Yankees slugger Aaron Judge: ‘No need’ to defend Home Run Derby title  —  Aaron Judge has already decided to pass on defending his 2017 Home Run Derby title.  —  The New York Yankees slugger said he will skip the event this July at Washington's Nationals Park.

Cards notebook: Molina slowly increases activity; Helsley shines in Memphis  —  Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina has slowly increased his activity and participated, lightly, with some of his teammates workouts on the field Tuesday.  —  Molina is two weeks removed from emergency surgery …

Indians' Trevor Bauer angered by ‘BD 911’ mound-inscription assumptions  —  SportsPulse: MLB insider Bob Nightengale looks at the historic season Shohei Ohtani is putting together and if he truly can become the ‘next Babe Ruth.’ USA TODAY Sports  —  Trevor Bauer, known to stoke the fire using …

Oh brother: Cole's good game blemished by HR from Crawford  —  HOUSTON (AP) - Gerrit Cole's only major miscue against San Francisco came on a pitch to Brandon Crawford that likely will give his brother-in-law bragging rights at family gatherings for years to come.

Mariners' Mitch Haniger day-to-day after taking pitch off left wrist  —  Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger left Tuesday night's game in Oakland after being hit on the left wrist by a Trevor Cahill pitch in the fourth inning.  —  The team said X-rays were negative and Haniger was listed as day-to-day.

Five sensible proposals for a Manny Machado trade … Set to become a free agent this winter and with his team already 18 games back in the AL East Division, it seems likely that Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado could be available ahead of July's trade deadline.

Morales, Happ lead Blue Jays over Angels 5-3, stop skid at 4  —  TORONTO (AP) — With the Los Angeles Angels in town, Toronto's Kendrys Morales emulated Shoehei Otani: He followed a pitching performance with a big home run.  —  Morales hit a two-run homer, J.A. Happ won his second straight start …

Taylor, Puig homers lift Dodgers over Rockies 5-3  —  Chris Taylor hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning and  —  Yasiel Puig followed with a solo shot, rallying the  —  Los Angeles Dodgers past the NL West-leading  —  Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Boone booted: Yankees manager ejected for 1st time in career  —  ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Aaron Boone has been ejected from a game for the first time as a big league manager.  —  Boone, managing his 46th game for the New York Yankees, was tossed by home plate Pat Hoberg with two outs …

Mets sign Bautista, recently cut Braves, doubles in 1st AB  —  New York Mets' Jose Bautista (11) stretches while on deck during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in New York.  (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)  —  New York Mets' Jose Bautista …

J.D. Martinez Doesn't Need The Green Monster  —  When the Boston Red Sox signed free agent slugger J.D. Martinez this past offseason, it looked like a match made in baseball heaven.  As a right-handed power hitter who'd recently embraced MLB's fly-ball revolution — to great effect …

State of baseball's rebuilding teams: Contenders already?  —  Last winter, with baseball's free-agent class mostly dangling in limbo, super agent Scott Boras was about all we had for hardball-related entertainment.  —  You probably remember many of Boras' metaphor-laden barbs.

Rivera, Dedelow lead Kannapolis to 3-2 win over Greensboro  —  GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Laz Rivera hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, and Craig Dedelow had four hits as the Kannapolis Intimidators defeated the Greensboro Grasshoppers 3-2 on Wednesday.

Scooter Gennett's grand slam total reaches six in Reds' win against Pirates  —  It's pretty remarkable: Of Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett's 70 career big-league home runs, six are grand slams.  —  Gennett hit four grand slams in 2017, including one in his four-homer game against the St. Louis Cardinals last June.

When the Phillies need it, Lehigh Valley is stacked with pitching help  —  ALLENTOWN - Mark Leiter Jr. remembers his first season in the Phillies organization well.  He arrived in 2013 as a 22nd-round pick out of the New Jersey Institute of Technology and noticed that the Phillies' minor-league system …