Jeurys Familia was sitting quietly in a far corner of the Mets’ clubhouse late Thursday afternoon when David Wright emerged from a back room, offered Familia a quick, reassuring pat on the shoulder, then disappeared as quickly as he had arrived. If Familia is as human as he says, and as human as he looked in blowing a second consecutive save in a 2-1 loss to the Rockies, he must have needed the reassurance.

Jay Bruce is squarely on the trade block, and yet interested suitors must decide if he’s the player having a career year now, or the one who struggled badly in 2014 and ’15. Looking at what’s changed, it’s actually more complicated than you might think.

A day after crushing a go-ahead, two-run homer off the facing of Citi Field’s second deck in left field, Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup with the same right quad injury that has affected him since before the All-Star break.

Trade talks surrounding Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy have intensified over the past 48 hours, sources say, and he was notably absent from the Brewers’ lineup Thursday.

Josh Hamilton said he expects to be 100 percent and be back with the Rangers by Spring Training.

The A’s are suddenly streaking. Having taken two of three from the first-place Rangers in Arlington this week, they’ve claimed four straight series wins, seemingly emerging as late bloomers just ahead of Monday’s non-waiver Trade Deadline at 1 p.m. PT.

Here is why the Trade Deadline in baseball is always great: Every year there are a couple of teams, and sometimes more than that, thinking if they can just get lucky, they can win the lottery. And end up winning it all.

Somehow, the mascots are the most frightening part of this.

As the non-waiver Trade Deadline nears, Reds right fielder Jay Bruce has gotten on one torrid home run streak. What Bruce doesn’t know is if his streak will continue with the Reds or with another club.

Guessing what other prospects could get dealt is a bit of a fool’s errand, but there are teams who are better positioned than others to be buyers for big league talent. Below is a top 10 of teams in the playoff hunt, ranked according to talent and depth in their farm systems.

Could the Royals trade Wade Davis? If so, teams will have to figure out what pitcher they’re getting, because Davis is still preventing runs, but he’s striking out fewer and walking more, while using his fastball very differently.

Which Major Leaguer should go on “The Voice”?

Suddenly, the Yankees have hope. Actually, lots of it. That’s what a month of solid baseball has gotten them. Isn’t that all any team asks for at this time of the year? Considering where they were just a few weeks ago, the Yankees will happily take it.

Chris Sale is back from suspension after his displeasure with the White Sox uniforms July 23. He’ll make his 136th career start for the White Sox on Thursday, facing the Cubs in the final game of the Crosstown Cup series. He’s never thrown a pitch 100 MPH. With all the emotions that will be going through him, will this be the night? More to the point: Will this be Sale’s last start for the White Sox?

Gerrit Cole watched Josh Harrison start a double play from his back, following Kyle Seager’s ground ball from Harrison to shortstop Jordy Mercer to first baseman David Freese. Cole raised both arms above his head and walked off the mound, calmly celebrating his first professional complete game after leading the Pirates to a 10-1 win over the Mariners at PNC Park on Wednesday night.

Drew Storen arrived in time to meet his new Mariners teammates, shake some hands and take part in pregame work prior to Seattle’s series finale with the Pirates at PNC Park on Wednesday, but it’ll take a little longer to see how the former Nationals closer fits in with his new team’s bullpen.

Rockies rookie Jon Gray pitched a dominant seven innings to lead a red-hot Colorado team to Wednesday’s 3-1 series win over the American League East-leading Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.