Blue Jays Extend Edwin Encarnacion  —  2:05pm: The deal guarantees Encarnacion $29MM, including a $2MM buyout for the $10MM club option in 2016, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.  Encarnacion will earn annual salaries of $8MM, $9MM and $10MM.  —  10:17am: Edwin Encarnacion has been traded …

MLB will uphold Rangers' deal with Jairo Beras but suspend Dominican prospect for age fraud  —  Major League Baseball will uphold Dominican teenager Jairo Beras' $4.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers but suspend him for a year after the league determined he had lied about his age, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Like Curt Flood before me, I respectfully request (consumer) free-agency  —  To Whom It May Concern:  —  I do not know the exact parameters of the agreements between the cable television companies (Cox, Time Warner, etc.) and the government of San Diego.  I only know that this market …

Cards in the market for pitching help  —  Image  —  Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak has tapped down expectations the last two years before transacting significant deals immediately before the non-waiver trade deadline July 31.  While conceding the need for pitching help …

Strasburg addresses possible innings dilemma  —  If the Washington Nationals make the World Series, don't tell Stephen Strasburg — who is on a team-imposed innings limit — that he won't be able to pitch.  —  “They're going to have to rip the ball out of my hands,” Strasburg said on MLB Network Radio.

Top 50 prospects update  —  Rangers shortstop Jurickson Profar moves into the top spot  —  At the MLB season's midpoint, just before the signing deadline for drafted players, here is a fresh look at the top 50 prospects still in the minor leagues, including a new name on top.

Dodgers Eyeing Aramis, Headley  —  The Dodgers have identified Aramis Ramirez as a potential trade target in case the Brewers decide to trade veteran players this summer, Yahoo's Tim Brown reports (on Twitter).  However, the Dodgers prefer Chase Headley of the Padres.

Mets pitcher Gee could face additional surgery  —  New York Mets right-hander Dillon Gee will be discharged from Manhattan's New York-Presbyterian Hospital later today, after doctors successfully broke up a blood clot in his pitching shoulder.  —  Gee may face an additional surgery to prevent …

Q&A: Terry Ryan, Twins general manager  —  Few people in baseball understand the ins and outs of scouting and player development better than Terry Ryan.  His expertise in those areas helped turn the Minnesota Twins into a model small-market franchise — six playoff berths from 2002 to 2010 …

Cubs generally pleased with manager's job  —  After a victory over the Braves in Atlanta last week, Dale Sveum discussed the idea of watching Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo grow together as Cubs.  —  “Hopefully I'm around when they're here in 10 years,” the manager said.

Duncan sounds like he's done in the dugout  —  Dave Duncan, still officially the Cardinals' pitching coach, participated in his seventh All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Kansas City, sixth as a coach and one as a player.  —  He was in uniform for the first time since Game 7 of last year's World Series.

Miami Marlins do not come to terms with first-round pick Heaney  —  The deadline to sign draft picks isn't until Friday at 5 p.m., but a source confirmed Andrew Heaney is not accepting the Marlins' final offer.  Jim Callis of Baseball America first reported the news.

Six first-rounders unsigned as deadline nears  —  New CBA changes strategy; last day for clubs and picks to agree is Friday  —  When the new First-Year Player Draft system was collectively bargained, the expectation was that it would rein in costs, get players to sign early and avoid signing deadline drama.