Friday 7/17/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cardinals-Royals favorites to meet in the Fall Classic

This year's World Series could be an I-70 series with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals the favorite possible Fall Classic matchup heading into the season's unofficial second half.

According to Sportsbook.ag, the Cardinals-Royals matchup is listed at +1,100, with the Los Angeles Dodgersm Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates all matching up with the Royals at +1,400.

The Royals own the best record in the American League at 52-43 and lead the AL Central over the Minnesota Twins by 4.5 games. The Cards lead the NL Central at 56-33 over the Pirates by 2.5 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Braves' Freeman slow to heal

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is eligible to come off the disabled list after the All-Star break but apparently won't return until at least August.

The 25-year-old Freeman went on the disabled list last month with a bone bruise in his right wrist. He has missed 23 games and could be out two additional weeks or more.

"It's more serious than we expected," Braves president of baseball operations John Hart told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday. "I'm hoping he’ll be back before the first of August, but he may not be.

"He's working hard to get back, but it's a slow-healing injury and it still gives him pain when he swings."

The Braves have used Kelly Johnson and Chris Johnson to fill Freeman's spot at first base.

In 66 games this season before the injury, Freeman was batting .299 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Braves sign Frasor following release by Royals

The Atlanta Braves signed reliever Jason Frasor after the veteran right-hander was released by the Kansas City Royals earlier this week, according to FOXSports.com.

Frasor had a 1.54 ERA in 23 innings for the Royals, but also had 15 walks for a Kansas City bullpen loaded with talented arms. The 37-year-old joins a Braves team that was looking for veteran bullpen help following the season-ending Achilles injury suffered by closer Jason Grilli.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (52-34) at White Sox (41-45)
Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: July 17, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

As the Kansas City Royals look to continue their quest toward a second straight postseason appearance and first division title in 30 years, the Chicago White Sox hope the All-Star break won't halt the progress they've made over the last two weeks.

Both clubs look to pick up where they left off with Friday's split doubleheader at U.S. Cellular Field.

Paced by baseball's best bullpen (2.11 ERA) and a lineup that produced five All-Stars, Kansas City (52-34) has the AL's best record and a 4 1/2-game lead over Minnesota in the Central.

'It doesn't really matter what we've done,' manager Ned Yost said. 'You've just got to keep your head down and keep plodding along.'

The Royals entered the break by winning seven of the last eight on an 8-3 homestand but were swept in three games by Houston their last time on the road.

The reigning AL champions won the first four against the White Sox (41-45) then dropped the last two at Chicago in an April three-game series that opened with a benches-clearing brawl and the ejections of five players.

Neither team expects the same type of behavior this weekend, especially the White Sox.

Saddled with lofty expectations after signing veterans Melky Cabrera, Adam LaRoche and David Robertson, the White Sox were 32-42 before posting a 1.95 ERA while winning nine of their last 12.

'We're playing some good baseball, we're beating some good teams so I wish we didn't have the All-Star break to be honest with you,' said leadoff hitter Adam Eaton, who is 4 for 26 against the Royals this year.

Drawing the start in the opener, Jeff Samardzija is 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA in his last six outings and has a 0.54 mark in the past two. He tossed a four-hitter in a 2-0 victory over Toronto on July 9.

The right-hander was tagged for five runs in six-plus innings of a season-opening 10-1 loss at Kansas City on April 6. Samardzija (6-4, 4.02) and Royals Game 1 starter Edinson Volquez (8-4, 3.31) were ejected for their parts in the brawl on April 23.

Volquez is 1-1 with a 1.32 ERA against the White Sox this season. Though the right-hander is 4-0 in his last seven starts and has yielded one earned run in four of those, he's completed at least six innings twice.

Cabrera is 1 for 5 with a pair of walks against Volquez this season but has batted .353 in his last 10 games.

He's 4 for 6 with two doubles and a triple against Chris Young (7-5, 3.00), who takes the mound in the nightcap.

The right-hander has been a pleasant surprise for Kansas City but is 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA in three July outings. He gave up three runs in six-plus innings of a 6-2 loss to Toronto on Saturday.

He'll be opposed by John Danks (4-8, 5.30), who gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 7-6, 11-inning victory over the Blue Jays on July 8. The left-hander allowed three runs in six innings of a 5-3 win April 26 to move to 4-0 with a 3.86 ERA in seven home starts against the Royals.

All-Star Lorenzo Cain is a combined 3 for 8 with a double against Danks and Samardzija this season.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at White Sox
Fri, Jul 17 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Royals at White Sox
Sat, Jul 18 - 2:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Royals at White Sox
Sun, Jul 19 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mariners (41-48) at Yankees (48-40)
Game: 1
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: July 17, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

After missing the postseason the last two years, the AL East-leading New York Yankees appear poised to return.

If the Seattle Mariners are to turn around a disappointing season, they must find a way to string together some victories.

The Mariners can start by continuing their recent success at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.

Prior to the season, Seattle (41-48), not New York, was considered a more serious playoff contender. However, a resurgent Alex Rodriguez, an All-Star effort from Brett Gardner and a dependable bullpen that leads the majors with 316 strikeouts have helped the Yankees (48-40) build a 3 1/2-game lead in a division where last-place Boston is only 6 1/2 out.

They've done so while Jacoby Ellsbury (knee) missed almost two months and closer Andrew Miller (forearm) a month.

"I'm pretty pleased with where we're at," manager Joe Girardi told MLB's official website.

The Mariners can't say the same after being tabbed one of the favorites to win the West, or at least contend for a wild-card spot. Instead, Seattle is fourth in the division - 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Angels - with the second-worst mark in the AL.

Seattle hasn't posted a winning streak longer than four games and has alternated losses and wins in its last 11.

"We haven't really gotten on a streak, haven't gotten on a roll," third baseman Kyle Seager said. "We'll win a game, lose a game, win a game, lose a game. It's hard to make up ground that way."

Ranked near the bottom of the majors in runs (3.5 per game), batting (.236) and on-base percentage (.296), the Mariners were outscored 15-6 while being swept by New York in a three-game home set last month. Masahiro Tanaka (5-3, 3.63 ERA) allowed a run and three hits with nine strikeouts and no walks in a 3-1 victory in the series finale June 3.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA at Seattle but now faces the Mariners for the first time in the Bronx, where they've won five in a row. Seattle can match the franchise's longest regular-season winning streak at Yankee Stadium with a victory Friday, having previously won six straight there on two occasions from 2000-03.

New York, however, has won 16 of 22 at home.

Tanaka ended a four-start winless streak last Thursday when he yielded one earned run and two hits in 7 2-3 innings of a 6-2 victory over Oakland. He had a 7.88 ERA in his previous three outings.

All-Star Nelson Cruz is batting .308 with 21 homers and 53 RBIs, but he's 0 for 9 with four strikeouts against Tanaka. Former Yankee Robinson Cano's lone hit in seven at-bats against him left the park.

Bothered by stomach issues dating back to last summer, Cano is hitting a career-low .251 with six homers and 30 RBIs. He's struck out 64 times in 86 games after fanning 68 times in 2014.

Rookie Mike Montgomery (4-3, 2.29) has been a pleasant surprise for the Mariners, though he'll need to rebound after allowing five runs and eight hits over five-plus innings of a 7-3 loss to the Angels last Friday in his eighth career start. In his major league debut June 2, Montgomery gave up a run in six innings of a 5-3, 11-inning loss to the Yankees.

Gardner doubled and walked against Montgomery that day and has hit .398 in his last 22 games.

Rodriguez has hit three of his 18 homers in his last six contests.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Yankees
Fri, Jul 17 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Mariners at Yankees
Sat, Jul 18 - 1:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Mariners at Yankees
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:05PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rays (46-45) at Blue Jays (45-46)
Game: 1
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: July 17, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays own a winning record against every AL East opponent but the team with the best ERA in the division - the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi has shackled the Blue Jays in the past and is one of baseball's best pitchers against right-handed hitters as he gets the start Friday night in Toronto.

Toronto (45-46) looks to improve upon a 3-7 mark against Tampa Bay in the opener of a three-game set. The Blue Jays average a major league-best 5.3 runs, but that figure is down to 3.5 in the season series against a Rays team with a 3.56 ERA.

Odorizzi (5-5, 2.30 ERA) gave up one run and two hits in eight innings April 13 to earn a 2-1 win over the Blue Jays, improving to 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in four matchups.

He is limiting right-handed hitters to a .180 average to rank fifth in the majors. Jose Bautista is hitless in nine at-bats against him, Edwin Encarnacion is 1 for 8 and Josh Donaldson is 0 for 5.

No Toronto batter has more than one hit against Odorizzi, with the switch-hitting Jose Reyes 1 for 10.

Odorizzi lasted 5 2-3 innings Saturday to pick up a 3-0 victory over Houston in his first outing since June 5 after being out with a strained left oblique.

"Nice to have Odo back," manager Kevin Cash said.

That was part of a three-game sweep in which Tampa Bay (46-45) allowed four runs. The series came after the Rays had dropped 11 of 12.

'Any time we can get a series sweep like this on the way into a break, it feels good for everybody in here,' pitcher Matt Moore said.

The Rays are fifth-worst in the majors with 3.7 runs per game, though they have averaged 4.6 against the Blue Jays. Evan Longoria is 14 for 32 in the season series and Kevin Kiermaier is 13 for 34.

Kiermaier is 4 for 7 against Toronto starter Drew Hutchison (8-2, 5.33) while Longoria is 1 for 13.

Hutchison will be happy to be at home, where he has a 2.12 ERA compared to his major league-worst 8.81 mark on the road. The right-hander has yielded one earned run over 26 2-3 innings in winning his last four outings at Rogers Centre.

He is off to a rough start this month, going 0-1 with an 8.38 ERA in two road starts after allowing four runs in five innings July 8 in a 7-6, 11-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Hutchison yielded three runs in five innings June 22 in an 8-5 win over the Rays, improving to 3-2 with a 6.16 ERA against them.

His 7.81 run-support average is baseball's best mark.

Bautista and Donaldson are tied for third in the AL with 60 RBIs. Donaldson is expected back after the flu kept him out of Sunday's 11-10 loss at Kansas City.

Bautista opted out of the All-Star Game to rest and rehab his sore right shoulder, which flared up in Chicago from July 6-9.

"Normally you would need a few days off during the regular season," he said. "I'm taking advantage of this due to the break. It's the smart thing for me to do for my health and to the end of the season.'


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Blue Jays
Fri, Jul 17 - 7:07PM EDT

GAME 2
Rays at Blue Jays
Sat, Jul 18 - 1:07PM EDT

GAME 3
Rays at Blue Jays
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:07PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers (51-39) at Nationals (48-39)
Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: July 17, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers figure to be buyers at the trade deadline to patch up respective shortcomings, though they've overcome those weaknesses to lead their divisions through the season's first half.

These clubs look to start off the second half on the right foot as they open a three-game series in the nation's capital.

Washington (48-39) has been carried offensively by Bryce Harper, who has an outside shot at winning a triple crown. Harper ranks in baseball's top five in batting average (.339), home runs (26) and RBIs (61). His weighted on-base average of .471 is the best in the majors since Barry Bonds was at .486 in 2002 and he leads baseball with a 4.5 batting WAR, while the next-highest National is Yunel Escobar ranking 54th (0.8).

Washington, which leads the New York Mets by two games in the NL East, ranks a respectable 11th in runs per game with 4.3, though injuries to Jayson Werth, Denard Span, Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman are especially beginning to take their toll. The club has hit .215 while splitting its last 10 contests.

"We can't dwell on them not being here," general manager Mike Rizzo told MLB's official website. "We're not thinking and talking about the guys that we don't have. We're thinking and talking about the guys that are here and playing for us."

The Dodgers (51-39) own a 4 1/2-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West, having managed to remain in first since the end of May despite a rotation hit by injuries and an inconsistent offense.

They've used 12 starting pitchers after losing two-fifths of their rotation for the season, the bullpen has been rocked by injury, and yet they own their largest lead at the break since 2009.

It helps that much of the NL has been playing .500 ball so far.

"I want to stay where we're at," manager Don Mattingly said. "If that's what it takes to win a division, then hopefully we do that. How you get in (the playoffs) has zero to do with it."

But it's been a bit of a patchwork rotation with Friday's starter Mike Bolsinger (4-3, 3.08 ERA) and Carlos Frias at the back end. Brett Anderson has stepped up as the third starter to salvage a rotation weakened by season-ending surgeries to Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy.

"You got to replace and that's where you have trouble," Mattingly said. "It has a trickle-down effect on your club."

While Los Angeles figures to be in the market to improve the depth of its rotation, Bolsinger comes off his first quality start in six games, holding Milwaukee to two runs over six innings in Los Angeles' 3-2 home victory last Friday. The right-hander walked one batter, just the third time in 13 starts he's issued fewer than two bases on balls.

He owns a 4.55 ERA in six starts since his last win June 8.

Washington's Jordan Zimmermann (8-5, 3.22) had logged four straight quality starts before yielding four runs and nine hits - including two homers - over five innings Saturday at Baltimore. The righty still picked up his third straight victory in the 7-4 win, however.

"For sure, it wasn't one of my better outings," said Zimmermann, who is 2-1 with a 5.06 ERA in six career matchups with Los Angeles. "I guess I'm happy about four runs - it could have been worse."

Zimmermann has 19 quality starts in his last 20 home outings going back to June 3, 2014, while Bolsinger is winless in his last 10 road starts dating to May 2014.

Harper, who has hit 21 of his home runs against righties, has homered once in 13 career games against the Dodgers.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Dodgers at Nationals
Fri, Jul 17 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Dodgers at Nationals
Sat, Jul 18 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Dodgers at Nationals
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:35PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marlins (38-51) at Phillies (29-62)
Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 17, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The Miami Marlins were hoping to remain in playoff contention long enough that Jose Fernandez might be able to put them over the top once he returned.

Instead, the banged-up club enters the second half with the majors' third-worst record.

With Fernandez on the mound, the visiting Marlins aim to get off to a strong start Friday night against a Philadelphia Phillies team coming off the worst first half in franchise history.

Miami has been surprisingly bad, not an easy feat for a club that hasn't been to the playoffs since 2003, and its 38-51 record is only better than Milwaukee (38-52) and Philadelphia (29-62).

The hole the Marlins dug is probably too deep to get back into the postseason race, and a surge this month is unlikely. All-Star Dee Gordon is expected to be sidelined until next week because of a dislocated left thumb, while MLB home run leader Giancarlo Stanton will be out another one to three weeks recovering from a broken left hand.

'It has been frustrating for all of us,' president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. 'We expected to put ourselves into position to play into October.'

Fernandez (2-0, 2.08 ERA) was supposed to be the midseason addition that helped them get there after sitting out the first three months recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The right-hander homered during a quality start in a 5-4 home win over San Francisco on July 2, then struck out nine over seven innings in a 2-0 win over visiting Cincinnati on July 9.

Miami closed out the first half by taking three of four from the Reds after a four-game road skid.

"When you have a true No. 1 like that, he can step up, slam the door and turn the tide," manager Dan Jennings told MLB's official website.

The Marlins, 14-28 away from home, have outscored the Phillies 31-18 while taking four of the six meetings - including two of three in Philadelphia in April.

After going 1-0 with an 0.50 ERA in three starts versus Philadelphia as a rookie, Fernandez gave up six runs and eight hits while walking four over four innings in a 6-3 road loss in April 2014.

Freddy Galvis has gone 3 for 6 when facing Fernandez, though Domonic Brown, Ben Revere and Ryan Howard are a combined 3 for 25.

Philadelphia, which has dropped five in a row, set the franchise record for the most losses before the All-Star break - surpassing its 61 in 1997.

"'We still have to go out and play hard, try to learn and hope things get better," Galvis said.

The Phillies will try to avoid a season-high fifth straight home loss behind Adam Morgan (1-2, 4.32).

The rookie left-hander looks to rebound from the worst of his first three starts, when he yielded five runs over four innings July 8 in a 5-0 loss at Dodger Stadium. He's given up five home runs over 16 2-3 innings.

The Marlins own baseball's third-best batting average (.273) when facing left-handers. Adeiny Hechavarria is batting .369 - fifth in the majors - in those matchups, and has gone 13 for 29 in his last seven games against Philadelphia.

Justin Bour hopes to pick up where he left off after going 5 for 8 with three doubles and five RBIs in the two games before the break.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Marlins at Phillies
Fri, Jul 17 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Marlins at Phillies
Sat, Jul 18 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Marlins at Phillies
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:35PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians (42-46) at Reds (39-47)
Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: July 17, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Todd Frazier won the Home Run Derby with final-swing drama. Aroldis Chapman blew 'em away in the ninth inning. Even the rain stayed away, moving through Cincinnati without interrupting the biggest moments of the All-Star Game.

Now, even as Reds fans enjoy the successful festivities, it's time to trade the afterglow for the glum. It begins with Friday night's opener of a three-game home series with the Cleveland Indians, which figures to feature far less fanfare.

The Reds (39-47) enter the second half looking to trade two of their best pitchers - including Chapman and his 100 mph heat. They're headed for another grim few months, well out of contention and stuck with several big contracts that leave them little wiggle room for starting over.

Who will be the first traded? Who will take his place? How bad will it get in the second half?

"We can't be thinking about what's going to happen or anything else," Frazier said.

The challenges are much different from the All-Star logistics that went extremely well in the city where pro baseball began.

"It is something that is part of the game but out of my control," said Chapman, using a line that reflects the mood around town.

Although a still-tired Frazier went 0 for 3 during the AL's 6-3 win Tuesday night, Chapman pitched the top of the ninth and fanned all three batters, hitting 103 mph with his fastball. It was a bittersweet moment since he could be dealt later this month, along with starter Johnny Cueto.

For now, they'll turn to Mike Leake for the more immediately manageable task of shutting down the Indians (42-46).

Leake (6-5, 4.08 ERA) pitched the Reds to a 1-0 win in Miami last Friday, surrendering three hits with a season-high 10 strikeouts in eight innings.

The right-hander has struggled at home with a 2-3 record and 5.92 ERA, and he's been horrible against the AL, going 0-3 with a 10.50 ERA in his last five interleague starts. That stretch includes a 7-3 loss at Cleveland on May 22 in which Leake gave up five runs and seven hits in four innings.

Even so, he's held Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana to 1-for-12 lifetime marks.

The Indians counter with Trevor Bauer, who also went a career high-matching eight innings in his most recent start while limiting Houston to two runs and six hits in a 4-2 victory July 8. Both runs came on a homer, and Bauer's control continued trending in the right direction without a walk. He's issued two in 21 1-3 innings over three starts after posting a rate of 4.39 per nine innings in his first 14 starts.

"A guy hit a ball that was above his head out for a home run and I didn't walk anybody," Bauer said. "It was the Twilight Zone."

Bauer (8-5, 3.76) has won consecutive starts but has never strung together three.

The right-hander also earned a decision in a 5-2 win over Cincinnati on May 24, yielding a run and five hits in 7 2-3 innings to complete a three-game sweep and give the Indians a 13th win in 14 home games versus the Reds.

The 24-year-old is 5-2 with a 1.82 ERA in eight road starts, as well as 4-1 with a 1.83 mark in nine interleague outings since moving to the AL.

Bauer has limited the Reds to a .154 average in two career meetings, though that might not look quite as impressive given Cincinnati's recent offensive production.

The Reds entered the break with consecutive losses to the Marlins and are averaging 2.0 runs and batting .222 in 10 games this month.

The Indians also dropped their last two before the break, including Sunday's 2-0 home final against Oakland. Over a 4-5 span, they're scoring 2.8 runs per game and batting .210 with Brandon Moss hitless in his last 17 at-bats.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Reds
Fri, Jul 17 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Indians at Reds
Sat, Jul 18 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Indians at Reds
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:10PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (47-40) at Braves (42-47)
Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: July 17, 2015 7:35 PM EDT

Perhaps a year or two ahead of schedule, the Chicago Cubs entered the All-Star break in playoff position for the first time in seven years.

They should feel confident about getting off to a solid second-half start behind Kyle Hendricks - even if he and the rest of the pitching staff may have a new batterymate for the foreseeable future.

As the right-hander looks to extend his scoreless streak, the Cubs will try for a fourth straight road win Friday night against an Atlanta Braves team that limped into the break.

By the estimation of some prognosticators, Chicago's rising talent wasn't expected to help the club compete for the postseason until 2016 at the earliest. But with new manager Joe Maddon at the helm, the Cubs (47-40) have a hold on the NL's second wild-card spot.

The club also has its best record at the break since last winning the NL Central in 2008.

'If somebody came up to me in spring training and said 'here's where you'll be at the end of the first half,'' president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. "I'd have taken it in a heartbeat.'

While its offense has been unreliable despite the presence of All-Stars Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, Chicago has been carried by a pitching staff that ranks fifth in the majors with a 3.31 ERA.

Hendricks (4-4, 3.55 ERA) has been a key contributor of late, going 2-0 over three straight scoreless outings. He extended that streak to 22 1-3 innings last Friday when he gave up five hits over seven innings in a 1-0 home loss to the White Sox.

His 7.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last seven starts is third in the NL since June 7.

"I'm trying not to do too much and simplifying everything," Hendricks told MLB's official website. "I've been using my four-seam fastball more. I think that's been helping."

He won't have Miguel Montero behind the plate to help him out Friday and possibly for the next six weeks. Chicago's catcher could be out until September with a jammed left thumb suffered Saturday against the White Sox, and the Cubs will call up top prospect Kyle Schwarber to take his place.

Schwarber was a big hit in his first six major league games last month, going 8 for 22 with a homer. He spent all but one inning as the designated hitter, but now figures to split catching duties with David Ross and Taylor Teagarden.

Hendricks has never faced the Braves (42-47), who haven't exactly been knocking the cover off the ball. They've hit .167 with runners in scoring position while putting up three runs or fewer in each of the last four of a five-game losing streak.

Atlanta is averaging 2.70 runs since June 21 - second fewest in MLB - and Andrelton Simmons (.154) and Jace Peterson (.158) have especially struggled in that stretch. Making matters worse, closer Jason Grilli went down with a ruptured Achilles tendon last Saturday.

The Braves haven't dropped six straight since an eight-game skid from July 29-Aug. 6. They're hoping to turn things around at Turner Field, where they've won seven of nine.

Julio Teheran (6-4, 4.56) has gone 5-0 with a 2.04 ERA in eight home starts compared to 1-4 with a 6.95 mark in 10 on the road. The right-hander hasn't allowed an earned run over 14 innings in his last two outings at Atlanta.

"It's one of those things you can't explain," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Maybe we'll fly him in the day of his (road) starts, just fly him in that day. He can sleep in his bed, maybe that will help."

Teheran has gone 2-0 with a 3.81 ERA in four career starts versus Chicago. Rizzo is 2 for 12 with a home run off him while Starlin Castro has gone 1 for 11.

The Braves have outscored the Cubs 72-42 in winning 11 of the past 13 meetings. Chris Johnson went 12 for 24 with three homers in the six matchups last season.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at Braves
Fri, Jul 17 - 7:35PM EDT

GAME 2
Cubs at Braves
Sat, Jul 18 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Cubs at Braves
Sun, Jul 19 - 5:05PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (52-34) at White Sox (41-45)
Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: July 17, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

As the Kansas City Royals look to continue their quest toward a second straight postseason appearance and first division title in 30 years, the Chicago White Sox hope the All-Star break won't halt the progress they've made over the last two weeks.


Both clubs look to pick up where they left off with Friday's split doubleheader at U.S. Cellular Field.

Paced by baseball's best bullpen (2.11 ERA) and a lineup that produced five All-Stars, Kansas City (52-34) has the AL's best record and a 4 1/2-game lead over Minnesota in the Central.

'It doesn't really matter what we've done,' manager Ned Yost said. 'You've just got to keep your head down and keep plodding along.'

The Royals entered the break by winning seven of the last eight on an 8-3 homestand but were swept in three games by Houston their last time on the road.

The reigning AL champions won the first four against the White Sox (41-45) then dropped the last two at Chicago in an April three-game series that opened with a benches-clearing brawl and the ejections of five players.

Neither team expects the same type of behavior this weekend, especially the White Sox.

Saddled with lofty expectations after signing veterans Melky Cabrera, Adam LaRoche and David Robertson, the White Sox were 32-42 before posting a 1.95 ERA while winning nine of their last 12.

'We're playing some good baseball, we're beating some good teams so I wish we didn't have the All-Star break to be honest with you,' said leadoff hitter Adam Eaton, who is 4 for 26 against the Royals this year.

Drawing the start in the opener, Jeff Samardzija is 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA in his last six outings and has a 0.54 mark in the past two. He tossed a four-hitter in a 2-0 victory over Toronto on July 9.

The right-hander was tagged for five runs in six-plus innings of a season-opening 10-1 loss at Kansas City on April 6. Samardzija (6-4, 4.02) and Royals Game 1 starter Edinson Volquez (8-4, 3.31) were ejected for their parts in the brawl on April 23.

Volquez is 1-1 with a 1.32 ERA against the White Sox this season. Though the right-hander is 4-0 in his last seven starts and has yielded one earned run in four of those, he's completed at least six innings twice.

Cabrera is 1 for 5 with a pair of walks against Volquez this season but has batted .353 in his last 10 games.

He's 4 for 6 with two doubles and a triple against Chris Young (7-5, 3.00), who takes the mound in the nightcap.

The right-hander has been a pleasant surprise for Kansas City but is 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA in three July outings. He gave up three runs in six-plus innings of a 6-2 loss to Toronto on Saturday.

He'll be opposed by John Danks (4-8, 5.30), who gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 7-6, 11-inning victory over the Blue Jays on July 8. The left-hander allowed three runs in six innings of a 5-3 win April 26 to move to 4-0 with a 3.86 ERA in seven home starts against the Royals.

All-Star Lorenzo Cain is a combined 3 for 8 with a double against Danks and Samardzija this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pirates (53-35) at Brewers (38-52)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: July 17, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

In less than three weeks, the Pittsburgh Pirates turned the NL Central race from a runaway into a tight chase.

The red-hot Pirates look to pick up where they left off as they emerge from the All-Star break to face the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

Pittsburgh (53-35) was four games under .500 and under intense scrutiny from manager Clint Hurdle on May 20, seemingly an unlikely candidate to return to the postseason for a third straight year. Getting back there as a division champion for the first time since 1992 seemed less likely as the Pirates were a season-high nine games back of first-place St. Louis following a loss to Atlanta on June 28.

They've closed the gap to 2 1/2 games behind an 11-2 stretch that includes three straight wins over the Cardinals heading into the break. Gregory Polanco ended the four-game set with a walkoff single in Sunday's 6-5, 10-inning victory.

"If people didn't think we're for real, they probably do now," said shortstop Jordy Mercer, who is hitting .348 in the last 17 games after batting .212 through the first 60. "I just think it's the culture we're trying to create here. We're slowly getting there. Sure we've got ways to go. We know we're heading in the right direction."

Charlie Morton (6-2, 4.15 ERA) gets the ball in the opener of the three-game set at Miller Park. The right-hander allowed three hits in 7 1-3 innings of a 2-0 home win over the Brewers on June 10 in his fourth start of the season after opening the year on the disabled list with a hip injury.

He recorded a 1.62 ERA in winning his first five starts but has since gone 1-2 with an 8.68 ERA in four outings. He showed some signs of coming around July 8 against San Diego, allowing two runs with four walks in six innings while not getting a decision in a 5-2 win.

The Brewers (38-52), last in the Central, are looking to recapture their success from a season-high eight-game winning streak before losing four of the next six heading into the break.

"The last couple weeks, I think we've been playing much better baseball," All-Star right fielder Ryan Braun said. "So the goal is just to get back to being consistently competitive."

That's certainly true for the offense, which has a .242 average over the last six games after batting .353 during the winning streak.

Braun is 5 for 20 with one RBI in the last five games after hitting .439 while driving in 10 runs over the previous 10. He's batting .194 in nine 2015 meetings with Pittsburgh, going 2 for 11 in three at home.

Mike Fiers (4-7, 3.96) hasn't been very effective on the mound against the Pirates, posting a 2-4 record and 6.12 ERA in eight games - six starts. The right-hander surrendered five runs and seven hits with eight strikeouts in five innings of a 6-2 home loss to Pittsburgh on April 10.

He's had a lot of trouble with Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker, who are a combined 14 for 32 with five homers and three doubles off him.

Fiers served up a pair of homers in a four-run third inning before leaving after the sixth and not getting a decision in a 6-5 win over Atlanta on July 8. He was 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his previous three starts.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Brewers
Fri, Jul 17 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Pirates at Brewers
Sat, Jul 18 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Pirates at Brewers
Sun, Jul 19 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (42-46) at Astros (49-42)
Game: 1
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: July 17, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

It has been more than 14 months since Martin Perez has pitched in the big leagues and he could be facing the right opponent.

The Texas Rangers left-hander makes his much-anticipated return Friday night on the road as he looks to improve to 4-0 against the Houston Astros, who seek to avoid a seventh straight defeat.

Perez will be activated off the 60-day disabled list for his first appearance since May 10, 2014, against Boston. He reported elbow soreness after allowing six runs and nine hits over 3 2-3 innings in an 8-3 loss and had Tommy John surgery less than two weeks later.

His readiness is in question based on his rehab work in the minors. Perez made two starts at Double-A Frisco, posting a 3.18 ERA with no record, before four more at Triple-A Round Rock, where he went 0-1 with a 4.95 ERA. Opponents hit .333 against him at Triple-A, and he allowed five runs and 12 hits in six innings in Sunday's 7-4 loss to New Orleans.

Perez is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in three career starts against the Astros. Chris Carter is 6 for 13 with two homers against him and Jose Altuve is 4 for 10 with two doubles.

'There is some anticipation there,' said manager Jeff Banister about Perez's return.

Houston (49-42) is searching for answers after leading the AL West every day from April 19 until Sunday's 4-3 defeat at Tampa Bay capped a six-game slide and dropped the Astros into second place behind the Los Angeles Angels.

The club is seeking to avoid matching its season-worst seven-game slide June 4-10. Still, there is a positive vibe surrounding the Astros after six straight losing seasons thanks to young players like Carlos Correa and George Springer, who is currently out with a fractured wrist.

'I'm just glad the fans show up to support the team,' Correa said. 'I think they come here because we've got a winning team.'

Those fans are hoping to see the Astros' first win at home over the Rangers, who swept three games at Houston from May 4-6 to take a 4-2 lead in the season series.

Astros right-hander Collin McHugh (9-5, 4.50 ERA) gave up one run in six innings in a 5-1 road win over the Rangers on April 10 to improve to 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts against them. Elvis Andrus is 3 for 6 against him and Prince Fielder is 2 for 3.

McHugh has a 5.74 ERA at home compared to 3.77 on the road. He gave up three runs in seven innings in his second straight loss last Friday, 3-1 at Tampa Bay.

The Astros lead the majors with 124 homers and are eighth with 4.3 runs per game, but have scored seven runs in this slide.

Carter is hitless in 19 at-bats and owns baseball's third-worst average at .185. Luis Valbuena has a team-high 19 homers and the majors' fifth-worst average at .199.

Texas (42-46), which is a major league-best 26-20 on the road, continued to struggle at its own park, ending the first half with a 2-1 defeat to San Diego to complete a 1-7 homestand.

While Prince Fielder leads the Rangers with 54 RBIs and is second in the AL with a .339 average, the lineup features two players in the bottom 10 in the majors in slugging percentage in Andrus and Leonys Martin - both at .323.

'We haven't played our best baseball yet,' Andrus said. 'We did for like a month. Second half is always exciting, especially when you're fighting for a spot.'


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Astros
Fri, Jul 17 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Rangers at Astros
Sat, Jul 18 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Rangers at Astros
Sun, Jul 19 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (47-42) at Cardinals (56-33)
Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 17, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

Despite having the best ERA at the All-Star break in 34 years, the St. Louis Cardinals have lost a lofty lead in the NL Central partly due to an inconsistent offense.

Now they're hoping the return of their All-Star left fielder can provide a spark in the second half of the season.

With Matt Holliday expected back, the Cardinals look to avoid their fourth straight loss Friday night against a visiting New York Mets team coming off its best first half in five years.

St. Louis (56-33) has soared to baseball's best record behind a pitching staff that owns a 2.71 ERA, the majors' lowest at the break since the 1981 Houston Astros posted a 2.81 mark. The rotation also has a collective 2.84 ERA, the best pre-break showing by the franchise since 1968 when Bob Gibson set a major-league record with a 1.12 mark.

"Our pitching sets the tone," manager Mike Matheny said. "Guys have been doing a nice job of keeping us in games all the way through, the bullpen has done a nice job of finishing it up."

Matheny's club, however, had a division lead that was once nine games trimmed to 2 1/2 after dropping three of four at Pittsburgh entering the break. The Cardinals have batted just .215 with eight home runs while losing nine of their last 14 games.

Holliday's return to the No. 3 slot could offer a boost to a lineup that's scored three or fewer runs nearly half of the time. The outfielder, who was elected to the All-Star Game, batted .303 with three home runs and 26 RBIs in 52 games before suffering a torn quadriceps muscle in early June.

Holliday won't have it easy in a potential first game back against New York's Noah Syndergaard (4-4, 3.11 ERA), who has gone 2-0 with a 1.97 ERA over his last five starts.

Syndergaard was outstanding in his last outing July 10, allowing one run and four hits with a career-high 13 strikeouts over eight innings in a 4-2 home win over Arizona.

The rookie right-hander, who has never faced St. Louis, hasn't been nearly as sharp on the road. He's gone 0-3 with a 5.33 ERA in five starts away from Citi Field.

New York's starters have been solid overall, yielding 19 earned runs over their last 109 2-3 innings.

"(As a staff) We got a lot of confidence in our stuff," left-hander Jonathon Niese said. "We just go out there and we attack hitters. We're having a lot of success."

The Mets (47-42) are seeking their longest winning streak since a season-high 11-game run in April. They rank 28th with 3.48 runs per game but haven't scored fewer than four during a four-game win streak.

St. Louis right-hander Lance Lynn (6-5, 2.90) had been 3-0 with an 0.85 ERA over a five-start stretch before allowing five runs in four innings during a 5-2 loss at Pittsburgh on July 10.

He went 0-2 with a 2.92 ERA while receiving just two runs of support in two outings against the Mets last season. Daniel Murphy is 6 for 14 against Lynn, though Lucas Duda is hitless in 10 at-bats.

Duda hit two home runs to help New York split a four-game home series with St. Louis in May. The Mets, however, have gone 5-14 at Busch Stadium since the start of 2009.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mets at Cardinals
Fri, Jul 17 - 8:15PM EDT

GAME 2
Mets at Cardinals
Sat, Jul 18 - 7:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Mets at Cardinals
Sun, Jul 19 - 2:15PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (42-47) at Angels (48-40)
Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: July 17, 2015 10:05 PM EDT

It's clear the All-Star break did nothing to slow down any momentum Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout built.

The Boston Red Sox are in last place and eager to see if the return of former league MVP Dustin Pedroia can kick-start a second-half push.

Trout and the Angels take the field as a first-place team for the first time in three months when they host Pedroia and the Red Sox in Friday night's four-game series opener.

Trout became the first player in 38 years to homer leading off an All-Star Game on Tuesday and became the first to win back-to-back MVP honors in that contest as he helped the AL to a 6-3 victory.

"It's just an incredible honor to be a part of the All-Star Game and win the MVP twice," he said. "It's something special for sure."

The home-field advantage earned by the AL could come in handy for Los Angeles, which has won 11 of 14 to take over sole possession of first place in the West for the first time since April 17.

'We're playing well but we have a long way to go and we want to focus on how we're playing the game,' manager Mike Scioscia said.

Trout is batting .360 with seven homers and 13 RBIs in the last 14 contests, going 12 for 27 with five home runs and 11 RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak.

Boston (42-47) will welcome back Pedroia from a right hamstring strain that has kept him out since June 24. The 2008 AL MVP is posting team highs of a .306 average and a .819 OPS.

The Red Sox went 10-6 in Pedroia's absence, though they dropped two of three last weekend to the New York Yankees to fall 6 1/2 games behind their first-place rivals.

Xander Bogaerts is batting .395 with 10 RBIs in a 10-game hitting streak while All-Star Brock Holt can match a career high by extending his hitting streak to 12 games.

"I think we played really good baseball towards the end of this half," Bogaerts said. "If we just continue to play baseball like that, good offense, good defense, good pitching, timely hits, I think we'll be in a good position."

The Angels (48-40) are 14-7 against left-handed starters to tie Tampa Bay for the AL's best record, but one of the defeats came May 24 to Friday starter Wade Miley (8-8, 4.80 ERA). Miley gave up one run over eight innings in a 6-1 home win in his only career start against Los Angeles.

Trout had a double in three at-bats against him. He is hitting .338 against left-handers with a .701 slugging percentage that is baseball's second-best mark.

Miley has been mostly mediocre. He was tagged for six runs over 5 1-3 innings as he suffered Sunday's 8-6 loss to New York.

The Angels will also start a southpaw in C.J. Wilson (7-7, 3.83), who allowed four runs over six innings in an 8-3 defeat to the Red Sox on May 23 to fall to 6-3 with a 2.94 ERA in 11 starts against them.

Wilson was charged with three runs in 6 2-3 innings in Saturday's 5-0 defeat at Seattle.

Pedroia is 11 for 27 against Wilson. David Ortiz is 3 for 20 in this matchup and batting .128 against lefties for baseball's worst average.

Boston has dropped six of nine in Anaheim after winning seven straight there.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at Angels
Fri, Jul 17 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Red Sox at Angels
Sat, Jul 18 - 9:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Red Sox at Angels
Sun, Jul 19 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Red Sox at Angels
Mon, Jul 20 - 10:05PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Twins (49-40) at Athletics (41-50)
Game: 1
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: July 17, 2015 10:05 PM EDT

After stumbling through the last four seasons, the Minnesota Twins have summoned several of their best minor leaguers this summer, some straight from Double-A.

The prized prospects have provided further reinforcement of the assumption the franchise is headed for brighter days. The funny thing about this rebuilding phase? The Twins have become contenders again, and they'll try to pick up where they left off to conclude the first half Friday night in Oakland.

The Twins (49-40), winners of three straight and six of seven, are 4 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Kansas City, but they're four games ahead of Tampa Bay, the closest to the second wild card spot.

"We've gotten to a point now where it's like, 'OK, this is something that we can do not only for a month or two months, but for a season,'" manager Paul Molitor said. "Let's make it fun. I haven't tried to look too far out, as far as talking to these guys about the playoffs and those kinds of things, but I hear them. I feel them. They're believing."

Minnesota has the second-best record in the AL and is a game away from reaching 10 games over .500 after the All-Star break for the first time since concluding 2010 at 94-68 and winning the division by six games.

"We're getting better, and part of that is the influx of young talent we've been able to insert into our lineup from time to time," Molitor said.

Molitor has helped instill a sense of self-assurance in a team comprised largely of players influenced by his past teaching as a roving minor league instructor in the organization. His Hall of Fame status, attention to detail and fresh perspective have commanded him built-in respect in the clubhouse despite a mere 89 games as manager.

He's not the only rookie who's made an impact on this team, either.

Miguel Sano has immediately become an imposing presence in the middle of the lineup, though the sample size is a mere 11 games. Eddie Rosario has quietly become a reliable everyday player. Byron Buxton was overmatched at the plate during the 11 games he played before hurting his thumb, but his speed brought instant energy and an elite caliber center fielder.

Two other members of the 25-and-under club, Aaron Hicks and Trevor May, have contributed. Kyle Gibson, the rotation's youngest, has been the best starting pitcher.

The youngsters now have veteran Ervin Santana back from his 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension, and he'll be on the mound against the Athletics (41-50).

Santana (0-0, 6.00 ERA) was sharp in his first start but regressed in last Friday's 8-6 home win over Detroit. The right-hander gave up six runs and eight hits - three home runs - in four innings.

The longtime Los Angeles Angels starter is 6-2 with a 2.12 ERA in 13 games in Oakland while allowing more than two earned runs once in 11 starts. Santana has held Brett Lawrie (1 for 11) and Ben Zobrist (2 for 16) in check, but Billy Butler is 8 for 31 with five home runs.

He may have no room for error against Sonny Gray, who threw his third career shutout in Sunday's 2-0 win in Cleveland. Gray (10-3, 2.04) gave up two hits to drop his AL-leading opponent batting average to .198, and he trails only the Los Angeles Dodgers' Zack Greinke in ERA.

"He smells blood and he just goes for it," catcher Stephen Vogt said.

Gray is 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts against the Twins. Oswaldo Arcia is 2 for 5 with a home run off him.

While the A's are still at the bottom of the AL after digging themselves 16 games under .500 by May 22, they've since gone an AL-best 27-20.

The poor start included losing three of four in Minnesota from May 4-7, but the A's have won 18 of 24 in the series and 11 of 13 in Oakland.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Athletics
Fri, Jul 17 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Twins at Athletics
Sat, Jul 18 - 9:07PM EDT

GAME 3
Twins at Athletics
Sun, Jul 19 - 4:05PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockies (39-49) at Padres (41-49)
Game: 1
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: July 17, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

James Shields' first half ended in contrast to how it began, and his second is beginning against one of the hottest teams in baseball.

NL West straggler Colorado.

If the Rockies can extend their winning streak to a season-best five games Friday night in San Diego, they will have dragged the Padres into a last-place tie of teams with big names that could be made available before the trade deadline.

After beginning his San Diego career 7-0 with a 3.58 ERA through 12 starts, Shields (7-3, 4.01 ERA) is 0-3 with a 4.79 mark in his last seven. The right-hander gave up four runs, two homers and four walks in 5 1-3 innings of Saturday's 6-5 win in Texas.

Walks have become a major concern with a rate of 4.66 per nine innings over his last five starts.

"You've got to show faith in him," interim manager Pat Murphy told MLB's official website. "... You have to trust your players, and I think that leads to them owning their performances."

Shields has been better at home, going 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA in eight starts, though the worst of those came against Colorado. The Rockies tagged him for five runs and nine hits in 5 1-3 innings May 3, though he got the victory as San Diego won 8-6. Since the start of 2014, Shields is 3-0 with a 4.07 ERA in four starts versus Colorado.

That comes despite Nolan Arenado going 7 for 11 with three home runs against him, while Carlos Gonzalez is 6 for 14 with two homers. Colorado manager Walt Weiss could elect to start Michael McKenry (4 for 7 with three doubles) behind the plate.

The Rockies (39-49) have had no trouble finding the right lineup lately with a .374 average in the last five games. They concluded a four-game home sweep of Atlanta with Sunday's 11-3 victory with Drew Stubbs homering for the third time in four games. Charlie Blackmon went 3 for 5 for his seventh multihit performance in eight games (17 for 36), and the center fielder has homered three times in his last two games in San Diego.

"I've been playing consistently for a while now, but it's just now starting to show up statistically," Blackmon said.

Gonzalez left the game with leg fatigue but should play Friday, and he's 13 for 28 with three homers in his last seven games. He figures to at least be mentioned in trade rumors, and the same goes for Troy Tulowitzki. The shortstop homered Sunday and has reached base in 38 straight games to tie Matt Holliday's 2007 run for the fourth-longest in franchise history.

For the Padres (41-49), the first half ended with consecutive wins in Texas, but that came after a 2-9 slump. Coming out of the All-Star break with a 10-game deficit in the West could result in the breaking up of a group that was formed this offseason to compete immediately. Justin Upton, one of the top free agents for the coming offseason, figures to be one of the names thrown around before the deadline.

He'll get at least one more shot at facing Jorge De La Rosa, against whom Upton is 9 for 24. Jedd Gyorko (12 for 18), Matt Kemp (18 for 44) and Derek Norris (4 for 5) have also hit him well.

De La Rosa (6-3, 4.34) gave up two runs and four hits in six innings of a 3-2 walkoff win over Atlanta on Saturday. The left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA in his last four starts, and he's been considerably better away from Coors Field with four straight wins, a 4-1 record and 1.67 ERA in five starts. The loss came against the Padres on May 2 to drop him to 0-2 with a 7.23 ERA in his last four in the series.

The Rockies have lost four straight and eight of nine in San Diego.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Padres
Fri, Jul 17 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Rockies at Padres
Sat, Jul 18 - 8:40PM EDT

GAME 3
Rockies at Padres
Sun, Jul 19 - 4:10PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Due to parity, playoffs possible for most


NEW YORK (AP) Clayton Kershaw looks around the major leagues and sees opponents convinced they can reach the playoffs.

''It's just a matter of everybody beating up on everybody,'' the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher said. ''We want everybody to feel like they're in it.''

It's the year of parity in the major leagues, when almost no one has managed to break away from the pack or fall way behind. Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and the reigning NL MVP, has a won-lost record reflecting the parity - he's 6-6.

Every team in the American League reached the All-Star break with a .450 winning percentage or higher. It's the first time an entire league did that since 1944, according to STATS, and many rosters that season were depleted of stars because of World War II.

''It's fantastic to see,'' Pittsburgh pitcher Gerrit Cole said. ''All the teams at .500 all think they're going to finish over .500, and all the teams that are over .500, and even us, we're always fretting, looking behind our back.''

Boston headed to the All-Star break in last place yet just 6 1/2 games from first - only the second time since division play began in 1969 the AL East spread was that close. The first-to-last gap has been that narrow in any division just nine times overall in the expansion era, STATS said.

''We're at the bottom of the barrel right now, but we're not that far out,'' Red Sox All-Star Brock Holt said. ''It's just about going out and taking care of our business, and the standings will kind of take care of themselves towards the end of the year.

Oakland has the worst record in the AL but at 41-50 is just 8 1/2 games behind the West-leading Los Angeles Angels. While last in the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox are 41-45 and only 5 1/2 games out for the AL's second wild card.

''We have an unbelievable level of competitive balance,'' new baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said. ''When I look at the standings, I think we're in for one heck of a ride in the second half of the season.''

There is a little more spread in the NL, where the St. Louis Cardinals have the major leagues' best record at 56-33 and Philadelphia owns the worst at 29-62. Other than the Phillies, Miami and Milwaukee, every team is within single-digit games back of a playoff berth.

''It just shows that there's not really that a monopoly of a franchise right now,'' Baltimore closer Zach Britton said.

Kansas City was 48-46 at the All-Star break last year, 6 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Detroit and 2 1/2 back of Seattle for the league's second wild card. By October, the Royals were one win shy of their first World Series title since 1985.

Royals manager Ned Yost said the bunching gave his AL players extra incentive in the All-Star Game.

''Everybody in that locker room is going to have a chance to continue to move forward and be playoff bound,'' he said before the AL's 6-3 victory.

Toronto, Seattle and the Marlins are the only teams that have not made the playoffs since 2005. Increased revenue sharing, the luxury tax on payrolls and restraints on amateur signing bonuses have helped more teams become competitive.

While the Dodgers opened the season with a payroll of nearly $273 million for their 40-man roster, according to Major League Baseball's calculations, there was a huge dropoff after that to the Yankees at $220 million and Boston at $187 million. Six teams were at $140 million to $175 million, seven at $120 million to $125 million, and six more above $100 million.

''A lot of teams that are expected to win are learning that the revenues that they are making ... they're actually going to have to spend some of those revenues to create the gap and not stay where they're at, because teams are getting close to them,'' agent Scott Boras said.

All that crowding in the standings has its impact on talks as general managers approach July 31, the last day to deal players without passing them through waivers first.

''It makes the trade deadline a lot harder, obviously,'' Kershaw said. ''Not as many teams think they're out of it. It makes it tougher to get pieces, which means you've got to build your team earlier in the offseason, in my opinion.''

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

O's hope for second-half surge


BALTIMORE (AP) The Baltimore Orioles staggered into the All-Star break on level ground following a wild roller-coaster ride marred by inconsistent play.

After losing 10 of 13 to drop to 44-44, the defending AL East champions are in third place, four games behind the division-leading New York Yankees.

''It's been up and down,'' shortstop J.J. Hardy said. ''We've had some good stretches and some bad stretches, yet we're still kind of right in the mix. So if we can get going in the second half, we have a good chance.''

Despite missing Hardy, catcher Matt Wieters, second baseman Jonathan Schoop, right-hander Kevin Gausman and All-Star outfielder Adam Jones to injury for portions of the first half, the Orioles remain ''in the hunt,'' according executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette.

As the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches, Duquette sees the Orioles as buyers, just like last year when they secured standout reliever Andrew Miller for a postseason run that finally ended in the AL Championship Series.

''We'll try to improve our ballclub and see if we can get back to the playoffs,'' Duquette told The Associated Press. ''If we can upgrade our pitching staff then we certainly will do that.''

Though the contracts of Wieters, slugger Chris Davis and left-hander Wei-Yin Chen are among those that expire after this season, Duquette's focus is in the short term.

''We'd like to make our team as strong as we can for the rest of the season,'' he said. ''The division is wide open. No dominant team has emerged and there will be a lot of teams vying for the wild-card spots, too.''

All-Stars Manny Machado, Zach Britton, Darren O'Day and Jones excelled in the first half, as did newcomer Jimmy Paredes, who's batting .299 and already has reached career highs with 10 homers and 39 RBIs.

Chen has a solid 2.78 ERA and right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez (7-4, 2.81 ERA) is finally providing a return on the $50 million contract he signed before last season.

Hardy is back in a groove after being sidelined by back spasms; Wieters and Schoop contributed immediately upon their return from the disabled list; and Gausman is back in the rotation after a bout with right shoulder tendinitis.

That's why manager Buck Showalter says, ''I think our best baseball is ahead of us.''

Even if the Orioles don't make noise before the trade deadline, Showalter is content to move forward with the current roster.

''I try to keep in mind we had four or five guys who were missing that we have back now,'' the manager said. ''We're there. All the answers we're going to need are in our locker room and in our organization. I'm very confident in the people we have.''

Although starter Bud Norris (2-9, 6.86 ERA) has been a major disappointment following a 15-win season, the Orioles' biggest issue has been a hot-and-cold offense that has been held to three runs or fewer 42 percent of its games. Delmon Young, Alejandro De Aza and Everth Cabrera have come and gone, Davis has struck out 110 times and Steve Pearce (.228) is simply not performing as well as last year.

''We've got to get our bats going,'' Machado said. ''Our pitching is doing well, but we've got to back it up with our bats. Hopefully we come out with some bats swinging and start the second half pretty good.''

The Orioles return to action Friday night for a three-game series in Detroit. Then they face both teams ahead of them in the AL East, the Yankees and Rays.

''In this division, anybody within a yell and shout of first place has got a chance,'' Wieters said. ''This division will be won in September, so the key is to stay in striking range and get hot at the right time.''

The potential is there, as evidenced by an 18-5 streak that put Baltimore in first place on June 28. That, unfortunately, was offset by the 3-10 skid into the break.

''We expected to win a lot more games than we won,'' O'Day acknowledged. ''I think we're a better team than we've showed.''

Now would be a good time to start proving it.

''We have to figure out why it's not working and we have to fix it,'' said Britton, who's converted 23 of 24 save opportunities. ''The way this division is beating up on each other, if you can be that one team that catches fire, you can get the lead.''

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cardinals remain pace-setters despite slump


ST. LOUIS (AP) The St. Louis Cardinals enter the second half of the season with the best record in baseball.

But their once-imposing lead in the National League Central Division has dwindled to 2 1/2 games. The Cardinals hope to have slugger Matt Holliday back from the 15-day disabled list in time for their series against the New York Mets at home beginning Friday.

The Cardinals are 56-33 despite injuries to ace Adam Wainwright, Matt Adams, Jon Jay, Jordan Walden, Marco Gonzales and Holliday, out since early June with a quadriceps injury. St. Louis still has a 2.71 ERA, best at the break in the majors since the 1981 Astros posted a 2.81 ERA, according to STATS. They landed three pitchers on the National League All-Star team