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The Milwaukee Brewers received some bad news on Sunday when star outfielder Carlos Gomez left the team’s contest against the San Francisco Giants with an apparent wrist injury, according to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Unfortunately, the situation worsened on Tuesday.

Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweeted the discouraging update:

Rosiak spoke to Gomez after the game, and the outfielder described how he’s feeling:

When I do my follow-through normal, I always let go with one hand. And I got stuck and I felt a pop. When I felt it pop, it was a shooting pain. I had x-rays, which were negative, so it might be a nerve kind of twisted.

Today, we don’t think it’s something bad. Right now, it’s sore, but it’s been sore the last couple days. I’ve been worse than that in the past. It’s just on that swing, I hear the pop. I froze from the pop.

We now know that pop he heard was that of a sprained wrist and nothing more serious.

With Gomez missing at least a week going forward, the Brewers’ race with the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals becomes increasingly difficult. As of Tuesday, Milwaukee is just one game behind the Cardinals; however, the team is in the midst of a six-game losing streak, while St. Louis is trending in the opposite direction on the heels of three consecutive wins.

Breaking that trend without Gomez’s .282 batting average in the fold won’t be easy, and with a four-game series against St. Louis beginning on Thursday, this injury could have serious implications for the Brewers as the season winds down.

Milwaukee will need Gerardo Parra to step up in a big way during Gomez’s absence. Parra is batting .265 with 13 hits, two doubles, one triple, two home runs and eight RBI in 24 appearances with the Brewers since they acquired him from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the July 31 trade deadline.

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While the Arizona Diamondbacks have struggled this season, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has certainly been one of the team’s brightest spots. Unfortunately, according to a tweet from the team’s official Twitter account, he’ll be out of commission for a while due to a fractured left hand:  

Goldschmidt suffered the injury during Friday’s 9-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, as pitcher Ernesto Frieri hit the All-Star first baseman in the hand with a 93-mph fastball in the ninth inning.

After toughing it out through the remainder of the game, Goldschmidt spoke about the incident during a press conference, via Adam Lichtenstein of MLB.com:

I’ve never had any broken bones or fractures or anything like that. It felt OK, but obviously there’s still some pain because it hit it pretty good. I don’t know what it would feel like if it was or wasn’t anything wrong with it. …

… It’s part of the game, getting hit, so I’m going to stay positive and think it’ll be OK. I guess we’ll find out, hopefully tomorrow. But it’s jut part of the game. This stuff happens, and hopefully it’s not broken.

Well, the results weren’t exactly comforting, as he’ll now begin a stint on the disabled list while he recovers.

Jack Magruder of Fox Sports Arizona weighed in on what the injury means for the Diamondbacks:

Through 109 games played this season, Goldschmidt is batting .300 while accumulating 122 hits, 39 doubles, one triple, 19 home runs and 69 RBI. That kind of production will be difficult to replace.

Alfredo Marte will attempt to fill some big shoes; however, he got off to a glowing start earlier this season against the Philadelphia Phillies, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com:

We’ll see if he can recapture that magic in Goldschmidt’s stead.

With the Diamondbacks currently 14 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, don’t expect to see Goldschmidt rushed back to action, as the team will want to ensure he’s able to make a full recovery.

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The NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers received some bad news on Saturday, as the team’s official Twitter account reported pitcher Paul Maholm‘s MRI revealed an ACL tear:  

Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller has an update on Maholm and the Dodgers’ corresponding roster move:

Maholm suffered his injury on Friday during an 8-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs. In the early hours on Saturday morning, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reported the injury as it happened:

After the game, manager Don Mattingly feared the worst during a press conference, via Michael Lananna of MLB.com:

“Paul’s is the one that’s pretty serious, it seems, like the way he came off the field and was moving around. He felt it the step before he got to the bag. He was walking good, but then we he got to the steps, it kind of gave out.”

Now, roughly 13 hours later, the pitcher’s season is all but over.

In his first year with the Dodgers, Maholm hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. He’s currently holding a 4.84 ERA, allowing 82 hits and 44 runs while striking out 34 batters in 70.1 innings pitched. He started eight games this season, earning a record of 1-5.

The injury comes at a terrible time for Los Angeles, as the team is already thin in the pitching department. Pedro Moura of the Orange County Register sure thinks so:

Despite Maholm’s struggles, this injury should quickly put the Dodgers on the market for another southpaw reliever, should he opt for season-ending surgery, while the team continues on its bid for the postseason.

For Maholm, it will be a long road back to full fitness following such a devastating injury.

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The July 31 MLB trade deadline is fast approaching, and each franchise currently finds itself in one of two categories: It’s either a buyer or a seller. While contenders are looking to acquire top-tier talent in an effort to make a push for the playoffs, gutter-dwellers are aiming to offload players and their corresponding lucrative contracts.

This time of year is always interesting, as you just never know which familiar faces will wind up in new places. That’s what makes speculation so fun.

Let’s take a look at a few possible scenarios based on a few of the latest rumors to surface around the Web.

Cole Hamels to Boston Red Sox?

This scenario shatters the mold of what we’re used to seeing prior to the trade deadline. Boston is sitting at 47-55 and in the cellar of the AL East; however, it appears the team is looking to buy.

Jayson Stark of ESPN.com tweeted the recent news about a potential trade for Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels:

This report is a bit surprising since Matt Lombardo of NJ.com reported Wednesday that Philadelphia had “zero interest” in trading the pitcher.

Hamels is arguably Philadelphia’s biggest trade chip. Despite owning a 5-5 record, the southpaw is having a solid season. He’s currently maintaining a 2.72 ERA, allowing 102 hits and 40 runs while striking out 125 batters.

One issue here could be Hamels’ current contract. He’s in just the second year of his six-year, $144 million deal, according to Spotrac.com.

New York Mets to Offload Bartolo Colon?

With a 48-54 record, the Mets should be looking to reload for next year. One way to get things headed in that direction is to unload pitcher Bartolo Colon’s two-year, $20 million contract.

Colon has been solid at times this season, holding a 4.03 ERA, allowing 135 hits and 63 runs and striking out 100 in 20 appearances. However, he’s 41 years old and most likely isn’t in the team’s long-term plans.

Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reported exactly what the Mets are willing to do in an effort to ship the pitcher elsewhere:

We are also told, via sources, that the Mets are willing to eat approximately $2 million what remains on Colon’s two-year, $20 million contract ($11 million next season). And given Colon’s current level of performance, it is not crazy to think he could find a one-year, $9 million deal this winter, if he were a free agent. Yeah, he’s 41, but he ain’t pitching like it.

MLB tweeted some stats proving that Colon can still dish it:

There’s not much of a market out there for Colon right now due to several names rumored to be available. However, once the deadline creeps closer and options are limited, certain teams could look to the aging veteran to fill a roster void.

Kurt Suzuki on the Move?

Minnesota Twins veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki could be on the move, as a couple of catcher-needy teams are rumored to be interested. According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, the Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals “are among teams showing trade interest.”

The Cardinals are missing Yadier Molina, who is out until roughly September with a thumb injury. The Orioles are in a similar situation after losing Matt Wieters for the season due to issues with his elbow.

Darren Wolfson of ESPN.com tweeted what the Twins are looking for in return:

While Suzuki may be considered a short-term option for these teams, he brings plenty to the table. This season, he’s batting a career-high .308 while accumulating 91 hits, 19 doubles, two home runs and 40 RBI. On the defensive side, he boasts a .994 fielding percentage, having committed just three errors and allowed two passed balls.

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That infamous time of year has rolled around. The MLB trade deadline is fast approaching, and we should see plenty of familiar faces in new places in short order.

While some teams are aiming to bolster their rosters in an effort to make pushes for the postseason, others are looking to the future and will trade current assets with expensive contracts.

Needless to say, the rumor mill has already begun to spin, and many notable names around the league are already involved in trade discussions.

So, which players are rumored to be on the trade block? Which teams are interested in acquiring their services? Let’s speculate on a few of these situations based on recent buzz to surface around the Web.

Angels and Padres Talking Pitchers

As of Friday morning, the Los Angeles Angels are 57-37, while the San Diego Padres are 41-54. It only makes sense that these two teams would be doing business at this point in the season.

While the Angels are looking to improve their rotation and depth on the mound, the Padres make the perfect trade partner due to some nice arms currently on the roster.

On Wednesday, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported the sides weren’t seeing eye-to-eye on Ian Kennedy but continued to talk about Houston Street:

Well, that appears to have changed once again, according to a tweet from Ollie Connolly of MLB.com:

Now, it appears the two sides are not only talking about both Kennedy and Street once again, but Tyson Ross is also in the conversation.

All three of these arms would improve the Angels’ chances of going deep into the postseason and making a push for each one would certainly keep things very interesting before the trade deadline.

Mariners and Rays Trade Talk

The Seattle Mariners are sitting nicely with a 51-44 record; however, they are in the ultra-competitive AL West and need to make up some ground. The Tampa Bay Rays are floundering with a 44-53 record and appear willing to negotiate.

According to a tweet from Jon Morosi of Fox Sports 1, the Mariners are interested in acquiring both David Price and Ben Zobrist:

Price is having a nice season with a 3.23 ERA and 167 strikeouts while allowing 61 runs on 137 hits in 20 appearances. Zobrist is having another solid year at the plate, batting .266 with 85 hits, 19 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 24 RBI.

Seattle is going after this duo due to its failed attempt at acquiring Marlon Byrd, as Morosi noted on Twitter:

It sounds as if these discussions are only in the preliminary stages, so we’ll have to wait and see how this develops.

Dodgers Don’t Want Papelbon

Philadelphia Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon has expressed his desire to play for a contender. Obviously, he’s not too thrilled about his team’s 42-53 record.

Well, it appeared as though the 54-43 Los Angeles Dodgers were willing to fulfill the pitcher’s request, according to a tweet from Mark Saxon of ESPN:

That’s changed in a big way, as Saxon rescinded his previous information:

Papelbon is having a nice season in Philadelphia, and it can be expected that he’ll garner some interest before the trade deadline passes. Although, as it looks right now, the Dodgers will not be in play for the closer.

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All-Star Week isn’t only for Major League Baseball veterans.

The 2014 Futures Game kicks off Sunday’s action at Target Field with many of the world’s most talented up-and-coming players set to take center stage.

According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, 27 of the Top 100 Prospects will partake in the action, as the U.S. Team takes on the World Team. He also notes that of the 23 players who aren’t ranked, 20 of them are in their respective team’s Top 20 Prospects lists.

That’s a whole lot of young talent on one field.

So, which players should we be on the lookout for once the game commences? Let’s take a look.

Francisco Lindor

Lindor hails from Puerto Rico and will be taking the field for the World Team on Sunday.

He’s ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect on MLB.com, No. 1 shortstop and No. 1 prospect of the Cleveland Indians. Lindor was drafted by Cleveland in the first round in 2011 and currently plays for the Akron RubberDucks.

This year with Akron, Lindor is batting .282 with 89 hits, 11 doubles, four triples, six home runs and 45 RBI. A quick baserunner, he’s also accumulated 23 steals.

Lindor‘s speed makes him dangerous on defense as well. His instincts are phenomenal, and paired with his quickness and strong arm, he’s no stranger to turning double plays, having racked up 58 this year.

According to this tweet from the Eastern League, he’s on a major roll heading into the Futures Game:

Keep a keen eye on this potential future star.

Javier Baez

Baez has plenty in common with Lindor. Not only is he also from Puerto Rico and will be playing for the World Team at shortstop, but he was selected by the Chicago Cubs just one spot after Lindor in the 2011 draft.

Currently, Baez is MLB.com’s No. 9 overall prospect and No. 4 shortstop. He’s also the No. 1 prospect of the Cubs and currently plays for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.

This season, Baez has struggled at the plate a bit, as his average dipped to .240; however, his power is still very much on display. In 2014, he’s accumulated 74 hits, 18 doubles and 14 home runs while recording 53 RBI.

The shortstop has looked better recently, and perhaps a recent addition in Iowa sparked his surge, according to Josh Norris of Baseball America:

Baez doesn’t have a tremendous amount of speed—and may eventually be moved to third base—but his good arm and solid glove have allowed him to remain at shortstop for now.

Noah Syndergaard

Syndergaard is one of many talented pitchers on the U.S. Team who has a chance to see some time on the mound on Sunday.

Ranked as MLB.com’s No. 12 overall prospect, No. 4 right-handed pitcher and the New York Mets’ No. 1 prospect, Syndergaard‘s power is what allows him to excel on the mound.

The right-hander has a plus fastball that’s capable of reaching upward of 96 mph on a consistent basis. His power also shows through on his curve and changeup, which could lead to a nice future three-pitch repertoire.

Syndergaard has nice control over his pitches despite standing at a towering 6’6″ due to a repetitive delivery.

This season, he’s struggled a bit with the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s. He’s maintaining a 5.31 ERA in 16 starts, allowing 97 hits and 47 earned runs. However, his power on the mound has also been prevalent, as he’s struck out 82 batters over that span.

Robert Brender of SNY.tv tweeted some strong praise for the pitcher after a dominant performance earlier this month:

Expect to see Syndergaard as a front-line starter in the near future.

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Voting for the 2014 MLB All-Star Game has officially come to a close.

As the Midsummer Classic approaches, all we can do now is speculate which players will earn enough votes to make the team and a starting role in the game.

The American League featured several close positional battles from the last time MLB.com released the standings. We won’t know the official results until rosters are announced on Sunday.

While we await the highly anticipated unveiling, let’s take a stab at predicting the AL’s starters for this year’s All-Star Game.

Catcher

The last time these votes were tallied, Matt Wieters topped the list. Since then, he’s unfortunately been forced to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery.

This brings us to a two-horse race between Derek Norris and Brian McCann. The edge has to go to McCann. He’s played in more games this season, has a better fielding percentage at .998—leading all AL catchers—and has been powerful at the plate, boasting 10 home runs and 37 RBI despite a .224 batting average.

McCann has been his own worst critic, according to a tweet from Bryan Hoch of MLB.com:

Perhaps a start in the Midsummer Classic would change his tune.

Prediction: McCann

First Base

There’s really not much of a competition at first base. Miguel Cabrera is running away with the voting, and rightfully so.

Solid on offense and defense, Cabrera has a .316 batting average with 100 hits, 32 doubles, 14 home runs, 67 RBI and a fielding percentage of .993.

He’s been showing no signs of slowing down lately:

Jose Abreu has been tremendous as well, displaying some great power, but Cabrera has been more consistent.

Prediction: Cabrera 

Second Base

Like the battle for first base, second base shouldn’t be all that close. Robinson Cano is boasting an impressive .323 batting average, producing 101 hits, 19 doubles, six home runs and 51 RBI. He also holds a .991 fielding percentage with just three errors this season.

Here’s a telling tweet from Bob Nightengale of USA Today regarding Cano and the Mariners’ success:

Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia have been solid as well, but the gap simply appears too large to close.

Prediction: Cano

Third Base

It appears power will win the right to start at third base for the AL. While David Freese has the position’s best fielding percentage, he was nowhere near the top of the standings the last time they were released by MLB.com.

So, we turn to hitting.

Josh Donaldson is far and away the most powerful hitter at third base for the AL this season. He holds a .245 batting average and has accumulated 80 hits, 12 doubles, 18 home runs and 61 RBI. He’s hit five more balls out of the park than anyone else at the position.

He has been clutch at the plate for the A’s all season long:

Prediction: Donaldson 

Shortstop

The last time the standings were released, Derek Jeter had a slight lead on Alexei Ramirez.

Jeter has been playing well this year, holding a .975 fielding percentage and batting .268 with 80 hits, nine doubles, two home runs and 21 RBI; however, Ramirez has simply been much better.

He’s playing well defensively with a fielding percentage of .976, but his hitting has been even better. Ramirez is batting .294 with 97 hits, 14 doubles, eight home runs and 41 RBI.

Here’s yet another fine reason why Ramirez should be getting the start:

It would be nice to see Jeter take the field in what appears to be his last season in the league, but Ramirez is the right choice here.

Prediction: Ramirez

Outfield

With three starting spots up for grabs, the outfield becomes an intriguing race.

At center field, expect Mike Trout to get the nod. The 22-year-old phenom has continued his remarkable run this season with 95 hits, 23 doubles, five triples, 19 home runs and 62 RBI for a batting average of .314. No slouch on defense, he’s also fielding .990.

He’s certainly no slouch on defense at all:

At right field, Jose Bautista is running away with things. He has produced a stellar season at the plate with 86 hits, 15 doubles, 17 home runs and 51 RBI for a .303 batting average. His defense has been superb as well, as he holds a .986 fielding percentage.

So, who gets the third spot?

That would be Adam Jones. He ranks in the top 10 of AL center fielders with a .980 fielding percentage, but his prowess at the plate is what makes him stand out. With 107 hits, 18 doubles, 16 home runs, 53 RBI and a batting average of .308, he’s far and away the most productive outfielder behind Trout and Bautista.

Prediction: Trout, Bautista and Jones

Voting results updated at MLB.com as of July 1.

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It looks like the Chicago Cubs are loading up for the future.

On Friday night, it was announced the team parted ways with some valuable trade chips when it sent pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland Athletics for Addison Russell, Dan Straily and Billy McKinney.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports was the first to report the trade:

So, with the future now looking a little brighter for the Cubs, how exactly will the addition of McKinney impact the team?

At just 19 years of age, McKinney was selected in the first round of last year’s draft by the A’s at No. 24 overall out of Plano West High School.

Listed at 6’1″ and 195 pounds, McKinney doesn’t have as much power as you’d expect, but his mechanics alone make his upside tremendous.

He has a compact swing which is highly repetitive, leading to a two-year minor league batting average of .282. During that span, he appeared in 139 games and accumulated 152 hits, 23 doubles, six triples, 14 home runs and 65 RBI, according to The Baseball Cube.

Here’s a great look at his consistently smooth swing:

One surprising stat regarding McKinney is his 14 stolen bases in the minors. You’d expect more from a center fielder due to the typical speed of players at the position.

McKinney certainly isn’t a burner, and he won’t tear it up as a baserunner, but that doesn’t mean he is without useful speed.

In the outfield, he shows off some nice instincts and gets a good jump on the ball, reading the flight path correctly and getting himself into good position.

Take a glance at his pro-player comparison from the 2013 draft:

McKinney may not stick at center field with the Cubs in the long run, but he does have enough arm strength to possibly play either left field or first base as well.

His instincts on defense and consistency at the plate will certainly allow McKinney to become a big part of the Cubs’ future plans in one way or another. He still needs some time to develop, but he has the ability to be a solid starter roughly three or four years down the road.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers received a scare on Saturday evening when star shortstop Hanley Ramirez left their game against the Colorado Rockies with an apparent thumb injury, according to a tweet from Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller:

In the bottom of the third inning, Ramirez grounded out while bringing in the Dodgers’ first run of the game, but came back to the dugout grimacing and shaking his right hand.

Ramirez was looked at by the team’s trainer, but it was determined to err on the side of caution and hold him out of the remainder of the game.

X-rays on his thumb were negative and he was given a day-to-day status. The Dodgers confirmed this via their official Twitter account:

On the season, Ramirez holds a .267 batting average, recording 24 hits on 90 at-bats. He’s homered three times, accumulated nine RBIs and an impressive 11 doubles.

Heading into their Saturday contest against the Rockies, the Dodgers stood at 13-11 on the season and are second in the NL West Division. They’ll want Ramirez back as quickly as possible; however, with his injury history, they surely won’t want to rush the process.

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Updates from Saturday, April 5

Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reported the latest on New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira:

ESPN’s Wallace Matthews has Teixeira’s thoughts on the injury:

Original Text

Unfortunate news struck the Yankees on Friday evening.

The club’s official Twitter account announced that first baseman Mark Teixeira suffered a strained right hamstring during the team’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays:

The Yankees’ Twitter account also reported that Teixeira was looked at by head coach Joe Girardi and trainer Steve Donohue. He attempted to stretch his leg but later exited the game:

Hoch provided a postgame update from Teixeira:

This injury doesn’t seem to be major at first glance; however, Teixeira has had ongoing struggles with injuries, and each must be looked at with caution.

Looking forward, the Yankees may take a cautious approach considering the 33-year-old will make $23,125,000 in yearly salary for the next three years before hitting free agency in 2017. He only played 15 games in 2013 and 123 in 2012, and he underwent wrist surgery last July. 

This is another unfortunate setback for the Yankees slugger, who is looking for a bounce-back season.

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