Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz was scratched from Thursday’s game against the Braves with right calf soreness, a move manager John Farrell called “precautionary.”

Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira was examined by a specialist on Thursday in New York, who confirmed that the slugger is currently experiencing inflammation in his right wrist, the team said. Additionally, the Yankees said that outfielder Carlos Beltran took 25 swings from each side of the plate Thursday.

When the First-Year Player Draft begins on June 5, seven players will be at MLB Network’s Studio 42, eagerly waiting to hear their names called, Major League Baseball announced Thursday.

When the Astros take the field to face the Orioles on Friday at Minute Maid Park wearing the uniforms of the Houston Eagles — the only Negro Leagues team from Texas — it will mark the culmination of events surrounding the annual Civil Rights Game.

Major League Baseball and the Astros mourn the passing of Dr. Maya Angelou, the famed poet and author who died on Wednesday at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C.

With sports being the main headline-grabber, the Astrodome’s role in the integration of Houston was anything but a footnote. It wasn’t the only element to help springboard the civil rights movement in Houston, but it was a big one. And the prognosticators were correct — the Dome became a world-wide phenomenon, and it did so fully integrated.

After struggling while playing 26 of their first 38 on road, the Cardinals have played 18 of their past 21 at home and are closing in on the NL Central-leading Brewers.

Royals third baseman Danny Valencia, who has been sidelined since Saturday with a left hand sprain, is confident he’ll be ready to play in the upcoming four-game series at Toronto. “Absolutely,” Valencia said. “No doubt about it.”

The Braves have made the much-anticipated decision to promote Tommy La Stella to the Major League level. A corresponding move has not been revealed.

Two waiver claims and a guy who joined the team less than a month ago. Those were three of the biggest contributors to the Astros’ 3-0 win over the Royals on Tuesday.

The first ballot update for the National League’s starting lineup for the All-Star Game was released on Wednesday, and Troy Tulowitzki, with 745,823 votes, has more than a 500,000-vote lead over his nearest competitor. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is the only other NL player with more than 600,000 votes, while Tulowitzki’s teammate, Charlie Blackmon, leads the outfield voting.

The tradition of All-Star Game statues around host metropolitan areas continues as Major League Baseball, the Twins and Peanuts Worldwide on Wednesday revealed the 10 new Peanuts statues that have been positioned in that host area leading up to the July 15 Midsummer Classic at Target Field.

The fun of casting early ballots for the All-Star Game is that we get to recognize, in our own little way, standout players, like Charlie Blackmon, whose names we barely knew before the season started.

When Mets manager Terry Collins gave Jenrry Mejia the keys to the ninth inning earlier this month, he did so with slight reservation. Two weeks into his audition, Mejia has been effective and has looked comfortable as the unofficial closer.

The Braves moved a step closer to their future home on Tuesday night, when Cobb County Commissioners unanimously approved American Builders 2017 to serve as the construction manager for the new ballpark, which is scheduled to open in 2017.

Every lineup, every day, as they are made public by the clubs.

On Wednesday, the Blue Jays Baseball Academy — along with the Tournament 12 commissioner, Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar — announced the first 80 players selected for the upcoming event, taking place at Rogers Centre from Sept. 16-20.