The Cubs added what they hope will be a key piece to the bullpen on Wednesday, acquiring left-handed reliever Mike Montgomery from the Mariners for Minor League prospects Dan Vogelbach and Paul Blackburn. The Cubs also get Minor League right-handed pitcher Jordan Pries in the deal.

This is no publicity stunt.

Right-hander Doug Fister strung together seven scoreless innings to help the Astros avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the A’s with a commanding 7-0 win at the Coliseum on Wednesday afternoon.

Jorge De La Rosa had five quality starts in six outings since being reinstated to the Rockies’ rotation. The Rays finally spoiled his run in an 11-3 rout at Coors Field on Wednesday to win their first road series in six weeks.

With interim Red Sox closer Koji Uehara on the 15-day disabled list with a right pectoral strain, right-hander Brad Ziegler will, for the most part, get a majority of the save situations.

Power was the theme of the day for the Indians as they launched five home runs and received a dominant outing from Carlos Carrasco en route to an 11-4 rout over the Royals on Wednesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

The Indians are reportedly in trade talks with the Brewers regarding catcher/first baseman Jonathan Lucroy.

The Dodgers’ starting-pitcher injury woes continued Wednesday, when the team announced lefty Alex Wood will miss eight weeks after undergoing an elbow debridement.

Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario hit ninth-inning home runs off Francisco Rodriguez to send the Twins to their first series win against an American League Central opponent since mid-May, taking the three-game set against the Tigers with a 4-1 win Wednesday afternoon at Comerica Park.

The heat of the desert certainly didn’t sap the power from the bats of the Blue Jays as they pounded the D-backs, 10-4, on Wednesday afternoon to sweep the brief two-game series at Chase Field.

Third baseman Chase Headley was scratched from the Yankees’ starting lineup against the Orioles on Wednesday night for personal reasons, and he was not with the team. Ronald Torreyes started at third base in his place and batted ninth.

Anthony DeSclafani pitched eight innings and was backed by two home runs as Cincinnati took a 6-3 victory over Atlanta at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday afternoon and claimed two of three in the series.

Carlos Martinez’s afternoon got off to a shaky start, but the Cardinals right-hander picked himself up — quite literally — and bounced back with seven strong innings in Game 1 of Wednesday’s twin bill — a 4-2 St. Louis victory at Busch Stadium.

Padres general manager A.J. Preller is working to trade starter Andrew Cashner before he takes the mound, sources said Wednesday.

The Cubs’ Jason Heyward hasn’t been hitting as he’d like, but he can play defense, and showed off his arm in the fourth inning on Wednesday.

The constant for the Cubs since the All-Star break has been the starting pitching, and Kyle Hendricks continued that trend on Wednesday against the Mets. It didn’t hurt to have Anthony Rizzo launch a pair of home runs into the right-field bleachers at Wrigley Field either. Rizzo belted two homers, driving in three, and Addison Russell smacked a two-run double to back Hendricks and lift the Cubs to a 6-2 victory over the Mets to take the series.

A day after announcing that Clayton Kershaw had suffered a setback in his rehab from a back injury, manager Dave Roberts would not rule out surgery for the Dodgers ace.