The Royals reinstated right-hander Kris Medlen from the 60-day disabled list on Monday and optioned right-hander Yohan Pino to Triple-A Omaha.

What moves will the Yankees will make before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline? Why did the Yankees send Refsnyder down? Beat reporter Bryan Hoch answers this question and more in the latest Inbox.

Craig Biggio contends life hasn’t changed too much since he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in January, and he maintains he’ll still be the same guy he always has been once his plaque is unveiled on Sunday afternoon in Cooperstown, N.Y.

In his first week at MLB’s Development Center in Wuxi, Jiangsu, China, in July 2010, Xu Guiyuan named MLB All-Star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki as his baseball idol, and coach Dave Palese ran with it. But now, five years later, the player nicknamed “Itchy Shoe” is running into history as the first player from MLB’s three development centers in China to sign with a Major League club.

If you want to get technical, Zack Greinke’s scoreless-innings streak ended at the All-Star Game with a big crack off the bat of Mike Trout in the top of the first. But the Midsummer Classic counts for home-field advantage, not the season stat line. And with eight magnificent innings against the Nationals on Sunday, Greinke’s stingy stretch rolled on.

How well a team did in the Draft can look significantly different from early June, right after the selections have been made, to mid-July, when the deadline for signing players arrives.

Brace yourself for an intense couple of weeks. Some teams will feel a special kind of pressure. These are the clubs that may be one impact player — or perhaps two — away from being good enough to win a World Series

Edwin Jackson’s often difficult tenure with the Cubs ended on Sunday when the team designated him for assignment to make room on the roster for reliever Rafael Soriano.

Left fielder Justin Upton left Sunday’s game against the Rockies in the fifth inning with a sore left oblique.

These players could provide difference-making stats for DraftKings participants on Monday.

As disappointed as Cubs pitcher Jon Lester was about an inconsistent performance in the first half of the season, he knew he didn’t need an overhaul over the All-Star break. “I’m not really worried about it,” Lester said before adjourning last weekend with a 4-8 record and 3.59 ERA in 18 starts.

Unsure of what exactly was working best for his starting pitcher on a blistering Sunday at Nationals Park, newly inserted catcher A.J. Ellis was content to hand over the pitch-calling reins.

Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer had to leave the Miller Park field on a cart on Sunday after being taken out on a play near second base by a legs-high slide by Carlos Gomez in the second inning. The nature and extent of Mercer’s injury was not immediately identified.

The Angels linked Trout to Pujols to maximize run-creation. But it also raises the question of lineup protection: Does Pujols change how pitchers pitch to Trout, or is “protection” illusory, even for the Angels’ potent duo?

In the Astros’ 10-0 victory over the Rangers on Sunday afternoon, American League All-Star starter Dallas Keuchel struck out a career-high 13, retired the final 18 he faced in order and allowed three balls out of the infield in a dazzling performance fueled by Saturday night’s tensions.

Mark Teixeira belted his 23rd home run of the season over the right-field fence for a go-ahead shot that lifted the Yankees to a 2-1 victory over the Mariners on Sunday at Yankee Stadium.

If Cole Hamels made his final start for the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, it will be a forgettable conclusion to a memorable career.