MLB

Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond exited Tuesday night's 6-4 win over the Atlanta Braves after the fifth inning with what's currently being described as back tightness.

David Wright's lost 2014 season has finally been put to an end. The New York Mets officially declared their All-Star third baseman out for the season Tuesday after a season-long battle with shoulder problems:

Wright, 31, was held out of Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Colorado Rockies and was sent to undergo further testing after feeling an increase in pain.

With the minor league season over and several youngsters currently up in Los Angeles with the Dodgers, a few of the standouts from the minor league season are familiar to Dodger fans. However, not all of them are, and here is an opportunity to recognize a more diverse list of players.

Detroit Lions All-Pro wide receiver Calvin Johnson exploded for 164 yards and two touchdowns on Monday Night Football as the Lions routed the New York Giants, 35-14, in their first game of the 2014 season.

Johnson was in the house for the Detroit Tigers' Tuesday night showdown with the Kansas City Royals, and nine-time MLB All-Star Miguel Cabrera honored him in an appropriate way—by throwing him a lob of a "touchdown pass" into the stands.

There’s rebuilding projects, and then there’s the Houston Astros.  Ever since the team went to the World Series in 2005, the entire organization has been in shambles. 

Sure, they won 86 games in 2008, but that is their only time in the past eight years to win more than 80 games.  They are currently on their seventh different manager in those eight years, and their attendance has plummeted to one of the lowest in the league.

Major League Baseball executive vice president Joe Torre reportedly issued a memorandum on Tuesday to provide clarity to the home-plate collision rules that have been implemented for the 2014 season.

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reported on Torre's message to the umpires, which concerns Rule 7:13. This is what Torre reportedly had to say:

After defeating the San Diego Padres on Monday night and notching his 18th win of the season, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has forced his way into the National League MVP discussion with just a little more than two weeks left in the regular season.

The fear was ever so real, terrifying the men who stood to be criticized when the spotlight shined brightest.

They could see the situation lurking, ready to embarrass the game when pitches, plays and outcomes matter the most—in October.

Major League Baseball, finally realizing how preposterous the interpretation of its rule was and that it could come back to chomp the league in the playoffs, did the right thing and clarified Rule 7.13, better known as the home plate collision rule.

Ryan Zimmerman is nearing recovery from his hamstring injury just in time for the Washington Nationals' foray into October baseball. 

The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore provided an encouraging update on the 29-year-old third baseman's rehab:

As Comcast SportsNet's Mark Zuckerman added, he was looking good during batting practice, as well:

In the midst of a horrid 2014 season, the Boston Red Sox might have bigger issues to worry about. Dustin Pedroia, the team's star second baseman, is dealing with a hand injury that might force him to miss the remainder of the MLB season.    

Sean McAdam of Comcast Sports Net passed the news along from Red Sox manager John Farrell: