Slowey is back after missing 27 games
(Bill Richardson/BDD)

Boston    

Alex Cora - Missed 26 games (right elbow injury) and optioned to Pawtucket (AAA).
    
Cleveland    

Victor Martinez - Missed 1 game (neck injury).
    
Colorado    

Alberto Arias - Contract purchased from Colorado Springs (AAA).
Josh Newman - Optioned to Colorado Springs (AAA).
    
Los Angeles Anaheim    

Casey Kotchman - Groin, day-to-day.
    
Los Angeles Dodgers   

Esteban Loaiza - Shoulder injury, 15-day DL.
    
Minnesota    

Scott Baker - Right groin, 15-day DL.
Kevin Slowey - Missed 27 games (bicep injury).
    
San Francisco    

Billy Sadler - Recalled from Fresno (AAA).
Brad Hennessey - Optioned to Fresno (AAA).
    
Seattle    

Richie Sexson - Personal reasons, day-to-day.
    
Texas    

Jason Botts - Outrighted to Oklahoma (AAA).
    
Toronto    

John McDonald - Right ankle injury, day-to-day.
David Eckstein - Hip flexor, day-to-day.
Adam Lind - Optioned to Syracuse (AAA).
Jorge Velandia - Contract purchased from Syracuse (AAA).

A BDD friend, Ethan from NESW, sent me this and had the following written on his site about the commercial you're about to see:

Joey Votto is the first 1B ever to hit 3 HRs and steal a base in the same game.  I’m sure he’s also the only guy named “Votto” to do it in a day game at Great American Ball Park.

Can you name the 6 ladies that Derek Jeter has been romantically linked with that also appear in Maxim’s hot 100?

It turns out that Dodger blue acts as kryptonite to Andruw Jones.  Did you notice that Jones and Derek Lowe have about the name number of RBI’s?

U.S. General Manager Bob Watson has stated that the U.S. Olympic baseball team does not need the distraction of having Roger Clemens on the squad for the Beijing Games.  According to the AP, Watson was quoted as saying “I have not talked to the commissioner. I have not talked to (MLB chief operating officer) Bob DuPuy, nor have I talked to his agent, but I just think the distraction that he's carrying right now, from my standpoint, we don't need that.”  However, at the U.S. Olympic team media summit last month, Watson was quoted as saying Clemens wasn't “on my radar screen” because of his performance at the end of last season.

Carlos Gomez, came over to the Twins in the Johan Santana trade, hit for the cycle last night.  This is the first time a Twin accomplished this feat since Kirby Puckett in 1986.  Interestingly, the Padres and Marlins have never had a player hit for the cycle.  Curious who else has hit for the cycle?  Click here to find out.

• Joey Votto hit 3 home runs and drove in 4, and Edinson Volquez struck out 10 while pitching 7 scoreless innings as the Reds slammed the Cubs, 9-0. Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips, and Jerry Hairston also hit home runs for Cincinnati.
• Kurt Suzuki singled, hit a 2-run homer, and scored twice, and Mark Ellis hit a solo blast in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the A's a 6-5 walk-off win and a sweep of the 3-game series against the Orioles. Nick Markakis had 3 hits for Baltimore.
• Placido Polanco went 5-for-6 with a double and 3 RBI, and Magglio Ordonez and Gary Sheffield added 3 hits and an RBI apiece as the Tigers slugged out a 10-9 win over the Red Sox. Kevin Youkilis hit 2 home runs, and Mike Lowell singled, doubled, and homered for Boston.
• Xavier Nady hit a 2-run home run, and Phil Dumatrait allowed just 3 hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings as the Pirates beat the Giants, 3-1. Barry Zito returned to the rotation for San Francisco, and despite taking the loss, allowed just 2 runs on 5 hits in 5 innings of work.
• Hanley Ramirez reached base 4 times, stole a base, and scored 2 runs, and Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla each hit home runs as the Marlins continued their winning ways by defeating the Brewers, 6-2.
• Mark Grudzielanek and Jose Guillen each had 3 hits and scored 2 runs, and David DeJesus and Alex Gordon both belted home runs as the Royals made easy work of the Angels, 9-4. Mike Napoli had 3 hits and 2 RBI for Los Angeles.
• Ryan Spilborghs and Matt Holliday drove in runs with a single and triple respectively, and Chris Iannetta knocked in 2 with a triple of his own in the 8th inning as the Rockies rallied to shock the Cardinals, 4-3. Adam Wainwright allowed just 4 hits in 7 scoreless innings before giving way to the bullpen who promptly blew the game for St. Louis.
• Vicente Padilla struck out 8 while tossing 7 shutout innings of 2-hit ball, and Milton Bradley singled, homered, and scored both Texas runs as the Rangers blanked the Mariners, 2-0. Erik Bedard took the tough loss, giving up just 2 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings on the hill.
• Ryan Church went 3-for-4 with a home run and 3 runs scored, and John Maine gave up just one run on 4 hits in 8 1/3 innings to lead the Mets to a 12-1 rout over the Dodgers. Four different New York players had 2 RBI.
• Tim Hudson threw 7 strong innings, and Brian McCann collected 3 hits as the Braves won their 5th in a row by defeating the Padres, 5-2.
• Cliff Lee shut down New York for 7 innings while the Cleveland hitters scratched out just enough offense against Chien-Ming Wang to help the Indians beat the Yankees, 3-0. Lee goes to 6-0 on the season with 0.81 ERA.
• Scott Rolen doubled, homered, and drove in 2 runs, and Marco Scutaro went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI as the Blue Jays flew by the Rays, 6-2. Shaun Marcum struck out nine and allowed just 2 runs on four hits in 8 2/3 innings for Toronto.
• Lance Berkman singled, homered, and walked twice, Roy Oswalt tossed 7 solid innings, and Carlos Lee drove in the game winning run with a single in the last of the 9th inning to lead the Astros to a 4-3 walk-off win over the Nationals. Ryan Zimmerman went 3-for-4 with 2 home runs and 3 RBI for Washington.
• Carlos Gomez hit for the cycle, scored twice and drove in 3 runs, and Nick Punto doubled, tripled, and knocked in 5 as the Twins torched the White Sox, 13-1. Livan Hernandez pitched a complete game for the Minnesota victory. A.J. Pierzynski had 3 hits for Chicago.
• Pedro Feliz hit a 2-run home run in the 7th inning, and Eric Bruntlett and Chase Utley each had RBI hits in the 8th as the Phillies rallied to knock off the Diamondbacks, 5-4. Conor Jackson had 2 hits and 2 RBI for Arizona, and Micah Owings allowed just 4 hits over 7 innings but wound up with a no-decision.

Wednesday's Scoreboard