Wednesday 7/29/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (48-52) at Rays (51-51)

Game: 3
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: July 29, 2015 12:10 PM EDT

Even when they've pitched well lately, neither Detroit's Justin Verlander nor Tampa Bay's Chris Archer can pick up a victory. It's been a whole lot longer, though, since Verlander got one.

Yet, a more interesting storyline going into Wednesday's series finale between the Tigers and Rays at Tropicana Field may be regarding who will be Archer's catcher.

Even if Curt Casali isn't, manager Kevin Cash could give him a first career start at designated hitter after the unheralded rookie homered four times through two games of this series - two off David Price in Tuesday's 10-2 win. He's started the past four days, but this matchup comes in the early afternoon following a night game.

Casali appears to have taken the starting role from Rene Rivera, who is batting .176 and is 1 for 17 since the All-Star break. Casali has six homers in 20 plate appearances since the break - he previously had one in 119 - and he's 6 for 8 with six RBIs in the past two games to help Tampa Bay (51-51) into position to sweep.

"I try to hit the ball hard. Rarely does it leave the park, but I'm really just trying to enjoy this," Casali said. "We're winning again, which is the most important thing, and I'm having a lot of fun right now."

Rivera, though, has caught all of Archer's outings since Casali did so in his season debut June 13.

That's the same day Verlander (0-3, 5.57 ERA) made his first appearance of 2015 after being sidelined by a strained triceps, and Detroit has lost all seven games he's started. He has never gone longer without winning, and a loss Wednesday would match the worst personal skid of his career - he dropped four straight decisions on three occasions in 2008.

The right-hander deserved his two losses this month, giving up seven runs each time, but was worthy of winning his other two starts. Verlander allowed a run in 7 2-3 innings at Minnesota on July 10 - the bullpen blew a five-run lead - and was just as good Friday with eight innings of one-run ball at Boston, but Detroit lost in 11 innings.

"A big step forward from the last game," Verlander said. "Hopefully I just feed off this and continue to move forward."

Archer (9-7, 2.67), meanwhile, is winless in a career-high five straight starts while going 0-3, equaling his worst losing streak. He couldn't be blamed for not winning his two games since the break, getting no run support as he yielded three runs in 13 innings while striking out 15. The All-Star also threw 6 2-3 scoreless innings in a 12-inning loss at Yankee Stadium on July 3.

Thanks greatly to Casali, however, the Rays offense has been hot in this series with a combined 15 runs and 23 hits - 13 for extra bases. Tim Beckham had four RBIs Tuesday while Asdrubal Cabrera went 3 for 4 with three runs in his return after missing 11 games with a strained hamstring.

Cabrera has faced Verlander far more than any Tampa Bay batter over the past three years, going 9 for 19. Verlander is 6-3 with a 3.71 ERA against the Rays but hasn't faced them since June 2013.

Archer is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in three starts versus Detroit.

Yoenis Cespedes is among the few Tigers to have done well against him, going 2 for 3, and has produced nearly all of Detroit's offense this week with two solo homers and an RBI single.

The fourth-place Tigers (48-52) have dropped three straight and 11 of 15, potentially leaving the four-time defending AL Central champions as sellers with the trade deadline approaching.

The Rays made a minor deal Tuesday, shipping outfielder David DeJesus to the Los Angeles Angels for minor league pitcher Eduar Lopez.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (61-38) at Indians (45-54)

Game: 3
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: July 29, 2015 12:10 PM EDT

It's well-documented how Corey Kluber's major league-worst run support average has contributed to his AL-leading loss total.

His Cleveland Indians haven't scored much in his three losses to the Kansas City Royals, though this time a favorable matchup with Jeremy Guthrie presents itself.

The Indians will try to end their longest home losing streak in 40 years at eight and give Kluber some help Wednesday when they seek to avoid their first three-game home sweep at the hands of the Royals in 12 years.

Kluber (5-11, 3.59 ERA) has a 2.61 run support average, with Cleveland (45-54) losing 15 of his 21 starts. His career-high loss total is two more than he had last year when he won the AL Cy Young Award.

The lack of support surfaced again Friday as the Indians failed to score for him for the sixth time in a 6-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox. He was charged with six runs over seven-plus innings, with four coming in the eighth.

"It's a shame because he sure pitched a heck of a lot better than that," manager Terry Francona said.

Kluber has posted a 5.85 ERA in losing all three starts to the Royals this year, with the Indians totaling seven runs of support. Mike Moustakas is 7 for 10 against him in those games and Eric Hosmer is 4 for 8 with a homer.

Hosmer figures to pose more problems after going 6 for 9 with two homers and six RBIs in the first two games of this series, helping put Kansas City (61-38) on the verge of its first three-game sweep in Cleveland since June 24-26, 2003. He is hitting .422 with five homers and 19 RBIs against the Indians.

The first baseman was the hero in Tuesday's 2-1 victory with a tiebreaking solo homer in the ninth off Trevor Bauer, who pitched a five-hitter.

'It's real exciting,' Hosmer said. 'It's the final push for the second half. We're trying to win these ballgames. We realize these games in the division are important, especially one that close late in the game."

The Indians are enduring their first eight-game home slide since 1975. Their last longer streak was a franchise-record, 11-game skid May 8-21, 1931.

Cleveland has totaled 10 runs in a six-game overall slide - its longest since losing eight in a row June 2-10, 2013. The Indians will try to get back on track against Guthrie (7-6, 5.35), who is 2-4 with a 6.02 ERA in seven starts as a visitor to Progressive Field.

The right-hander has posted a 4.22 ERA in two starts against Cleveland this year in which he didn't receive decisions. Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana are each 11 for 25 with two homers against him.

Guthrie surrendered four runs in seven innings Friday in a 4-0 loss to Houston.

Cleveland is clearly looking to the future after trading outfielder David Murphy to the Los Angeles Angels for minor league shortstop Eric Stamets. Murphy was originally in Cleveland's lineup Tuesday, batting fourth as the designated hitter.

Kansas City acquired versatile Ben Zobrist from Oakland on Tuesday, though it's not clear if he will be available Wednesday.

'He's going to be great for us,' manager Ned Yost said. 'He's a tremendous switch-hitter. He's a really good run producer from both sides of the batter's box. He can play multiple positions. He gives us a lot of versatility. He's definitely got a winner's mentality.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pirates (58-41) at Twins (52-47)

Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: July 29, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

Francisco Liriano and Ervin Santana have enjoyed strong stretches in the past, but rounding into the twilight of their respective careers, they look as good as ever.

The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday in a matchup of Dominican hurlers that have been impressive of late.

Liriano (6-6, 2.91 ERA) was an All-Star with Minnesota in 2006, but posted an ERA of 5.09 or higher in three of in his final four seasons with the club before finding his way to Pittsburgh prior to 2013. Santana (2-0, 2.60) has won 16-plus three times, and earned an All-Star nod in 2008 with the Los Angeles Angels. Both have been hard to hit lately.

Liriano lowered his ERA to 1.95 over his last five starts in a 7-3 win over Washington on Thursday, striking out 11 while yielding one run and three hits over six-plus innings. It was an encouraging sign after he had been scratched from his scheduled start the previous weekend due to neck stiffness.

The left-hander's 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings are his most since a 10.7 mark in 2006, his second pro season. He's likely to become the first Pirate to post an ERA of 3.38 or lower while throwing at least 100 innings in three straight seasons since Doug Drabek from 1988-92.

He'll be hoping this matchup with his former club goes better than the one two months ago, though. Liriano surrendered a season-high seven runs and five hits - including two homers - over two innings of an 8-5 loss May 19, prompting boos from the home fans.

"Against a guy like Frankie, who we know and have seen be effective, jumping out early was big for us," Minnesota third baseman Trevor Plouffe told MLB's official website.

Plouffe is 3 for 5 with two homers and a double off Liriano, and that line of thinking likely still holds true. Liriano owns a 3.38 ERA in innings 1-3 compared to a 2.51 mark in the fourth inning and onward.

Santana has almost immediately cemented himself as Minnesota's ace upon returning from an 80-game suspension for violating MLB's drug program.

He dominated his former team Thursday, limiting the Angels to four hits with seven strikeouts over eight innings in a 3-0 road victory. Outside of a rough start against Detroit on July 10 when he gave up six runs in four innings, Santana has allowed two runs over 23 2-3 innings in three other outings.

"He has been able to turn the page," manager Paul Molitor said.

He won his only previous start against Pittsburgh despite allowing three runs - all on solo homers - over 5 1-3 innings on Aug. 18 with Atlanta.

Jung Ho Kang homered in the ninth to push Pittsburgh (58-41) to an 8-7 victory Tuesday, its fourth in five games. He's batting .393 with nine extra-base hits in his last 17 games. He had 13 in his previous 66 contests.

The Twins (52-47) have boasted a strong back end of the bullpen for most of the season, but closer Glen Perkins faltered again, yielding Kang's decisive home run. He has allowed six runs in 3 2-3 innings and blown two saves in four appearances since the All-Star game.

"How many games did I throw in the first half, 40? And I think I threw well in like 38 or 39 of them," he said. "Bad games are going to happen. I've been saying that all year long."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockies (43-55) at Cubs (52-47)

Game: 3
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: July 29, 2015 2:20 PM EDT

As the Colorado Rockies move on from trading the face of their franchise, the Chicago Cubs might be wondering if a current rough stretch will prevent them from making any significant additions this week.

With potentially more moves to come, the Rockies look to win their first road series in two months Wednesday against the Cubs.

Less than 24 hours after the surprise trade of five-time All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, some Rockies players remained stunned but managed to even the set with Tuesday's 7-2 victory.

'We've done it all year. We've played some of our best games after some of our toughest nights,' manager Walt Weiss said. 'We talked before the game (Tuesday) and I had a good feeling that our guys would play a nice bounce-back game. That's exactly what we did.'

With the Rockies (43-55) likely to miss the postseason for a sixth consecutive year, speculation continues to swirl that popular outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and even Jose Reyes, acquired from Toronto in the Tulowitzki trade, could be dealt before Friday's deadline.

'Our eyes and ears are open," general manager Jeff Bridich said. "We're open-minded. It's how we are operating. That doesn't mean that we have some huge elaborate plan to sell the farm and completely start from scratch.'

Regardless of the lineup, the Rockies look to win consecutive road contests and claim their first series outside Coors Field since sweeping a three-game set at Philadelphia from May 29-31.

All-Star DJ LeMahieu won't be going anywhere while batting .444 during his major league-leading 18-game hitting streak. With three hits for a second straight night, the ex-Cub is 13 for 20 with seven RBIs in five games against them in 2015.

He's never faced Jon Lester (5-8, 3.32 ERA), who has a 1.53 ERA despite going 1-2 and receiving six runs in five July starts. Half of those runs came Friday when he gave up two without a walk in seven innings of a 5-3, 10-inning loss to Philadelphia.

The left-hander, who started the World Series-clinching Game 4 against the Rockies in 2007 and last faced them in 2010, looks to help Chicago (52-47) rebound from its fourth loss in the last five contests.

Though the Cubs are 2 1/2 games out of the final wild-card spot, it's uncertain if they still intend to make any significant additions in the next few days.

"I think we're pretty darn good right now," Lester said. "Having an addition would be a shot in the arm. ... But I don't think we can worry about that right now."

Concern should mount for Anthony Rizzo, who is 4 for 34 with one RBI in the last nine games. Starlin Castro, meanwhile, is batting .132 (10 for 76) with 18 strikeouts in his last 21 contests.

Chicago went 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position Tuesday and is 1 for 23 in its last four defeats. It's .217 average in day games is the lowest in the majors.

"There's a lot left in the tank offensively for us in the next two months," manager Joe Maddon said. "If we can get everybody to play offense to the level we're capable of, there's a lot of offense."

The Cubs get their first look at Eddie Butler (3-6, 4.77), who was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on July 19 and allowed three runs, six hits and walked three in six innings while not factoring in the decision of a 6-5 win over Cincinnati on Friday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Diamondbacks (48-51) at Mariners (46-55)

Game: 3
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: July 29, 2015 3:40 PM EDT

Felix Hernandez has already staked a claim as one of the best pitchers of his generation.

He'll match up for the first time Wednesday against Paul Goldschmidt, who is blossoming into one of the best hitters among those same peers.

Hernandez seeks his AL-leading 13th victory for the Seattle Mariners versus Goldschmidt and the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.

One of the front-runners to win his second Cy Young Award after finishing runner-up last season, Hernandez (12-5, 2.69 ERA) ranks 13th among active pitchers with 137 wins. The 29-year-old, making his franchise-record 324th start, is at least three years younger than each of the players ahead of him.

Being in opposite leagues has kept him from facing Goldschmidt to this point, however. Goldschmidt's .934 OPS ranks sixth among active players with at least 2,000 at-bats, and he currently leads the majors with 75 RBIs and ranks second with a .347 batting average. He's also 13 for 30 (.433) during a 10-game hitting streak after going 2 for 5 in Arizona's 8-4 victory Tuesday night.

It's unclear who has the edge, though, as Hernandez has been lights out over his last five starts, going 2-1 with a 1.09 ERA. He also boasts a 6-1 record and 1.56 ERA in his last 10 interleague starts.

Hernandez is 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA in two meetings with the Diamondbacks, whom he hasn't faced since 2009.

The Mariners (46-55) could use a strong start from their ace after giving up 25 runs while losing three of four.

Meanwhile, Arizona (48-51) is looking to match its season high with a fifth straight victory and has posted a 1.70 ERA during its winning streak. Ender Inciarte homered Tuesday and is 12 for 32 (.375) over his last seven games.

Patrick Corbin (1-3, 3.68) is in danger of losing a career-high fourth straight start, though it's partially due to bad luck - he's been given three runs of support in 17 innings during the losing streak.

The left-hander was excellent despite no backing Friday against Milwaukee, yielding only a solo homer by Ryan Braun over seven innings in a 2-1 loss.

Corbin has surrendered five home runs during his skid, accounting for six of the seven runs against him, and has a home run rate of 2.1 per nine innings on the season. He allowed 0.94 home runs per nine from 2012-13 prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Seattle's .299 on-base percentage against lefties is one of the majors' lowest, though Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager have both enjoyed success facing southpaws. Cruz, who is 14 for 37 (.378) during an eight-game hitting streak and hit his fifth homer in that span Tuesday, owns a .378 batting average against left-handers, while Seager is hitting .321. Though Seager's hitting streak was snapped at seven games, he has hit safely in 16 of 18 while scoring 15 runs.

Seven of Cruz's 26 homers have come in 13 interleague games.

Arizona catcher Welington Castillo was left out of the lineup after taking a pitch on the elbow Monday for the second time in three games. It's uncertain if he'll play Wednesday.

The Diamondbacks have averaged 8.4 runs while taking four of the last five meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers (44-57) at Giants (55-45)

Game: 3
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: July 29, 2015 3:45 PM EDT

It's possible that Nori Aoki needs to work on his timing after two hitless efforts since returning from a 28-game absence after breaking his right fibula.

The San Francisco Giants may not want to rest him Wednesday because of his gaudy average in day games and success earlier this year against Milwaukee Brewers starter Mike Fiers.

Aoki and Joe Panik each had two hits off Fiers in a May victory and have the chance to face the right-hander again in this three-game series finale, with the status of the Brewers' Ryan Braun in doubt.

Aoki is 0 for 6 in this series after being activated before Monday's 4-2 win. He batted eighth in that game and hit second in Tuesday's 5-2 defeat that ended the Giants' six-game win streak.

The left fielder is tied for second in the majors with a .400 average in day games. He also went 9 for 14 in a three-game sweep at Milwaukee (44-57) from May 25-27 in his first action against his first big league club.

San Francisco (55-45) capped that series with a 3-1 victory over Fiers (5-8, 3.94 ERA), who was charged with two runs in five innings. Half of the hits allowed by Fiers came off the bats of Aoki and Panik, who hit a two-run homer.

Panik will likely get a second straight day off Wednesday because of back stiffness.

The Giants lost for the second time in 14 games and missed a chance to take over the NL West lead. They trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by one-half game.

'It doesn't matter where you're at right now, to be honest,' manager Bruce Bochy said. 'It's a little early to be doing that. It's all about going out there, playing well and winning ballgames. It's pretty simple at this stage. There's a lot of baseball left.'

Fiers fell to 0-2 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against the Giants with the May defeat. He struck out 10 and gave up five runs in five innings in last Thursday's 8-3 defeat at Arizona that opened this seven-game trip in which the Brewers are 2-4.

Braun, who has a team-high 61 RBIs, homered in the first two games of the trip but has yet to play in this series due to lower back tightness. It's unclear if he will play Wednesday.

"Just day to day with it, really just trying to get it better," manager Craig Counsell said. "He's had similar stuff to this in the past."

Braun would have a tough assignment if he comes back since he is 2 for 14 with six strikeouts against Giants starter Jake Peavy (2-4, 4.86), who seeks to capture his third straight start. Peavy allowed three runs in six-plus innings in Friday's 9-3 rout of Oakland.

The veteran right-hander went 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three starts against the Brewers last year. Jonathan Lucroy went 4 for 8 with a homer and two doubles in those games against Peavy.

Milwaukee's Adam Lind is 4 for 11 with a home run and two doubles versus Peavy. Lind drove in two runs to give him 60 RBIs in his return Tuesday after missing two games due to lower back tightness.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phillies (38-63) at Blue Jays (50-51)

Game: 2
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: July 29, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

Mired in baseball's longest postseason drought, the Toronto Blue Jays were rumored to be looking for pitching help. Instead, they added another big bat to baseball's highest-scoring offense.

Troy Tulowitzki makes his Blue Jays debut Wednesday night at Rogers Centre and looks to help prevent the major league-worst Philadelphia Phillies from matching a season high with a sixth straight win.

Toronto (50-51) hasn't been to the playoffs since beating Philadelphia to win the 1993 World Series, and its big league-leading 5.25 runs per game has it in the thick of the AL wild-card chase.

The Blue Jays' rotation, though, is among the worst in baseball with a 4.39 ERA.

While a move to address that could come before Friday's trade deadline, they acquired Tulowitzki from Colorado on Monday for fellow shortstop Jose Reyes in a six-player deal.

"Getting better doesn't have to mean a reliever or a starter," general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "When you have a chance to get the best player at a respective position and a guy that also brings some intangibles as well, it's a rare opportunity and we wanted to take advantage of it."

Tulowitzki hit .300 with 12 homers and 53 RBIs in 87 games for the Rockies, remaining healthy after injuries plagued much of his eight previous seasons. He was hitting .340 with 21 homers and 52 RBIs last year before hip surgery ended his season in July.

Toronto could have used the five-time All-Star on Tuesday when it fell 3-2 to begin this two-game set, snapping its eight-game winning streak over the Phillies (38-63).

The Jays will try to bounce back behind R.A. Dickey (4-10, 4.53 ERA), who is 2-5 in his last 10 starts despite a 3.32 ERA as he's been backed by three runs or fewer in seven of them. The right-hander got some help at Oakland on Thursday, yielding two runs in 8 1-3 innings of a 5-2 win to get his first victory in six starts.

"I like to pretend that it doesn't affect you at all, but when you look up there and see (your win-loss record), it hurts, it's hard," Dickey told MLB's official website.

Dickey is 4-4 with a 2.89 ERA in 10 career starts against Philadelphia.

The Phillies remain the only team yet to reach 40 victories despite winning nine of 10 and five straight, one shy of their season-best streak from May 13-18.

In looking toward the future, Philadelphia sent closer Jonathan Papelbon to Washington for Double-A right-hander Nick Pivetta on Tuesday.

Ken Giles replaced Papelbon, earning his first save of the season Tuesday.

"I can't thank him enough for guiding me through the way of the closer," Giles said of Papelbon. "I think I'm going to be a great closer."

Jerome Williams (3-7, 6.28) gets the ball for a second time after missing over five weeks with a strained left hamstring. The right-hander is 0-4 with a 7.91 ERA in his last seven outings but provided a quality start Friday, giving up three runs and two homers in six innings of Friday's 5-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.

He's 0-5 with an 8.05 ERA in eight road starts, and his season ERA is the highest of any Phillie with at least eight starts.

"I'm flushing that first half down the toilet," Williams said. "It's a new half. I just want to go about my business and try to finish strong."

Williams is 2-0 with a 4.00 ERA in three career starts against Toronto.

It's unclear if the Blue Jays will have Jose Bautista (hamstring) or rookie Devon Travis (shoulder) available after both got hurt Tuesday. Travis hit a leadoff homer in the opener and is 5 for 9 in the last four games, while Bautista's 21 homers and 66 RBIs rank second on the team.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Braves (46-54) at Orioles (50-49)

Game: 3
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: July 29, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

After he won 29 games the last two seasons, the Baltimore Orioles were expecting more of the same from Chris Tillman in 2015.

It took half a season, but it appears they've finally gotten that pitcher back.

Tillman tries to continue his dominant stretch and pitch the Orioles to a fifth consecutive win Wednesday night against the reeling Atlanta Braves.

This had all the makings of a lost season for Tillman, who had an AL-worst 6.22 ERA with 10 homers surrendered through June 21. He's changed course completely over his last five starts, however, going 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA, walking six, striking out 28 and allowing no home runs. Seattle's Felix Hernandez (1.09) is the only AL pitcher with a better ERA during that span.

After tossing one-hit ball over eight innings and retiring the last 23 batters he faced in a 3-0 victory at Detroit, Tillman (7-7, 4.71 ERA) was nearly as good at Tampa Bay on Friday. He gave up one run and two hits in seven-plus innings but was denied a victory when Baltimore's bullpen faltered in the eighth of a 3-1 loss.

'Tilly was the reason we stayed in the ball game,' Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

The right-hander has never faced the Braves but has seen plenty of A.J. Pierzynski, who is 6 for 21 with a homer in this matchup.

Baltimore (50-49) has rebounded from four straight losses with a four-game win streak, beating Atlanta 7-3 on Tuesday behind two homers and a career high-tying five RBIs from Chris Davis.

'We know it's going to be a challenge,' manager Buck Showalter said. 'But we're competing, we're engaged and our guys will be as good as they're capable of being. I have a lot of confidence in that.'

The Orioles' only three-game sweeps this season came against Boston and Cleveland in June, and Tillman won the finale both times.

Tuesday's performance was another positive sign for an Orioles offense that struggled greatly during a 5-15 stretch. They have totaled 19 runs and batted .318 with runners in scoring position in the four wins after averaging 3.2 runs and hitting .135 in those situations in the previous 20 games.

Davis is 8 for 26 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in his past seven contests.

'My job is to go out and play as hard as I can for the Orioles,' said Davis, an impending free agent whose name has come up in trade rumors. 'That's on every guy's mind. For us to pay attention (to rumors) and step outside the lines is not going to be beneficial.'

Freddie Freeman, who missed more than a month with sprained right wrist, homered for the first time since June 13, but Atlanta (46-54) has lost 12 of 16 to fall a season-high eight games under .500. The Braves have also dropped 15 of 19 on the road, scoring 20 runs in their last nine.

With scheduled starter Manny Banuelos heading to the disabled list Tuesday, Mike Foltynewicz (3-2, 5.27) will be promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett to start for Atlanta. The right-hander is 3-2 with a 5.19 ERA in nine starts this season, last making one June 14 against the New York Mets. He was tagged for six runs and nine hits over 4 1-3 innings in that game.

Foltynewicz tossed one scoreless inning out of the bullpen at Colorado on July 11 in his most recent appearance.

He's 0-1 with a 5.01 ERA in four career road starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nationals (52-46) at Marlins (42-58)

Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: July 29, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

While the offense for the Washington Nationals is finally healthy, their bullpen just became much stronger - but perhaps unhappier.

Armed with new closer Jonathan Papelbon for the stretch run, the NL East leaders continue their series with the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.

Holding a tenuous one-game lead atop the division, Washington (52-46) bolstered its relief corps by acquiring the six-time All-Star with 342 saves on Tuesday from Philadelphia. Papelbon, who would not agree to the trade unless he was guaranteed the closer's spot, also restructured his contract for 2016.

"All-Star closer, been in pressure situations his whole career, so we're happy to have him," Nationals manager Matt Williams said.

Papelbon has been well-rested due to the Phillies' struggles. He's converted all 17 of his save opportunities and appeared in only 37 games - a number he reached July 9 last year. While Drew Storen will be demoted to set-up man, general manager Mike Rizzo envisions a potent back-end combination to complement a rotation that has been overpowering at times.

"Papelbon is our ninth-inning pitcher," Rizzo said. "Drew will pitch the ninth inning at times when Papelbon is unavailable and be our set-up guy in the eighth inning as we are constructed today. Paps hasn't pitched too many three-days-in-a-row stints. We're going to be careful with him and we feel that we've got two terrific, elite ninth-inning guys who can close out games in pressure situations."

Storen, who converted his last seven save chances and 29 of 31 for the season, did not take the news well.

"All I'm going to say is that I'm aware of the move and I've talked to Mike about it and talked to my agent and we've had some ongoing discussions and until those have progressed I'm going to leave it at that and no comment for now," Storen said after losing the closer's role for the third time with the Nationals.

Doug Fister (3-6, 4.50 ERA) hopes to get more help from an offense which now has Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth all back from injuries. Tuesday's 4-1 loss was the first time this season they were in the lineup together as Zimmerman and Werth both came off the disabled list, four days after Rendon was activated, and the trio went a combined 4 for 10.

Fister is 0-3 with a 5.32 ERA in his last four starts but has been given just four runs of support. He hasn't received more than one run in any of his six outings outside Nationals Park, losing the last three.

The right-hander was reached for four runs and nine hits over five innings for the second straight start Thursday, losing 7-3 at Pittsburgh.

However, Fister has been dominant in three starts against the Marlins, going 2-0 with a 1.14 ERA.

Tom Koehler (8-6, 3.16) has a 1.62 ERA in his past six starts and is coming off one of his best to beat San Diego. He allowed three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in seven innings of a 4-0 victory Thursday.

It's been a very simple formula this year for the right-hander - when the Marlins (42-58) give him three or more runs, he's 6-0 with a 2.61 ERA in eight outings.

"I know the guy continues to step up and battle," manager Dan Jennings said. "He's truly one of those guys that leaves everything on the field."

Koehler defeated Washington on April 25, going 7 1-3 innings of an 8-0 win, but was roughed up for five runs in seven innings in his most recent outing against the Nationals, a 7-5 defeat May 6.

Bryce Harper homered three times off Koehler that day but enters this matchup having gone a season-high nine straight games without an RBI.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (47-53) at Mets (52-48)

Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: July 29, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Superb pitching has the New York Mets in position to regain the NL East lead for the first time in almost six weeks.

After Noah Syndergaard turned in another brilliant performance, Bartolo Colon may need more of the same if he's going to avoid matching the longest losing streak of his career Wednesday night against the San Diego Padres.

New York (52-48) has followed a 2-6 stretch by winning three in a row behind a 1.29 ERA, with starters Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Syndergaard combining to allow two runs in 22 2-3 innings.

That's helped pull the Mets within one game of East-leading Washington ahead of a three-game series at Citi Field this weekend.

The Mets haven't been in first since June 19.

Syndergaard carried a perfect game into the seventh and left after the eighth in Tuesday's 4-0 win over San Diego (47-53).

"We've got a lot of momentum going forward," Syndergaard said.

Colon (9-9, 4.60 ERA) is 0-5 with a 5.05 ERA in his last six starts, but he's allowed two earned runs or fewer in three of those games. The Mets, however, have backed him with one run during that span, none in the past four outings.

The right-hander lost a career-high six straight decisions over eight starts with the Los Angeles Angels in 2007.

Colon limited the Los Angeles Dodgers to one run in eight innings Thursday but New York was three-hit by Clayton Kershaw in a 3-0 defeat.

He's 2-2 with a 2.67 ERA in five career starts against the Padres, giving up two runs in 7 1-3 innings of a 6-2 win in his only matchup at Citi Field on June 13, 2014.

Lucas Duda has homered on each of his three hits in 13 at-bats over the past three games. The first baseman had a two-run shot in the first inning Tuesday and he's batting .321 in 15 career home meetings with San Diego.

The Mets have 12 home runs and 22 doubles during an 8-2 stretch at home against the Padres.

Homers, though, are very tough to come by against Tyson Ross (6-8, 3.45), who has set a franchise record by going 16 straight starts without serving one up. Extending the streak would give him the longest since Roger Clemens went 19 in a row from 1990-91.

The three homers Ross has allowed this season are the fewest by any pitcher with at least 16 starts.

The right-hander is 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA over his last seven starts, going 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA in four on the road over that span.

Ross, though, wasn't particularly sharp in a 4-0 loss to Miami on Thursday, matching a season high with four runs allowed over 5 2-3 innings.

He's 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts against the Mets.

New York's pitchers have cooled off Matt Kemp, who is 0 for 8 in this series after hitting .413 (19 for 46) with five homers and 11 RBIs in the previous 13 games.

He's 3 for 7 versus Colon but 1 for 12 in his last three games in New York.

San Diego has lost seven of nine on the road, averaging 2.0 runs and batting .120 (6 for 50) with runners in scoring position in those games.

Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia was suspended for 162 games for a second positive test for performance-enhancing substances. He appeared in seven games after serving an 80-game ban earlier this season.

"Extremely, extremely disappointed in what's happened," manager Terry Collins said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: White Sox (48-50) at Red Sox (44-57)

Game: 3
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: July 29, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The White Sox offense is rolling behind Melky Cabrera and Jose Abreu, and Chicago has found life in the AL wild-card race.

They'll look for another fast start Wednesday night against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Chicago's playoff hopes seemed all but dashed a week ago. The White Sox's 3-2 loss to St. Louis last Wednesday was their sixth in seven games, dropping them seven games behind the second wild-card spot with the league's third-worst record.

They've since averaged 7.5 runs while winning a season high-matching six straight, leapfrogging four teams to pull within four games of Minnesota for the final wild-card.

"We've been swinging the bats good. You don't want to think about it," manager Robin Ventura said.

Big first innings have been crucial recently. The White Sox (48-50) scored just 27 first-inning runs through their first 94 games, but have 14 in the last four, including five in Tuesday's 9-4 victory at Boston. Cabrera and Abreu combined to go 7 for 10 with four RBIs and have seen the ball well during the winning streak. Cabrera is 15 for 27 with 10 extra-base hits and 10 RBIs, while Abreu is 10 for 23 with eight RBIs.

Cabrera has made a habit of victimizing the Red Sox over the last year, batting .420 with 13 RBIs in his last 12 meetings. He's also 10 for 20 with a home run and three doubles off Wednesday's starter Rick Porcello.

The White Sox turn to Jose Quintana (5-9, 3.56 ERA) as they aim for a seventh straight victory for the first time since a nine-game run May 23-June 1, 2012.

Quintana will look to build off his first shutout, a seven-hitter with eight strikeouts in a 6-0 win at Cleveland Friday. The six runs of support were a season high for the left-hander who has averaged 2.9 and is 0-7 when allowing more than one run.

"He was sharp and I think there was something about what he's had to endure," Ventura said. "I felt we were playing good defense and it helped him. He was sharp from the get-go locating and got out of some jams. Shockingly, we scored a bunch of runs for him, which he was happy about."

Quintana faced Boston once in each of his first three seasons, allowing three runs in 21 1-3 innings while winning once. Xander Bogaerts, who is 33 for 90 (.367) against left-handers, is the only Red Sox batting above .256 off lefties.

Boston (44-57) retired Pedro Martinez's No. 45 before Tuesday's game, but its recent pitching has not been befit of the newly enshrined Hall of Famer. Red Sox starters own a 6.04 ERA during the team's 2-11 stretch.

Porcello (5-10, 5.51) has had a disastrous first season outside of Detroit, though he's been better over his last three outings with a 2.50 ERA. He threw seven innings - his most in eight starts - while allowing one run Friday against the Tigers, but is still 1-8 over his last 11 games.

"He's clearly moving in the right direction," manager John Farrell said.

Porcello dropped both matchups with the White Sox last year but had been 9-1 with a 2.36 ERA in his previous 13 starts against them.

For all of Porcello's struggles, he has been tough in the first inning, holding opponents to a .209 batting average.

Gordon Beckham is 5 for his last 53 but 15 for 32 with a homer and six doubles versus Porcello.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Yankees (57-42) at Rangers (47-52)

Game: 3
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: July 29, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

The New York Yankees are determined to give Masahiro Tanaka extra rest every time they can.

The Yankees have won five straight outings by Tanaka entering his first against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night as these teams continue their four-game set in Arlington.

New York (57-42) adjusted its rotation for this series, giving Chris Capuano a spot start Tuesday to give Tanaka (7-3, 3.64 ERA) and Michael Pineda extra rest. Since Tanaka returned June 3 from a stint on the disabled list with a strained right forearm, he has pitched with at least five days' rest in every outing - going 5-2 with a 3.79 ERA in nine.

The right-hander has posted a 2.82 ERA in winning three straight starts, yielding three runs - all on solo homers - over 7 2-3 innings in last Thursday's 9-3 victory over Baltimore. His opponents are batting .152 with 20 strikeouts in the last three games.

"The past three games, it's been gradually getting better," he said through an interpreter.

Tanaka has never faced any of the Rangers hitters.

Texas (47-52) has started left-handers in the first two games of this series to disastrous results, with New York totaling 14 runs off those starters. The Rangers will have right-handers on the mound in the last two games, beginning with Colby Lewis (10-4, 4.49).

Lewis has pitched into the eighth inning in capturing both starts since the All-Star break, allowing two runs over 7 2-3 innings with a season-high nine strikeouts in Friday's 4-2 victory at the Los Angeles Angels.

The right-hander is 2-3 with a 5.55 ERA in six starts against the Yankees, allowing five runs in 6 2-3 innings as he got credit for a 10-9 road victory May 22.

Didi Gregorius homered against him in that game and continued to torment the Rangers in Tuesday's 21-5 rout by going 4 for 5 with three RBIs. He is 7 for 9 with seven RBIs in this series and 15 for 36 with four homers and 14 RBIs in nine career games versus Texas.

The Yankees scored 11 runs in the second inning to erase a 5-0 deficit, and Chris Young's grand slam in the third opened up a 15-5 advantage.

'I've seen a snowman (8) but I've never seen 11 (runs). Everybody was swinging the bats well, but it's still big-league pitching,' left fielder Brett Gardner said. 'When you're down five, if you can scratch one across that's good, but more is even better. It speaks to the character of this team to come back and answer that quickly.'

Young was 3 for 6 with a career-high five RBIs while Gardner was 3 for 4 with three walks, a career-high five runs scored and three RBIs.

The bottom third of the New York lineup is 15 for 28 with 12 RBIs in this series.

Young will likely sit Wednesday since he's a .185 hitter against right-handers. Carlos Beltran could return to the lineup in his place.

Texas has lost three straight and 12 of 13 at home, where it is a major league-worst 16-28. The Rangers committed three errors and were held hitless after they had three in the first inning.

"My overall take is it's not the way we want to play the game of baseball," manager Jeff Banister said.

Josh Hamilton sat out Tuesday and is expected back in the lineup.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Reds (44-54) at Cardinals (64-36)

Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 29, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

John Lackey has been dominant recently but that's been the case at home all season. That could change against red-hot Joey Votto and the Cincinnati Reds.

Lackey will try to slow Votto down and help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Reds for the 10th time in 12 meetings at Busch Stadium on Wednesday night.

Since allowing a season-high 10 runs over four innings of an 11-3 loss at Colorado on June 8, Lackey (9-5, 2.88 ERA) has gone 5-1 with a 1.75 ERA in eight starts since. He's lasted at least seven innings in seven of those outings.

"That's my whole career," Lackey said. "I get deep in games, that's why I'm still doing it."

That's been common theme at home, where the 36-year-old right-hander is 7-2 with a 1.97 ERA in 11 starts, completing a minimum of seven innings in all but one.

He lasted that long Thursday, yielding two runs in a 4-3 win over AL-leading Kansas City.

Lackey is 2-0 with a 3.25 ERA in five career starts against Cincinnati (44-54), allowing four runs and a pair of homers to Votto in six innings before leaving without a decision in a 5-4 road loss April 10.

Votto has been a huge challenge for any pitcher lately, going 23 for 41 (.561) with four homers and nine RBIs in 12 games since the All-Star break.

He's 11 for 25 with four home runs and eight RBIs in eight games against St. Louis this year.

Votto fell a triple shy of the cycle Tuesday, opening the scoring in a 4-0 victory with a three-run homer in the sixth inning. The Reds had lost six straight to the Cardinals.

"Well, it would be more satisfying if we were winning more games and we were in the middle of the hunt," said Votto, who leads the NL with 37 multihit games. "So, in a way it's kind of bittersweet."

Todd Frazier doubled Tuesday but he's mired in a 9-for-45 slump in the past 12 games. He's homered twice in that stretch but is still tied with Washington's Bryce Harper and Giancarlo Stanton of Miami for the NL lead with 27.

Frazier is 2 for 8 with a home run off Lackey.

Anthony DeSclafani (5-7, 3.98) takes the mound in search of his first win since beating Philadelphia on June 9. The rookie right-hander is 0-3 with a 4.75 ERA in seven starts since, including a 2.52 ERA without recording a decision in four road games.

He allowed three runs in seven innings of Friday's 6-5 loss at Colorado.

The Cardinals' Kolten Wong is 9 for 24 (.375) in the past six games matching his hit total over 54 at-bats in his previous 14. The second baseman hit a grand slam in Monday's 4-1 victory.

Cincinnati's Marlon Bryd was off Tuesday, but could return Wednesday since he's 10 for 29 with two homers and two doubles against Lackey. Byrd, though, is 1 for 20 this season against the Cardinals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Athletics (45-56) at Dodgers (56-45)

Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: July 29, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

While Clayton Kershaw looks to extend the longest current scoreless stretch in the majors, it's the Los Angeles Dodgers' offense that needs to improve in order to avoid the club's longest slide of the season.

They'll try to provide enough support for the left-hander as he tries for a fourth straight winning start Wednesday night against the visiting Oakland Athletics.

Kershaw (8-6, 2.51 ERA) saw his bid for a perfect game end in the seventh Thursday, but he hasn't allowed a run in 29 innings after tossing a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts during the 3-0 win over the New York Mets. It's now the longest active scoreless stretch after teammate Zack Greinke's run of 45 2-3 innings ended Sunday.

"That's what aces do. When he's like that, they've got no chance," teammate Jimmy Rollins told MLB's official website about Kershaw.

Kershaw last yielded a run in the fourth inning of a 2-1 loss to the Mets on July 3. In three starts since, he's recorded two complete games and struck out 38 without a walk over 26 innings.

"I want to throw nine every time out," said Kershaw, 3-1 with an 0.97 ERA in his last five home starts.

This will be Kershaw's first start against the A's (45-56) since 2012. He's allowed one run and struck out 15 over 13 2-3 innings without a decision in two starts against them.

Kershaw and the Dodgers (56-45) hope Sonny Gray's stellar three-hit, nine-strikeout effort in Tuesday's 2-0 defeat isn't the only dominant pitching performance by an ace in this two-game series.

Howie Kendrick had two of those hits for the Dodgers, who are batting .156 with four runs while losing three in a row for the fifth time this season.

With his name among trade speculation, Yasiel Puig is 2 for 24 - both homers - with seven strikeouts in his last eight contests.

Los Angeles also is uncertain how long it will be without third baseman Justin Turner, who was scratched from Tuesday's lineup after a pimple on his leg turned into an infection.

"Over the off day, something went wrong,' manager Don Mattingly said of Turner, who leads the team with a .323 average and has a career-high 13 homers.

"It was this itty bitty thing then it turned into something a little more dangerous."

Oakland has traded Scott Kazmir, Tyler Clippard and Ben Zobrist in a six-day span, but snapped a four-game skid despite scoring three or fewer runs for a fifth consecutive contest and the 11th time in the last 14.

'We can still win a lot of ballgames," outfielder Josh Reddick said. "We've just got to keep that confidence in ourselves and believe in ourselves. .. The main goal is to win ballgames, with or without those guys.'

Reddick homered and had half of Oakland's six hits Tuesday. He's batting .375 in his last eight games.

Jesse Chavez (5-10, 3.45) looks to rebound after he allowed four runs, eight hits and walked two in three-plus innings of a 9-3 loss at San Francisco on Friday. It was the third time in his last four starts that Chavez gave up four runs.

"You got to tip your cap to good hitting, but at the same time you got to make adjustments and I didn't do that," said the right-hander, who has a 5.81 ERA while losing four of his last six starts.

He's never started against the Dodgers and hasn't faced them since 2010.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Why baseball bettors should pay attention to heat and humidity
By JOE FORTENBAUGH

Pitching matchups, home field advantage, current form. These are the types of angles that even the most novice of baseball bettors consider before walking to the window to plunk down a chunk of cash with the hopes of a profitable return.

However, as the gambler’s level of sophistication increases, so too does his or her attention to detail when it comes to handicapping the matchup in question. Ballpark factors are integral in evaluating totals, while lefty/righty splits, line movements and situational analysis serve as important tools in gaining an edge when working to identify a potential winning wager.

You’ll sometimes encounter the phrase, “Paralysis by over analysis,” which simply implies that one can suffer adverse consequences from too much research. But one important key for all bettors, no matter the sport, should be to invest as much time in studying the game as much as possible, as long as that time is dedicated to sifting through the information that truly matters. The color of the road team’s jerseys means nothing.

Additionally, a piece of information such as, “The Chicago Bears are 0-7 ATS on Monday night football over the last 20 years,” could, on its face, appear to serve as a valuable slice of intel…right up until you realize that the Bears haven’t played on Monday night in 15 years. What does Chicago’s roster from 2002 have to do with Chicago’s roster in 2015?

That’s preciously where we come into play.

Today’s lesson/science experiment (gasp!) focuses on the influence weather, specifically heat and humidity, has on a baseball. We all know that centerfield gusts at Wrigley Field will lead to a longer ball flight, just as the higher elevation in Denver will also aid in carrying a baseball further through the air.

But what about heat and humidity and how these two weather factors affect a ball’s flight and trajectory?

The answer is relatively simple to regurgitate from any seventh grade science book: As air warms, it expands, which in turn lowers the air’s density while paving the way for a baseball to travel longer distances. The same can be said as it relates to humidity, as air with a higher dew point is less dense, meaning baseballs will travel further in higher humidity if all other factors are considered equal.

Simply put, the higher the temperature and/or humidity, the farther a baseball will travel. The good news here is that you don’t need to invest in meteorology lessons in order to improve your skills as a baseball bettor, as websites like Weather.com, AccuWeather and Baseball-Weather, among others, have all the information you need at just the few clicks of a mouse.

As we transition from rudimentary science back to gambling (hoorah!), the first element to consider is the fact that of the 30 ballparks that comprise Major League Baseball locales, one (Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida) is a fixed roof dome stadium while six others (Chase Field in Phoenix, Marlins Park in Miami, Miller Park in Milwaukee, Minute Maid Park in Houston, Rogers Centre in Toronto and Safeco Field in Seattle) feature retractable roofs. That means when the temperatures and humidity get too high in any of these seven cities, the likelihood is great that the game will be played indoors and away from the elements, which leaves us with 23 stadiums left to evaluate.

The next item on our checklist is to create an adequate sample size, but one that attempts to eliminate the “Steroid era” in Major League Baseball, as run production was at an all-time high during this period of time, which was vastly different than what we watch on television today. So with that in mind, we’ll use 2010 through the end of last week as our sample size.

Using the above parameters, here’s what we discovered:

WHEN TEMPERATURES RANGE FROM 95-99 DEGREES

Home teams: 86-63 (.577)
Total runs scored per game: 9.9

WHEN TEMPERATURES RANGE FROM 100-104 DEGREES

Home teams: 36-23 (.610)
Total runs scored per game: 10.2

WHEN TEMPERATURES RANGE FROM 105 DEGREES AND UP

Home teams: 5-3 (.625)
Total runs scored per game: 11.5

A cursory first glance at this data would likely indicate that home teams tend to fair better and produce more profitable results when playing in hotter weather. However, when you factor in the juice that is associated with most of these home favorites, the profit margins quickly decrease. So employing the simple strategy of backing home teams in hot weather is not something that we would advise.

However, it is absolutely worth noting the total number of runs produced in games with hotter temperatures. Compare what you see above to the average number of runs scored per game during this time frame:

2010: 8.76 runs/game
2011: 8.56 runs/game
2012: 8.65 runs/game
2013: 8.33 runs/game
2014: 8.13 runs/game

Combine those five years and you get an average of just 8.48 runs per game, which is a full three runs shy of the average runs scored in games with temperatures of 105 degrees or higher during the same time span. Additionally, you’ll note that games in the range of 95-99 degrees produce an average of 1.5 more runs per game while matchups in the range of 100-104 degrees produce an average of 1.74 more runs per outing.

As Stephen Hawking once famously said, “Science is not only a disciple of reason, but also one of romance and passion.”

In this instance it appears as if we are able to take our romance and passion surrounding baseball wagering and, combined with a science lesson in weather, determine yet another significant angle to consider when attempting to defeat the sports books.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Angels RHP Weaver to begin rehab stint Thursday
The Sports Xchange

Los Angeles Angels right-hander Jered Weaver will make a rehab start at Class-A Inland Empire on Thursday night.

Weaver has been on the disabled list for five weeks. He went 4-8 with a 4.75 ERA in 15 starts before his inflamed left hip forced the Angels to act. Tests revealed no structural damage, but the team said it would take its time bringing Weaver back.

Weaver was told not to pick up a baseball for five days and was re-evaluated, when the news was better.

"There's obviously something in his mechanics that are out of whack," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said in June. "I have a lot of confidence that we're gonna see him get better as we move forward, but right now there's no doubt about just trying to exhale a little bit."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Banuelos reportedly headed to DL
Andrew Avery

Atlanta Braves rookie starting pitcher Manny Banuelos is rumored to be headed to the DL with left elbow inflammation, reports Braves beat writer Mark Bowman via twitter.

The 24-year-old was scheduled to start against the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday, but Bowman's tweet mentions that it could be Mike Foltynewicz that gets the ball.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Blue Jays' deal for Tulowitzki not spur of the moment
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

TORONTO -- The trade for Troy Tulowitzki was not a typical deadline transaction.

The deal that brought the All-Star shortstop to the Blue Jays and sent shortstop Jose Reyes to the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday just happened to take place four days before the July 31 deadline for trades without waivers. The Blue Jays wanted it to happen earlier, like in the offseason.

The Blue Jays also received 42-year-old right-handed reliever LaTroy Hawkins while sending right-handed pitching prospects Jeff Hoffman, Miguel Castro and Jesus Tinoco to the Rockies.

While Tulowitzki provides an upgrade offensively and defensively at a key position, Hawkins brings experience to a young bullpen and likely will be a seventh-inning man.

A trade like this usually happens in the offseason and that is when general manager Alex Anthopoulos first tried to do it. The teams tried again in May and talks heated up again this month.

"This is a long-term acquisition," Anthopoulos said. "We think we got better now. We would have taken Troy Tulowitzki in the offseason; we just couldn't get the deal done. This wasn't a July move, this happened to be the time we could get him."

The Blue Jays need pitching help and will still pursue it until Friday's deadline and beyond if necessary.

It could be argued that Tulowitzki helps the pitching because he is superior defensively to Reyes, who has made frequent costly mistakes with his glove, including eight errors in his past 19 games. Tulowitzki also is a better overall hitter and makes the highest-scoring team in the majors even more potent.

"I just think we got better, for the short and for the long term," Anthopoulos said. "Ideally, you don't shop in the rental market; that doesn't mean we'll rule it out, we're open to it, but our preference is always for guys who are under control and will be here for a while."

Anthopoulos said the key to the deal was including Hoffman, taken ninth overall in the 2014 draft even though he had just undergone Tommy John surgery. He was expected to go higher in the draft but for the injury. He has progressed to Double-A this season.

"We weren't too thrilled about trading some of our better prospects -- as we did in this deal -- for rentals," Anthopoulos said. "That’s not to say we're out of the rental market, but it's a rare opportunity to get better.

"We’re getting the best shortstop in baseball in our minds, and those opportunities just don’t present themselves."

In 87 games this season, Tulowitzki is batting .300/.348/.471 with 12 homers and 53 RBIs.

Reyes is batting .285/.322/.385 with four homers, 34 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 69 games this season and has made 13 errors.

Hawkins is 2-1 with two saves and a 3.63 ERA this season.

Reyes was popular with his teammates. Right fielder Jose Bautista referred to him as "part of my family."

"I love the guy," Blue jays manager John Gibbons said. "He brought a lot of energy."

Second baseman Devon Travis, who has filled in as the leadoff hitter when Reyes was not playing, batted first for the Blue Jays on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Gibbons would not say that would be permanent. He did say the Blue Jays' lineup after the trade is the most potent he has managed.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Royals land Zobrist in deal with A's
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore pulled off his second major trade of the month Tuesday, acquiring Ben Zobrist from the Oakland Athletics.

The Royals landed the 34-year-old by giving up one of their top prospects, left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea. The 34th overall pick in 2013 has 39 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings in 2015 and 185 strikeouts in 153 1/3 total minor league innings.

Kansas City entered play Tuesday with the best record in the American League and bolstered a 2014 World Series roster with additions of right-handed ace Johnny Cueto and Zobrist.

Cueto will debut for the Royals on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays and gives the team a bona fide ace at the front of the starting rotation. Since James Shields left for the San Diego Padres in free agency, the Royals had a solid starting staff but not a true No. 1. Cueto answers that problem.

Zobrist can play almost any position, and primarily was used at second base and left field with the A's.

With All-Star left fielder Alex Gordon out until September with a groin injury, Zobrist figures to get most of his time in left, then shuttle between positions when Gordon is deemed healthy. Having Zobrist would also let the Royals use Gordon as a designated hitter to give him occasional rest.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs were reportedly in the bidding for Zobrist.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Phillies trade Papelbon to Nationals
Stephen Campbell

The Philadelphia Phillies have traded closer Jonathan Papelbon to the Washington Nationals, according to multiple reports.

Per Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Double A right-hander Nick Pivetta will be going to Philly. Papelbon will become the Nats' new closer while remaining under contract until the end of 2016 and will be taking less money to join the club.

Papelbon repeated publicly that he would not go to a team that wouldn't let him close ball games. The 34-year-old is a perfect 17 for 17 on save opportunities this season with a 1.59 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings.