NEW YORK — We have arrived at the All-Star break and other than the Dodgers winning the National League West, there are no definitive conclusions to be made about the second half of the season, but instead a whole lot of nagging questions.

Let’s start with the Yankees. If Ryan McMahon really did revive their season with that grinding 12-...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Saturday’s game needed a designated driver, even though it had sobered up by the end of the night.

It was stumbling from the start of the evening. It got out of control. It crawled at times. It teetered back and forth.

It might have been humorous if it were not such a spectacle.

Two teams seemingly destined to be irrelevant by...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers' 9-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday wasn't enough to prevent them from going into the All-Star break with the best record in the majors — that much is ensured. But the uninspired all-around performance sealed a series loss on the final weekend of the season's first half.

The Dodgers (61-35...Read more

WASHINGTON — With a dazzling first half in the books, Cam Schlittler’s next stop could be the mound at Citizens Bank Park.

The first-time All-Star put the finishing touches on his case to start the Midsummer Classic for the American League on Saturday, allowing two earned runs over 6 2/3 innings in a 4-2 win over the Nationals. While ...Read more

DETROIT — As he crossed the infield to return to the Tigers dugout, Zach McKinstry took off his helmet and tipped it toward Derek Hill.

There wasn’t much else McKinstry could do. Not after watching Hill cover tons of ground in center field at a dead sprint. And without slowing down, without taking his eye off the ball, Hill left his feet ...Read more

BALTIMORE — If the Orioles keep getting this version of Kyle Bradish, they have their ace back.

The right-hander entered Saturday with a 2.30 ERA across his last four starts. He pitched into the eighth inning in three of those outings. Against a Kansas City team at the bottom of MLB in runs on the road, Bradish had a prime opportunity to ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — It took an extra week, but Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski finally knows where he's going for the All-Star break.

Wrobleski was added to the National League roster as a replacement for Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns, MLB announced Saturday.

"I was not happy that I wasn't going to be a part of it," Wrobleski said. "And ...Read more

DETROIT — Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler declined to be added to the National League All-Star team when approached by MLB on Friday, he said.

“Because they disrespected me, so I’m not going to participate in it,” Wheeler said. “I’m not going to be disrespected.”

Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski was named a replacement instead ...Read more

CHICAGO — White Sox rookie center fielder Tristan Peters probably couldn’t dream up a better 24-hour period if he tried.

Friday night, he worked his way into Sox annals by becoming the seventh player in franchise history to hit for the cycle in a 14-1 win against the Athletics.

Then on Saturday morning, he learned he had been selected to ...Read more

The unlikely heroes, and wins, just keep coming for the Boston Red Sox.

With All-Star left-hander Ranger Suarez resting a strained groin, the Red Sox had a rotation spot to fill Saturday. Eduardo Rivera was up to the task. The 23-year-old left-hander, called up from Triple-A Worcester to serve as a long opener, held the Mets scoreless for 3 2/3...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The Esmerlyn Valdez emergence featured another sparkling chapter Saturday afternoon.

In the first game of a doubleheader at PNC Park, Valdez smacked an opposite-field, seventh-inning grand slam — the first of his young career — to help lift the Pirates to a 7-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Valdez hit two homers in Game 1 ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With their second straight win, the Rays earned a series victory over the Seattle Mariners Saturday afternoon with a 6-1 win at Tropicana Field.

Griffin Jax, who entered the game boasting a 2.89 ERA since moving from the bullpen into a starting role, continued to thrive in his reimagined role, allowing only one run over...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The focus in San Francisco on Saturday was the future after the Giants selected pitcher Jackson Flora, who attended Foothill High School in Pleasanton, Calif., with the fourth overall pick. For all the talk of what’s to come, the team also celebrated a win in the present.

Tyler Mahle pitched seven innings of one-run ball, ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — As Tommy Nance wrapped up his first media session as a Twin, Royce Lewis hovered nearby and waited for the scrum to break up.

“Hey, I’m Royce,” the infielder said as he approached with a hand extended.

It was that kind of morning for Nance, the former Blue Jays right-hander who was acquired by the Twins on Friday along ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — All-Star Weekend has arrived in Philadelphia and there has been nothing but love shown to the city — from neighborhood representation at MLB’s All-Star Village to new murals serving as a “love letter to Philadelphia.” The vibes have been high as the city celebrates its first All-Star Weekend in 30 years.

“It’s a ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The Esmerlyn Valdez emergence took on another sparkling moment Saturday afternoon.

With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, Valdez smacked an opposite field grand slam — the first of his young career — to help lift the Pirates to a 7-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the first game of a ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 pick of the MLB draft on Saturday.

Cholowsky, 21, slashed .320/.452/.636 with 10 doubles, 21 home runs, 60 RBIs, 73 runs and a 1.088 OPS in 60 games as a junior with the Bruins.

“Drafting Roch today adds another standout talent and person of impressive ...Read more

Kyle Schwarber figures he was 15 years old, maybe 16, when he caught his first glimpse of Bryce Harper.

They were at a travel ball tournament in Marietta, Ga., 30 miles north of Atlanta. Schwarber played for a team from Ohio, and Harper for, well, who can remember? He was a travel ball star, competing for more than a dozen teams across the ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants’ bullpen was three outs away from one of its best collective performances of the year.

Dylan Smith escaped a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the sixth. Keaton Winn, making his return from the injured list, recorded two outs, and lefty Sam Hentges recorded the next four. The efforts of Smith and ...Read more