Cubs' Jason Hammel harnesses Cardinals' offense  —  Cubs starting pitcher Jason Hammel reacts to his hitting and pitching in the 2-1 win over the Cardinals.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Jason Hammel thought he didn't pitch as well Tuesday night as his line indicated.

In Extras for the First Time This Season, the Mets' Bullpen Falters  —  It took 14 games for the Mets to encounter extra innings this season and when they did, on Wednesday night, the result was not a happy one.  They lost, 5-4, in Philadelphia, with reliever Hansel Robles surrendering …

Didi Gregorius has rough night in Yankees' loss to Athletics  —  Didi Gregorius' night was filled with ups and downs Tuesday.  —  A pair of spectacular plays he made at shortstop behind Chasen Shreve in the seventh inning accounted for the good, but the bad may have very well cost the Yankees the game.

Rockies Acquire Cody Decker  —  The Rockies have acquired first baseman Cody Decker from the Royals, according to announcements from both teams.  Cash considerations are going back in return.  —  Decker, 29, has minimal major league experience but was long a solid producer in the upper minors …

White Sox pitcher Mat Latos comes up big again in third start  —  All of the action from U.S. Cellular Field.  —  With each start he has made this season, right-hander Mat Latos has made the White Sox look smarter for nabbing him on a $3 million deal less than two weeks before spring training started.

Were the Astros signaling pitches on Tuesday night?  Ask Derek Holland. … After the usual post-game comments, I had one more question for Derek Holland.  I was curious what adjustment, if any, he had made, since the Astros were making such hard contact in the first two innings …

Stephen Strasburg, slider/cutter in lethal form, strikes out 10 Marlins  —  MIAMI — Ryan Zimmerman calls it a “cutter/slider thing.”  Catcher Wilson Ramos and pitching coach Mike Maddux say “cutter.”  Stephen Strasburg does not call it anything, as he has yet to acknowledge it exists.

Curt Schilling Is Fired by ESPN  —  Curt Schilling, a former All-Star pitcher and one of the highest-profile baseball analysts on ESPN, was fired from the network Wednesday, a day after he drew intense criticism for promoting offensive commentary on social media.

At 8-4, Royals once again doing things that are ‘not stat-able’  —  OAKLAND — The “Moose” calls erupted just as the third-inning drive off Mike Moustakas' bat sailed over the right-field fence.  Considering the Kansas City Royals were playing at the Oakland Coliseum, it would have been easy …

Joe Maddon amused by Busch Stadium ban on his T-shirts  —  Photos of the 2015 NL Manager of the Year.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Cubs manager Joe Maddon actually sees a benefit to the banning of his “Try Not To Suck” T-shirts at Busch Stadium.  —  “It's much better if the fans make a big deal out of it,” Maddon said Wednesday.

Noah Syndergaard already on list of greatest Mets deals in franchise history, here are my Top 10  —  Noah Syndergaard's early-season brilliance is such that his acquisition from the Blue Jays already has to rank among the best trades the Mets have ever made, with or without Travis d'Arnaud.

Is Pirates' Andrew McCutchen primed for another MVP run?  —  PITTSBURGH — Andrew McCutchen is not usually the introspective type.  —  But the Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder seems surprised by his rise to being the face of a resurgent franchise and one of the most popular players in baseball.