Cubs Designate Carlos Marmol; Release Ian Stewart  —  The Cubs finally pulled the plug on longtime reliever Carlos Marmol today, announcing they've designated him for assigment.  The team also announced the suspension of third baseman Ian Stewart was settled and upheld, and he was granted his unconditional release.

Ex-Cub pitcher Kerry Wood discovers body in Belmont Harbor  —  Former Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood discovered a man's body floating in the water while out in Belmont Harbor, police said.  —  Wood was paddle boarding around 11:10 a.m. Monday when he saw the body, according to police.

Why Wright Is Right Again  —  Mets third baseman David Wright enters this week's series at the Chicago White Sox enjoying his strongest offensive surge of the season.  —  After tying a franchise record with four extra-base hits Sunday, Wright raised his batting average to .309, going 24 for 54 (.444) over his past 13 games.

Latest On Corey Hart  —  There was a time when Brewers first baseman/right fielder Corey Hart looked like an extension candidate, or at least a trade candidate, but those ideas might be out the window due to a delayed recovery from January knee surgery.  As Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee …

Fed-up Cashman: A-Rod should just shut up  —  NEW YORK — Livid over Alex Rodriguez's decision to tweet an update on his rehab process, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had a message for the third baseman.  —  “You know what, when the Yankees want to announce something, [we will],” Cashman told ESPN New York.

Sources: NL West pursuing Nolasco  —  Not surprisingly, the heaviest action on Marlins right-hander Ricky Nolasco is coming from the hotly contested NL West.  —  Four of the five teams in the West — the Giants, Dodgers, Padres and Rockies — have expressed interest in Nolasco, according to major-league sources.

Halladay feeling good after long tossing  —  SAN DIEGO — Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay has been tossing a baseball about 60 feet for a few days now, and he said he's feeling good so far.  —  “Tossing,” he said Monday at Petco Park.  “That's the key word.”  —  Throwing, he said, is something entirely different.

Trade deadline preview  —  An early look at potential buyers and sellers, players most likely to be traded  —  We want you to remember something important as we approach the 2013 edition of the baseball trading deadline, coming soon to a Rumor Central destination near you:  —  You never know.

Red Sox demote struggling 3B Middlebrooks  —  The Boston Red Sox on Tuesday sent struggling Will Middlebrooks to Triple-A Pawtucket, a move that makes Jose Iglesias the team's everyday third baseman.  —  The Red Sox called up infielder Brandon Snyder in a corresponding move.

21 athletes pose nude in Body Issue  —  Colin Kaepernick, Matt Harvey and more will bare all on July 12  —  Force, Wall and Kaepernick are among the athletes in 2013's Body Issue.  —  IF A BREAKOUT wasn't enough to make sports fans take notice of Matt Harvey, Colin Kaepernick and Kenneth Faried …

Dodgers getting healthier, activate CF Kemp  —  LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers activated center fielder Matt Kemp from the 15-day disabled list before their game with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night, giving them their healthiest team since the first few weeks of the season.

Mets trade Collin Cowgill to the Angels  —  The Mets have traded OF Collin Cowgill to the Angels in exchange for minor league OF Kyle Johnson.  —  Johnson, 23, was hitting .308, 16 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 30 RBI with 30 stolen bases with Single-A Burlington of the Midwest League.