Topic: Marco Estrada

The Oakland Athletics signed free-agent starting pitcher Marco Estrada, the club announced Friday.

The Houston Astros are close, but will still be trying to clinch the American League West when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays for a three-game series.

NEW YORK -- When they left Yankee Stadium for a cross-country flight to Oakland following a tedious 11-7 loss to the Detroit Tigers, the New York Yankees held a decent amount of comfort in the wild-card race.

TORONTO - There is little suspense left in the American League Central race for the Cleveland Indians. It is just a matter of when they make it official.

MIAMI -- Watch out for the Miami Marlins -- it's Wei-Yin Chen Day.

TORONTO -- The Philadelphia Phillies need a victory Sunday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre.

The good thing for the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series that opens Monday at Rogers Centre is that one team will win.

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays could not avoid playing the surging Boston Red Sox because the schedule said they must, but they were able to prevent being swept in the three-game series at the Rogers Centre.

Right-hander Marco Estrada returns in time to give one more performance for potential trade partners before the annual July 31 trade deadline Monday night.

TORONTO -- The Baltimore Orioles begin life without star shortstop Manny Machado on Friday night when they open a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays.