The entire Chicago Cubs infield is leading in All-Star Game voting  —  There's a reason why they have the best record in MLB.  —  Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images  —  The Chicago Cubs boast the best record in MLB at 36-15.  The offense is slugging at a torrid pace, and the pitching staff, led by Jake Arrieta, has been outstanding.

Harper and Machado long shots to stay?  —  Beltway baseball is thriving, but how long will it last?  Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, who rank among the very top players in the game, may well turn out to be too pricey to remain long-term with the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles, respectively.

Freeman's HR in 11th Inning Lifts Braves Past Giants, 5-4  —  By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSJUNE 1, 2016, 11:09 P.M. E.D.T.  —  ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman homered leading off the 11th inning to give the Atlanta Braves a 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night.

Anibal Sanchez out of Detroit Tigers rotation, vows to get back in  —  For the time being, Matt Boyd will take Sanchez's spot in Tigers rotation, but Sanchez says he's ‘not a quitter’  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. - Perhaps the first point of Anibal Sanchez regaining his confidence came this afternoon …

Mariners Designate Joel Peralta  —  The Mariners have designated righty Joel Peralta for assignment, the team announced.  Fellow right-hander Cody Martin will take over his spot in the Seattle pen.  —  Peralta, 40, joined the M's on a minor league deal over the winter.

GET THE DIAMONDBACKS APP: iOS |  Android  —  The blast made winners of the suddenly surging Astros, who won for the eighth time in nine games, and it allowed the Diamondbacks' freefall to continue into the month of June.  —  “It was a good baseball game,” Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said.

Ron Fowler: “It's Been Embarrassing”  —  Executive Chairman of the Padres Ron Fowler vents his frustrations with the play of the team so far this season.

Hendricks Sharp, Cubs Break Loose With 4 HRs, Beat Dodgers  —  By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSJUNE 2, 2016, 5:14 P.M. E.D.T.  —  CHICAGO — Kyle Hendricks dominated over eight innings and the Chicago Cubs backed him with four home runs, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 Thursday for their eighth win in nine games.

Rays closer Boxberger out 1-2 months with oblique strain  —  KANSAS CITY — So much for that deeper and better Rays bullpen.  —  All-Star RH closer Brad Box­berger's return turned out to be a one-night stand, as he will be out at least a month, and possibly two, after further evaluation Wednesday revealed a left oblique strain.

Hechavarria's RBI Double in 8th Lifts Marlins to 3  —  By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSJUNE 1, 2016, 11:24 P.M. E.D.T.  —  MIAMI — After failing to give the Marlins an early lead, Adeiny Hechavarria came through when it mattered most.  —  Hechavarria hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the bottom …

Marlon Byrd Receives 162-Game PED Ban  —  Indians outfielder Marlon Byrd was officially slapped with a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance enhancing substance, as Vince Grzegorek of Cleveland Scene first reported on Twitter.  Byrd had previously been hit with a 50-game ban …

Mariners Place Felix Hernandez On DL, Recall James Paxton  —  The Mariners announced today that they've placed ace Felix Hernandez on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right calf muscle and recalled lefty James Paxton from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move.