Cardinals sending Carlos Martinez for another series of exams on muscle strain  —  MINNEAPOLIS  • The reports back from St. Louis about Carlos Martinez's schedule as he recovers from what was described as a mild muscle strain have now given rise to a prescription.

Mets' Yoenis Cespedes heads to DL with hip flexor strain  —  The New York Mets have placed outfielder Yoenis Cespedes on the 10-day disabled list with a right hip strain.  —  The Mets announced the roster move, which is retroactive to Monday, before Wednesday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Agent asks Red Sox to trade Blake Swihart  —  BOSTON — Blake Swihart has spent all season in a virtually non-existent role, one that Alex Cora and Dave Dombrowski both indicated on Tuesday will not change barring injury to Sandy Leon or Christian Vazquez.  Swihart's agent …

Justin Verlander anticipated a PED denial from Robinson Cano - who did not disappoint  —  Justin Verlander has been one of Major League Baseball's most outspoken players when it comes to positive tests for performance-enhancing drugs.  —  Justin Verlander has been one of Major League Baseball's …

Next Slide  —  PHOENIX - The way the Milwaukee Brewers' bullpen has performed this season, it's really not fair to pick nits when they don't get the job done on rare occasion.  —  But, the fact remains that you can't come into a tie game in the eighth inning and walk the first batter …

Altuve's late 3-run double propels Astros past Angels, 5-3  —  The Houston Astros had managed almost no production from their normally potent offense in this series when they struggled into the eighth inning of their second game against the rival Angels.  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) …

Rays edge Royals in Anthony Banda's Tampa Bay debut  —  KANSAS CITY — The Rays were eager to see what Anthony Banda looked like on the mound Tuesday in his first start for them.  —  He put on a pretty good show, working the first five innings of what turned into a dramatic 6-5 Rays win.

Oxnevad, Woodman carry Palm Beach to 5-2 win over Clearwater  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — J.B. Woodman homered and had two hits, driving in two, and Ian Oxnevad allowed just five hits over eight innings as the Palm Beach Cardinals topped the Clearwater Threshers 5-2 on Wednesday.

Joe Maddon says Mike Montgomery has ‘earned’ right to start Saturday  —  Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses limiting his use of Ben Zobrist on Tuesday, May 15, 2018.  (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Cubs prospect watchers may have to wait at least the next few days …

Heredia's RBI single in 11th lifts Mariners past Rangers 9-8  —  Seattle Mariners' Jean Segura singles in a run against the Texas Rangers in the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 15, 2018, in Seattle.  (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)  —  Seattle Mariners' Guillermo Heredia, left …

Soto's homer leads Harrisburg to 5-2 win over Bowie  —  BOWIE, Md. (AP) — Juan Soto hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, leading the Harrisburg Senators to a 5-2 win over the Bowie Baysox on Wednesday.  —  Derek Self got Anthony Santander to ground out with runners on first and third …

Alburquerque induces flyout, leads Buffalo to 5-4 win over Pawtucket  —  PAWTUCKET, R.I. (AP) — Al Alburquerque got Rusney Castillo to fly out with the bases loaded to end the game, leading the Buffalo Bisons to a 5-4 win over the Pawtucket Red Sox on Wednesday.

Nick Pivetta, with career-high 11 strikeouts, dominates Orioles as Phillies win again  —  BALTIMORE — The last three pitches thrown by Nick Pivetta here Wednesday were, in succession, a 95-mph fastball, a 79-mph curveball and an 82-mph slider.  And after swinging through the slider to cap …

Joey Votto says he ‘overstepped’ with strong comments on struggling Reds  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The comments Joey Votto made on a podcast over the weekend were out of frustration, he said.  He added that he's happy as a Red, and he in no way wants out.  —  “I'm proud to wear a Reds uniform …

Crawford has 4 hits, Belt homers as Giants beat Reds 5-3  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Giants manager Bruce Bochy had no problem pulling his starting pitcher in the fourth inning.  Cincinnati's Jim Riggleman hesitated to do the same thing and the Reds paid for it.

Rays call up Hernando High's Christian Arroyo, put Carlos Gomez on DL  —  The Rays decided to play it safe with OF Carlos Gomez's groin issue and place him on the 10-day DL, calling up INF Christian Arroyo, the Hernando High product, to add a right-handed bat.3B Matt Duffy