Lester pitches into 7th, Cubs beat Giolito, White Sox 6-3  —  Jon Lester pitched into the seventh inning, and the  —  White Sox 6-3 at Guaranteed Rate Field on Saturday night.  —  The two-game series figured to be a charged one with the Cubs in a funk for weeks and the White Sox looking …

Jays' Stroman out of all-star game; GM Atkins has plenty to ponder  —  Marcus Stroman won't pitch in the all-star game, Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo confirmed on Saturday.  —  But the Jays' ace starter isn't hurt more seriously than first thought, general manager Ross Atkins said not long after Montoyo's availability.

Source: Boras, Lerner meeting to discuss Rendon contract  —  It appears the Nationals and Anthony Rendon are attempting to ramp up contract negotiations again as the season's first half comes to a close.  —  Scott Boras, Rendon's agent, was at Nationals Park today and was seen coming …

$wing away: All-Star Home Run Derby offers $1 million prize  —  All Star Home Run Derby Baseball  —  CLEVELAND (AP) — Jim Thome holds the record for the longest home run in Progressive Field history, a 511-foot shot against Kansas City in 1999.  Two years earlier, the Hall of Fame slugger recorded …

Gio Gonzalez Nearing Rehab Assignment  —  Brewers left-hander Gio Gonzalez, out since June 1 with a dead arm, is finally progressing toward a return.  He'll start a rehab assignment at the High-A level on Wednesday, Sophia Minnaert of Fox Sports Wisconsin reports.

Cole, Gurriel help Astros blank Angels 4-0  —  Yuli Gurriel homered for the fourth straight game and  —  Gerrit Cole pitched seven scoreless innings before two relievers completed the four-hitter, leading the  —  Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.  —  Gurriel's solo shot extended Houston's lead …

Brodie Van Wagenen throws chair in heated meeting with Mets coaches  —  Tempers are flaring at Citi Field.  —  A tumultuous Mets season took another strange twist, with general manager Brodie Van Wagenen punctuating a heated meeting with the team's coaching staff by throwing a chair, according to club sources.

Exclusive: Cervelli decides he's done catching ... forever  —  “I'm a catcher.  It's what I do.  I catch.”  —  The Pirates' starting catcher spoke those words back in Bradenton, when I asked for maybe the billionth time about his concern over concussions.  And the response was no different than the billion times before.

Jake Arrieta has bone spur in elbow that likely will require surgery, source says  —  NEW YORK — The pitch was an 0-1 changeup, a harmless pitch that enraged Todd Frazier and later prompted Jake Arrieta to threaten to dent the man's skull.  But it was a pitch that carried greater consequence than that for the Phillies.

Scherzer stays hot, Nationals blank Royals 6-0  —  Max Scherzer sustained a dominant stretch with seven strong innings,  —  Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Saturday.  —  The NL pitcher of the month for June, Scherzer (9-5) allowed four hits and struck out 11 with one walk in his final start before heading to Tuesday's All-Star Game.

Phils' Herrera suspended for remainder of season  —  Major League Baseball has suspended Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Odúbel Herrera for the rest of the season for violating MLB's joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.  —  Herrera won't appeal the decision, according to MLB.

Walker homers twice, Diamondbacks rout Rockies 8-0  —  Christian Walker hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs, leading the  —  Arizona Diamondbacks to an 8-0 victory over the  —  Colorado Rockies on Friday night.  —  The Diamondbacks sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run fifth inning …