8:00 AM ET NEW YORK — On the back of his custom Players Weekend jersey last summer, the then-Colorado Rockies second baseman settled on a simple two-letter nickname he has had for much of his life: “DJ.” Given David John LeMahieu’s reticent nature, preferring to fly under the radar, he’ll probably just pick it again

9:59 PM ET Associated Press CHICAGO — Before Friday’s game against San Diego, 9-year-old Matteo Lambert of Vienna, Virginia, met Anthony Rizzo in the Chicago Cubs‘ dugout and gave him a note asking for a “moonshot” on behalf of group running a 5K in Grant Park this weekend to raise money for kids with cancer.

4:18 PM ET Rick Shapiro, a longtime attorney for the Major League Baseball Players Association, has been let go by the union after being increasingly marginalized in recent months, according to sources. Shapiro’s departure comes at a time when the union is gearing up for what will be an important and perhaps contentious round of

8:06 AM ET The Houston Astros are not happy about scheduling that has them making a quick turnaround ahead of Friday night’s home game against the Texas Rangers. The Astros played the final game of their series against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night. The team was estimated to arrive back in Houston about

10:03 PM ET Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg singled and hit a 420-foot, three-run homer in the third inning of Thursday’s game against the Braves in Atlanta. Strasburg led off the third inning with a single to center and scored the Nationals’ first run, tying the game. The Nationals batted around, and when Strasburg came

10:00 AM ET Editor’s note: Alex Rodriguez has a unique relationship with the four players voted into the 2019 Hall of Fame class. He was teammates with three of them (Mariano Rivera, Edgar Martinez and Mike Mussina) and played against Roy Halladay throughout their careers. In the days leading up to their enshrinement in Cooperstown,

8:06 PM ET Associated Press PHILADELPHIA — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says it’s “a little bit tough to swallow” that closer Kenley Jansen changed his mind about the severity of a foot injury after blowing a save Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies. Jansen was struck in the foot by Adam Haseley‘s grounder

8:14 PM ET CHICAGO — It took 14 home starts spread across two seasons and 17 calendar months, but Chicago Cubs starter Yu Darvish finally earned his first win at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. “It’s amazing,” Darvish said after leading the Cubs to a 5-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds. “First win at Wrigley. I

4:00 PM ET ESPN News Services Chicago White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a bruised right ulnar nerve after leaving Tuesday’s game at Kansas City following a collision in the outfield. Jimenez was taken out of the game after colliding with center fielder Charlie Tilson while chasing

2:24 AM ET Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols hit a bases-clearing double during the Angels’ six-run first inning, and Los Angeles remained unbeaten in five games since the All-Star break with a 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night. Jake Marisnick was drilled between the shoulder blades by Angels reliever Noe