MLB News Blog

Aaron Rowand homered and had four hits, Joe Martinez won close to home and the San Francisco Giants routed a makeshift New York Mets team 10-1 on Monday night to split their four-game series. Pinch-hitter Nate Schierholtz chased Livan Hernandez (7-8) with a two-run double in a three-run sixth inning that broke it open.

Vladimir Guerrero hit two homers and had five RBIs, Kendry Morales and Maicer Izturis also homered, and the Los Angeles Angels pulled away to an 8-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night. The score was tied at 2 before the Angels scored three runs in the sixth inning and three in the seventh.

Right-hander Hiroki Kuroda will miss his next scheduled start for the Los Angeles Dodgers while recovering from a mild concussion. The Dodgers were quite optimistic about Kuroda's prospects for a quick, full recovery after the 34-year-old Japanese pitcher participated in a range of tests after the club returned to Dodger Stadium on Monday.

John Smoltz has been released by the Boston Red Sox. Now the question remains: Will he pitch again? The 42-year-old right-hander signed with the Red Sox last January after two decades with Atlanta, where he was a Cy Young Award winner and eight-time All-Star. Smoltz was particularly memorable in the postseason, going 15-4 with four [...]

Ryan Church hit a three-run double in a six-run third inning that lifted Tommy Hanson and the Atlanta Braves past Max Scherzer and the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-4 Monday. Hanson (8-2) gave up six hits, no walks and two runs in six innings for his third straight win. The rookie right-hander struck out seven.

David Wright is feeling better and expects to play again this season. The New York Mets' All-Star third baseman was back at Citi Field on Monday, two days after he was hit flush on the helmet by a 94 mph fastball from San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain. Wright was diagnosed with a concussion and [...]

The Detroit Tigers bolstered their offense for a pennant drive by obtaining first baseman Aubrey Huff from the Baltimore Orioles for a minor leaguer. "I've been in last place basically my whole career, so this is an exciting time for me," Huff said. "I'm looking forward to it." The Tigers began Monday leading the Chicago [...]

The Tampa Bay Rays say they're not optimistic about signing their top two picks in this year's draft. The AL champions took Florida high school outfielder LeVon Washington as the 30th overall pick in the first round in June. The Rays selected California prep infielder Kenneth Diekroeger in the second round.

They're first in thriftiness and last at the turnstiles — again. They've never won a division title, and their roster turns over with the frequency of a college team. Yet as the playoff race heats up, look who's in the mix: those perennially overlooked, underrated Florida Marlins. The Marlins began the week two games behind [...]

Atlanta Braves center fielder Nate McLouth is headed to the disabled list with a sore left hamstring. The Braves purchased the contract of outfielder Reid Gorecki from Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday. McLouth left Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies after aggravating a hamstring injury that forced him to miss two games last week.