Rays calling up Brendan McKay to start Saturday vs. Texas  —  McKay, the No. 4 pick in 2017 draft from Louisville, has dazzled this season at Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.  —  The Rays are turning to the future a bit earlier than planned, calling up lefty Brendan McKay to start Saturday's game against Texas.

Edwin Diaz dooms Mets, spoils Todd Frazier's heroics in loss to Phillies  —  PHILADELPHIA — It may have been predictable, but it still seemed unbelievable.  This has happened all too often for the Mets this season, yet each time it seems worse than the last.

Trout: MLB asks about HR Derby ‘every year’  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — No, Mike Trout will not be participating in this year's Home Run Derby.  Yes, Major League Baseball keeps trying.  —  “Every year,” Trout said.  “Every year they ask me.”  —  Trout, an All-Star starter for the seventh consecutive year …

Rangers Claim Jesse Biddle  —  The Rangers have claimed left-hander Jesse Biddle off waivers from the Mariners, according to announcements from both clubs.  Texas transferred Jeffrey Springs from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL to open a spot on the 40-man roster.

Michael Chavis's cup of coffee in the majors turns into a full-course meal  —  The story of Red Sox infielder Michael Chavis began just 24 miles northwest of Atlanta, at Cadenhead Field in Marietta, Ga., home to his Yellow Jackets of Sprayberry High School.  —  Beyond the left-field wall sits four-lane Sandy Plains Road.

Taylor, Muncy help Dodgers stage another late win over Rox  —  Chris Taylor drove in the go-ahead run with a bloop single as part of a four-run ninth,  —  Max Muncy hit two of Los Angeles' six homers and the  —  Dodgers won their 12th straight over Colorado by beating the Rockies 12-8 on Thursday night.

Fans elect historically young NL lineup for All-Star Game  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich have been elected starters for one of the youngest All-Star Game lineups ever, leading the millennial-heavy National League for the Midsummer Classic in Cleveland.

2019 MLB Futures Game Rosters, Preview  —  This year's Futures Game rosters are spectacular.  There's really no other way to put it.  The top three prospects in the game—Wander Franco, Jo Adell and MacKenzie Gore—will all be there, as will a scintillating array of the rest of the Top 100.

Sources: Taylor optioned to clear spot for Zimmerman  —  Ryan Zimmerman's return to the Nationals' active roster will come at the expense of Michael A. Taylor's longstanding place on it.  —  The Nationals optioned Taylor to Double-A Harrisburg following last night's win in Miami to clear …

Yankees, Red Sox set to renew rivalry in London  —  America's most storied sports rivalry makes its way across the pond for a historic series as the Boston  —  New York Yankees face off in the first of two games at London Stadium on Saturday.  —  The series marks the first-ever games contested in London for Major League Baseball.

Brewers To Promote Keston Hiura, Option Travis Shaw To Triple-A  —  The Brewers are bringing top prospect Keston Hiura back to the majors, The Athletic's Robert Murray reports (Twitter link).  In a corresponding move, the struggling Travis Shaw will head down to Triple-A.

Marcus Stroman Has ‘Come to Terms’ With Blue Jays Inevitably Trading Him  —  NEW YORK — Say goodbye to the Blue Jays.  —  Edwin Encarnación already has.  He checked his math this week, then re-checked it:  —  Justin Smoak ... Encarnación had

Can the Diamondbacks be something more than perfectly mediocre this season?  —  Like investing for retirement, baseball is the ultimate long game, more accurately judged over a lengthy period of time, not daily.  —  But there are defining times within a season, ones in which fortunes pivot.