Baseball

Before Tuesday, the Texas Rangers knew they had an elite power-hitting prospect in 21-year-old third baseman Joey Gallo. What they didn't know is how he looked in real, live major-league action.

Well, now they do. And they have every reason to be excited.

Very, very, very excited.

As a kid, few things can rival the thrill of a catching a baseball at a live game.

That held true for this young fella in the first row as the Oakland Athletics visited the Detroit Tigers Tuesday night…well, at first.

With the return of Dillon Gee, the New York Mets are to institute a six-man pitching rotation in their pursuit of top spot in the National League East. 

And it's not going anywhere, according to ESPN's Adam Rubin.

Obviously, you're not surprised to see "Mike Trout" and "most valuable" in the same sentence. Trout was the runner-up in the American League MVP voting in 2012 and 2013 before winning the award in 2014. His name and "most valuable" have appeared together a lot over the last three years.

And yet all that now looks like little more than a prolonged warm-up for what Trout is doing in 2015.

For much of the day on Monday, the New York Mets story du jour was the three-year anniversary of Johan Santana's 2012 no-hitter. That is to say, the flavor of the day was that of bittersweet nostalgia.

But then Jacob deGrom took the mound and seized the spotlight for himself.

Even if the Cincinnati Reds don't get back into contention, they are going to be a team that has a big impact on the pennant race.

Why? Because the team has plenty of attractive trade chips.

The proverbial window appears to be closing on this Reds squad. Some of the key players are entering the final year(s) of their contracts, which will force the club to make some tough decisions. Keeping those players would certainly help the club stay relevant, but trading them would help the organization in the future.

Bryce Harper has been on a torrid pace in May, leading the Washington Nationals into first place in the National League East. Unfortunately, the star outfielder will be out for at least one game with a sore back.

Continue for updates. 

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones is off to a blazing start in 2015, but an ankle injury suffered Thursday may be the thing that will slow him down. 

Continue for updates. 

Showalter Unsure of Jones' Timetable

Saturday, May 30

According to Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun, Orioles manager Buck Showalter is unsure how long Jones' ankle injury could keep him out of the lineup:

Derek Norris probably had his head down for most of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. The San Diego Padres catcher struck out four times leading up to the bottom of the ninth inning. 

Norris stepped up to the plate with the score tied 2-2, bases loaded and two outs. What happened next was truly unexpected.

See if this sounds familiar: A young power pitcher has a career year for a division-winning National League club. The next season, however, his performance drops off precipitously, injuries bite and the hand-wringing begins.