Next Slide  —  With Steven Souza Jr. nearing a return from the disabled list, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was peppered with questions early Wednesday afternoon about how he planned to handle his outfield surplus, what with Souza giving Lovullo at least five outfielders for only three spots.

6 thoughts heading into Yankees' series vs. Blue Jays in Toronto  —  On a rare off-day, a few points before the Yankees begin a three-game series against the Blue Jays Friday night in Toronto:  —  FRIENDLY SKED  —  From now until Sept. 1 (based on win-loss marks heading into Thursday's games) …

Todd Frazier struggling since returning from DL, but provides clutch hit Wednesday  —  NY Mets third baseman Todd Frazier discusses Toronto starter Marcus Strowman Matt Ehalt, Staff Writer, @MattEhalt  —  TORONTO — Todd Frazier will tell you he's not a numbers guy, but the veteran third …

When teams like Twins lack a good catcher, it's a sure sign of trouble  —  MINNEAPOLIS  —  The Chicago White Sox went to the World Series in 1959 for the first time in 40 years and lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.  Owner Bill Veeck decided there was a need for more punch in the Sox lineup and made two major trades:

Red Sox sweep slumping Nationals with 3-0 win  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Jackie Bradley Jr. drove in two runs, Eduardo Rodriguez struck out six in six innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Washington Nationals 3-0 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.  —  Rodriguez (10-3) allowed three hits and walked one.

Next Slide  —  CHICAGO — The Detroit Tigers made a bunch of late-night roster moves after their two-game sweep by the Chicago Cubs.  —  Most notably, Dixon Machado, who showed unlikely power to start the season but has not hit well throughout, has been designated for assignment.

Gattis' sac fly in 10th lifts Astros over Rangers 5-4  —  ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jose Altuve was more than due when he came to bat in the 10th inning, and got a winning rally started for the Houston Astros.  —  “He hadn't gotten a hit in four at-bats,” manager A.J. Hinch said of the second basemen …

Resurgent Kole Calhoun, Angels face Mariners in rubber match  —  To say Kole Calhoun was struggling would be an understatement.  —  When the Los Angeles Angels' right fielder was placed on the disabled list June 2 with a strained right oblique, he was in a 12-for-122 slump (.098), dropping his season average to .145.

Who's in charge of rebuilding the Orioles at the trade deadline?  —  THE ALL-STAR GAME hasn't even arrived, and the Baltimore Orioles are already 33½ games out of first place in the American League East.  But that mind-bending reality can't convey the magnitude of the challenge at Camden Yards …

Hill pitches Dodgers past Pirates 6-4 for 3-game sweep  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) After launching 10 home runs in their first two games against the Pirates, the Dodgers kept it in the park and still won their fourth in a row.  —  Rich Hill earned his first victory in three months …

What a Phillies trade for Cole Hamels might mean for their rotation |  Extra Innings  —  Aaron Nola started Wednesday, so of course the Phillies won.  They've won four in a row and six of their last seven.  They entered Thursday's off day just 1.5 games behind the Braves and 5.5 games ahead of the Nationals.

Scott Boras says shifts are partly why Bryce Harper isn't enjoying a typical Harper season  —  The Washington Post  —  When Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez was Tampa Bay's bench coach in 2008 or 2009 — he doesn't remember which year this happened — Evan Longoria …

Mike Trout and Mookie Betts have opposite approaches — and both are perfect  —  Something has been gnawing at me about Mike Trout and Mookie Betts.  —  Both are practically perfect hitters, and in practically identical ways.  It's not just that they both hit the ball hard and far …

Cincinnati Reds credit confidence, command of the strike zone for their offensive surge  —  All season long, the Reds felt like they were on the verge of proving themselves as one of the top offenses in the Majors.  —  Throughout the last month, they've left no doubt.

Mariners' Nelson Cruz brings new meaning to the term ‘power nap’  —  Nelson Cruz wakes up ready to hit.  Literally.  —  During a recent series in Baltimore, the Mariners DH spent the better part of last Thursday's finale napping on one of the big black leather couches in the visitors' clubhouse at Camden Yards.

Anderson stellar, Iannetta homers as Rockies beat Giants 1-0  —  Chris Iannetta homered in the seventh,  —  Tyler Anderson pitched eight stellar innings in outdueling  —  San Francisco Giants 1-0 on Wednesday night to sweep a three-game series.  —  It was the first 1-0 game at Coors Field since June 12, 2010.

Column: David Bote's perseverance pays off as an unlikely Cubs contributor  —  Chicago Tribune  —  They lived in the basement of a sister-in-law's friend in Mishawaka, Ind.  —  David Bote was chasing his major-league dream in the minors with the Class A South Bend Cubs and his wife …

South Jersey native Jeff Singer working his way toward Phillies  —  Greg Legg remembers the first few times he saw Jeff Singer pitch, and that's why he is so impressed with what he sees from the South Jersey native.  —  “He is a hell of a story,” the manager of the Phillies' double-A Reading affiliate said.