Top News:
ESPN:
David Ortiz says heel is swollen … Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is awaiting the results of an MRI on his injured heel but admitted Tuesday that he is “in a lot of pain.” — Ortiz suffered the injury in bizarre fashion while circling the bases on teammate Adrian Gonzalez's home run …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Yahoo! Sports and HardballTalk
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Matt Pepin / Boston Globe:
David Ortiz not headed for disabled list — Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz does not have a tear or rupture in his Achilles' tendon and will take some time off, but will not be placed on the disabled list. — Wearing a walking boot around the clubhouse after getting a treatment …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Over the Monster and the joy of sox
Scott Lauber / Boston Herald:
Source: No tear in Ortiz' Achilles — Good news for David Ortiz [stats]. He doesn't have a torn Achilles. — According to a source, an MRI exam today confirmed the initial diagnosis that Ortiz' right Achilles is neither ruptured not torn. Ortiz won't be in the Red Sox [team stats] …
Fox Sports:
Nationals exploring pitching options — The Nationals do not intend to allow right-hander Stephen Strasburg reach his innings limit without an alternate plan. — The team is exploring trades for starting pitchers, including Cubs right-hander Ryan Dempster, according to major-league sources.
Discussion:
Washington Post, MLB Daily Dish, Federal Baseball, Amazin' Avenue and MLB Rumors
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Fox Sports:
Rays can go either way with pitchers — Jon Paul Morosi on players the Tigers may have their eyes on at trade deadline — The industry-wide assumption is that if the Tampa Bay Rays fall out of contention, the pitcher they will trade is right-hander James Shields. — Not necessarily.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, DRaysBay and NESN.com
Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
Before Stephen Strasburg's innings limit, the Nationals shut down Jordan Zimmermann — The Nationals' decision to shut down Stephen Strasburg just as they hit the stretch run already has started gaining steam as one of baseball's major second-half story lines.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Chicago Sun Times:
Woman accused of stalking Cubs' Theo Epstein — A Massachusetts woman was arrested in Wrigleyville Monday night and charged with stalking Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein. — Kathleen Kearney, 44, from Canton, Mass., was charged with two felony counts of stalking …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Fish Stripes and HardballTalk
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
The New Draft Pick Compensation System — There's been a lot of talk about the diminished trade value of prospective free agents under baseball's new collective bargaining agreement, and rightfully so. Teams can no longer obtain draft pick compensation for players acquired midseason.
Fox Sports:
Pirates need to step up in NL Central — Two bombshells rattled the NL Central at the beginning of this week. For the Pittsburgh Pirates, they should sound like a call to action. — Early Monday, the Milwaukee Brewers announced ace Zack Greinke won't pitch until next week.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout and Over the Monster
Buster Olney / ESPN.com:
The wild card's negative trade effect — When baseball adopted the second wild card, it was meant to give more teams hope of making the postseason, and it has. But as Buster Olney writes, it could also be depressing the trade market as teams decide whether a wild card berth is worth it.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Vernon Wells' imminent return to Angels could be problematic — Highly paid and struggling outfielder, who is expected to begin a rehab assignment in a few days, would cause a stir among Angels fans if he replaces hot-hitting Mike Trout or Mark Trumbo in the lineup.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Halos Heaven
JonPaulMorosi / mlbbuzz:
Sources: Tigers interested in DBacks infielders — The Detroit Tigers have shown interest in Arizona Diamondbacks infielders Stephen Drew and Ryan Roberts, major-league sources told FOXSports.com. — Drew, a left-handed-hitting shortstop, missed nearly three months this season because of a broken ankle he sustained last year.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
