B.J. Upton entered the weekend with the second-lowest batting average in baseball. Braves hitting coach Greg Walker thinks he knows why. ...more

There are two dozen players in the big leagues with double-digit home runs. Twenty-three of them play every day. Then there's Evan Gattis. ...more

Ned Yost wouldn't let James Shields try for a 1-0 complete-game win. Terry Francona has already let Justin Masterson do it twice this year. ...more

Remember when Royals fans spent the All-Star Game booing Robinson Cano? It's amazing how much has changed since July. ...more

Jordan Zimmermann has the best numbers of any Nationals starter this season, and one scout following the team says it's not a fluke. ...more

In the three weeks that John Lackey has missed with a biceps injury, the Boston Red Sox have gone 12-5 and have shown signs of being a serious contender to win the American League East. But while Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have been brilliant, the rest of the rotation hasn't. 3 to Watch says Lackey's return on Sunday could make a difference. ...more

On the first two stops of a challenging road trip, the Kansas City Royals ended the Atlanta Braves' 10-game winning streak, and then ended the Boston Red Sox's seven-game winning streak. Next up is Detroit, and while the Tigers don't have a winning streak, 3 to Watch points out that they are the team the Royals must prove themselves against in the American League Central. ...more

Justin Upton has eight home runs, but the Diamondbacks say they have no regrets about trading him away. Part of the reason is that they're so happy with Martin Prado, who teammate Eric Hinske called "the best player in baseball." ...more

Until the Phillies are able to prove otherwise, the Braves and the Nationals are the two best teams in the National League East. They meet this weekend for the first time this season, and they lead off this edition of 3 to Watch. ...more

Many fans say they hate Bryce Harper. Many baseball people said that, too, at least until they watched Harper play. "I wanted to hate him," one said. "But I couldn't." Harper's hard work and passion for the game has made fans of teammates and rivals alike. And he's only 20. ...more