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The Atlanta Braves placed closer Arodys Vizcaino on the 15-day disabled list Saturday because of a strained right oblique.

Continue for updates.

Vizcaino’s Tough Injury Luck Continues

Saturday, July 16

News of the transaction came from the team’s official Twitter account. The club also announced it reinstated relief pitcher Eric O’Flaherty from the DL.

Vizcaino has a 1-4 record with a 3.00 ERA and 10 saves in 39 appearances this season.

Since serving an 80-game suspension for a positive performance-enhancing-drug test last season, Vizcaino has been a bright spot amid a dismal 2016 campaign for Atlanta.

Considering this is a minor injury, there’s little reason for Braves fans to worry about Vizcaino’s future, though. He’s shown uncommon toughness since breaking into the big leagues.

Despite undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2012 and another arthroscopic elbow procedure that kept him out for 2013, Vizcaino is still able to throw a fastball that’s consistently over 95 mph, per Brooks Baseball.

The 25-year-old has responded to adversity throughout his young career and has pitched reasonably well this year under the circumstances of being on a losing club. Although Vizcaino has blown three saves, he has shown immense upside in his limited MLB experience.

The Braves would be best suited to allow Vizcaino extra time to fully recover so he avoids the risk of overcompensating with his arm talent.

Atlanta is likely to turn to Jim Johnson to fill Vizcaino’s spot until the latter recovers. Johnson logged 51 and 50 saves in 2012 and 2013, respectively, as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, making him the most proven commodity in the Braves bullpen.

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Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter and first baseman Edwin Encarnacion will play out the rest of the 2016 season without negotiating any further on a new contract.

Continue for updates.

Encarnacion’s Agent Comments on Contract Talks

Wednesday, July 13

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reported Wednesday what Encarnacion’s agent, Paul Kinzer, had to say on his client’s status:

Once the season started, we were not going to negotiate. He thought it was a distraction last time. He’s the most relaxed I’ve ever seen him. Why mess with the guy? He’s content. He’s happy. […] This doesn’t mean Toronto’s out. This was the plan all along. We were going to play this thing out.

Encarnacion has a slash line of .267/.358 /.541 to go with an MLB-leading 80 RBI and 23 homers. He earned his third All-Star bid this year and will be a free agent once the season ends.

This news has to come as relief to Toronto fans and especially the Blue Jays front office, which won’t have to worry about strong-arming Encarnacion in potentially pernicious negotiations after the All-Star break.

The Jays are neck-and-neck with the Boston Red Sox in the American League wild-card race, only two games up on the Houston Astros at the moment. They’re also just two games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.

As long as Encarnacion keeps up his level of play, he’s going to get a big payday this winter.

With a load of high-level talent around him and even a realistic chance of winning the AL pennant, Encarnacion is in a great situation and won’t be putting himself above the team.

Encarnacion seems to recognize how trying to get a deal done now would complicate matters amid high stakes and expectations as Toronto tries to secure a postseason berth. He needs to be fully locked in with slugger Jose Bautista on the disabled list.

If Josh Donaldson can maintain his own exceptional form (.304 average, 23 HR, 63 RBI) and Troy Tulowitzki keeps up his hot start to July (.357 average), the Blue Jays should be a tough to beat as the regular season winds down.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz reportedly will be traded in the midst of a career season.

Continue for updates.

Pomeranz Reportedly Traded to Red Sox

Thursday, July 14 

According to Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Padres have agreed to deal Pomeranz to the Red Sox in a trade that “is believed to include one of the Red Sox’s better prospects.”

Pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza is headed to San Diego as part of the trade, according to Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. 

Pomeranz Draws Interest from Slew of Teams

Wednesday, July 13

Lin reported at least 10 teams have expressed interest in Pomeranz.

Marlins Reportedly Exploring Potential Pomeranz Trade

Wednesday, July 13

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that the Miami Marlins have interest in Pomeranz along with Jake Odorizzi of the Tampa Bay Rays and Rich Hill of the Oakland Athletics.

Rangers Reportedly Interested in Pomeranz

Tuesday, July 12

FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal reported the buzz surrounding Pomeranz, who has gotten poor run support this year, leading to an 8-7 record despite a 2.47 ERA.

According to ESPN.com’s Samuel Henken, Texas initially drafted Pomeranz out of high school all the way back in 2007. It would be quite the story if he were to end up in Arlington nearly a decade later.

A dearth of quality starting pitching has held the Rangers back from further greatness in recent years. This season’s club sits atop the American League West thanks in large part to an improvement in that area.

Adding a younger arm like Pomeranz to a staff that’s tied for seventh with 49 quality starts in 2016 will only aid Texas’ cause to claim the division crown.

Pomeranz’s Strong Pitch Selection Enticing to Potential Suitors

The 27-year-old was recently selected as an All-Star for the first time and tossed a one-hit fourth inning on Tuesday night for the National League squad.

When Pomeranz was asked what the highlight of the All-Star Game was, he said, per the Padres’ official Twitter account, “Besides playing here in our home park, it’s being around all these guys.”

He seemed to be at home in San Diego, yet since the Padres are among the worst teams in the National League, they need to be thinking about rebuilding the roster. 

Although he doesn’t have elite velocity, Pomeranz relies a lot on his fastball, which hovers in the low 90s rather consistently, per Brooks Baseball. Pomeranz also throws an effective cutter and sinker, but his curve is what really baffles batters.

Such a diverse pitching arsenal keeps hitters off balance, as he’s yielded only a .184 opponents’ batting average and logged 115 strikeouts in only 102 innings of work this season.

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The 2016 MLB All-Star Game started with plenty of fireworks at Petco Park in San Diego on Tuesday. Though the National League got on the board first, the American League prevailed 4-2 for its fourth win in a row.

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant captivated the crowd with a solo shot in the top of the first off Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale.

MLB.com shared video of Bryant’s win in the Windy City matchup:

Adam Jacobi of SB Nation had a great reaction to Bryant’s dinger:

But the NL’s celebration and lead were relatively short-lived. In the bottom of the second, the AL went to work, and two reigning World Series champions served as the catalysts.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer blasted an equalizing homer off former teammate Johnny Cueto—now of the San Francisco Giants—and Royals catcher Salvador Perez hit a two-run long ball to put his side on top.

ESPN.com’s Jim Trotter responded to the explosive action to begin the contest:

ESPN Stats & Info noted the significance of the Kansas City duo’s homers:

David Ortiz is in the midst of his last season, so the Boston Red Sox legend got a warm reception when he was lifted for a pinch runner after drawing a walk, courtesy of Fox Sports on Twitter:

The MMQB’s Peter King commented on Ortiz’s grand exit:

It didn’t take long for Hosmer to add some insurance thereafter, as he drove in Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, Ortiz’s substitute, with a single in the third to stretch the AL’s advantage to 4-1.

The 2-for-3, two-RBI performance garnered Hosmer the MVP Award.

The NL scored a run in the fourth on a single by Miami Marlins center fielder Marcell Ozuna that plated Giants catcher Buster Posey, but the AL bullpen held its foe in check the rest of the night.

One of the most notable occurrences during the latter stages of the game was a review, as highlighted by MLB Replay:

In addition to being at the center of the maiden All-Star replay, Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy made a key defensive play in the seventh.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Murphy denied Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor a hit with a fine stop and throw to first.

The NL filled the bags in the top of the eighth against New York Yankees reliever Andrew Miller. Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy and Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Starling Marte singled before Cincinnati Reds left fielder Adam Duvall walked. Miller had thrown 28 pitches, and Royals manager Ned Yost pulled him.

It was up to Will Harris of the Houston Astros to retire the side. He did so in suspenseful fashion, striking out shortstop Aledmys Diaz of the St. Louis Cardinals looking with a low fastball on the outside corner on a 3-2 pitch.

Jose Silva tweeted how Astros and AL fans felt after the clutch K:

Baltimore Orioles closer Zach Britton slammed the door in the ninth but not without some minor drama.

Britton allowed a leadoff single to Murphy before Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt grounded into a fielder’s choice. Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado then grounded into a double play to end it.

For pitching a perfect second, Indians starter Corey Kluber got the winning decision for the AL.

With the victory, the American League gained home-field advantage for the World Series. The Texas Rangers own the best record in the Junior Circuit, but the Indians and Orioles aren’t far behind. The Red Sox and Blue Jays hold the wild-card positions, and the Astros are two games back.

After three straight victories from 2010-12, the NL has fallen into a slump at the Midsummer Classic. It’s not as bad as its last drought, though. After the Senior Circuit won in 1996, the AL claimed 12 wins in 13 years with an extra-innings tie in 2002.

San Francisco topped Kansas City without home-field advantage in the 2014 World Series, but the National League will have to hone its game in the years to come to reverse its fortunes at the All-Star Game.

Postgame Reaction

Perez shared his thoughts on the AL’s victory with Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal:

Beyond the implications of what Tuesday’s outcome meant to the entire American League, Hosmer cited the victory as a possible spark for his Royals club.

“Hopefully this is something we can all rally upon for the second half and find a way to use that home-field advantage,” Hosmer said, per the Associated Press’ Ronald Blum.

Hosmer elaborated on the importance of that edge in the World Series, saying, per Blum, “We know how much that home-field advantage helped us. It just brings that sense of comfort to the team and gives you a jump-start for the whole series.”

Cueto implied he was banged up but didn’t say it impacted his performance.

“This morning I got up and didn’t feel well. That is not an excuse,” Cueto said, per Blum. “I just left two pitches up, and that was the story.”

Marlins ace Jose Fernandez talked about facing Oritz, saying, per Blum, “I couldn’t believe that I was actually pitching to him. We both looked at each other and smiled.”

Ortiz thought he had an agreement with Fernandez to get some favorable pitches, but apparently the youngster pulled some trickery on him.

“I was supposed to hit a home run in my second at-bat. My boy told me he was going to throw me a fastball, and the first pitch was a changeup,” Ortiz said, per Blum. “Then 3-2 he threw me a slider, and I’m like, ‘Are you trying to break my back?’ But he said it was the catcher’s fault.”

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Ahead of Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game in San Diego, Major League Baseball announced its National League batting award will be named for Padres legend Tony Gwynn, while the American League accolade will be named for Rod Carew.

Padres.com’s Bill Center reported the news.

Gwynn posted a .338 batting average in his career, which spanned from 1982 to 2001. He died of salivary gland cancer at the age of 54 in June 2014.

A longtime Minnesota Twin who later played for the California Angels, Carew made 18 consecutive All-Star teams (1967-1984) and batted .328 in his career. Like Gwynn, he’s a member of the 3,000-hit club.

Renowned sports personality Keith Olbermann weighed in on the announcement:

Given the emphasis on spectacle and power in the modern era, Major League Baseball did well to recognize two throwback players.

The occasion is all the more special because the All-Star Game has returned to San Diego for the first time since 1992. Gwynn’s legacy has been a big focus of the festivities, and a museum in his honor opened in the city Saturday, per SB Nation’s Gaslamp Ball.

Batting titles have always been prestigious, but the achievement will take on a bit more significance because of the association with Gwynn and Carew.

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The 2016 MLB Home Run Derby was a raging success in the second year of a new format, which featured timed rounds and a refreshing change of pace to an event that critics could argue tended to drag in the past.

Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton wowed fans at Petco Park in San Diego, taking down defending champion Todd Frazier in the final to claim victory.

Below is a glimpse at the results from all three rounds of Monday’s action, which featured a bracket-style setup of one-on-one duels:

Despite swatting 24 dingers in the opening round and 17 in the semifinals, Stanton still had enough in the tank to hit 20 homers in a head-to-head battle with Frazier. That gave Stanton 61 homers in total for the evening, but the quality of his swats was arguably more impressive than the quantity.

ESPN Stats & Info highlighted just how dominant Stanton was:

Yahoo Sports’ reaction was appropriate in light of the mind-boggling numbers Stanton put up:

At one point, BuzzFeed’s Lindsey Adler was essentially begging Stanton to show some mercy to his opponents, who were Robinson Cano, Mark Trumbo and Frazier, respectively:

A prominent theme was depictions of god-like muscle, as seen from Barstool Sports and CBS Sports:

Stanton is a dream Derby champion—and a Derby champion’s dream, if you will.

Still only 26 years old, he is already a growing legend and could bolster his legacy even further in the forthcoming Derby days, especially if he tries a little bit harder:

For those who have always loved the All-Star Game precursor featuring many of the game’s top sluggers, this revamped format has upped the stakes, sense of urgency and the sheer difficulty of the competition. It makes for a much more entertaining viewing experience.

But for such a format to work, it takes special athletes with a blend of strength and stamina like Stanton to make it pop for the casual fans.

Not to take anything away from the other seven contestants from this year’s showcase, but Stanton transcended the mundane. He set a new bar for what the Derby could be.

It’s up to Stanton to either continue showing off his legendary power every year or perhaps inspire others to rise to the occasion. In the short term, Stanton has created quite a tough performance to top.

The good news is, for those who spurned the event this year, such as Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, the prestige of the Derby stage and Stanton’s dominance may lead them to be warmer to the idea of participating.

No matter who shows up in 2017 and beyond, though, almost everyone who witnessed Monday’s Derby is bound to be clamoring for Stanton on an annual basis.

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The MLB Home Run Derby was a hard act to follow during Monday’s ESPN programming from Petco Park in San Diego, but the All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game had its fair share of action worth tuning in for.

A mix of former players and high-profile personalities took the field Sunday for the annual exhibition, and as Monday’s telecast revealed, the American League defeated the National League 8-7.

In the sixth and final inning, teen actor Cameron Boyce tried to tag up to score the tying run—only to run into a brick wall: Ballers star Omar Benson Miller.

MLB GIFS shared the replay:

Miller didn’t have much sympathy for Boyce, who took the brunt of the collision at home plate:

NL manager and former Olympic softball pitcher Jennie Finch reacted to the final play:

There were less painful highlights from the game, though.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees provided some fireworks for viewers who were still buzzing from Giancarlo Stanton’s Derby triumph, socking a homer in the top of the first, as MLB GIFS showed:

The superstar signal-caller’s solo dinger was much to the Saints’ liking:

Before Brees revived his career in New Orleans, he played for the San Diego Chargers, so he got a great reception from fans.

As a former MLB outfielder, Curtis Pride was basically cheating by playing in the contest. He jacked a two-run homer over the moved-in fence in the bottom of the first to put his squad up 2-1.

Gallaudet University, where Pride is the head baseball coach, shared footage of the long ball:

Actor Jamie Foxx led off the bottom of the second by calling his shot, invoking Babe Ruth as he prepared to take on another former New York Yankees star, David Wells.

MLB GIFS showed what else happened before Foxx took a swing:

Foxx wound up legging out a single and came around to score to make it 3-2.

Former NFL linebacker-turned-actor Terry Crews showed off his impressive physique by arriving at the plate with his shirt off.

Cut4 provided the visual spectacle:

The Roman deity-esque sculpture of a man had a less aesthetically pleasing at-bat, swinging and missing to strike out on that trip to the batter’s box.

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria wrestled with the dilemma of poking fun at Crews while also minding his manners:

Billy Bean—not to be confused with Oakland Athletics executive Billy Beane—ripped a home run down the right field line to help the National League stay within striking distance.

But it was the AL’s game thanks to Miller’s plate-blocking and perhaps an ill-advised gamble by Boyce.

MLB couldn’t have hoped for a better or more comical conclusion. Given the success of this year’s contest, there’s no reason the game can’t continue as an All-Star tradition.

However, with the revamped Home Run Derby format injecting new excitement into the festivities leading up to the All-Star Game, the legends and celebrities have their work cut out for them if they want to outshine the game’s best power hitters.

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Los Angeles Angels first baseman C.J. Cron has a broken left hand and will undergo surgery on Tuesday to mend it.

Continue for updates.

Cron to Be Out for 6-8 Weeks

Monday, July 11

Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reported the news on Cron and supplied the timeline for his return. Cron has hit 11 home runs and 50 RBI this season with a slash line of .278/.333/.475 in 77 games.

The 26-year-old suffered the injury during the Angels’ 9-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles this past Friday when Mike Wright hit him with a pitch.

Although he tried to hang tough and remain in the game, Cron ultimately had to leave the field.

L.A. is already having a tough 2016 campaign, sitting at the bottom of the American League West heading into the All-Star break. Cron’s absence exacerbates the Angels’ issues as they try to salvage a respectable season down the stretch.

Cron was a welcome bright spot on a disappointing club before he got hurt. After batting .303 in June, Cron was off to a hot start in July with a .364 average and a 1.284 OPS.

Pitching has been a primary contributing factor to the Angels’ woes. They rank 22nd in team ERA (4.52) and 28th in opponents’ batting average (.278). 

Because of Cron’s lengthy injury-imposed hiatus, L.A.’s offense, headlined by young superstar Mike Trout and legendary hitter Albert Pujols, will have to pick up the slack even more if the Angels’ pitching continues to struggle.

The Angels called up Ji-Man Choi from Triple-A ball when they placed Cron on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday, per MLB.com’s Ben Raby. Choi will likely continue to fill Cron’s position, but if he struggles, the Angels may well turn to their bench for Jefry Marte.

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The 2016 MLB Home Run Derby is an exciting precursor to the All-Star Game at Petco Park in San Diego, where eight contestants will battle for boasting rights as the evening’s top slugger on Monday.

MLB Communications tweeted the full bracket of competitors, which features seeds and head-to-head, single-elimination matchups:

Adhering to last year’s newly established format, players will be timed for four minutes in each round to hit as many home runs as they can, per MLB.com’s Doug Miller. A batter who hits at least two dingers of 440 feet or farther gets an extra 30 seconds added to his round. Contestants also get a 45-second timeout per round and two such breaks in the finals.

For a closer look at the field, check out the table below, which also features the participants’ home run numbers for the 2016 campaign and predictions for the Derby:

Seeds are determined purely by the amount of homers the player has, which puts Baltimore Orioles outfielder Mark Trumbo at the head of the pack.

Trumbo‘s raw numbers suggest he’ll be a big favorite. According to Miller’s report, Trumbo‘s nine blasts of 425 feet or more were tops in baseball. But right out of the gates, he’ll have a considerable challenge on his hands in Los Angeles Dodgers prodigy Corey Seager.

The 22-year-old shortstop is likely to be fresher than Trumbo, 30, which puts the Orioles star in danger of being bounced in the opening round. Seager‘s youth and the fact that the clearance over the right field line is shorter than the one in left should help his cause to pull the upset as well.

And the run of upsets will continue through the first round, with the only exception being Todd Frazier defeating Carlos Gonzalez.

Frazier thrived in last year’s changed format and rallied around the Cincinnati Reds fans who were cheering him on in his home park to win the Derby. It’d be a shock to see the Chicago White Sox veteran go down to even a venerable hitter in Gonzalez.

With the proven stamina to go the distance in 2015, Frazier will dash the dreams of San Diego fans who hope to see their All-Star representative, Wil Myers, pull through. Myers has the benefit of the Padres faithful to get him past Adam Duvall, and he is likely to continue riding the momentum into the semifinals.

The projected Myers-Frazier duel should be the most competitive second-round matchup, because Seager‘s surge to start will fizzle at the hands of Giancarlo Stanton.

Speaking of the Miami Marlins stud, check out this anecdote from ESPN Stats & Info about his raw power, which should buy him some time in light of the bonus rule:

Daren Willman of MLB.com tweeted out another list to make a case for Stanton, especially when taking into account Gonzalez plays in the altitude-aided Coors Field when he’s at home:

Stanton is strong enough to muscle line-drive shots out of the ballpark, and even when he doesn’t get all of a baseball, it still has a realistic chance to clear the fence.

Already with five homers in July ahead of Sunday’s games, Stanton is beginning to come into his own after a slow start to the year.

“On top of the fastball, that’s what I’ve been successful with,” Stanton said, per Miller. “That’s what I fell off of for a little while. When you’re on top of that, there is not much they can do.”

Many of these power hitters have that quality, but none to the degree Stanton does. His lower launch angle and pure contact set him apart from most of his peers.

Only Ken Griffey Jr. and Yoenis Cespedes have managed to pull off repeats. The format is different now, so Frazier is in uncharted territory amid his Home Run Derby defense. While he does have the goods to get to the final, Stanton is probably too much for anyone to handle.

Look for Stanton to show off his skills on the big stage and claim the trophy on Monday in an epic clash with Frazier to conclude the grand spectacle.

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Prior to Tuesday’s 2016 MLB All-Star Game, a red-carpet parade through the streets of San Diego will take place so fans can flock to see the biggest names in baseball in the event they aren’t attending the Midsummer Classic.

Beginning at 4 p.m. ET and 1 p.m. PT, the parade will go from the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel all the way to the game’s venue and home of the Padres, Petco Park. It can be viewed through live stream on MLB.com and on TV at MLB Network.

The All-Star Game’s official Twitter account provided a snapshot of the complete parade route:

As the above post mentioned, Chevrolet is the sponsor for the 12th annual event, meaning the automobiles are at the foundation of the showcase.

Prolific Padres closer Trevor Hoffman and Hall of Fame outfielder Dave Winfield will be riding through San Diego in Corvettes as the parade’s grand marshals, per the San Diego Union-Tribune‘s Kirk Kenney.

Also included in Kenney‘s report is a summary of what else to expect from the pregame spectacle.

National League manager Terry Collins and American League skipper Ned Yost are next up in the parade after the grand marshals and will appear in Camaros. Collins and Yost are followed by the All-Stars themselves, with Silverado trucks as their mode of transportation.

This year marks the first time San Diego has hosted the MLB All-Star Game since 1992, when it was held at Jack Murphy Stadium, which would eventually become Qualcomm Stadium. The city also hosted the event in 1978.

First baseman Wil Myers will be the Padres’ only All-Star representative, so he should draw plenty of cheers as fans line the blocks to welcome him and the other players.

The All-Star participants face a lengthy journey that winds through the city and is best followed on the posted map. They’ll arrive in a classy stadium that opened in 2004—but a venue that still recognizes the heritage of years past.

A focal point throughout the All-Star festivities and the glamorous red-carpet introduction will be celebrating another San Diego legend in addition to Hoffman and Winfield: the late, great Mr. Padre himself, Tony Gwynn.

San Diego’s official Twitter account posted a photo of the ballpark, featuring a statue in Gwynn’s honor that was unveiled in 2007 just beyond the outfield:

A 15-time All-Star who died in June 2014 at the age of 54 due to salivary gland cancer, Gwynn’s legacy looms over the Padres franchise, where he played his entire MLB career from 1982 to 2001. Adding a unique element to the All-Star attractions is the impending opening of the Tony Gwynn Museum, per 91X.com.

Although the museum is miles off the route of the parade, it’s worth mentioning as a special supplement to San Diego’s hosting of the All-Star Game, paying homage to Gwynn’s perpetual presence in Padres lore.

The Padres may well miss the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season this year, but the All-Star Game will be a nice interlude to celebrate their glory of the past, with Hoffman, Winfield and Gwynn as central symbols of those times.

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