Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia gets X-rays on rib area after hit by pitch  —  Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who was hit in the back by a pitch in Sunday's 6-5 road win over the Houston Astros, was taken to a nearby hospital for X-rays on his rib area.

Chicago Cubs seek consistency in series opener vs. San Diego Padres  —  CHICAGO - The inconsistent Chicago Cubs hope to build on some momentum from a successful weekend on the road.  —  The defending champions will get their first chance when they host the San Diego Padres in the opener …

Khris Davis' 2-run homer leads Athletics to sweep of Yankees  —  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A week ago, the first-place New York Yankees came to the West Coast on a roll.  They were scoring more than enough runs to support their starters and winning by comfortable margins.

Bullpen sinks Phillies again  —  Hector Neris jogged from the bullpen to the mound at Citizens Bank Park as Survivor's “Eye of the Tiger” filled a half-empty ballpark.  —  Sunday's game slogged toward its fourth hour.  But Neris carried confidence in his splitter because when he last pitched …

What are the odds the Pirates trade Andrew McCutchen?  Probably good  —  What are the odds that the Pirates trade Andrew McCutchen?  —  I'm guessing good.  —  Go back to July 30, the day that the Pirates sent reliever Mark Melancon to the Nationals for left-hander Felipe Rivero and minor-league lefty Taylor Hearn.

Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus: It was a ‘crappy’ home stand  —  Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus is as frustrated as everyone else.  —  The Tigers came home June 13 two games under .500, looking to make a move.  —  Six days later, after losing four of the six games, Ausmus wasn't sugarcoating it.

Rangers Reaction pans ump show in Sunday's loss  —  ARLINGTON  —  Seldom is this space used for critiques of umpires, and never as an excuse for a team's loss even if players believe it to be so.  —  But Joe West was at it again, though Jeff Banister didn't make the media privy …

J.A. Happ pitches into seventh as Toronto Blue Jays beat Chicago White Sox  —  TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays pulled a different version of a bloop and a blast Sunday afternoon and then went on to defeat the Chicago White Sox 7-3 to avoid a three-game sweep.

Is any team having more fun than the Houston Astros?  —  HOUSTON — Josh Reddick loves professional wrestling.  Can't get enough of it.  He once dropped $400 on a satin robe autographed by Ric Flair.  He often gets ringside seats to big events.  The veteran outfielder's choice in at-bat music …

Sunday's loss may be ‘checkmate’ on Bronson Arroyo's career  —  Bronson Arroyo was aware as he walked back to the Reds' dugout following a popup to Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes to end the third inning of Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Dodgers that he may have just finished the last game of his career.

Tigers minors: JaCoby Jones' two hits, Kyle Ryan lift Toledo  —  Triple-A: Toledo 6, Durham 5  —  TOLEDO, Ohio - Efren Navarro hit a two-run single in the eighth inning, leading the Toledo Mud Hens to a 6-5 win over the Durham Bulls on Sunday.  —  Edward Mujica got Patrick Leonard to ground …

Nationals vs. Marlins series preview: Welcome to Miami  —  The last time the Washington Nationals faced the Miami Marlins, hope sprang as determinedly for one team as it did the other, and both were legitimate contenders in the National League East.  The last time the Nationals and Marlins faced each …

Arenado completes cycle with game-winning homer for Rockies … Nolan Arenado completed the cycle with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the  —  San Francisco Giants by rallying for a 7-5 victory Sunday.  —  Arenado hit the first pitch he saw from All-Star closer

Ask BA: Which Draftees Are Now Top Prospects?  —  Q:  —  Which draftees will be their team's No. 1 prospects?  —  Roger Munter  —  BA:  —  Probably a lot fewer than you would expect.  —  It's actually much harder to become your team's No. 1 prospect in your first pro year than it is to crack the Top 100 Prospects list.