Brewers OF Gerardo Parra batting .436 in last 21 games
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(10:49 am ET) Brewers outfielder Gerardo Parra had two singles, two runs and two walks during an 8-1 win Tuesday at Detroit. He also struck out once.

Parra now has five multihit games in May. He has been on an offensive blitz since late April. Parra is batting .436 (24 for 55) in his last 21 games (13 starts), raising his average from .154 to .319 in that span.

Parra also has a .468 on-base percentage, .745 slugging percentage, 1.213 OPS, two triples, two home runs, seven doubles, 12 RBI, 13 runs and five walks in his last 21 games.

D-Backs ready to go with Enrique Burgos in closer’s role?
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(10:44 am ET) After recording his second save in as many days Tuesday against the Marlins, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale stopped short of naming Enrique Burgos the team’s new closer. However, Hale is definitely pleased by the recent results.

“It’s going to make it harder on us now in the ninth,” Hale said, per The Arizona Republic. “We have more guys who can pitch in the ninth. It’s fantastic.”

Hale opted to pitch Burgos in the ninth Tuesday since Brad Ziegler was unavailable after throwing two innings Monday. 

“I love it,” Burgos said of closing games. “I just like the adrenaline going on, the pressure. Everybody’s watching you. I think it’s a good feeling.”

When asked if he will continue to use Burgos in the closer’s role, a smiling Hale said, “We’ll see. We’ll see what the matchups look like.”

Cubs’ Joe Maddon on Javier Baez: ‘He’s always on the radar’
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(10:37 am ET) Cubs infielder Javier Baez has settled into an offensive groove at Triple-A Iowa. Although he has 10 strikeouts in his last 10 games, he is also batting .351 (13 for 37) with one home run, seven RBI, five runs, four walks and four stolen bases in that span.

One person who has noticed Baez’s surge is Cubs manager Joe Maddon.

“Of course, he’s on the radar,” Maddon said, per CSNChicago.com. “He’s always on the radar. I just heard that he’s doing better. Those little updates on the scoreboard during the game — I read them once in awhile and I noticed that he’s had some really nice games.

“I ask (about him). Apparently, the at-bats have gotten better regarding taking and accepting his walks and striking out less. I just heard everything’s been really good. I don’t know what we feel specifically (about) where he’s at (now). I don’t really dig on that question. But I know that he’s doing well.

“When is he going to get here? I’m not 100 percent sure. But everything’s going well right now.”

Yankees recall OF Slade Heathcott from Triple-A
by Jason Lempert | Staff Writer

(10:37 am ET) The Yankees have called up outfielder Slade Heathcott from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, the team announced. Heathcott will take the roster spot from Jacoby Ellsbury, who went on the disabled list with a knee injury.

Heathcott was originally drafted by the Yankees in the first round of the 2009 draft. He’s been toiling around in the minor leagues since then, never getting a taste of the Major Leagues. He’s never really hit all that well in the Yankees’ system, as he has a career .270 minor league batting average with 21 home runs. 

This year he is batting .285 with four doubles, a triple and a home run in 151 at-bats at Triple-A. He’s played mostly center field during his career and will likely be a depth piece for manager Joe Girardi in Ellbury’s absence. 

Yankees CF Jacoby Ellsbury placed on 15-day DL with knee sprain
by Jason Lempert | Staff Writer

(10:29 am ET) Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury has officially been placed on the disabled list, the team announced Wednesday. Ellsbury exited Tuesday night’s game when he tweaked his knee after swinging at a pitch. He finished that at-bat in the fourth inning, but did not return to take the field. 

“It’s not what you want,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, per MLB.com. “If we are going to lose him for some time, somebody’s got to step up. That’s the bottom line. It’s part of the game.”

Ellsbury is out with a right knee sprain, and his return is uncertain at this time.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” Girardi said.

Cardinals SP Michael Wacha joins Colon, Felix with six wins
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(10:28 am ET) Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha improved to 6-0 during a 10-2 rout of the Mets on Tuesday, joining Bartolo Colon and Felix Hernandez as the only pitchers in the majors with six wins.

The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in seven innings. He struck out five. His only real blemish of the game was allowing a two-run homer to Daniel Murphy in the fourth inning.

Wacha has allowed more than two earned runs just once in eight starts.

“I think he’s a better pitcher,” manager Mike Matheny said, per MLB.com. “I think he was a guy like a lot of the young pitchers we bring up who was a two-pitch pitcher with a real good fastball and a changeup. The curveball is a legitimate pitch now, and so is the cutter.

“He’s improved. I think he’s just getting a better idea of how to use his stuff each night, and he’s adjusting real well. [Catcher] Yadi [Molina] is a great help, too, to figure out what’s good that day and ride it out.”

Robin Ventura on Rodon’s control issues: ‘You have to handle it’
by Jason Lempert | Staff Writer

(10:19 am ET) White Sox rookie pitcher Carlos Rodon, the third overall pick in last year’s draft, has shown some flashes of brilliance in his brief Major League career. Since being recalled on April 21, the young left-hander has made five appearances, two of them being starts.

His first start came on May 9 against the Reds and he was sharp. He tossed six innings allowing just two runs on four hits. He did strikeout eight, but also walked four. And walks seem to be his nemesis so far this season. 

In his most recent start, last week against the A’s, Rodon lasted just four innings and walked six batters in that performance. 

“He was a bit erratic,” manager Robin Ventura said, per ESPN.com. “He had the inning where he lost touch and feel to throw strikes. Up here, that’s something that will get to you at first, but it’s stuff he’s working on it. Going through it, there’s going to be some of that for a young kid. You have to handle it, get through it.”

Rodon will try to slow things down a bit when he toes the rubber on Wednesday against the Indians.

“Be patient, try to slow the game down, attack the zone,” Rodon said.

Report: A’s SP Drew Pomeranz (shoulder) heading to 15-day DL
by Jason Lempert | Staff Writer

(10:09 am ET) Athletics lefty starter Drew Pomeranz is reportedly heading to the disabled list on Wednesday. Pomeranz exited his start on Monday with shoulder tightness, and was able to play catch on Tuesday.

The issue was thought to have been minor originally, but clearly the team saw something they didn’t like and opted to place him on the DL.

The team will recall right-hander Arnold Leon according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Arnold was up earlier this season and pitched one inning in relief. He’s made five starts at Triple-A this year and has a 4.26 ERA with 30 strike outs and nine walks over 25 1/3 innings. It is unclear if he will join the rotation or pitch out of the bullepen while Pomeranz is out. 

Mets OF Juan Lagares trying to emerge from hitting slump
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(10:09 am ET) Mets outfielder Juan Lagares hit safely for a fourth straight game Tuesday against the Cardinals, but it still hasn’t been enough to break him out of a hitting slump that has lasted for a couple of weeks. Lagares is batting just .152 (7 for 46) in his last 11 games, which has dropped his average from .324 to .270.

While Lagares was hitting for a high average as of early May, there still hasn’t been a lot of progress in his offensive game. He has just five extra-base hits, 13 RBI and a .617 OPS in 37 games. He also has 33 strikeouts.

“Maybe he’s trying too hard to command [the strike zone],” Mets hitting coach Kevin Long said, per the New York Post. “At this point, he’s [gone] a little bit backwards, but he’ll keep working at it. He’ll get it right.”

Mets manager Terry Collins feels Lagares’ recent struggles might be related to a game-winning home run he hit May 9 against the Phillies. 

“He’s got to work extra hard at using the whole field to hit, not worry about driving any baseballs,” Collins said.

Lagares missed a few games last week due to a torso injury. Lagares said the injury isn’t a factor and he remains a confident hitter despite his offensive slump.

“I try to come back to the approach I was [using] before,” Lagares said. “The only thing you can control is keep working hard and try to do the best you can out there.”

Rangers’ Leonys Martin hits pinch-hit, solo home run on Tuesday
by Jason Lempert | Staff Writer

(9:53 am ET) Rangers center fielder Leonys Martin tried his best to keep his team from losing on Tuesday, as he belted a pinch-hit solo home run in the top of the ninth inning. But it wasn’t enough as the Rangers fell to the Red Sox 4-3. It was Martin’s second homer of the season.

Martin has struggled at the plate this year and has also been battling a wrist injury over the last couple of weeks. 

He did not start the game with a lefty getting the start for Boston, despite the fact that he’s actually hitting better against lefties (.271) than righties (.162) this season.