Baseball

The Texas Rangers have the best record in the American League, and they've mostly done it without Prince Fielder.

Oh, sure, Fielder has been around, appearing in 72 of the Rangers' 76 games. But for much of that time, he hasn't resembled the lineup-anchoring power hitter Texas expects him to be.

For the most part, MLB fans are voting deserving starters into the 2016 All-Star Game.

There's a shortstop in the American League who has all the qualities of a superstar. He's very young, very charismatic and very skilled at hitting, baserunning and fielding.

Carlos Correa? Good guess. Xander Bogaerts? Another good guess. Manny Machado when he's not playing third base? Yet another good guess. 

Back when Jose Reyes was an All-Star, the New York Mets didn't even offer him a contract. Now that he's absolutely not an All-Star, the Mets want him back.

The crazy part about all that is the Mets were right then and they're also right now.

CHICAGO — Even when John Lackey is bad, he is good.

That's not to say the Chicago Cubs' starting pitcher is never off his game. But nearly every time the 37-year-old takes the mound, he is good enough to win regardless of the quality of his pitching repertoire.

The Miami Marlins have virtually the same winning percentage as the New York Mets. They've been flying, er, swimming under the radar, but they have some swagger going.

And now it looks like they may finally have their slugger going too.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Chris Young left Thursday's game against the Chicago White Sox after suffering a hamstring injury while making the turn around first base. The team placed him on the disabled list, and it is uncertain when he'll return to the field.

Continue for updates.

It's the decision the Los Angeles Angels don't want to make. And by golly, it's the kind of decision no team should ever have to make.

But whether the Angels like it or not, trading Mike Trout continues to look less like the nuclear option and more like the only option.

The Houston Astros are dead, long live the Houston Astros.

OK, we should amend that: The Astros seemed dead after going 7-17 in April. Since May 1, however, they've gone 30-19. And with a sweep-sealing 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park, they poked their heads above .500 at 37-36.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Colby Lewis will miss up to two months after suffering a strained lat muscle, per T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.

Continue for updates.