Yankees may be tempted to get Manny Machado over a starter, but plenty of teams have better odds of landing him  —  The relentless Red Sox are forcing Brian Cashman to reassess his options as the trading deadline nears, which is why Manny Machado just might be a more attractive option than a starting pitcher.

Rays face Tigers, using unconventional methods to win  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays are using pitchers in unconventional ways, but it continues to spark their success, and they'll try to find enough live arms to continue that Tuesday in another “bullpen day” against the Detroit Tigers.

Kershaw dominates Padres in Dodgers' 8-2 win  —  SAN DIEGO (AP) — Clayton Kershaw is feeling fit again and that's a bad sign for the Los Angeles Dodgers' rivals heading into the season's second half.  —  The left-hander pitched six scoreless innings, and Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner each …

At 105 mph, Jordan Hicks is MLB's hardest thrower.  What does that mean for his future?  —  SAN FRANCISCO - Five years ago at age 16, Jordan Hicks participated in a youth tournament in Atlanta and attended a Braves game, where he was blown away by the sight of then-Cincinnati Reds reliever …

Surging A's will keep Mariners on their toes in hunt for playoff spot  —  Be afraid, Seattle Mariners fans, be very afraid.  The Oakland Athletics are sizzling hot, having won 17 of 21 after shutting out the Astros 2-0 on Monday, and are only six games back for the second wild card.

Games of the Day  —  An usual game at Citi Field as the Phillies and Mets starters both make their major league debut.  Enyel De Los Santos visits Drew Gagnon.  De Los Santos is just 22, and is 9-3 in his first year at AAA with 1.89 ERA.  Through his minor league career he owns good strikout and walk numbers.

Red Sox riding high, take on Rangers  —  BOSTON — Hector Velazquez has done a little bit of everything for the surging Boston Red Sox and their pitching staff this season.  —  On Tuesday night, Velazquez makes his first start since April when he faces Yovani Gallardo in the second game …

How Scooter Gennett transformed from a Cincinnati Reds waiver claim into an All-Star  —  CLEVELAND - There was never any doubt in Scooter Gennett's mind that he could become a solid hitter at the Major League level.  —  The biggest problem throughout his career was finding a regular spot in the starting lineup.

White Sox Place Avisail Garcia On 10-Day DL  —  The White Sox announced today that outfielder Avisail Garcia is headed back to the 10-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring.  That's the same essential injury that forced him out of action for much of the first half of the season.

The one player all 30 teams should trade before the deadline  —  The trade deadline is heating up ... well, the rumors are anyway.  Manny Machado to the Yankees!  Scooter Gennett to the Dodgers!  J.T. Realmuto to the Red Sox!  Maybe all these blockbusters will happen, and even if they don't, hey, it's fun to speculate.

Giants provide timetable for Joe Panik's injury absence  —  SAN FRANCISCO-Injuries have robbed the Giants of several key contributors throughout the season, but Joe Panik is the first position player to be sent to the disabled list for two separate ailments.

Buffalo next stop for Blue Jays top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr.  —  ATLANTA — As he finishes his recovery from a minor knee injury, top Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. appears headed closer to Toronto than ever.  —  According to sources, team management is planning for triple …

Next Slide  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It was like the first day of school.  —  Daniel Norris entered the Detroit Tigers' clubhouse at Tropicana Field on Monday and made the rounds.  He hugged position players around a table.  He said hello to his pitching mates whom he hadn't seen since late April.

Next Slide  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Detroit Tigers' inexperience was evident on Monday night, from Nicholas Castellanos taking his eye off the baseball underneath a dome to Ronny Rodriguez not playing in close enough at third base against Carlos Gomez.

Mariners place Felix Hernandez on the 10-day disabled list  —  The hope is to use the all-star break to help Hernandez get his ailing back healthy.  —  ANAHEIM — Felix Hernandez won't make another start until after the All-Star break.  The Mariners' erstwhile ace has been dealing with lower …

MLB hitters explain why they can't just beat the shift  —  EDITOR'S PICKS  —  From Trout and Betts to Lindor and Judge, it's clear where MLB's superstars are, but the National League is finally ruling interleague play.  —  While the team holding this July's biggest trade chip decides …

5 Iowa Cubs who could be dealt before the trade deadline  —  Triple-A baseball came to Des Moines in 1968 with the Iowa Oaks, and the Iowa Cubs have carried the torch since 1982.  Here's a collection of some of the biggest names and best players during that time.  Mark Marturello and Michael Zamora/The Register