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The upcoming Home Run Derby has been a popular story around Major League Baseball this week with the announcement of Jose Bautista and Troy Tulowitzki as league captains, as well as the news that the All-Star event will be switching to a new bracket format. But there’s no need to wait until July 14 at Target Field to watch a bona fide home run competition, because one has been going on for much of the past month between Jose Abreu, Nelson Cruz and Edwin Encarnacion.

And boy, did that trio put on a show Friday night.

All three sluggers hit homers, and because Abreu knocked a pair out of the park after entering the evening one back of Cruz and Encarnacion, they now share the major league lead with 25 apiece. All this happened, by the way, in less than an hour and a half.

Really, who needs the Home Run Derby when we’ve got a season-long race featuring Abreu, Cruz and Encarnacion?

In fact, Abreu—an MLB rookie who competed in five home run competitions in his native Cuba in the past—recently told David Wilson of MLB.com that, no offense, but he’d rather not be invited by Bautista to participate on behalf of the American League:

I change my whole mental approach when I go there. It messes with my mind. I never go to the plate trying to hit home runs. It’s something that I’m blessed with and it happens, but I never go trying to hit home runs, so I feel like when I have gone to these things, it has been not beneficial to me afterward.

Apparently, though, Abreu is fine with continuing to hit as many home runs as he can in games that actually count.

What made this Friday’s action even more entertaining was that, because the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays were playing the second of a four-game series on Friday, Abreu and Encarnacion were involved in the same game. The Sox wound up winning 5-4, so Abreu not only out-homered Encarnacion, 2-1, his team also benefitted.

Meanwhile, Cruz and the Baltimore Orioles were busy splitting a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays, winning the second game 4-1 after dropping the opener, 5-2.

Just because it’s more fun to experience all four four-baggers blow by blow, here’s how it all went down Friday night.

First came Abreu’s 24th long ball, at approximately 8:22 p.m. ET, which put the White Sox ahead of the Blue Jays 1-0 in the fifth inning—and more importantly, tied both Encarnacion and Cruz for the major league lead:

That was followed just one inning later by Encarnacion’s 25th at roughly 8:48 p.m. ET, a solo homer to pull the Jays to 2-1—and put Encarnacion in the home run driver’s seat (albeit briefly):

Abreu then went ahead and smashed a drive to dead center in the seventh inning, his second solo shot bringing the score to 3-2 in favor of the White Sox. With this over-the-fencer at about 8:54 p.m. ET, Abreu re-tied Encarnacion and passed Cruz:

As if threatened by having been kept in the park through the first 15 innings of the Orioles’ doubleheader to this point and thus having fallen behind not one but two other sluggers on the same night—within a matter of mere minutes—Cruz joined Friday’s fun with his 25th of the season. A two-run opposite-field launch job at approximately 9:41 p.m. ET, Cruz’s long ball extended the O’s lead to 4-1 and kept him even with Abreu and Encarnacion.

Folks, buckle up: As fantastic as Friday was for each of Abreu, Cruz and Encarnacion, their display may be but a teaser for a home run chase that could carry on through the summer and on into the fall.

With the halfway point in the 162-game schedule here and the All-Star break approaching, it’s safe to say baseball doesn’t get to enjoy a race quite like this—three premier power hitters, all in the AL and all tied for the major league lead, to boot—all that often. At least not in the past handful of seasons.

Going back to the turn of the century with the 2000 season, three players reached the 25-home run mark while also being within three dingers of each other at the end of the first half on nine occasions out of 14 seasons. But sticking to only the past five years, Abreu, Cruz and Encarnacion will be just the second trio to do so in that time frame if they stay that close.

Outside of Josh Hamilton (27), Jose Bautista (27) and Adam Dunn (25) in 2012, it hasn’t happened from 2009 on. Whereas from 2000 through 2008, it occurred every year except for 2007.

And while it may be unlikely that each of Abreu, Cruz and Encarnacion reach the 30-homer plateau before the second half starts, they do have a little more than two weeks to try to get there. If they do, they would be in even rarer territory within MLB history:

Whether you’re watching along with each home run by Abreu, Cruz and Encarnacion because of how tight their race is or simply for the sheer number of homers they’re hitting—proximity to each other be damned—there’s something to enjoy either way.

Friday night brought a little of both.

Statistics are accurate through June 27 and come from MLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.com, except where otherwise noted.

To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11

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It’s very rare that you see a baserunner successfully avoid getting tagged out during a rundown, but Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Josh Harrison was able to do so in a very clutch situation.

In the bottom of the 10th inning against the New York Mets, Harrison got caught in a rundown. However, thanks to some quick thinking and some quick cuts, he was somehow able to advance to third base.

To make the night even better for Harrison, he came up with a walk-off double in the 11th inning to give the Pirates the 3-2 win.

[MLB.com]

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Even security guards can have fun from time to time.

Between innings during Friday night’s game between the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers, Astros mascot Orbit got down with one of the security guards. Orbit didn’t have anything on the guard, however, as the man showed off some impressive dance moves.

[MLB.com]

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Every time you think Los Angeles Angels phenom Mike Trout can’t get any better, he goes and does something like this.

During Friday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals, Trout hit a screamer to center field in the first inning. The ball went so far that it landed in the outfield fountain at Kauffman Stadium.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, the ball went an incredible 489 feet, while SportsCenter pointed out that it was the longest home run hit in the big leagues this season.

At just 22 years old, Trout continues to have a phenomenal start to his career. This season, he has now already hit 18 home runs with 59 runs batted in.

[Twitter, MLB.com]

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Atlanta Braves slugger Freddie Freeman got his day off on the right foot with a big three-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies, but what happened immediately after was far more entertaining for the home fans.

Tom McCarthy, the Phillies broadcaster, actually ended up catching Freeman’s home run on Friday night. Thanks to some encouragement from the fans, he ended up throwing the ball back onto the field.

[MLB.com, h/t Hardball Talk]

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The Los Angeles Angels swapped one disappointing closer for another, sending Ernesto Frieri to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Jason Grilli.

The Pirates officially announced the move on Twitter:

In 34 appearances this season, Frieri is 0-3 with a 6.39 ERA and 11 saves. Grilli’s been only slightly better, posting an 0-2 record, 4.87 ERA and 11 saves in 22 appearances. The two have combined to blow seven saves.

Mike Scioscia has already confirmed that Grilli will only be given late-inning duties to start out, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times:

The L.A. Times‘ Mike DiGiovanna reported that Joe Smith will take over as the team’s closer:

Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto is banking on the trade to help Grilli return to his 2013 form, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register:

Grantland’s Jonah Keri doesn’t think that these kinds of closer swaps happen often:

Rob Neyer of FoxSports.com argued that neither team will really win the trade this year, with both pitchers’ projections for the rest of the season in line with one another:

At least with Grilli, the Angels are getting a more experienced pitcher who’s had a more consistent stretch over the last few years. It’s easy to forget that the 37-year-old made the National League All-Star team last year. He finished tied for seventh in the NL in saves, with 33.

Although Grilli’s performance has tailed off this season, it’s not even close to Frieri’s decline from last year to now. The guy who saved 37 games is nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps the change of scenery will help both players. The Angels are hopeful that Grilli can regain some confidence and eventually be transitioned back into the closer role. If that happens, Smith will be able to move back to late-inning duty, where he’s been used throughout his career.

This was a low-risk deal from Los Angeles’ perspective, and if it can get back a consistent closer, then offloading Frieri will have been more than worth it.

Note: All stats are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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Updates from Saturday, June 28

Mike Puma of the New York Post provides an update on David Wright‘s shoulder:

FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal added more:

Updates from Friday, June 27

ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin provides an update on David Wright’s status:

Original Text:

A poor year for the New York Mets is looking worse, as David Wright is now dealing with an apparent shoulder injury.

The star third baseman was set to start the team’s June 27 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates until he became a late scratch, according to ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin:

Marc Carig of Newsday provided a few more details on the situation, which has apparently been an issue for some time:

Rubin provided comments from Wright:

Last night on a couple of different occasions I did something to reaggravate it and it got worse. I was hoping to be able to push through it. They obviously shut that down. So now it’s just protocol, like normal—head back, get an MRI. Hopefully just some rest, maybe an injection, and hopefully I’ll be back in a couple of days…

I would say it’s fairly painful. The issue is that these last three weeks I felt like I’ve been able to be productive and go through normal baseball things without feeling hesitant. Last night that wasn’t the case. I felt like it was prohibiting me from doing certain things on a baseball field.

Wright has had an underwhelming season up to this point, totaling just six home runs and 41 RBI to go with a .277 batting average in 79 games. Unsurprisingly, the Mets have struggled with him, as they recently moved into last place in the NL East with a 36-43 record.

However, the seven-time All-Star was seemingly turning the corner with a 10-game hitting streak, eight of which also came with an RBI and included two home runs.

Unfortunately, injuries have been a serious issue for Wright in the past few years after being somewhat of an iron man to start his career. The veteran averaged 156 games per season in his first six full years in the league, but he has only played in about 123 per year over the last three.

If this shoulder issue turns out to be a long-term problem, the Mets could be in serious trouble for the rest of the year. Eric Campbell is taking over third base duties for the upcoming game and could see more time at the position for the duration of Wright’s injury.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.

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The Cincinnati Reds are hoping they have found the next great Cuban star in Raisel Iglesias and have signed him to a seven-year deal.

Cincinnati announced the latest contract on its Twitter account:

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports Iglesias’ contract details:

Iglesias worked out for major league teams last month in Haiti. The Reds were one of the teams in attendance and came away impressed with what they saw. Joel Sherman of the New York Post noted that he is someone who can help immediately:

Meanwhile, the pitcher also showcased his ability at the 2013 World Baseball Classic for the Cuban national team. After he faced the United States college national team, head coach Jim Schlossnagle explained, via Ben Badler of Baseball America:

I think he’s a guy that, as he gets bigger and stronger, could be in the mid-to-upper 90s. He’s lean, has a ridiculously loose arm and pounded the strike zone. I was glad they didn’t pitch him more. He was the guy where you’re like, ‘Let’s find a way to get a lead before they get to this guy.’

Although he is relatively small for a pitcher at 5’11”, he has plenty of upside as someone who can stick in the bullpen and be a late-game reliever. If he can develop the rest of his arsenal, he can even move into the rotation as a starter in the future.

With fellow Cuban Aroldis Chapman playing alongside of him in the bullpen, Iglesias should have an increased comfort level as he gets acclimated to the United States and the major leagues.

As far as the Reds are concerned, the organization is hoping he can help sooner rather than later. The squad is barely hanging on to third place in the NL Central with the bullpen ranking 24th in the league with a 4.16 ERA.

If Iglesias can join the roster and contribute early on, it would be a huge boost to the team’s playoff chances.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.

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Even though the Cubs are 11 games under .500 this season, they still have a few deserving All-Stars. Both on the mound and at the plate, the team has had players step up, and those players should be playing in Minnesota this July.

At this point, it doesn’t look like any Cubs position players are going to be voted in as a starter, but there are still a couple that could be added to the roster as reserves.

There are actually no Cubs position players in the top five of fan voting, but that doesn’t mean they won’t have any suit up for the National League this summer. Based on how they stack up against the rest of the league, here are the Cubs’ five best All-Star candidates.

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While it’s true that defense wins championships, that phrase only rings true to an extent. Despite winning a Gold Glove in 2012 and being a finalist for the award in 2013, Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney‘s defense isn’t enough for the Cubs.

A third of the way through the 2014 season, Barney has almost matched his error total from last season of four. Sure, three errors is nothing to raise a fuss about. It’s three errors. But in the past two seasons, Barney has committed only seven total errors. By Barney’s standards, three is subpar. He’s currently on pace to commit more errors this season than he has in the last two seasons combined.

However, it’s not Barney’s Fool’s Gold Glove that is most discouraging for Cubs fans. It’s his bat. 

Correction: It’s his lack of a bat.

During Barney’s Rookie of the Year season in 2011, he hit a solid .276 in 143 games. Unfortunately, it has been all downhill since then. Each season has seen a decrease in his average, most significantly a .046 decline between 2012 and 2013. 

For those who don’t give any consideration to batting average, his on-base percentage has been decreasing as well. Here are Barney’s offensive stats since his 2012 Gold Glove season:

Granted, Barney’s offense has improved lately. In fact, he’s hit safely in seven of his last eight games. For the Cubs, this adds more benefit than just the obvious offensive production. It also could add some trade value. 

Barney has been linked before to trade rumors. As recently as December, reports have suggested that the Yankees may attempt to trade for Barney. 

There’s no shortage of potential second basemen in the Cubs organization who could replace Barney. Arismendy Alcantara seems to be the most obvious candidate. 

Ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the Cubs organization, Alcantara doesn’t bring a Gold Glove to the picture. At least not yet. MLB.com‘s scouting report of Alcantara grades his fielding at 50, which is about average.

However, Alcantara is currently hitting .293 with nine home runs for Triple-A Iowa. He also has 21 doubles and 10 triples. On the basepaths, the speedy 22-year-old has 18 stolen bases in 21 tries. 

Alcantara’s teammate Logan Watkins is also a solid candidate for the second base job, currently hitting .273 with the Iowa Cubs.

Because of Barney’s unimpressive offense and his declining defense, the Cubs aren’t exactly going to hit the jackpot with a trade. At best, they would likely receive one or two decent prospects from a team looking to make a playoff run. 

Luckily, the Cubs didn’t sign Barney to a long-term deal after his Gold Glove season in 2012. In fact, Barney is signed to be a Cub only through the end of 2014 with a $2.3 million salary. The fact that Barney doesn’t bring any financial baggage and will be a free agent after this season may make him exactly what a team may want for a short-term pickup.

Regardless of whether or not Barney is traded, Cubs fans don’t have much to worry about if he remains with the team. Because of their depth of infield prospects, there are multiple solutions for the team’s future at second base. Ideally, Barney would continue to make strides at the plate for the next month so as to add as much trade value as possible. After all, he is only 28 years old.

Statistics courtesy of MLB.com and MiLB.com.

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