ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — What do you do?

Six starting pitchers, five spots in the rotation.

What do you do?

Three starting pitchers already on pace to set career highs for innings pitched with an entire postseason still ahead.

What do you do?

Two starting pitchers with five elbow surgeries between them, and a third starter who just took a ...Read more

DENVER — The imaging Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz underwent in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning revealed a “best-case scenario,” manager Dave Roberts said before the series finale against the Rockies.

“There were no findings, so that was good,” Roberts said. “MRI was clean. It doesn’t change the fact that he had this sensation in ...Read more

MILWAUKEE — The beauty of baseball is the repetition. One day after another. One day rarely same as the other. It makes forgetting what happened the day before — especially if it was a very bad and not an enjoyable day at the park — a vital skill for players to possess.

The Mariners believed when they arrived at American Family Field on ...Read more

HOUSTON — Add another one to the Angels’ pile of losses because they didn’t hit.

As they’ve done so many times since the All-Star break, the Angels wasted some quality pitching by failing to do anything at the plate, losing to the Houston Astros, 3-2, on Wednesday night.

It was the 14th time in their last 30 games that they failed to ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The way things have been going for the Rays over the last week, they’ll take any win and be happy with it.

So, bottom line, Wednesday was a good day, as they beat the Blue Jays, 7-6.

The win came after they had lost four of the first five games on their homestand, following a 9-0 cross-country road trip. They ...Read more

DENVER — The imaging Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz underwent in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning revealed a “best-case scenario,” manager Dave Roberts said before the series finale against the Rockies.

“There were no findings, so that was good,” Roberts said. “MRI was clean. It doesn’t change the fact that he had this sensation in ...Read more

CINCINNATI — Although the Cardinals received a late rally that brought them within one run of making a comeback against the Reds, the mishaps that prolonged the eighth inning came back to haunt them.

After Jordan Walker smacked a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth and Jose Fermin doubled to put himself in scoring position for Masyn Winn...Read more

CHICAGO — Another engaging chapter of the City Series ended Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field with a split decision.

The White Sox avoided a sweep with a 3-0 win over the Cubs, evening the season series 3-3.

“Both series, at our place and here, were fun,” Sox pitcher Erick Fedde said. “Maybe us going 3-3 helped Chicago not burn down...Read more

BALTIMORE — Pete Alonso held onto his bat as he shuffled down the first base line, watching a fly ball off his bat sail deep down the left field line. He then saw it land and chucked the lumber in celebration as the Orioles’ dugout behind him erupted. It was a go-ahead home run to put Baltimore in front over the New York Yankees in the ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An ancient proverb notes that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

For the Royals, who entered play Wednesday just 9 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot, any journey toward the playoff race — or even respectability — will begin with a simple metaphorical step: beat the few teams below them in the ...Read more

Matt Wilkinson’s velocity, or lack thereof, isn’t what got him to the majors, nor will it be the attribute that keeps him here. Wilkinson’s four-seam fastball barely touches 90 mph, an abnormality in the age of velocity. Still, he’s climbed through the minors by leaning into command and deception.

On Wednesday night at Progressive Field...Read more

BOSTON — Before this week, Mickey Gasper had never hit a home run as a member of the Red Sox. Now he has three in the last three days, the latest a towering three-run shot on Wednesday that helped force extra innings.

But while Gasper helped his club seize the momentum, they couldn’t ride it over the finish line.

The Red Sox squandered ...Read more

CHICAGO — The White Sox were looking for length from José Urquidy.

He provided that — and much more — in the City Series finale against the Cubs on Wednesday at Wrigley Field.

The right-hander, at times, was untouchable over six scoreless innings in a bulk role. He surrendered two hits, struck out eight and didn’t allow a walk in the ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Twins bullpen started this week’s series against the Atlanta Braves by pitching eight scoreless innings, leading to a pair of victories at Target Field.

Wednesday afternoon, however, the relievers faltered and needed help from the hitters to secure a sweep against the National League East leaders.

That help came from Josh...Read more

NEW YORK — There is much to be determined.

The Padres have been playing too well and winning so much that Wednesday can easily be dismissed as a speed bump.

“We played good baseball,” Manny Machado said. “… Yeah, we lost two out of three, but we’ve been playing some good baseball. So let’s go back home.”

All of the above is ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — For much of Wednesday, the story of the game was another short start from Paul Skenes.

Rafael Flores Jr. entered the game in the seventh and rewrote those stories with just two swings of his bat.

Flores homered twice, including a game-tying shot against Kenley Jansen in the ninth, and Brandon Lowe walked it off with a blast of ...Read more

The passing of Tommy John this weekend, at age 83 after a period of hospice care, should be one more reminder that we need to sufficiently honor transformational souls while they are still alive.

It’s now too late for John, former Dodger and former Angel, but most notably the first pitcher to successfully undergo what is now commonplace elbow...Read more

DENVER — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called right fielder Kyle Tucker into the visiting manager’s office at Chase Field a week and a half ago, just to catch up.

Roberts had run into Tucker’s wife Samantha and their 5-month old baby that morning in Arizona. And he saw it as a good time to check in.

“When you start to struggle and you ...Read more

DENVER — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called right fielder Kyle Tucker into the visiting manager’s office at Chase Field a week and a half ago, just to catch up.

Roberts had run into Tucker’s wife Samantha and their 5-month old baby that morning in Arizona. And he saw it as a good time to check in.

“When you start to struggle and you ...Read more