NEW YORK — July already had been a bad month for the Tampa Bay Rays, and it ended with a long and miserable Thursday.

The Rays fell behind the New York Yankees by seven runs in the first three innings.

They had three key players — Yandy Diaz, Chandler Simpson and All-Star Jonathan Aranda — leave the game with injuries.

They sat through ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Tampa Bay Rays had a busy finish to Thursday’s trade deadline, headlined by the acquisition of hard-throwing reliever Griffin Jax and the decision to hang on to their key veteran players.

In deals reported just before and after the 6 p.m. ET deadline, the Rays:

— Acquired Jax from the Minnesota Twins for starter Taj ...Read more

BALTIMORE — The trade deadline has officially developed into a full-blown fire sale for the Baltimore Orioles.

Baltimore traded first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano to the San Diego Padres on Thursday, O’Hearn confirmed. The Orioles’ return wasn’t immediately clear.

O’Hearn, 31, was one of the biggest success ...Read more

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees finally found an upgrade for their bullpen on Thursday, finalizing a deal to acquire Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar prior to the trade deadline, a source confirmed to the New York Daily News.

The trade is pending medical review. Catcher Rafael Flores, the Yankees’ eighth-best prospect on MLB.com, will...Read more

DETROIT — Tigers president Scott Harris is using the trade deadline to reshape his bullpen.

Having already added veterans Luke Jackson, Rafael Montero and Paul Sewald to the mix — three relievers who are in the process of redevelopment, either from injury or performance — the Tigers Thursday traded for right-hander Kyle Finnegan, who ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — In 2023, the Phillies looked into acquiring Harrison Bader at the trade deadline but chose to pass on him and other available outfielders.

Last winter, they could have signed Bader as a free agent but opted for outfielder Max Kepler instead.

At last, they came around.

With about five hours to spare before Thursday’s 6 p.m. ...Read more

BALTIMORE — Eight years ago, Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays and Anthony Santander shared an outfield together in Double-A.

“We are the future of this team,” Santander prophesied to Hays and Mullins. Santander was right. The trio survived the Orioles’ painful rebuild, became All-Stars and helped usher winning baseball back to Baltimore.

...Read more

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Another frustrating offensive night that wasn’t helped by a substandard performance from Bryan Woo suddenly didn’t feel so bad for the Mariners.

To be clear, the Mariners lost on Wednesday night, falling 5-4 to the Athletics, dropping two of three games in their final series with the A’s this season and ...Read more

ANAHEIM — Hundreds of fans came to Angel Stadium on Wednesday night wearing white gowns and halos, creating a raucous environment beyond the right field fence.

Energized by a three-game winning streak and cheering every positive moment at the beginning of the game, the fans were chanting “sell the team” by the eighth inning of a 6-3 loss ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The lights suddenly go dark as the bass line to “El Incomprendido” begins to pump, just as it did at Target Field when Jhoan Duran entered a game. Except, the setting is Citizens Bank Park, and the month is October. The lights go on and Duran is standing on the mound in red pinstripes, glaring in at home plate as he throws ...Read more

DETROIT — The Tigers bolstered their bullpen on Wednesday night, acquiring veteran reliever Rafael Montero from the Atlanta Braves for Double-A infielder Jim Jarvis.

It was only a couple of years ago that Montero, now 34 and on an expiring contract, was a key piece of the Houston Astros’ postseason bullpen, helping them win the World Series...Read more

CINCINNATI — The Dodgers lost the game Wednesday night.

What was more important, however, was that they didn’t lose their two-way star.

In the Dodgers’ 5-2 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park, Shohei Ohtani left the mound alongside a trainer in the fourth inning with what the team later said was only cramping — a ...Read more

ST. LOUIS — Trailing early after a Marlins hitter connected on a two-run homer off a Cardinals starter for a second consecutive night at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals once again could not generate the offense needed to pull themselves out of another early hole against Miami.

After Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas gave up a two-run homer to ...Read more

NEW YORK — Time after time Wednesday night, the Yankees avoided defeat.

They were shut out by the Tampa Bay Rays for seven innings, only to rally in the eighth. They overcame a blown save by Devin Williams, a baserunning blunder by Austin Wells and deficits in the ninth and 10th innings.

But the Yankees would not be denied.

Ryan McMahon’s...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Twins shortstop Carlos Correa emerged as an unexpected trade candidate ahead of Thursday’s MLB trade deadline.

The Houston Astros had discussions about trying to trade for Correa, their shortstop for seven seasons before he signed with the Twins as a free agent twice, sources told the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Trade talks ...Read more

CINCINNATI — Shohei Ohtani left the mound alongside a trainer in the fourth inning of the Dodgers' Tuesday night game against the Cincinnati Reds because of cramping, according to the team.

The two-way star did remain in the game as the Dodgers' designated hitter.

On what was a hot, humid 90-degree night at Great American Ball Park, Ohtani ...Read more

With one hung pitch in the opening inning, the Rockies’ margin for error on Wednesday vanished.

Guardians DH David Fry took Rockies southpaw Kyle Freeland deep for a two-run homer in the first, and Cleveland never looked back to beat the Rockies, 5-0, and take the series at Progressive Field.

After rallying to beat Cleveland with a four-run ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Yu did it.

Now it is A.J. Preller’s turn.

To the list of things going well for the streaking Padres as they played their final game in July on the last full day before the MLB trade deadline, add Yu Darvish returning to being the pitcher they are counting on helping them into October.

“Looked like the Yu Darvish I’ve been ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals are working the phones before the clock strikes 5 p.m. Central on the MLB trade deadline this Thursday.

The looming deadline will send aftershocks throughout the league. It’s the final chance for teams to gear up for a second-half postseason surge. And the Royals are one of the clubs looking to make...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The Pittsburgh Pirates secured their first road sweep of the season Wednesday afternoon, taking down the San Francisco Giants by a final score of 2-1 in 10 innings at Oracle Park. Isaac Mattson was the game’s winning pitcher, while Ryan Walker suffered the loss.

Giants first baseman Dominic Smith opened the scoring in the ...Read more