Heyward helps Cubs beat Cardinals 9-6 in return from break  —  CHICAGO — The All-Star break is over.  It's right about now when the Chicago Cubs usually take off.  —  Jason Heyward had three hits and two RBI, Ian Happ belted a two-run homer and the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 …

265 or bust!  Yankees eye home run history in second half  —  NEW YORK — Aaron Boone appeared annoyed by the question, one he'd fielded several times already during the opening half of his first season as a big league manager.  —  Can this team really thrive relying so heavily on home runs?

Josh Hader to rejoin Brewers for first time since insensitive tweets surfaced  —  MILWAUKEE — Brewers general manager David Stearns wants reliever Josh Hader to “re-earn the trust” of his teammates when he rejoins the team Friday.  —  Milwaukee is set to resume its season following the All-Star break …

Dose: A Helping Hand  —  Think the Indians are tired of hearing about the Red Sox, Astros and Yankees?  Funny how quickly we forget—no team in the American League won more games than Cleveland (102) a year ago.  And though the Tribe hasn't played its best ball yet this year …

Column: In spite of all their woes, the Cardinals don't believe in sell-offs  —  Chicago Tribune  —  After firing manager Mike Matheny and replacing him with Mike Shildt, Cardinals President John Mozeliak knows the spotlight now is pointed directly at him.

Cubs closer Brandon Morrow on MRI results: 'Nothing that can't clear up with rest'  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Brandon Morrow had shoulder issues in 2015.  His back acted up last month.  And now his right biceps is giving him enough trouble to land him on the 10-day disabled list.

Diamondbacks still like their chances despite Manny Machado trade  —  Having lived through one of the better performances of a trade deadline rental in recent history in slugger J.D. Martinez last year, the Diamondbacks couldn't entirely downplay the Los Angeles Dodgers' acquisition this week of infielder Manny Machado.

On Deck: Orioles at Blue Jays  —  BALTIMORE ORIOLES at TORONTO BLUE JAYS  —  STARTING PITCHERS  —  RHP Dylan Bundy (6-9, 4.35 ERA) vs. RHP Sam Gaviglio (2-3, 4.58 ERA)  —  Bundy was 3-0, 1.98 ERA, 0.99 WHIP in June before he went on the DL with a left ankle sprain.

Rays should trade Chris Archer  —  ST. PETERSBURG — Chris Archer wants the Rays to get going.  —  Trade more veterans.  Bring back Willy Adames and bring up the next group of kids.  Get on with getting better, and get back to reaching the postseason, as they did four times over six years that seems a long time ago.

Ranking each division race entering the second half  —  After several days of Manny Machado-related intrigue, spirited dialogue about Mike Trout's role as a baseball brand ambassador and debate over whether Bryce Harper's Home Run Derby victory is a sign that he is or isn't “back,” …

The most common trade deadline mistake and MLB's next big thing  —  Do not fight the regression monster.  That, my friends, is the rule to live by when thinking about the upcoming trade deadline.  —  You hate to begin a baseball column with a statistical precept like that, even when it's a simple concept such as regression.

Cubs Acquire Jesse Chavez  —  The Cubs have acquired right-hander Jesse Chavez from the Rangers, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported (via Twitter).  Lefty Tyler Thomas is heading to the Rangers in return.  —  Chavez, 34, is owed $1.5MM on the season under his one-year deal.

Nationals players express concerns about Dave Martinez's handling of the pitching staff  —  The Washington Post  —  Relievers are the canaries of major league rosters, the first players tossed into the mine, the first to get a sense of a manager's strategic know-how and feel its effects.

J.D. Martinez returns to face Detroit Tigers, ‘my home team’  —  If it was up to J.D. Martinez, the Detroit Tigers would have won.  Maybe then, he wouldn't have been traded.  —  “It wasn't up to me,” Martinez said during All-Star Game festivities this past week.  “It wasn't my fault.”