Costly acquisition via a trade is up in the air  —  Ned Colletti says he hasn't talked to the team's owners about whether the Dodgers can take on a big contract this summer.  —  Reporting from Chicago — As the trade deadline approaches, General Manager Ned Colletti said Tuesday …

What the Red Sox Invasion Looked Like  —  Ok, I'm not just spinning here.  The big takeaway from last night's game, for me, was that baseball in D.C. is gonna be a heckuva good time when/if this team gets good.  The weather would have made a dying man cry, the streets and concourses …

Game 70: Yankees at Braves (now with Sabathia update)  —  YANKEES (38-31)  —  Pitching: RHP Chien-Ming Wang (0-5, 12.30).  —  BRAVES (33-36)  —  McLouth CF  —  Escobar SS  —  Jones 3B  —  McCann C  —  Anderson LF  —  Kotchman 1B  —  Francoeur RF  —  Johnson 2B  —  Hanson RHP

Trade request Ayala's last straw  —  The Twins were not happy with Luis Ayala's request for a trade after not being given the eighth inning role.  —  MILWAUKEE - As if the Twins weren't frustrated enough with Luis Ayala's pitching, the reliever helped force his way off the team by requesting …

Cleveland Indians' Eric Wedge mum on status; meeting looms  —  PITTSBURGH — Eric Wedge talked about center fielder Grady Sizemore's return from the disabled list.  He commented on Tony Sipp's latest call-up to the Cleveland Indians' bullpen and Asdrubal Cabrera's rehabilitation assignment.

Tampa Bay Rays find small crowds “bewildering”  —  Rays officials were clearly disappointed in the relatively small crowd of 19,608 for Tuesday's opening game and similar projections for the other two games of the World Series rematch with the Phillies.  —  “As we were planning for the season …

Blue Jays 7, Reds 5  —  TORONTO (AP) — Marco Scutaro hit a two-run homer, Scott Rolen and Rod Barajas each added solo shots and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-5 on Tuesday night.  —  Pitching on three days' rest, Toronto left-hander Brian Tallet (5-4) …

Nats will be in tough battle with Boras  —  No. 1 pick Stephen Strasburg won't come cheap or without a fight.  Ken Rosenthal examines if he'll put pen to paper on a Nats deal.

Minor League Transactions  —  Previous installment: June 7-13 … Arizona Diamondbacks  —  Draft picks signed: RHP Brian Budrow (28), RHP Keith Cantwell (31), RHP Brad Gemberling (24), RHP Bradin Hagens (6), RHP Jake Hale (27), RHP Will Harvil (32), RHP Chris Odegaard (23), RHP Brad Wilson …

Kelvim Escobar isn't optimistic about season as shoulder injury flares  —  The Angels pitcher, who missed all of 2008 and had just returned to the rotation June 6, has a ‘deep ache’ and probably will be shut down indefinitely.  —  The broken record plays on for Kelvim Escobar …

Angels rally in the eighth to cool off red-hot Rockies  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Bobby Abreu drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a bases-loaded single in the eighth inning after Colorado third baseman Ian Stewart messed up two bunt plays, and the Los Angeles Angels won 4-3 Tuesday night …

Tulowitzki's Revival  —  As you've probably heard, the Colorado Rockies have gotten hot lately, surging to a 37-34 record after starting the year as one of the worst teams in baseball.  New manager Jim Tracy has been given a significant amount of the credit, as the team started winning right …

3 UP: ROCKIES, MARLINS AND PUNCHLESS NY  —  Yes.  I am on Twitter.  —  1. The Rockies had won 17 of 18 games before losing Tuesday night to the Angels.  That enabled them to vault into wild-card contention, which was bad news for the Mets.  But the move from non-contenders to contenders by the Rockies also may have helped the Mets.

El Duque to pitch for Rangers' Triple-A ballclub … OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City RedHawks have activated former major league pitcher Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez.  —  Hernandez is a 43-year-old right-hander who was signed to a minor league contract by the Texas Rangers on June 12 in hopes he can bolster the pitching staff.

Farm report: Coney Island gets Green Wave  —  Sam Honeck was drafted in the 11th round (344th overall) on June 10, had a physical four days later, and signed a professional contract one day after that.  Now, the former Tulane University standout is manning first base and batting third for the Brooklyn Cyclones.