Community Picks: Tampa Bay Rays 0% vs Houston Astros 0%

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Chris Archer took his friendly beef with the Houston Astros mascot to a new level on Monday night. Archer issued a "Declaration of Unfriendliness" to the prank-minded Orbit. According to the Declaration, "A STATE OF DISCORD" has existed between the two and Archer vows to retaliate with "a campaign of PRANKS, GAGS AND HIGH JINKS (sic)." You can see the full text of the letter below. Continue to Article

August 01, 2017 10:34:am EST

Hernandez, 24, put up a .724 OPS in 41 games in the big leagues last year. He’s spent just one game in the majors this year. With Triple-A Fresno, he’s hitting .279/.369/.485 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI in 347 plate appearances. The Blue Jays and Astros have an agreement on a trade involving starter Francisco Liriano, pending a physical, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reports. The Jays will receive outfielder Nori Aoki and a minor leaguer in return, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Liriano, 33, has struggled this year, owning a 5.88 ERA with a 74/43 K/BB ratio over 82 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate is at it slowest point since 2011 and he is inducing significantly fewer ground balls at 43.4 percent compared Continue to Article

July 31, 2017 2:23:pm EST

Multiple reporters are tweeting that the Mets and Red Sox are close to completing a deal for Mets reliever Addison Reed.Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that all that, once medicals are reviewed, the deal will be done. The Mets are telling other teams that Reed is no longer available, Feinsand says. The return haul is not yet known, but New York will reportedly get three prospects. UPDATE: Alex Speier reports that the players going to the Mets are Jamie Callahan, Gerson Bautista, and Stephen Nogosek. Callahan, 22, is a minor league pitcher who has appeared at Double-A and Triple-A this season and was the Sox’ second round pick in 2012. Bautista, 22, is a reliever who has spent the season at high-A Continue to Article

July 31, 2017 10:52:am EST

In a season already filled with so many stirring comebacks, the Los Angeles Dodgers managed to add one that might be their best so far. Kyle Farmer's two-run double in the 11th inning in his first major league at-bat lifted the Dodgers to their eighth straight win, 3-2 over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday night. Los Angeles players and coaches stormed the field in an unbridled celebration to congratulate the rookie. Continue to Article

July 31, 2017 1:14:am EST

The Rockies have acquired catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the Rangers, Ken Rosenthal reports. The Rangers’ return is not yet known, but details should emerge shortly. (Update: It’s a player to be named later, per ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick.) Lucroy, 31, has now been traded in two consecutive seasons. The Rangers acquired him from the Brewers on August 1 last year. So far this season, Lucroy is batting .242/.297/.338 with four home runs and 27 RBI in 306 plate appearances. Production-wise, it’s his worst season since his rookie campaign in 2010. Nevertheless, Lucroy should represent an upgrade behind the dish. Tony Wolters, who has had most of the playing time behind the plate, has a .651 OPS. Backups Continue to Article

July 30, 2017 9:27:pm EST