Michael Lorenzen outhomered fellow Gatorade ad actor Bryce Harper in June  —  We don't know for sure whether Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper homers off of Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Michael Lorenzen in a Gatorade ad featuring the pair.  (It looks like he might.)

MLB: LeBlanc agrees to extension  —  Pitcher Wade LeBlanc is guaranteed $2.75 million under a new contract with the Seattle Mariners covering 2019.  The deal contains three options that would be worth $31.3 million over four years if he pitches 180 innings or more each season.

Column: White Sox need to listen to offers for Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia  —  Photos of White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  A year ago at this time, the White Sox were going through Phase 2 of the rebuild, trying to collect more top prospects in exchange …

Scooter Gennett, Eugenio Suárez are Cincinnati Reds who deserve to make NL All-Star team  —  Two for sure.  —  Possibly three, but it's a bit of a long shot.  —  We're talking Cincinnati Reds on the National League All-Star team.  No one is likely to be voted in.

Granderson has kept up his end of the bargain, now the Blue Jays can do him a favour  —  After a brilliant big-league career, there is still one milestone that Curtis Granderson would love to experience.  And that would be to win a World Series.  —  “I've been there three times, haven't won it …

Bye-bye, Buffalo: Why the Rays will trade Wilson Ramos  —  NEW YORK — Wilson Ramos is the best catcher the Rays have ever had.  —  And they are not likely to have him for much longer.  —  Sure, it's a matter of dollars.  —  But also one of sense.  —  The season and a half Ramos …

Nationals come back from 9-0 deficit against Marlins  —  Update (9:19 PM ET): Credit to the Nationals — they battled back.  It's 10-9 after six innings.  They hung up a four-spot in the fifth and added five more in the sixth.  Trea Turner hit a go-ahead grand slam.  Maybe that players-only meeting helped after all.

Surging Philadelphia Phillies open long road trip vs. skidding Pittsburgh Pirates  —  Teams from opposite ends of Pennsylvania and heading in opposite directions face off this weekend when the Philadelphia Phillies visit the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.  —  Philadelphia (47-37) …

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 …

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 …

Twins take advantage of MLB-worst Baltimore in 5-2 win to stem skid  —  The Baltimore Orioles provided a temporary Band-Aid to conceal the Twins' open wound Thursday.  —  After losing eight of nine in consecutive road series against two top National League teams, the Brewers and Cubs …

Gallo, Guzman lead Rangers to win over Tigers  —  Joey Gallo and Ronald Guzman homered as the  —  Detroit Tigers 7-5 Thursday night.  —  Yovani Gallardo (3-0) got the win, giving up four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.  He walked one and struck out two while winning his third straight start.

Column: Cubs need insurance for the rotation and bullpen, no matter how small the upgrade  —  Joe Maddon on Wednesday's 5-2 victory: “Nice job by everybody.  Kind of a team win.”  (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune  —  A season-high six-game winning streak coupled …

Brewers Designate Eric Sogard For Assignment  —  The Brewers announced Thursday that they've reinstated Tyler Saladino from the 10-day disabled list and created a spot on the active roster by designating struggling second baseman Eric Sogard for assignment.  The move leaves Milwaukee's 40-man roster at a total of 39 players.

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.

Ups and downs of minor league bullpens  —  The end comes again and again for minor league pitchers in their fourth, fifth or sixth seasons in pro ball.  They are throwing “the rock” downhill off the mound, but really isn't it like rolling a large rock uphill trying to get to the big leagues?