After manager Jim Leyland announced Thursday that Joaquin Benoit would pitch the ninth inning when “healthy and available,” the Tigers designated Jose Valverde for assignment Friday.

Andrew Bailey has lost his job as the Red Sox’s closer, at least for the time being. In the short term, veteran right-hander Koji Uehara will pitch the ninth inning for Boston.

For the first time in a month, Chase Utley’s name was penciled in the Phillies’ batting order for Friday’s opener vs. the Mets.

Closer Chris Perez took another step toward returning to Cleveland’s bullpen on Friday when he completed a 30-pitch bullpen session prior to the Tribe’s game against the Twins.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson said Friday that outfielder Bryce Harper is on track to make a rehab appearance at Class A Potomac on Tuesday.

Curtis Granderson joined the Yankees in the clubhouse and on the field during batting practice before Friday’s game against the Rays. The injured outfielder had a pin removed from his hand on Thursday as he continues to recover from a fractured left pinkie he sustained on May 25.

Don Baylor is a former star baseball player and manager who is now the hitting coach of the Arizona Diamondbacks. But more importantly, the man they simply call “Groove,” is a Multiple Myeloma survivor. And in that, he is way beyond the curve.

Carlos Lee, who hit 358 home runs over 14 seasons with the White Sox, Brewers, Rangers, Astros and Marlins, announced his retirement Thursday on his 37th birthday.

Mets pitching legend Dwight Gooden stopped by the MLB.com studios in New York on Friday to answer questions from fans.

Eloy Jimenez, the latest crown jewel of Dominican Republic baseball, is ranked No. 1 on MLB.com’s list of Top 30 International Prospects. He has an ideal profile for an outfielder and is widely regarded as the prize of this year’s class, which can begin signing contracts on July 2.

Down 7-0 in the third inning and facing Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, the Angels mounted the largest comeback of the season for a 10-9 victory on Thursday night at Angel Stadium.

Shortstop Pedro Ciriaco belted a tiebreaking RBI triple and a two-run homer Thursday night, leading the Padres to a 6-3 victory over the Dodgers at Petco Park.

Tom Koehler flirted with a no-hitter, and through seven innings the right-hander received no run support. That changed in the eighth, and so did the Marlins’ fortunes. Marcell Ozuna’s two-run single in the eighth inning rallied the Marlins to a 2-1 win over the Giants on Thursday night at AT&T Park.

Outfielder Angel Pagan, who has been absent from the Giants’ lineup since May 25 with a strained left hamstring, had a setback during the first game of his rehab assignment with Class A San Jose at Stockton. Pagan was unable to run out a grounder to second base in the ninth inning and had to limp to first base before collapsing to the ground. A cart took Pagan off the field.

Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run walk-off home run to left field off Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey to give the Tigers a 4-3 win Thursday in front of 36,939 at Comerica Park.

Lance Lynn allowed just three hits in six innings as the Cardinals topped the Cubs, 6-1, at Busch Stadium on Thursday night. Matt Holliday and Allen Craig both backed their starter with a pair of RBIs.

Top-seeded North Carolina rebounded from a previous loss to North Carolina State in Omaha, Neb., by defeating the Wolfpack, 7-0, in an elimination game at TD Ameritrade Park.