CHICAGO -- The Cubs can accomplish two objectives with a successful three-game series against the Giants starting Monday night.

First, they can improve their standing in a tight National League Central race.

Second, pushing the Giants out of NL wild-card contention could make general manager Farhan Zaidi more likely to trade left-handed ...Read more

ATLANTA -- Braves manager Brian Snitker felt adding a revived Kevin Gausman would be the equivalent of trading for another starting pitcher. Maybe Gausman has a chance to be a crucial deadline addition for the second year in a row.

In his first outing since June 10, Gausman logged seven one-run innings in a 7-1 win over the Nationals on Sunday....Read more

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- One of Brandy Halladay's favorite expressions is that "it takes a village," and she used it again Sunday afternoon in the famous village that houses baseball's greatest players. She used it at just the right time and in just the right way.

"I say it a lot, but it takes a village and we truly have a great one," Brandy ...Read more

SEATTLE -- Dillon Peters may not be the long-term solution to the Los Angeles Angels' pitching woes.

But in Sunday's 9-3 victory over the Mariners, the 5-foot-11 left-hander made a case for why the Angels should consider keeping him around until Andrew Heaney recovers from a shoulder injury.

In his first start for the Angels this season, he ...Read more

Harold Baines cut right to the chase Sunday when he began his Hall of Fame induction speech at the Clark Sports Center, telling his friends and former teammates to start their stopwatches.

The man of few words knew everyone was wondering how long his speech would be, especially after Tim Raines had predicted it would be the shortest in history....Read more

SEATTLE -- The fourth inning told the story.

Not just the story of Sunday's 9-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, in which the Mariners dropped their 15th game in their last 18 tries. It told the story of the season. It told the story of a step-back, of a 40-62 team that's about to be sold for scraps at the trade deadline.

Seattle starter Yusei ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants' seven game win streak came to an abrupt end Saturday, as the New York Mets had 17 hits and four home runs in a 11-4 win at Oracle Park.

With the Giants looking to go over.500 for first time in over 11 months, starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija allowed home runs to Dominic Smith and Jeff McNeil and reliever Derek ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- Max Kepler dove into second base with a first-inning double, then later ended the Twins' 7-6 victory over Oakland on Sunday with a walkoff single in the ninth inning.

Their beleaguered bullpen gave up another lead on Sunday, but the Twins offense bailed them out.

Max Kepler singled home Ehire Adrianza from third with the winning...Read more

HOUSTON -- The Texas Rangers are making this easy for general manager Jon Daniels.

The Rangers' losing streak reached seven games Sunday afternoon as the Houston Astros completed a three-game sweep with a 5-3 win at Minute Maid Park.

Texas has been swept twice in its past two trips to Houston, including a four-game sweep in early May. Both ...Read more

PITTSBURGH -- Bryan Reynolds ran toward the left-field corner on Sunday afternoon, but the Pirates outfielder stopped when he reached the wall, and the Phillies could finally take a deep breath.

They escaped defeat -- by the narrowest of margins -- in two straight innings of a 2-1 win before Rhys Hoskins homered over Reynolds' head in the 11th ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Jordan Yamamoto, stellar through his first half-dozen starts for the Miami Marlins since being called up in mid-June, hit his first major speed bump at the major-league level.

Spotty command against the Los Angeles Dodgers became his weakness on Sunday. The Dodgers capitalized.

Long at-bat after long at-bat -- and a pair of two-...Read more

CLEVELAND -- The Indians returned to the win column on Sunday and thanks to a three-run sixth inning were able to down the Kansas City Royals 5-4 at Progressive Field.

Then Indians (57-41) and Royals (37-64) entered the sixth deadlocked 2-2. Facing Royals starter Glenn Sparkman, Jose Ramirez quickly untied it by driving a solo home run over the...Read more

DETROIT -- With their starting rotation further depleted, the Detroit Tigers turned to a rookie on Sunday afternoon.

And, in his second major league start, left-hander Tyler Alexander gave the Tigers exactly what they needed in avoiding a series sweep to the Blue Jays.

But Shane Greene blew his third save of the season, allowing a game-tying, ...Read more

BALTIMORE -- Asher Wojciechowski began July on a plane heading from Columbus, Ohio, to Tampa, Fla., on his way to join an Orioles organization granting him an opportunity it didn't last year and one no team had in two seasons. He had good reason to feel sky high again Sunday.

The 30-year-old right-hander's career day in a 5-0 victory over the ...Read more

CINCINNATI -- For the Cardinals bullpen to have a lead at all to hold for the second half of Sunday's game, it took four stolen bases in one inning and a romp of a game by infielder Yairo Munoz.

The Cardinals' utility infielder finished a double shy of the cycle as he homered and drove in two runs for a 3-1 victory against Cincinnati at Great ...Read more

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – The culmination of a baseball journey that started in Dorado, Puerto Rico, reached its apex on Sunday afternoon in Cooperstown, New York.

On a stifling day that was cooled at times by cloud cover and breezes, Edgar Martinez officially gained induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

With several former teammates on hand ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers would love to pry Felipe Vazquez from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Brad Hand from the Cleveland Indians or Will Smith from the San Francisco Giants before the July 31 trade deadline.

Any of the three left-handed closers would be a huge upgrade for a shaky bullpen that, as currently constructed, is the biggest ...Read more