MLB News Blog

Wilson Valdez showed off his sparkling defensive skills before delivering a clutch hit. Valdez’s RBI single with one out in the 11th inning lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to their eighth straight win, 3-2 over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night. Hours before the first pitch, the Phillies improved their chances at winning a fourth straight NL East title by acquiring three-time All-Star…

The Twins have acquired All-Star closer Matt Capps from the Washington Nationals for minor leaguers Wilson Ramos and Joe Testa. The Twins say they will also receive cash from the Nationals. Capps got his 26th save in 30 opportunities earlier Thursday in the Nationals’ win over the Atlanta Braves. He will help bolster a bullpen that was missing its closer, Joe Nathan, since the beginning of the…

For the second time this season the Texas Rangers are going to have to play without All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a strained left groin. The move came a day after Kinsler sat out a 3-1 loss to the Oakland A’s. He started the season on the disabled list and missed the first 22 games with a high ankle sprain sustained in spring…

Jorge Cantu saw the light blinking on his cell phone when he got to his locker and knew it might finally be time. Then, he read the text message from his agent: He was headed for Texas. The AL West-leading Rangers added another bat for the playoff push, acquiring Cantu from the Florida Marlins on Thursday for two minor league pitchers.

The NL West-leading San Diego Padres obtained infielder Miguel Tejada and cash from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday in exchange for Double-A right-hander Wynn Pelzer. Tejada was scratched from the Orioles’ lineup before their game Thursday night at Kansas City. The trade was announced a short time later.

The AL West-leading Texas Rangers added another bat for the stretch, getting third baseman Jorge Cantu from the Florida Marlins on Thursday for two minor league pitchers. Cantu got two hits, scored twice and made an error in the Marlins’ 5-0 win at San Francisco. The trade was completed right after the game ended.

Anibal Sanchez pitched a one-hitter for his first shutout since a no-hitter in September 2006, and Jorge Cantu played his final game for Florida in the Marlins’ 5-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. Sanchez (8-6) retired his first 13 batters and matched a career-high with eight strikeouts.

Ubaldo Jimenez rebounded from two rough starts to pitch seven effective innings and the Colorado Rockies snapped an eight-game skid with a 9-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday. Carlos Gonzalez and Brad Hawpe homered and Clint Barmes had two hits and three RBIs for the Rockies, who had dropped 11 of 13.

Scott Olsen returned from the disabled list to win his first appearance in more than two months, Adam Dunn and Ian Desmond each homered and doubled, and the last-place Washington Nationals beat the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves 5-3 Thursday in a game interrupted 1 1/2 hours by rain. Olsen (3-2) gave up three runs — two earned — and five hits in six innings before a thunderstorm caused the…

Buck Showalter was hired to manage the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, his latest rebuilding project in a major league career full of them. Showalter’s first game will be Tuesday night at Camden Yards against the Los Angeles Angels. Baltimore had the worst record in the majors at 31-70 going into Thursday night against Kansas City and is headed toward its 13th straight losing season.