Mets Jeff Francoeur, seeking playing time, open to trade  —  NEW YORK — Benched to make room for a 21-year-old rookie, marginalized as a platoon player, Mets outfielder Jeff Francoeur has told the club through his representatives that he is interested in being traded to a team that would play him more, both sides confirmed yesterday.

Felix overpowers A's with career-high 13 K's  —  Seattle ace escapes jam in first, tosses eight shutout frames  —  SEATTLE — The game was three batters old and Felix Hernandez was in big trouble.  Everywhere he looked, a runner was on base.  —  He talked to himself a couple of times …

Posada's shoulder is heart of the matter  —  There's plenty to fret about after tough loss, but situation with Yanks catcher tops list … ARLINGTON, Texas — First, the good news: A.J. Burnett's back is fine.  —  Now, the not-so-good news: Jorge Posada's throwing shoulder is not.

Cards brawl with Reds, take division lead  —  Yadier Molina jawed with Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips in the first inning Tuesday night, sparking a bench-clearing altercation, and the Cardinals followed their catcher's lead to an 8-4 victory that moved St. Louis back into first place in the NL Central.

Pedroia shooting for Tuesday return  —  Breaking news here from Toronto.  Dustin Pedroia is on track to rejoin the Red Sox one week from today.  The Laser Show is back on.  —  Pedroia had a successful workout at the Rogers Centre this afternoon, running at nearly full speed.

Dickerson took long road to Milwaukee  —  MILWAUKEE — Chris Dickerson's Monday began in Cincinnati, where he learned he'd been traded to the Brewers.  It ended in Milwaukee, where he scrambled to prepare for what might have been a dramatic debut.  —  Instead, Dickerson was left standing …

Mets' Beltran clears waivers  —  Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran cleared trade waivers on Monday, major-league sources told FOXSports.com.  —  The Mets are now technically able to trade Beltran, just as they were prior to the July 31 non-waiver deadline.

A three-dimensional win for Red Sox  —  TORONTO — It was only a few weeks ago that Mike Lowell, Jed Lowrie, and Jacoby Ellsbury appeared to have taken up permanent residence on the disabled list.  —  Lowell had been felled by a sore hip, although his being taken off the active roster …

Strasburg roughed up in return  —  Stephen Strasburg returned from his first trip to the disabled list and turned in the worst start of his sometimes-spectacular rookie season.  —  Washington's prized right-hander allowed a career-high six earned runs in a career-low 4 1-3 innings Tuesday night …

Nationals rookie Stephen Strasburg gets a taste of reality  —  Stephen Strasburg's MRI exam came back negative: No signs of a curveball or change-up.  —  In the long run, all that matters presumably is that, in his return to the Nationals' rotation from the disabled list on Tuesday night …

Nationals reinstate Strasburg from DL  —  WASHINGTON (AP)  —  Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg is back from his first trip to the disabled list.  —  The Nationals have reinstated the rookie from the 15-day DL so he can start against the Florida Marlins on Tuesday night.  —  He last pitched July 21.

Big ninth inning gives Braves 4-2 win over Astros  —  HOUSTON—Brooks Conrad's two-run homer in the ninth inning powered the Atlanta Braves to a 4-2 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.  —  The Braves were trailing 2-1 after the Astros scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning off Atlanta errors …