Fan News

Coming into Friday’s series opener, the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins were each coming off series sweeps. Both, however, had questions on offense.

The Cubs had scored 20 runs in their past 10 games, going 5-5, thanks to a series against the even-more-hapless Mets. The Marlins were still somehow scoring runs despite the loss of slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

On Friday, those questions came to a head.

When New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez launched a home run into the seats at Yankee Stadium for his 3,000th career hit in June, it seemed as though he would never get the ball back, but the dynamic changed Friday, as the Yanks negotiated a deal with the fan who caught it.

After throwing just one complete game in the first 210 starts of his career, Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer went the distance for a third time in his last four outings in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Texas Rangers pitcher Yovani Gallardo extended his scoreless run to 29.1 innings during Thursday's 2-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles, giving him the Rangers' longest such streak since Kenny Rogers tossed 31 consecutive scoreless innings in 2005, according to the Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN S

Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale has been cooking on the mound dating back to the end of May, and he didn't disappoint Tuesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Over the course of eight innings in Chicago's 2-1 win that spanned 11 frames, Sale struck out 12 batters, marking just the second time a pitcher has accomplished that feat eight appearances in a row, according to ESPN Stats & Info: 

In the midst of a five-game losing streak, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon dipped into his bag of tricks to try to create some magic for his team.

Before Tuesday night's game against the New York Mets at Citi Field, Maddon brought a magician into the clubhouse to try to loosen his team up. 

For the likes of Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Martinez, the question is not whether they'll be starting in the 2015 MLB All-Star Game, but whether they'll even be taking part in the exhibition.

With the Midsummer Classic rapidly approaching, A-Rod and Martinez are just two of a slew of first-half standouts who look like they'll be left on the outside looking in when the American League and National League rosters are announced.

Miami Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon doesn't have a ton of power, but with his speed, he doesn't need power in order to notch a home run.

With two outs in the bottom of the second inning of Tuesday's game against the San Francisco Giants, Gordon found the gap in right-center field, and he was off to the races.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig missed 39 games earlier this season with a hamstring injury, though some of his teammates would have been happy if he hadn't come back at all. 

Speaking to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, one anonymous Dodgers player made his feelings about Puig clear. 

The Atlanta Braves nearly made it three months of being in contention, but on the last day of June a loss to the Washington Nationals pushed them to seven games out of first place in the National League East.

In the series opener that was billed as a pitchers’ duel, the Nationals got to Atlanta ace Shelby Miller early. Just two batters into the game, Washington scored the opening run, eventually plating four in the opening stanza.