San Francisco at Chicago 2:20 p.m. ET

The San Francisco Giants are set to face their second straight overmatched opponent. 

Based on the difficulty they had sweeping baseball's worst team, the NL West-leading Giants are unlikely to overlook Chicago in Friday's opener - especially after the resilience the Cubs displayed in their last game 

San Francisco (74-57) arrives in Chicago with a season-high 4 1/2-game lead over Los Angeles in the division after beating Houston 8-4 on Thursday. Nothing came easy against the Astros for the Giants, who rallied in the ninth in the opener, nearly coughed up a four-run lead in the middle game and overcame a 4-0 deficit in the finale.  

Madison Bumgarner (14-8, 2.93 ERA) set the tone for that series, allowing two runs while striking out 11 in eight innings of a 4-3 win on June 1. He is 3-1 with a 1.55 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 29 innings in his last four starts against the Cubs (50-80). 

Bumgarner takes the ball after allowing four runs, seven hits and a season-high tying four walks in 6 1-3 innings of Saturday's 7-3 loss to Atlanta. The left-hander had a 1.93 ERA in his previous eight starts. 

The Cubs have lost 22 of 29, but enter this series in good spirits after rallying to beat Milwaukee 12-11 on Thursday to salvage the finale of a four-game series. Chicago trailed by six and capped a three-run ninth inning with Alfonso Soriano's one-out RBI single. 

The Cubs, who had averaged 2.9 runs in their previous eight games, finished with eight extra-base hits and a season-high 11 walks, and hope this outburst is a sign of things to come. 

Chris Volstad (1-9, 6.28) is also hoping he can build on his latest outing. 

Volstad allowed three hits and three walks in 6 2-3 innings of Sunday's 5-0 win over Colorado, snapping a 24-start winless streak for his first victory since helping Florida beat Houston on July 10, 2011. 

This will be the right-hander's first outing of the season versus the Giants, against whom he is 1-2 with a 2.67 ERA in four career starts

Giants are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a right-handed starter.

Giants are 7-1 in their last 8 games as a road favorite.

Giants are 6-1 in their last 7 games following a win.

Giants are 6-1 in their last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter.

Giants are 5-1 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Giants are 8-2 in their last 10 overall.

Giants are 5-2 in Bumgarners last 7 starts as a road favorite.


Cubs are 0-7 in their last 7 games following a win.
Cubs are 2-5 in Volstads last 7 starts as a home underdog.
Cubs are 2-6 in Volstads last 8 home starts.
Cubs are 2-11 in Volstads last 13 starts as an underdog.

Not gonna beat a dead horse here...the Cubs are bad - the Giants are HOT. I'll play them every game of this series both ML and RL. Take the Giants. Dont get crazy with the ML...this is a 3-game series. Matchbook has the best line on this game. Good Luck

SF GIANTS -174
SF GIANTS -1½-110

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Last resort for Billingsley

Los Angeles Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten fears that right-hander Chad Billingsley may miss the rest of the season with an elbow injury, which could step up the club's search for starting pitching before Friday's waiver trade deadline.

Kasten said the team's ongoing search for pitching is not related to Billingsley's injury, but the the right-hander's second bout with elbow inflammation certainly increases the urgency. In fact, Billingsley underwent a platelet-rich plasma injectionThursday, according to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Mark Saxon, as a last-ditch effort to allow him to pitch again this year.

If the Dodgers can't make a trade, John Ely may be the club's best bet on the farm, as he's had 100-plus innings of big league experience and has pitched really well in the hitter haven that is Triple-A's Pacific Coast League: 14-7 W-L, 3.20 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 8.8 K/9.

But proven major leaguers such as Jason Vargas, Kevin Millwood, Mark Buehrle, Ricky Nolasco and Daisuke Matsuzaka may be fits, assuming they make it to the Dodgers via waivers.

Buehrle is the most reliable of the group but also may be the least likely to reach the Dodgers on the wire. Meanwhile, we know Matsuzaka was placed on waivers earlier this week, but whether the Dodgers would have any interest in acquiring another Red Sox player is unclear. Stay tuned, as time is running out quickly on the possibility of such a move.

Who could get the September call?

Major League Baseball's 30 clubs can expand their rosters as of September 1, and they'll all do that to different extents. Among the call-ups will be several impact prospects, such as the Padres' right-handerCasey Kelly, who was promoted and made a successful debut Monday.

Trevor Bauer, RHP -- Arizona Diamondbacks
Bauer has been tremendous in his past two outings, issuing just two bases on balls and striking out 21 over 16 frames, and at home in Reno, no less, where the ball travels like it's attached to a Saturn rocket.

Bauer's stuff plays in the big leagues but his control and command still need work. That said, he's likely get the nod for some innings in September, as workload does not appear to be a concern at this stage.

The D-backs just dealt Joe Saunders, presumably clearing space for lefty Tyler Skaggs to remain in the rotation, but to get Bauer a few starts Patrick Corbin could be moved to the bullpen or the club could go with six starters a couple times through.

Julio Teheran, RHP -- Atlanta Braves
Teheran still has the electric arm but has not found a consistent third offering and has frequent bouts with control problems. He has pounded the zone consistently since the the calendar turned to August, however, compiling a 25-4 K/BB ratio in five starts, and was lights out in his most recent start over the weekend.

If the Braves do call on the 21-year-old, it's likely to be as a relief option, partly due to workload concerns but also because the Braves are pretty much set in their starting rotation.

Teheran could be a reliever long term, though, and his stuff could play up well in shorter stints. If the club uses him next month and he performs well, a role change for the future could be in order, but at the very least he can help the bullpen stay fresh as the Braves chase a playoff berth.

Wil Myers, OF -- Kansas City Royals
Myers has done all a club can ask of a young hitter; he's produced at the two highest levels of the minors, done so consistently, versus righties and lefties alike, and has now battled through a bit of a slump.

After a stretch where he saw a steady diet of sliders and curveballs down and away that resulted in a lot of punch outs, Myers has responded to bat .294/.405/.412 with just eight strikeouts in his past 10 games and has just 21 whiffs in August in 25 games played.

The Royals have nothing to lose, so expect Myers to get some at-bats in September, perhaps once the Triple-A playoffs are over, and don't be surprised if he never sees the minors again.

Wily Peralta and Tyler Thornburg, RHPs -- Milwaukee Brewers
Peralta may profile best as a reliever, but has good stuff and misses bats despite below-average control, and along with Thornburg serves as the club's top MLB-ready option in the pitching department.

Thornburg, too, may be best suited for the bullpen, but both right-handers could see some time next month, though Peralta may be nearing his innings limit and has one start left for Triple-A Nashville.

The Brewers, if they summon either or both arms, are likely to use them as starters, getting their feet wet in the most valuable possible role for the future. And with Zack Greinke andRandy Wolf gone, and Shaun Marcum hurt and slated for free agency, the Brewers sorely need pitching.

A few of these names are potential Rookie of the Year candidates for 2013, writes Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus and ESPN Insider.

Friday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

Streaking
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals (13-10, 3.63 ERA)

Wainwright collected his sixth straight victory on Sunday after working 5 2/3 solid innings in a 8-2 triumph over Cincinnati. Wainwright, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Thursday, has yielded just one homer in his last eight starts. He is 3-2 in his career versus the Nationals, but has yet to face them this season.

Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies (8-7, 3.88 ERA)

Halladay will need a strong September to avoid his lowest win total since posting 12 victories in 2005, but he has looked more like his old self in the past few weeks. The veteran right-hander is 4-1 in August with a 2.75 ERA in five outings - after winning just four of his first 14 starts. Halladay has struggled in two 2012 starts against Atlanta, going 0-1 and surrendering 11 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings.

Slumping

Ubaldo Jimenez, Cleveland Indians (9-13, 5.58 ERA)
Much like his team, Jimenez is finding victories hard to come by, logging a 1-6 record and 7.96 ERA in his last nine starts. He was a loser to the New York Yankees in his last outing, giving up three runs in five innings. Jimenez has pitched seven innings only four times this season, the last time coming on July 2. He had his best outing of the year against Texas in May, allowing two hits in seven scoreless innings.

Aaron Cook, Boston Red Sox (3-7, 4.76 ERA)

Cook, who has dropped six of his last seven decisions, will look to avenge a July 4 loss to Athletics when he takes the mound on Friday. The 33-year-old sinkerballer yielded three runs and nine hits in six innings in the 3-2 setback. In his last outing, Cook recorded a quality start versus Kansas City, but did not collect a decision in Boston's 10-9 loss.

Friday's betting tips

Weather watch

Thunderstorms are in the forecast for Kauffman Stadium, where the Royals host the Twins Friday. There is a 92 percent chance of rain and wins blowing ENE at 11 mph.

Who’s hot?

Oakland Athletics – The A’s keep trucking toward the postseason, winning six straight to grab the lead in the AL Wildcard standings. Oakland is a -180 favorite over Boston at home Friday.

Who’s not?

Cleveland Indians – The Tribe have set up shop in the “Who’s not?” section of our daily betting tips during the second half of the season. Cleveland has dropped five in a row and is a +146 home underdog hosting Texas Friday.

Key stat

0-47 – The Yankees are the only team in baseball to have yet to win a game when trailing after eight innings. They are 0-47 in such circumstances.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Rafael Furcal, St. Louis Cardinals – The Cardinals may lose their starting shortstop after Furcal suffered an elbow injury Thursday night. He’s flying back to St. Louis for further tests but it is suspected he has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Game of the day

Boise State Broncos at Michigan State Spartans (-6.5, 46)

Notable quotable

"He already told you what happened. There you go.” -- Philadelphia Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins on manager Charlie Manuel’s decision to bench him for not hustling for the second time this season. Rollins failed to run out a pop-up that was dropped by the pitcher Thursday night. 

Betting news and notes

-- Tennessee won its first two games at the Georgia Dome, but has lost six straight. The Vols are 3-point favorites versus North Carolina State at the Georgia Dome Friday.

-- The B.C. Lions have dominated the Montreal Alouettes in recent years – at least from a betting standpoint. British Columbia is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 trips to Montreal and boasts a 21-6 ATS mark in their last 27 head-to-head meetings. The Lions are 2-point road favorites Friday.

-- Stanford has won the last four meetings since suffering a humbling 35-34 loss to the Spartans in 2006. The Cardinal lead the series 50-14-1 and are 25.5-point favorites Friday.

-- The Giants have won 17 of 22 on the road and eight of 10 overall. Their 37-29 road mark is fourth-best in the majors. San Francisco has earned 11.72 units on the road and is a -178 favorite at Wrigley Field Friday.

-- The Pirates are 3-3 in a stretch that has them scheduled to play 28 consecutive games against teams from the NL Central. Pittsburgh is 33-23 versus divisional foes this season.

Oakland at Cleveland 12:05 p.m. ET

At this time of year, it's important for playoff hopefuls to take advantage of games against non-contending clubs. 

The Oakland Athletics have had no trouble adhering to this standard against the Cleveland Indians. 

The surging Athletics look to beat the free-falling Indians for the seventh time in as many meetings over the last two weeks in Thursday's season finale at Progressive Field. 

With Wednesday's 8-4 win over Cleveland, Oakland (72-57) took over sole possession of the AL's top wild-card spot for the first time since Aug. 9. 

The A's, who are two wins away from matching last season's total, have won 11 of 13, with six of those victories coming over Cleveland (55-75). They swept a three-game home set against the Indians from Aug. 17-19, and are in position to sweep their first series in Cleveland since taking all four Aug. 19-22, 2002. 

Although the A's are seeking their first playoff berth since 2006 and the Indians are a major league-worst 5-26 since July 27, Oakland is focused on not overlooking its woeful opponent. 

Donaldson is one of the key contributors to Oakland's surge, batting .362 with nine RBIs in his last 12 games to raise his average 59 points to .226. 

Josh Reddick is also swinging a hot bat, going 9 for 18 in his last four games, while Yoenis Cespedes is batting .400 with five doubles and four RBIs in the last six against the Indians. 

Oakland's pitching, however, has had the most to do with its recent success. The club's 2.41 ERA since Aug. 16 is the best in baseball, and it has limited Cleveland to 13 total runs in the last six meetings. 

Acta's club has already been stymied by Jarrod Parker (8-7, 3.52 ERA), who allowed six hits and a walk in eight innings of a 7-0 victory Aug. 19. The rookie right-hander wasn't quite as sharp five days later, yielding three runs and seven hits in six innings at Tampa Bay. 

Parker will be facing a Cleveland team that is 0 for 24 with runners in scoring position in the series, and was in the midst of a 24-inning scoreless streak until Jason Donald's third-inning homer Wednesday. 

The Indians plated more than three runs for the first time in 10 games, though Asdrubal Cabrera had nothing to do with the relative outburst. The All-Star shortstop was ejected for arguing in the bottom of the first inning after striking out, leaving him 2 for 24 in his last seven games. 

Cleveland's starter for the finale, Justin Masterson (10-11, 4.60), opposed Parker last week and was on the hook for all seven runs in 5 2-3 innings. He was much more effective against the Yankees on Saturday, yielding a run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-1 win. 

That inconsistency is nothing new. Masterson has allowed at least seven runs in three of his last seven outings while surrendering two or fewer in the other four. 

He's basically been terrible in all five career starts against the A's, going 1-4 with a 9.12 ERA. 


Athletics are 6-0 in their last 6 games as a favorite of -110 to -150.
Athletics are 5-0 in their last 5 road games.
Athletics are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Athletics are 5-0 in their last 5 games as a favorite.
Athletics are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
Athletics are 5-0 in their last 5 road games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Athletics are 4-0 in their last 4 games following a win.
Athletics are 5-1 in their last 6 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Athletics are 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Athletics are 5-1 in Parkers last 6 road starts.

Athletics are 4-1 in Parkers last 5 road starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

Athletics are 4-1 in Parkers last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.

Indians are 5-21 in their last 26 games following a loss.
Indians are 0-4 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Indians are 0-11 in their last 11 vs. American League West.
Indians are 0-4 in their last 4 games as a home underdog.
Indians are 0-4 in their last 4 home games.
Indians are 5-1 in Mastersons last 6 home starts.
Indians are 4-1 in Mastersons last 5 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Indians are 4-1 in Mastersons last 5 starts with 4 days of rest.

Athletics are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Cleveland.

Athletics are 7-0 in the last 7 meetings.

Under is 4-1 in Mastersons last 5 starts vs. Athletics.

Under is 33-14-4 in the last 51 meetings in Cleveland.

Under is 34-16-1 in the last 51 meetings.

Indians are 1-4 in Mastersons last 5 starts vs. Athletics.

Without a doubt you have to love the A's today. They have been quite a surprise but continue to prove they are no fluke. Oakland is on fire while the Indians are sending out smoke signals looking for help. I dont see it changing today. Take the A's today. Also playing the 1st 5 on this one. Good Luck

OAK ATHLETICS -107
1H OAK ATHLETICS -110

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LAA's playoff rotation

If the Los Angeles Angels secure a playoff spot and get by the 1-game wildcard playoff, their starting rotation for the division series may be a little bit surprising.

Both Dan Haren and C.J. Wilson have struggled mightily -- Wilson is having an awful second half -- and the Halos could go to Jered Weaver, Zack Greinkeand Ervin Santana, potentially depending on the matchup.

Santana had struggled all season until August but has been the club's best starting pitcher the past five weeks. Haren appears more likely to be left out of a rotation than Wilson, as he's scuffled along for most of the season whereas Wilson had a solid first four months. It;s also possible manager Mike Scioscia goes with four starters.

It's conceivable that Haren could be left off the postseason roster if he continues to struggle.

For any of this to be relevant, though, the Angels have work to do as they enter play Thursday with 3 1/2 games to make up in the Wildcard hunt.

Thursday's betting tips

Weather watch

Thunderstorms are in the forecast for tonight’s season-opening SEC showdown between South Carolina and Vanderbilt. There is a 30 percent chance of showers and winds blowing 7 mph at Vanderbilt Stadium.

Who’s hot?

Oakland Athletics – The A’s have won five straight heading into Thursday’s matinee with Cleveland. Oakland has outscored opponents 27-10 during this streak and is priced at -102 for Thursday.

Who’s not?

Phoenix Mercury – The Mercury have dropped 10 in a row going back before the WNBA Olympic break. Since returning to action earlier this month, Phoenix has lost four straight outings and has posted a 0-4 mark against the spread. The Mercury have covered just once during this 10-game slide.

Key stat
.217 – Angels rookie sensation Mike Trout is hitting the wall, going just 5-for-23 (.217) with eight strikeouts in his last five games.

Game of the day

South Carolina Gamecocks at Vanderbilt Commodores (+6.5, 45)

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream – While it’s not an injury, the suspension of McCoughtry for violating team rules hurt the Dream Tuesday night, losing 84-80 to Tulsa – one of the worst teams in the WNBA. McCoughtry, who leads Atlanta in scoring, steals, blocks and 3-point shooting, was rumored to be feuding with coach-GM Marynell Meadors, who was fired earlier this week. The Dream are 9.5-point home favorites versus Washington Thursday.

Notable quotable

"It's just a matter of time before they get you, basically. And that's unfortunate. I think (Jon) Lester knows that. I think Clay Buchholz knows that. Your time will come." – former Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett bashing the Boston media and sports culture in Beantown.

Betting news and notes

-- The St. Louis Rams and San Diego Chargers are two teams planning on playing their starters in Week 4 of the preseason. Most teams rest their starters in the final preseason tilt. St. Louis is a 5-point favorite hosting Baltimore while San Diego is 3-point underdog versus San Francisco Thursday.

-- UCLA went 1-4 against non-conference foes last year and 1-6 on the road. The Bruins take on the Rice Owls in their season opener as 16.5-point road favorites.

-- UNLV and Minnesota have never previously met. The Rebels are 2-10 against Big Ten schools and the Golden Gophers are 5-2 against schools currently in the Mountain West.

-- The Dodgers are 50-4 when scoring five or more runs this season. Los Angeles scored 10 runs in a 10-8 win over Colorado Wednesday and is a -200 fave hosting Arizona Thursday.

-- The first two games of the Tigers-Royals series have been one-run affairs in favor of the Royals, who are 22-16 in one-run games. Detroit is 17-19 in one-run contests. Kansas City is a +117 home underdog Thursday.

-- The Deutsche Bank Championship takes center stage from TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts on this holiday weekend event that runs from Friday to Monday. TPC Boston has been one of the easier stops in recent years and there is no reason to think it will be any different this week. The 7,214-yard, par 71 layout is fairly wide open but it is the large greens that are pretty straight forward that contribute to the low scores.

Thursday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

Streaking

Kyle Kendrick, Philadelphia Phillies (7-9, 4.12 ERA)

Kendrick makes his first start against the Mets. In two relief appearances against New York this season, he has allowed five earned runs with four walks in 2 1/3 innings. He has blossomed in his return to the rotation, going 3-1 with a 3.10 ERA in five starts this month.

Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays (10-7, 3.60 ERA)

Moore has won four consecutive decisions and last lost on July 22 to the Seattle Mariners. He is 5-1 with a 1.97 ERA in eight starts since the All-Star break. Moore is 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA in two starts against Toronto. He took a no-decision against the Oakland Athletics in his last outing, allowing three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Slumping

Rick Porcello, Detroit Tigers (9-9, 4.60 ERA)

Porcello's next win will give him double-digit victories in each of his first four seasons in the majors, but he has been denied that milestone with three straight losses. His last two outings have been quality starts, but he got little run support. Porcello held Kansas City to three runs over eight innings in a  win May 1 in Detroit, improving to 5-2 with a 4.56 ERA in 12 starts against the Royals. 

Jamie Garcia, St. Louis Cardinals (3-5, 4.15 ERA)
 
Garcia is making his third start since returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him two-plus months. He had a sharp first outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates – striking out 10 and allowing just two unearned runs in eight innings in a no-decision – before losing to Cincinnati in his last start. Garcia gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings against the Reds. He is 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in three career starts against Washington.

San Francisco at Houston 8:05 p.m. ET

The San Francisco Giants hope their stay in Houston will help them string together some victories. 

After rallying to win the series opener, the NL West-leading Giants look for a fifth consecutive victory over the lowly Astros on Wednesday night. 

San Francisco (72-57) had won five in a row before losing the final two of a four-game home series versus Atlanta last weekend. The Giants did not have an easy time in Houston on Tuesday, but backup catcher Hector Sanchez delivered a go-ahead RBI single to highlight a two-run ninth inning in a 3-2 victory at Minute Maid Park. 

Sanchez, 5 for 13 as a pinch-hitter this season, drove home Joaquin Arias after the infielder's pinch-hit double tied the game. 

The Giants have won four in a row against the Astros (40-89), including the last three by the same 3-2 margin. 

Barry Zito (10-8, 4.31 ERA) takes the mound for San Francisco looking to build on his performance against Atlanta on Thursday, when he allowed two runs and five hits in eight innings of a 5-2 win. 

Zito has not helped his club by posting a 10.00 ERA while losing his last two starts versus Houston. The left-hander gave up five runs on two homers and walked three in five innings of a 6-3 home loss to the Astros on June 14. 

Facing the Giants for the first time, Houston starter Dallas Keuchel (1-6, 5.40) is 0-6 with a 6.61 ERA in nine starts since beating Cleveland in his second major league outing June 23. The left-hander allowed six runs in four innings of a 13-5 loss at St. Louis on Thursday. 

Brett Wallace had three hits in the opener for the Astros, who have scored 15 runs while going 1-7 since DeFrancesco replaced the fired Brad Mills. 

Wallace is hitting .386 (17 for 44) at home this season. 


Giants are 4-0 in their last 4 road games.
Giants are 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Giants are 6-0 in their last 6 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Giants are 6-1 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Giants are 5-1 in their last 6 games as a road favorite.
Giants are 6-2 in their last 8 overall.
Giants are 5-0 in Zitos last 5 starts as a favorite of -151 to -200.

Giants are 4-0 in Zitos last 4 starts.

Giants are 4-1 in Zitos last 5 road starts.

Giants are 4-1 in Zitos last 5 starts as a road favorite.

Giants are 7-2 in Zitos last 9 starts with 5 days of rest.

Astros are 8-46 in their last 54 overall.
Astros are 0-5 in their last 5 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
Astros are 1-4 in Keuchels last 5 home starts.
Astros are 1-7 in Keuchels last 8 starts as an underdog.
Astros are 1-8 in Keuchels last 9 starts.

It looks like i'm picking on the Astros because they're horrible...you're right. The line is high but not out of control simply because Zito hasn't been too good against Houston. Even if he's not tonight, the Giants will hammer Keuchel so it should be a win win situation. I've made a ton of money by going against Houston this year and i'm not about to stop now. Shop around...the line is very high in places. My local has -156 right now. 5Dimes has -155...so does Pinnacle. Tonight play the Giants on the ML and RL. Good Luck

SFO GIANTS -156
SFO GIANTS -1½-105

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If Hamilton bolts Texas

While it's all just speculation at this point, there is a chance Josh Hamilton is not back with the Texas Rangers in 2013. If such a scenario comes to fruition, the Rangers will undoubtedly be out looking for a replacement. Who's out there?

The first few names that come to mind are the Upton brothers. B.J., a centerfielder, is a free agent and offers plus defense and baserunning, but his bat has been a major disappointment over the course of his career. Younger brother Justin has had two star-caliber years offensively, and could be an ideal replacement considering he's a good defensive right fielder with middle-of-the-order potential and would not cost the Rangers $150 million. He would, however, require quite the trade package.

If the Rangers believe top prospect Jurickson Profar is ready to handle shortstop in 2013,Elvis Andrus could be the key name in a deal for Upton.

Other options for Texas could include the likes of Nick Swisher, who could play first base and the outfield, first baseman Justin Morneau or right fielder Josh Willingham. On a larger scale, if the Rangers were to offer the Colorado Rockies a pitching-laden trade package, perhaps Carlos Gonzalez isn't 100 percent off limits.

If the Red Sox were to say goodbye to David Ortiz, he, too, could be a fit in Texas.

Matsuzaka suitors

The Boston Red Sox have placed Daisuke Matsuzaka on trade waivers, tweets ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney, and the right-hander is coming off his best start since returning from Tommy John surgery.

A club such as the Los Angeles Dodgers or Washington Nationals could show strong interest, as could the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles or Detroit Tigers.

The Dodgers, Rangers, Orioles and Tigers simply need more starting pitching while the Nationals could use Matsuzaka to help fill the void soon left by Stephen Strasburg once he's shut down for the year.

Dice-K is a free agent at season's end and owed a fraction of the $10 million he's earning this season. He also has a full no-trade clause that may be a factor with some interested clubs.

One dark horse suitor could be the Reds, so keep an eye out for them.

Wednesday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

Streaking

C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees (13-3, 3.44 ERA)

The Yankees’ hefty lefty picked up where he left off in his return from the DL last week, giving up only one run on four hits and striking out nine in 7 1-3 innings of work versus Cleveland. That win extended Sabathia’s unbeaten streak to nine starts going back to early June.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies (14-6, 2.99 ERA)

Hamels was dealt a no-decision in his most recent appearance, failing to tie his career high in wins. The Phillies’ high-priced hurler has been living up to his new contract, however, and hasn’t tasted defeat since August 2. Hamels has struggled with the Mets in the past, posting a career 5-10 record and 4.39 ERA against his NL East rival.

Slumping

Joe Blanton, Los Angeles Dodgers (8-12, 5.12 ERA)

Blanton has struggled since changing coasts, posting a 0-3 mark and 7.71 ERA in four starts for the Dodgers. The former Phillies pitcher hasn’t won a game since July 16 and has allowed 16 earned runs in his last 15 innings of work.

C.J. Wilson, Los Angeles Angels (9-9, 3.83 ERA)

Wilson can’t wait for August to get over. The Angels’ southpaw has just plain sucked this month, going 0-2 with a swollen 8.78 ERA in four August appearances. He gets another shot at the Boston Red Sox Wednesday after allowing six earned runs on eight hits through five innings versus Boston in his most recent outing.