-average production from Daniel Descalso, Albert Almora Jr., David Bote and the recently optioned Addison Russell has hurt the cause and created a need for a plug-and-play type.

10) Cardinals: Left-handed bullpen help
The Cards’ much-improved recent play could/should compel the front office into action, and there’s little question where they need the most help. Manager Mike Shildt told reporters earlier this week that his bullpen was running “on fumes,” with closer Carlos Martinez taking on a particularly worrisome workload given his shoulder issues in recent seasons.
So the Cards have a bullpen need in general, but particularly from the left-hand side, as they designated Chasen Shreve for assignment this week and need a companion for Andrew Miller.


Potential Bullpen fits: Kirby Yates, Edwin Diaz, Will Smith, Felipe Vazquez, Ken Giles, Shane Greene, Ian Kennedy, Shawn Kelley, Chris Martin, Alex Colome, Sam Dyson, Tony Watson, Mychal Givens, Austin Brice, Nick Anderson.
Heck maybe Joe Biagini gets a look, nah 

A little fireworks display

We know the Red Sox can swing with the best of them—they slugged their way to a World Series title last year, a mountain they scaled on the strength of 876 runs, 1,509 hits, 829 RBI, 355 doubles and a .268 batting average, all tops in baseball. No major league offense (excluding whatever dream lineup you may have curated on MLB: The Show) has ever operated at maximum efficiency but on Thursday, the Red Sox came as close as anyone ever has.

Besides the irreparable damage it did to Masahiro Tanaka’s ERA (12 runs in 3 1/3 innings will leave a mark), the Red Sox’s offensive explosion at the hands of their division rival probably won’t amount to much in the long run. Even with Thursday’s 19-3 blowout counting in their favor, the Sox are still just 2-6 against New York and—barring a Falcons-level collapse—Boston will be playing for silver in September while the Bombers coast to a division title. But even if it was just one night—one puppy-sized footprint in a six-month MLB marathon—boy did Sox fans get their money’s worth.

The Yankees have been a critical favorite (if their season was a movie it would be a 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), drawing widespread acclaim for their resiliency in the wake of countless early-season injuries, their penchant for summoning huge performances out of lesser-known names like Gio Urshela and Domingo German and of course, their murderer’s row bullpen led by late-inning sniper Aroldis Chapman. New York’s talent-flush roster is an embarrassment of riches, striking the perfect balance between proven veterans (DJ LeMahieu, J.A. Happ, Edwin Encarnacion) and promising up-and-comers (Gleyber Torres, German, Gary Sanchez). But if New York has an Achilles heel, it’s their starting pitching, a middling unit that some fear won’t measure up in the postseason. In their current form, the closest the Yankees have to a “big game” starter is Masahiro Tanaka but as Thursday night proved, even he’s not immune to the pressure of Fenway Park.

The Japanese ace put a new spin on Groundhog Day Thursday night, but instead of contending with Punxsutawney Phil and an endless loop of Sonny and Cher playing on the clock radio, Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts were the ones pulling the strings. Tanaka couldn’t make it out of the first inning in his previous encounter with the Red Sox June 29 in London (2/3 IP, 4 H, 6 ER, 2 BB) but unfortunately for the right-hander, playing on a different continent didn’t improve his luck. Tanaka’s first-inning blues continued as Boston obliterated the two-time All-Star, putting a seven-spot on the board with three of those runs coming on a majestic, 451-foot lightning strike off the bat of Xander Bogaerts. That was the first of two home runs on the night for Bogaerts, whose bloated stat line (4-for-6 with four RBI) barely fit in the box score. While Xander evenly distributed his carnage throughout the night, Mookie peaked early, delivering both of his hits—a single and a two-run double—in the first inning. It looked like Tanaka might right the ship after blanking Boston in the second and third innings but that brief display of competence quickly gave way to more anarchy as the Red Sox bludgeoned him for five more runs in the fourth. The 12-run poison pill absolutely annihilated Tanaka’s ERA, which rose from 4.00 to 4.79 in the aftermath of Thursday’s horror show.
Boston spread the wealth in Thursday’s opener, combining for 23 hits including 13 (nine doubles, four homers) for extra bases. Every hitter in the Red Sox’s lineup save for Sam Travis, a late arrival who only played the last few innings, recorded at least one hit in Thursday’s slugfest. Even Michael Chavis, who subbed in for Brock Holt after the latter’s ejection for arguing balls and strikes, got into the act, supplying a pair of RBI doubles in the 19-run onslaught. Later the Sox took their licks against backup catcher Austin Romine, who was tasked with pitching the eighth inning to preserve the Yankees’ worn-down bullpen. It went about as you’d expect—Boston bombed him for four hits, two of which went out of the park. Romine was the third position player to pitch against Boston in the past week, an indicator that the Red Sox’s offense is firing on all cylinders.

Like Pacman gulping up everything in his path, the Red Sox haven’t figured out how to pace themselves. Case in point—after laying waste to the Orioles in a 17-run clinic Saturday night (Rick Porcello, the crown prince of run support, was the pitcher of record), Boston’s offense had nothing left to give the following day, losing Sunday’s one-hit struggle-fest in shutout fashion. Soon we’ll find out if the Red Sox have any juice left or if they spent it all Thursday night. The Yankees, intent on resuming their AL East dominance, are hoping it’s the latter.

Tulo -We hardly knew ya

AL Quick Hits: Troy Tulowitzki has decided to hang up his cleats after 14 seasons in MLB. The five-time All-Star accrued a .290 average, 225 homers and 780 RBI over 1,291 career games between the Rockies, Blue Jays and Yankees. … The Rays were dealt a critical blow Thursday with news that reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell will undergo surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, a procedure that figures to sideline him for at least the next month.

At a Snell's pace

Snell will be a tough loss to overcome, but even with their playoff chances dwindling, the Rays reportedly have no plans to move ace Charlie Morton (AL-leading 2.60 ERA) ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. … The Rangers will be without Joey Gallo for at least the next four weeks as the All-Star outfielder underwent surgery Thursday to repair a broken hamate bone in his right wrist. His absence will open up playing time for Willie Calhoun, who was called up from Triple-A Nashville on Thursday. … Jonathan Lucroy is due to begin a rehab assignment, where he’ll catch 5-7 innings for High-A Inland Empire Friday night. This comes about three weeks after Lucroy suffered a concussion and broken nose after taking the brunt of a collision with Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick at home plate. Marisnick was later suspended two games for the incident. … It looks like Whit Merrifield is staying put as the Royals won’t be entertaining offers for the All-Star outfielder ahead of next week’s trade deadline. The 30-year-old is signed through 2023. … Felix Hernandez (lat) logged 22 pitches during a live batting practice session on Thursday and has been cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. He’ll throw 2-3 innings Sunday at Low-A Everett before advancing to Triple-A Tacoma. The former Cy Young winner is hoping to return for the Mariners’ stretch run in September. … Byron Buxton returned from a two-week absence on Thursday, contributing a pair of doubles in a win over the White Sox. The Twins outfielder had been out with a concussion and also had three wisdom teeth removed last week. Buxton’s teammate Nelson Cruz launched a career-high three homers spanning a combined distance of 1,336 feet in Thursday night’s victory. … Brett Gardner was sent to the injured list Thursday with left knee inflammation. Mike Tauchman has been working at left field in Gardner’s absence, though New York could look to fill its roster vacancy by promoting Clint Frazier from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Clint Frazier

NL Quick Hits: With San Francisco now emerging as a legitimate Wild Card threat in the National League, the Giants have reportedly scrapped their plans to trade Madison Bumgarner. With Bumgarner likely off the table, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman and Matthew Boyd figure to be the most coveted arms available at next week’s trade deadline. … Speaking of Syndergaard, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Thursday that the Mets are “fully intent” on trading their star right-hander. Marc Carig of The Athletic adds that New York is seeking at least a Top 30 prospect and “a couple of other solid pieces” in return for Thor, who logged seven innings of four-run ball Wednesday in what may have been his final start as a Met. … Edwin Diaz bowed out of Thursday’s game after being struck by a Manny Machado line drive, though luckily X-rays on his injured foot came back negative. The Mets closer is day-to-day. … Max Scherzer was back at it Thursday against the Rockies, taking a no-decision in his return from the injured list. A strained back cost the three-time Cy Young winner about three weeks of action. … The Dodgers are making a change behind the plate. Austin Barnes was demoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday while Will Smith (No. 98 in MLB.com’s prospect rankings) is expected to join the Dodgers ahead of their series opener Friday against the Nationals. Smith should serve as L.A.’s primary catcher with veteran Russell Martin filling in the gaps. … Travis Shaw is headed back to the big leagues after a month-long stay in the minors. Shaw, who lost his starting job at second base to rookie phenom Keston Hiura, hit .286 with nine homers and 22 RBI over a 28-game span with Triple-A San Antonio. … After a two-year hiatus from the big leagues, Yasmany Tomas is finally ready to rejoin the Diamondbacks. He’ll be on hand for Friday night’s game in Miami. The 28-year-old has been a standout in Triple-A, hitting a robust .305 with 29 homers and 80 RBI over 390 at-bats for Reno this season.

Leave it to Bieber

The Bieber

Exactly one year ago, Shane Bieber was an unheralded rookie armed with pinpoint control (and a penchant for somehow being around the zone too much) coming off the worst performance -- a seven-run implosion against the Pirates in which he recorded only five outs -- of his brief major-league career. It’s amazing how quickly things can change. Bieber struck out 10 batters in a dazzling complete-game, one-hit shutout against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. The 24-year-old right-hander, who took home the MVP Award at the 2019 MLB All-Star Game a few weeks ago, carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up a ground-rule double to Eric Sogard. It was the only hit he allowed in the contest. He generated a whopping 18 swinging strikes and needed only 102 pitches (68 strikes) to go the distance. It was the second complete-game effort of his career and fifth double-digit strikeout performance of the season. 

“He just pitched like a veteran. He’s maturing so fast,” Indians manager Terry Francona told reporters after the game. “He’s barely got a year under his belt. It seems like he’s going to get better and better. It’s fun to watch.” With the victory, Bieber improved to 10-3 with a 3.44 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and a pristine 166/29 K/BB ratio across 21 starts. Among qualified starters, he ranks 23rd in ERA, sixth in WHIP, seventh in strikeouts and seventh in batting average allowed (.209). He’ll face a much tougher test in his next start against a formidable Astros’ lineup on Tuesday. It may feel too early to look ahead to the impending 2020 campaign, but there is an extremely high degree of probability that Bieber is selected as a top-10 starting pitcher in fantasy drafts next spring.

It is just a shame the night did not belong to Marcus .

Hiura hype machine revving up

Brewers’ rookie sensation Keston Hiura clobbered his 10th homer -- a 415-foot moonshot to center field in the fifth inning -- in a 5-4 win over the Reds on Wednesday. The 22-year-old second baseman has been one of the league’s hottest hitters since the All-Star break, hitting an absurd .469 with three homers and 12 RBI over 49 second-half at-bats. According to FanGraphs leaderboards, Hiura’s .445 wOBA (entering play on Wednesday) ranked 12 out of 194 qualified hitters since his recall from Triple-A San Antonio on June 28. We may not have enough of a sample size to draw any definitive conclusions regarding Hiura’s long-term potential, but given his lofty prospect pedigree and stellar production so far, it doesn’t feel like a stretch to suggest that he could out-produce every other second baseman in fantasy over the final two months of the 2019 campaign. He’s already up to 10 homers and six steals in just 40 games and has an outside shot at recording a 20-homer, 20-steal campaign, a feat accomplished by only 10 big-league hitters last season.

Puig Your Trade Target

Is there a mystery team willing to pony-up a prospect package big enough to land a wild horse? We’re about to find out. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Reds’ outfielder Yasiel Puig “appears a particularly strong candidate to be moved” in a trade by next week’s major-league trade deadline. While Reds president of baseball operations, Dick Williams, said at the All-Star break that the team planned to be buyers, they’ve lost eight of their last 13 games since that statement and find themselves seven and a half games out of a Wild Card spot less than a week away from the trade deadline. At this point, it may make more sense for them to explore selling off some of their veteran assets on expiring deals. Easily the most intriguing name among their plethora of trade chips is Puig, who is slated to hit free agency this offseason. In addition to performing his best Jack Sparrow impression and bizarrely electing to shave his mustache between at-bats, the 28-year-old outfielder has been tearing the cover off the ball lately. After a frosty two-month stretch to open the season, he’s hitting a rock-solid .312 (49-for-157) with 12 homers and six stolen bases in 42 game since June 1.

AL Quick Hits: Yankees placed Gary Sanchez on the 10-day injured list with a Grade 1 left groin strain. … Joey Gallo will visit a hand specialist in Dallas, but is likely headed to the injured list due to right wrist soreness. … Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported Wednesday that the Phillies and Indians have discussed a potential Trevor Bauer trade. … Eloy Jimenez (elbow) was able to play catch on Wednesday and swung the bat for the first time since his injury. … Byron Buxton (concussion, teeth) remained out of the Twins’ lineup against the Yankees on Wednesday. … Charlie Morton posted 11 strikeouts over seven innings of two-run ball in a win over the Red Sox … Tommy Pham blasted his 16th homer and swiped his 11th base of the season in the victory. … David Price racked up eight strikeouts over six innings and was saddled with a tough-luck loss. … Emilio Pagan hurled a scoreless ninth inning to net his seventh save in that one … Jose Altuve went 3-for-4 with a two-run dinger -- his 15th long ball of the season -- to lift the Astros to a victory over the Athletics … Roberto Osuna notched his 23rd save in that contest. … Didi Gregorius went 3-for-5 with three RBI to lead the Yankees to a narrow win over the Twins. … Edwin Encarnacion launched his 30th round-tripper of the season in that contest … Daniel Vogelbach slugged a pair of solo homers to propel the Mariners to a victory over the Rangers. … Rougned Odor clobbered a three-run homer in the loss. … Reynaldo Lopez recorded 10 strikeouts over eight innings in a loss to the Marlins. … Brad Keller fired seven scoreless innings in a win over the Braves. … Marcus Stroman yielded one run over seven innings in a loss to the Indians. … Kole Calhoun went 3-for-4 with a solo homer to power the Angels to a win over the Dodgers. … Domingo Santana underwent an MRI before Wednesday's game, but there's still no update on the results. … Jose Alvarado (oblique) could resume throwing off a mound next week. … Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday that Rangers relievers Chris Martin and Jose Leclerc are “drawing interest” from clubs. … Brad Peacock (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Sunday. … Twins designated Blake Parker for assignment.

NL Quick Hits: Kris Bryant told reporters after exiting Wednesday's game against the Giants due to right knee soreness that he'll be ready to play on Friday against the Brewers. … Jeff Passan of ESPN reported Wednesday that the Mets “have been open” to trading Edwin Diaz. … Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters that closer Greg Holland does not appear to be hurt despite his early exit in the ninth inning on Wednesday. … Nick Senzel was removed from Wednesday's game against the Brewers due to illness. … Jon Gray was lifted from Wednesday's start against the Nationals due to a calf injury. X-rays came back negative and he’s expected to make his next scheduled start. … Jon Lester was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday in San Francisco due to illness. He’ll start on Saturday against the Brewers instead. … Dansby Swanson was removed from Wednesday's lineup against the Royals due to soreness in his heel … Jameson Taillon (elbow) has been shut down from throwing and will visit with doctors next week. … Paul DeJong went 4-for-4 with three home runs, five RBI and four runs scored in the Cardinals’ blowout win over the Pirates. … Javier Baez went 2-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs scored in the Cubs’ win over the Giants. … Craig Kimbrel notched his seventh save in that one. … Zac Gallen posted a career-high nine strikeouts over seven scoreless innings against the White Sox to record his first major-league win. … Starling Marte went 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored in the Pirates’ loss to the Cardinals. … Fernando Tatis Jr. went 3-for-5 with and RBI in the Padres’ win over the Mets. … Manuel Margot walked twice and stole a pair of bases in that one as well. … Vince Velasquez fanned nine over 5 2/3 scoreless frames in a win over the Tigers. … Justin Turner collected three hits and slugged his 14th homer in the Dodgers’ loss to the Angels. … Brewers manager Craig Counsell told reporters that Jhoulys Chacin is very likely headed to the injured list with a right oblique strain. … Diamondbacks activated David Peralta from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. … Willson Contreras went 1-for-4 in his return from 10-day injured list on Wednesday. … Max Fried (blister) will return from the injured list to start on Saturday against the Phillies. … Gregory Polanco (shoulder) is beginning a "brief period of rest" in his rehabilitation. … Cubs optioned Addison Russell to Triple-A Iowa.

I want my trea cycle

Trea Turner

Nationals shortstop Trea Turner stole the spotlight on Tuesday, hitting for the cycle for the second time in his career against Colorado. Not only did he become the 26th player in major-league history to hit for the cycle multiple times in his career, but he’s the first hitter in franchise history to accomplish the extremely rare feat. He went 4-for-5 with a solo homer and a pair of RBI in the Nationals’ 11-1 blowout win over the Rockies. He kicked off the contest with a leadoff homer -- his eighth round-tripper of the season -- to left-center field, reached on an infield single in the second, tripled into the right-field corner in the fifth and doubled into the right-center-field gap to finish off the cycle in the seventh. The dynamic 26-year-old speedster hasn’t lived up to the lofty preseason expectations of fantasy owners who envisioned a potential 20-plus homer, 50-plus stolen base monster, but he’s been an extremely productive five-category impact contributor, hitting .282 (68-for-241) with 38 runs scored, 29 extra-base hits (five home runs), 21 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 56 games since coming off the injured list on May 17. It’s nights like this where we get a glimpse of his immense upside and are reminded that we haven’t come close to witnessing the peak version of Turner over a full-season just yet.

With the major-league trade deadline exactly one week away (4 p.m. ET on July 31), Tampa Bay is dealing with a rash of unexpected injuries and appears to be in the market for a big-name replacement on the trade market to reinforce their potential playoff push. After losing defensive stalwart, center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, to a sprained left thumb over the weekend, the Rays’ lineup -- which is already missing rookie sensation Brandon Lowe --  was dealt another significant blow Tuesday when third baseman Yandy Diaz landed on the 10-day injured list with a left foot contusion. The 27-year-old infielder was in the midst of an impressive breakout campaign, hitting .270/.343/.480 with a career-high 14 home runs in 344 plate appearances, before fouling a ball off his left foot during Monday's game against the Red Sox. The good news is that there is no fracture and that it appears to only be a deep bone bruise. There’s no exact timetable for Diaz’s return, but he’s expected to be sidelined for at least a few weeks. He’ll be replaced in the immediate future by veteran infielder Matt Duffy, who was activated from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday. He’s been out all season due to back and hamstring injuries, and figures to garner the majority of the starts -- with Joey Wendle and Mike Brosseau also in the mix -- at the hot corner moving forward.

 

Further complicating matters for the Rays were reports that All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, who has been sidelined since July 3 due to a deep bone bruise on his right shin, received a pain-killing injection on Tuesday, and will be shut down for the next two-to-three days. The 25-year-old slugger owns a stellar .276/.339/.523 triple-slash line with 40 runs scored, 16 home runs, 49 RBI and five stolen bases in 307 plate appearances. He’s the current frontrunner to take home the American League Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season, but doesn’t appear close to returning to the lineup. The team isn’t calling it a setback in his recovery, but at a bare minimum, it’s at least mildly concerning and confirms that his recovery is going slower than previously anticipated. This latest development comes on the heels of manager Kevin Cash telling reporters over the weekend that Lowe wasn’t moving well while fielding grounders. There isn’t an official timetable for his return to the lineup, but it could be awhile before he’s ready. This slew of injuries is striking the Rays at the worst possible time and it appears likely that they will be forced to cash in some of their prospect chips to acquire some help from outside the organization.

Losing the trio comprised of Kiermaier, Lowe and Diaz -- even for a few games -- could have a significant impact on the Rays’ playoff trajectory, especially since 10 of their next 12 games are against the division rival Red Sox and Blue Jays. They’re locked in an extremely tight race for a Wild Card berth and have been the subject of numerous trade rumors in recent days. Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Tuesday that the Rays have “checked in” on a trade for Tigers’ outfielder Nicholas Castellanos, while also noting that there is no evidence of a deal being close. There were also numerous reports connecting them with the Rangers regarding a potential deal for veteran outfielder/designated hitter Hunter Pence. Perhaps the most interesting rumor came out late on Tuesday when Mark Feinsand and Juan Toribio of MLB.com reported that the Rays have also expressed interest in Brewers’ first baseman Jesus Aguilar. The 29-year-old slugger has endured a dismal 2019 campaign after his remarkable full-season breakout last year. However, he’s begun to heat up in recent weeks, hitting .342 with three home runs in 16 games since July 1.

There’s also a possibility that the Rays could target a lesser-known option to shore up their short-term hole at the keystone and provide some flexibility in a utility role. Someone like Eric Sogard, who has hit a remarkable .304/.367/.487 with 10 homers in 308 plate appearances for Toronto, would seem to be an ideal fit. Regardless of what direction the Rays elect to go in, it’s clear that their pitching staff, headlined by veteran righty Charlie Morton and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, gives them an opportunity to win in the postseason. The central question is whether they have enough gas in the tank to make it across the finish line as currently constructed.

Robby hits three

Reports of Robinson Cano’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. As evidenced by a four-hit, three-homer performance against the rookie sensation Chris Paddack (who he took deep twice in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively) and the Padres on Tuesday night, the 36-year-old second baseman isn’t completely washed. Granted, he’s not the same hitter he was in his prime, but he doesn’t appear to have fully lost his mojo yet. He’s been snake-bitten by injuries, missing significant chunks of time due to a series of recurring quad and hand injuries, but appears to be rounding back into form in recent weeks. Not only did he record the first three-homer effort of his career, but he’s already gone deep five times in just 10 games since the All-Star break, which is more round-trippers than he recorded in the entire first half (four) of the season. There isn’t a ton of fantasy upside here, but considering the lack of quality options at the keystone, especially in deeper mixed leagues, Cano is a worthy trade target or speculative waiver wire pickup. He’s not done yet.      

AL Quick Hits: Joey Gallo was lifted from Tuesday night's game against the Mariners for precautionary reasons due to right wrist soreness. … Gary Sanchez was removed from Tuesday night's game against the Twins with an apparent right leg injury. … Mariners placed Dee Gordon on the 10-day inured list with a left quad strain. … Tim Anderson (ankle) will begin a minor league rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Charlotte. … Byron Buxton had three wisdom teeth pulled last Friday. He is reportedly symptom-free and the Twins are saying that he will be back soon. … Jesus Luzardo (shoulder) is expected to begin working off a mound in early August. … Domingo Santana was removed from Tuesday night's game against the Rangers due to soreness in his right elbow. … Mike Trout launched his 33rd round-tripper of the season to lead the Angels to a win over the Dodgers. … Chris Sale recorded 10 strikeouts over six innings in a win over the Rays. … Marcus Walden recorded a one-out save to ice the victory … Yonny Chirinos whiffed five batters over 5 2/3 frames in a no-decision. … Danny Duffy struck out a season-high 11 batters over six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Braves. … Ian Kennedy picked up his 18th save in that one. … Matt Olson went 2-for-5 with a game-tying three-run homer to lift the Athletics to an eventual win over the Astros in extra-innings. … Yuli Gurriel went 2-for-4 with a two-run, inside-the-park homer in the loss. … Justin Smoak slugged a game-tying homer and delivered a walk-off single to propel the Blue Jays past the Indians in a 10-inning affair. … Trevor Bauer struck out nine batters over 7 2/3 scoreless innings in a no-decision in that one. … Rougned Odor went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBI to lead the Rangers to a win over the Mariners. … Renato Nunez went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and a pair of RBI in the Orioles’ blowout victory over the Diamondbacks. … Adalberto Mondesi (shoulder) likely won't be reevaluated until the Royals return to Kansas City on Thursday. … Hunter Strickland (lat) is expected to be activated off the injured list during the Mariners' upcoming road trip to Texas. … Astros placed Josh James on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder soreness. … Rangers optioned 1B Ronald Guzman to Triple-A Nashville. … Red Sox activated Mitch Moreland from the 10-day injured list and optioned Marco Hernandez to Triple-A Pawtucket. … Blue Jays designated Dalton Pompey for assignment.

NL Quick Hits: Max Scherzer (back) is scheduled to return to the Nationals' rotation Thursday against the Rockies at home. … Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported Tuesday that the Rockies could consider dealing Charlie Blackmon before the trade deadline. … Morosi also confirmed previous reports that the Yankees have contacted the Diamondbacks in “recent days” about southpaw Robbie Ray. … Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Tuesday that Jason Vargas is the “most likely to go” of the Mets starting pitchers. … Zack Wheeler (shoulder) threw a round of live batting practice on Tuesday. … Rockies purchased the contract of Yonder Alonso from Triple-A Albuquerque. He belted a pinch-hit RBI double in his debut against the Nationals. … Jean Segura (heel) remained out of the Phillies’ starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Tigers. … Keston Hiura (quad) went 1-for-4 with a run scored in his return to the Brewers' starting lineup on Tuesday night against the Reds. … Paul Goldschmidt and Jose Martinez left the yard to power the Cardinals to a victory over the Pirates. … Dallas Keuchel whiffed a season-high 12 batters over six innings in a no-decision against the Royals. … Ronald Acuna stole his 22nd base of the season in that contest. … Caleb Smith carried a perfect game into the sixth inning and racked up nine strikeouts over seven frames of one-run ball in a win over the White Sox. … Fernando Tatis Jr. went 2-for-5 with an RBI double and a run scored in the Padres’ loss to the Mets. … Edwin Diaz converted his 22nd save of the season in that one. … Eugenio Suarez went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBI to lead the Reds to a blowout win over the Brewers. … Joey Votto and Jesse Winker also left the yard in that one … Rhys Hoskins went 2-for-5 with a go-ahead RBI single in the 15th inning to push the Phillies past the Tigers. … Pablo Sandoval swatted a walk-off homer to power the Giants to a victory over the Cubs in extra-innings. … Madison Bumgarner recorded seven strikeouts over seven innings in a no-decision in that one. … Kris Bryant went 3-for-6 with a pair of RBI in the losing effort. … Cole Hamels (oblique) worked 2 1/3 shutout innings in a rehab start Tuesday night at Triple-A Iowa. … Erick Fedde will start the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Rockies with Patrick Corbin working the nightcap … Max Fried (blister) is on track to return to the Braves' rotation Sunday versus the Phillies. … Zach Eflin will take his next turn in the Phillies' rotation this weekend against the Braves. … Johnny Cueto (elbow) will face live hitters Wednesday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last August.