Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Cody Ross will start the regular season on the disabled list with a calf injury, according to manager Kirk Gibson. Ross signed a three-year, $26 million contract with the Diamondbacks in the offseason following a season where he hit .267 with 22 home runs and drove in 81 runs for the Boston Red Sox last season.

After the Diamondbacks signed Ross and had a sudden surplus of outfielders, they traded Justin Upton to the Atlanta Braves as a part of a seven-player blockbuster deal. With Ross beginning the season on the DL, Gerardo Parra and A.J. Pollock will fill the void left in the outfield while Ross tends to his calf injury.

#Dbacks mgr Kirk Gibson confirmed that OF Cody Ross will start the year on the DL.—
Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) March 30, 2013

[SI's Complete Team-By-Team MLB Season Preview]

The Diamondbacks locked up their first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, signing him to a five-year deal. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt agreed Friday to a five-year deal worth $32 million, reports FoxSports.com.

The deal runs from 2014 through the 2018 season with a club option of $14.5 million in 2018.

Goldschmidt, 25, hit .286 with 20 home runs, 82 RBI, 43 doubles, scored 82 runs and stole 18 bases in 2012, his first full season in the majors. He played in 48 games towards the end of the 2011 season hitting eight home runs in 156 at-bats.

He has been hot during the spring as well hitting .414 with two home runs, 14 RBI and five doubles in 69 plate appearances.

Diamondbacks outfielder Adam Eaton will miss six to eight weeks due to a left elbow strain, per the team’s Twitter account.

It’s unclear when Eaton was injured, although he did leave Monday night’s game early. Previous reports indicated Eaton’s early exit was not injury-related, but a statement from GM Kevin Towers makes it seem otherwise today.

Regardless of when the injury occurred, Eaton, who was expected to play centerfield and leadoff in 2013, should be back in action mid-to-late May.

OFFICIAL: @Dbacks OF @AdamSpankyEaton will miss 6-8 weeks with left elbow UCL sprain—
Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) March 22, 2013

In a quote released today, GM Kevin Towers said Eaton felt something in Glendale. Team wasn't being honest with us about it.—
Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) March 22, 2013

Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon McCarthy returned to the mound for the first time in six months. (Rich Pilling/Getty Images)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon McCarthy struck out four batters in two innings in his first appearance since being struck by a line drive in the head last September that jeopardized his baseball career.

McCarthy looked sharped in his Cactus League debut against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday and admitted he had a case of the nerves before taking the mound. McCarthy struck out the side in the first inning and finished with one run and three hits allowed.

McCarthy suffered an epidural hemorrhage, brain contusion and skull fracture after being hit in the head on the line drive off the bat Erick Aybar of the Los Angeles Angels.

“I assume it will become less of a hot issue,” McCarthy said, via ESPN.com. “For me, it can’t really get more behind me than it is. But I think I’ll always be that guy, where it’s one of the defining markers for me. I just have to try to pitch well enough to get out of that.”

“I was so nervous, I’m still shaking,” said McCarthy’s wife, Amanda after her husband was removed from the game. “I’m not a very nervous person in general, but this is a unique situation…I personally thought his baseball [career] was over last year. It was awesome to see him out there. It was surreal.”

McCarthy signed a two-year, $15.5 million contract with Arizona as a free agent in December and is slated to be the fourth starter in the Diamondbacks rotation this season.

Aaron Hill has signed a three-year contract extension with the Diamondbacks. (Ralph Freso, Getty Images)

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill has agreed to a three-year, $35 million contract extension with his club, according to a report from Buster Olney at ESPN.com.

Hill already had a contract that kept him in Arizona next year, but the new deal pays him just over $2 million more annually after a season when he captured his second Silver Slugger award.

Hill owned a .302 batting average in 2012, to go with 26 home runs and 85 RBIs. He signed with Arizona in 2011 after seven years in Toronto, where he was named to his only All-Star game in 2009.

Doug Flutie will be remembered as a great quarterback, but as a knuckleballer with the Arizona Diamondbacks? The former NFL Pro-Bowl quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner from Boston College is going to get his shot.

MLB Network will be debuting a new program, “The Next Knuckler” on Feb. 13. The premise of the show is to have former Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield teach a bunch of former college and NFL quarterbacks how to throw a knuckleball. The quarterback who shows the most promise as a pitcher will get an invitation from the Arizona Diamondbacks to try out for the team at spring training this season, according to Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports.

The quarterbacks who will compete for the invitation are John David Booty; his brother, Josh Booty; Doug Flutie; David Greene and Ryan Perrilloux.

The Public Relations office for MLB also confirmed the news on Wednesday.

Doug Flutie & other former QBs will compete on @MLBNetwork's "The Next Knuckler" for invite to @Dbacks #SpringTraining—
MLB Public Relations (@MLB_PR) February 06, 2013

Brandon Webb has retired from baseball. (Norm Hall, Getty Images)

Former Cy Young award winner Brandon Webb is retiring from baseball at age 33, according to a statement from his agents to ESPN.com.

Webb had a seven year career in the majors, all with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but hasn’t appeared in a game since 2009 due to ongoing shoulder problems. Webb attempted a comeback with the Texas Rangers in 2011 and was believed to be getting back into the game again until Monday’s announcement.

Webb will be best remembered for an excellent three-year stretch with the Diamondbacks from 2006-2008. In that time, Webb made three straight All-Star games, won the 2006 Cy Young award, and finished second in Cy Young voting in 2007 and 2008. Webb finishes his career with an 87-62 record and a 3.27 ERA.

Mark Grace will serve four months in jail after pleading guilty to felony endangerment and DUI charges. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Former Diamondbacks and Cubs first baseman Mark Grace pleaded guilty to felony endangerment and driving under the influence of alcohol, reports the Associated Press:

Grace was arrested last August in Scottsdale — his second drunken driving arrest in 15 months — and could have faced more than three years in prison. He had pleaded not guilty in October to four felony counts of aggravated DUI and was scheduled to go on trial March 19.

Grace worked as a TV analyst for the Diamondbacks but was fired after the August arrest. After the most recent incident, Grace was sentenced to four months in jail under a work-release program and will also serve two years of probation.

Grace, a four-time gold glove winner, played in the majors from 1988 to 2003 and hit .303/.383/.442 over the course of his career.

Infielder Martin Prado reached a four-year extension worth $40 million with the Diamondbacks on Thursday, reports NBC Sports. Arizona bought out Prado’s arbitration year this year and added three more years through 2016. Prado made $4.75 million with the Braves last season. His arbitration demand was $7.05 million and the Diamondbacks countered with $6 million.

Prado, along with Randall Delgado and minor league prospects, went to the Diamondbacks in the trade that sent Justin Upton to Atlanta last week. The 29-year-old hit .301/.359/.438 last season and played the majority of his games in left field, although he also spent time at all four infield positions. Prado will play third base for the Diamondbacks.

Prado gets $7M for 2013 (the arb year), $11M a year thereafter. #dbacks—
Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 31, 2013

Justin Upton has been traded to the Braves. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

After months of speculation, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton has been traded to the Atlanta Braves, pending a physical, according to tweets Thursday morning from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

According to the report from CBS Sports, the Braves will also get third baseman Chris Johnson. The Diamondbacks will receive third baseman/outfielder Martin Prado, starting pitcher Randall Delgado, minor-league shortstop Nick Ahmed, minor-league pitcher Zeke Spruill and minor-league infielder Brandon Drury.

Last season for the Diamondbacks, Upton, a 25-year-old All Star, hit .280/.355/.430, recording 17 home runs and 67 RBI. He also had 107 runs and 18 stolen bases. In 2011, Upton finished fourth in NL MVP voting, playing a key role in leading Arizona to an NL West title.

Delgado, 22, went 4-9 with an ERA of 4.37, 1.41 WHIP and recorded 76 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings last season with the Braves.

The Braves will now feature an outfield of brothers, as Justin joins B.J., who signed a  five-year, $75 million deal with Atlanta earlier in the offseason.

JAFFE: Winter report cards for each MLB team | PHOTOS: Siblings in sports

braves and diamondbacks are moving closer to Justin Upton deal, source confirms. @Ken_Rosenthal suggested as much this a.m.—
Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 24, 2013

players are agreed to in Justin Upton trade. pending physical—
Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 24, 2013

Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton could be on his way out of town if the Braves trade for him (Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

The Atlanta Braves are said to be in hot pursuit of Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton and could make a trade for him in the upcoming days, reports CBSSports.com.

Upton hit 26 homers, scored 84 runs and drove in 86 runs at age 21 and in March 2010, the Diamondbacks rewarded him with a six-year, $51.5 million deal. Upton finished fourth in the NL MVP voting in 2011 after hitting 31 homers and driving in 88 runs. The team is also shopping outfielder Jason Kubel and the Orioles are one of the teams interested in his services.

The Braves are said by a source to have offered a “strong” package. The Braves, who signed older brother B.J. Upton earlier this winter, have the type of young pitching to get a deal done for Justin Upton. Arizona is also believed to like young outfielder Evan Gattis. Their bigger need is for a leadoff hitter but, at least for the moment, they seem focused on Upton.

“I think Justin is an enigma at this point,” Arizona owner Ken Kendrick told Phoenix radio station KTAR. “I know he had an injury early on and maybe a little bit of a nagging injury. But he’s played. He’s certainly not the Justin Upton that he has been in the past and that we would expect of him. He’s 24 years old and it’s time for him to be a consistent performer, and right now this year he’s not been that.”

Last season, Upton hit .280 with 17 homers and 67 RBI and has struck out 120 or more times in each of the past five seasons.

Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro has made two All-Star teams despite being just 22 years old. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Still in search of a trade partner for outfielder Justin Upton, the Arizona Diamondbacks asked the Chicago Cubs for 22-year-old shortstop Starlin Castro in exchange for Upton, ESPN Chicago’s Bruce Levine reports.

The Cubs balked at the offer and cut off talks, according to Levine.

Arizona has openly discussed Upton’s availability during the offseason, and he has be on been rumored to be on the trading block throughout the past year. But general manager Kevin Towers’ asking price has been too high for teams’ liking, as he has reportedly sought top prospects Jurickson Profar and Mike Olt from the Rangers, and/or 24-year-old shortstop Elvis Andrus.

The Diamondbacks’ interest in Castro would seem to indicate that they are still interested in acquiring a middle infielder, despite the presence of second baseman Aaron Hill and their deal for young Reds shortstop Didi Gregorius in December.

Upton used his limited no-trade clause to reject an agreed-upon deal to the Mariners for four prospects earlier this month. He has three years and $38 million left on his contract.

Castro, a two-time All-Star, hit .283 with 14 home runs and 25 stolen bases last season.

The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed in principle on a trade that would have sent star young outfielder Justin Upton to the Seattle Mariners. But Upton rejected the trade, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at Fox Sports.

Upton’s no-trade clause contains four teams, and the Mariners are one of the four on the list. Rosenthal and Morosi report that Arizona would have received a package of young players back from the Mariners. The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro, who confirmed the report, called the Mariners’ package “substantial.”

Can confirm report by @ken_rosenthal and @jonmorosi. Told package from Mariners was “substantial” but Upton blocked the deal.

— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) January 11, 2013

Rosenthal later reported that the Mariners offered one of top prospects Danny Hultzen, James Paxton or Taijuan Walker — plus Nick Franklin, Charlie Furbush and Stephen Pryor.

Upton has been the subject of trade rumors for more than two years now, and his name began popping up once again last week with the Mariners, Rangers and Braves. The Diamondbacks have stepped up efforts to move Upton after signing Cody Ross late last month, giving them a surplus of outfielders.

Rosenthal and Morosi surmise that both sides could be making a play to gain leverage in the latest discussions:

Upton’s rejection of the Mariners could be an attempt by him to leverage the Diamondbacks into sending him to a more preferred destination. The D-Backs, meanwhile, could be telling Upton that Seattle is his only option if he wants to leave Arizona, and for that reason it’s always possible that a deal could revive.

The 25-year-old Upton is still under contract for the next three years for a total of $38.5 million. Upton’s stats regressed a bit in his third major-league season in 2012, as he hit .280 with 17 homers, 67 RBI and a .785 OPS.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are once again open to trading outfielder Justin Upton and have gotten “strong interest” from at least three teams, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi reported Thursday. According to the report, the three teams intrigued are the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves.

The Diamondbacks’ intentions remain foggy at this point, according to the report. There is some thought that they would rather trade outfielder Jason Kubel, but he would not provide nearly as much potential return in any deal.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reported earlier Thursday that the Diamondbacks were “very much open” to discussing a deal for Upton and that they viewed the Mariners as a potential destination.

The Diamondbacks have viewed Seattle as a possible landing spot for Upton, but remember, he would have to approve any deal to Mariners.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 3, 2013

The 25-year-old Upton has been the subject of trade rumors for months and even years now. Upton’s stats regressed a bit in his third major-league season in 2012, as he hit .280 with 17 homers, 67 RBI and a .785 OPS. The Diamondbacks have a surplus of outfielders after signing Cody Ross late last month.

For his part, Upton tweeted that he wasn’t “going to worry about this trade nonsense” on Thursday:

Appreciate the support. This is the view from my hotel room. Going to enjoy it and not worry about this trade nonsense twitter.com/JUS10UP10/stat…

—Justin Upton (@JUS10UP10) January 3, 2013

Former Oakland A’s right-hander Brandon McCarthy and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a two-year deal worth $15.5 million, per D-backs beat reporter Nick Piecoro.

OK, it's two years and $15.5M for McCarthy. Pending physical. Gives the Dbacks a ton of starting pitching depth.

—
Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) December 07, 2012

In 2013, McCarthy will be returning from a skull fracture he sustained after being hit in the head by a line drive. He underwent surgery and was cleared for all baseball activities back in November, after 20 hours of testing. Of course, the deal depends on the results of a physical. McCarthy has had some shoulder issues in the past that could also be a concern.

The D-backs are now loaded with starting pitching strength, adding McCarthy to a rotation that includes Ian Kennedy, Trevor Cahill, Wade Miley, Trevor Bauer and Tyler Skaggs.

The Rangers have long been linked to interest and efforts to trade for Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton. The latest round of speculation has included a multi-team deal including Upton and various configurations of six teams including the Diamondbacks, Indians, Rays, Royals and Mariners.

Peter Gammons gave some weight to the four-team trade rumors via Twitter:

If you don't believe the multi-team Upton trade talk, Wednesday night a Rangers official called an Astros officisl and said, "we got Upton."—
Peter Gammons (@pgammo) December 07, 2012

Upton hit .246/.298/.454 in 633 plate appearances with the Rays this season. He hit 28 home runs and the Rangers believe he can benefit from hitting in Rangers Ballpark, statistically proven to be a hitter’s park.

There have been talks for a potential Indians–D-backs trade structured around Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and D-backs right-hander Trevor Bauer, reports MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince.

The #Indians and #Dbacks have discussed a deal involving Asdrubal Cabrera and Trevor Bauer. News: mlb.com/news/article.j…

—
Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince) December 05, 2012

Talks have been going on for two weeks, although they have escalated at the Winter Meetings. There’s no indication that the trade is near completion, per an industry source.

The Indians could use Bauer in the club, and while the D-backs acquired Cliff Pennington from the A’s early in the offseason, they have been looking for an “everyday shortstop,” reports Castrovince. Another team or two could be involved in the deal, and it’s not certain that it’s a 1-for-1 deal. FoxSports.com reported that the Indians have shown interest in D-backs left hander Tyler Skaggs.

However, there’s no indication that Justin Upton is involved in the deal.

To those asking, no indication #Indians would net Justin Upton in potential #Dbacks deal. They might be on his no-trade list anyway.

—
Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince) December 05, 2012

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies are discussing a blockbuster trade involving outfielder Justin Upton and pitcher Cliff Lee, according ESPN.com’s Pedro Gomez.

The Diamondbacks, one of the more active teams at the Winter Meetings based on reports out of Nashville, could land Lee for Upton, with the Phillies sending additional money to Arizona, Gomez tweeted.

Phillies and Diamondbacks are discussing Justin Upton for Cliff Lee. Money coming to AZ would also be involved.—
Pedro Gomez (@pedrogomezESPN) December 04, 2012

But Arizona general manager Kevin Towers has long coveted a young shortstop, and Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan is reporting that Upton and Lee could simply be the foundation of a larger deal.

Arizona discussing all sorts of three- and four-way deals to get shortstop. Upton for Cliff Lee (per @pedrogomezESPN) could just be a start.—
Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 04, 2012

Source insists Diamondbacks aren't actively talking Cliff Lee for Justin Upton. Lots of interest in D-backs' young pitching.—
Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 04, 2012

Multiple other reporters are refuting the rumor, including CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury and CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman, as well as Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson:

Kirk Gibson on Justin Upton-for-Cliff Lee rumor: "I can tell you right now that's not going to happen.'' #dbacks—
Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) December 04, 2012

The Phillies reportedly considered trading Lee, 34, at last season’s deadline in the midst of just the second year of a five-year, $120-million contract. He finished the season with a 3.16 ERA and 207 strikeouts to 28 walks. During the 2009 offseason, Lee was involved in a stunning three-way trade that sent him to the Mariners for prospects, with the Blue Jays also sending Roy Halladay to Philadelphia for prospects.

Upton, 25,  hit .280 with 17 home runs in 2012. He was drafted by Arizona with the first overall pick in 2005, and has slugged 108 homers in four-plus seasons amid repeated trade talk.

The Diamondbacks have signed utility man Eric Hinske to a one-year contract, according to Ken Rosenthal:

Sources: #Diamondbacks sign Eric Hinske to one-year contract.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 04, 2012

Hinske made $1.5 million with the Braves last season before becoming a free agent. The 34-year-old veteran can play first base, third base and outfield. He hit a career-low .197 in 147 plate appearances last year.

Hinske, 35, was drafted by the Cubs in the 17th round of the 1998 draft. He made his major league debut with the Blue Jays in 2002 and was named the AL Rookie of the Year.

The Diamondbacks are interested in signing A’s free-agent righthanded pitcher Brandon McCarthy according to the Arizona Republic‘s Nick Piecoro via Twitter:

Sources say Dbacks have expressed interest in free-agent RHP Brandon McCarthy, whom they also pursued as a free agent two years ago.—
Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) December 01, 2012

McCarthy, the A’s 2012 Opening Day starter, was cleared to resume baseball activities two weeks ago after being struck by a line drive to the right side of his head off the bat of the Angels’ Erick Aybar on Sept. 5. He underwent surgery to repair an epidural hemorrhage, brain contusion and skull fracture.

He reportedly plans to begin playing catch in December, then start throwing bullpen sessions in January.

McCarthy, 29, finished 2012 8-6 with a 3.24 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 111 innings for the A’s last season.

A free-agent pitcher could add to a Diamondbacks’ rotation that is likely to feature Trevor Cahill, Ian Kennedy and Wade Miley.

Justin Upton will likely stay with the Diamondbacks. (Ralph Freso, Getty Images)

The Arizona Diamondbacks will keep Justin Upton on the trading block, but one source with the team insists that the right fielder is “90% likely” to be with the team for spring training.

This, from a CBS Sports report that also states Upton would be open to a trade, even if it’s to a team on the “no-trade” list in his contract. The Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers have been mentioned as possible destinations for Upton, but the Rangers seem unwilling to meet Arizona’s demands.

Upton is coming off a 2012 season where he hit .280 with 67 RBIs and 17 home runs.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly trying to trade Justin Upton yet again. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly engaged in active discussions yet again to trade right fielder Justin Upton, with one Major League source saying there’s an “80-20″ chance Upton will be playing elsewhere next season, according to a report Wednesday afternoon from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

The news shouldn’t come as much of a surprise; the team had reportedly discussed ways to trade Upton as far back as the annual General Manager’s meeting in 2010 and again this year prior to the July 31 MLB non-waiver deadline.

Despite those reports, however, Diamondbacks General Manager Ken Kendrick told a Phoenix-based radio station in October that Upton, 25, is “highly likely” to return to the team next season. He had also said in July, with days before the non-waiver deadline, that the team is better off with Upton and that “this whole thing” with reports of ongoing trade talks has “gotten way more attention than it deserves.”

Upton is owed nearly $40 million over the next three seasons and has a no-trade clause in his contract. As of last season, there were reportedly four teams on the list: The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians. According to Rosenthal, however, that list has since changed.

One player mentioned in the report who could be brought in if a trade is executed is the Texas Rangers’ shortstop, Elvis Andrus.

Upton finished last season hitting .280/.355/.430 with 17 home runs and 67 RBIs. In August, he and his brother B.J. of the Tampa Bay Rays each hit their 100th career home run within minutes of each other.

The Dodgers and Diamondbacks might open their season in Australia. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Dodgers are “well advanced” in conversations with Australian Baseball League officials on a plan six years in the making to open their season in March 2013 in Sydney against the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to a report Thursday from Adrian Proszenko of The Sydney Morning Herald:

The proposed three-game series will be a huge coup for Australian sport, with the games to be televised to an audience of almost 300 million viewers across 81 countries. It’s estimated the event will attract up to 25,000 overseas tourists and generate $80 million for the NSW economy.

Jason Moore, director of sports event-marketing firm Moore Sports, has reportedly been involved in the ongoing conversations between the MLB and the ABL. The games would be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, which can seat up to 46,000 people, and he said he anticipates the deal will be finalized by the end of the year:

”We’ve been to the altar a couple of times and we know believe we’re getting up to bat, so to speak,” Moore said. ”This will be the biggest sporting event in Sydney since the 2003 Rugby World Cup final.

The proposed Sunday afternoon game between the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers, who are co-owned by Magic Johnson, would air Saturday night at 8 p.m. PST in the United States. The plan would no doubt figure into MLB efforts to further globalize the game and the league brand. The MLB, along with the Australian Baseball Federation and Australia’s Federal government, fund the ABL.

But in a report from Dylan Hernandez and Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times, the MLB is not exploring the possibility:

“We are not currently exploring the possibility with the Dodgers or any other team to play in Australia,” MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said.

To confuse matters even more, Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall said he would definitely be interested in an opportunity for his team to play overseas. The team’s top executive had made a trip to Japan and Mexico earlier in October to help build the brand of the team and the league.

“If the possibility existed for the D-Backs to play overseas, we would most certainly be interested, but I would leave an official comment to MLB International,” Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall said in a statement released by the team.

The Upton brothers have been linked in major league history ever since they were drafted, B.J. second overall in 2002 and Justin first overall in 2005.

On Friday, the pair reached a career milestone within minutes of one another.

In Philadelphia, Arizona Diamondbacks rightfielder Justin Upton hit a solo home run to left field off Phillies righthander Kyle Kendrick in the second inning for his 100th career home run.

Not too long afterward, in Tampa, Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton hit a solo home run to center off Baltimore Orioles righty Tommy Hunter in the fourth inning for his 100th career home run.

Coincidentally, both homers also put their teams ahead 1-0.

Whitney Holtzman of MLB.com points out another coincidence:

Not only did B.J. and Justin Upton both hit their 100th career homers tonight, they also both hit No. 99 the same night.—
Whitney Holtzman (@WHoltzman) August 04, 2012

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com says that the Uptons are the sixth pair of brothers to both reach the 100-home plateau.

The final list (I think) is DiMaggios, Boones, Alomars, Boyers, Meusels and Uptons. Brothers with 100 homers each.—
Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) August 04, 2012

The Diamondbacks traded Ryan Roberts to the Tampa Bay Rays. (Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

The Arizona Diamondbacks traded infielder Ryan Roberts to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, sending the fan favorite from one playoff chase to another, according to reports.

Arizona had designated Roberts for assignment earlier Tuesday in order to make space on its roster for shortstop John McDonald.

Roberts, known as “Tat Man,” became popular among fans for his many tattoos and his all-out play. The 31-year-old Roberts bounced back-and-forth between the minors and majors for many years. Last season, he started at third base for the Diamondbacks as the team won the NL West.

This year, Roberts is hitting .250 with six home runs. He gives Tampa Bay more flexibility as star third baseman Evan Longoria tries to return from a partially torn left hamstring.

Longoria hasn’t played since April 30. The addition of Roberts is insurance if Longoria struggles with the injury throughout the rest of the season. It also could help Longoria come back quicker by allowing him to serve as designated hitter.

Justin Upton reportedly won’t be traded, says the Diamondbacks owner. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

With approximately one week before the MLB trade deadline, Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick said the team is better off with right-fielder Justin Upton and that rumors of his departure have gotten an undeserving amount of attention, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic:

Kendrick, speaking from his vacation home in Colorado, said it’s a “reasonable assumption” Upton will be a Diamondback the rest of the season. “I think we’re better off with him on our team,” Kendrick said. “I this whole thing has gotten way more attention than it deserves.”

Kendrick confirmed that the team will not make a major trade before the July 31 deadline. After the season, however, he said changes could be made, though nothing “dramatic.” No one on the team is untouchable, he said, and that while general manager Kevin Towers won’t be actively calling other franchises to gauge interest in Upton, “if a player is mentioned by other clubs, he’ll listen.”

Upton is hitting .274 on the season, with eight home runs and 41 RBIs. He finished the 2011 season batting .289, recording 31 home runs, 88 RBIs and 21 stolen bases.

“It’s a mystery why Justin can be so great at times and other times not be that great. It’s frustrating for him and, when I put my fan hat on, frustrating for me. … But I’m a big fan of Justin. I absolutely feel his best years are ahead of him.”

Justin Upton is only batting .264 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs a season after finishing 4th in the NL MVP race. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Arizona Diamondbacks have made it no secret that they are willing to listen to offers from other teams about the services of right fielder Justin Upton. If Upton is traded he can block trades to four teams, reports FoxSports.com.

The four teams are the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs.

Upton, 24, has slumped this season. He went 0 for 10 last weekend against the Chicago Cubs and is hitting .254 with no home runs in his past 17 games.

Upton is under contract with the Diamondbacks through 2015 and is batting .264 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs this season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are becoming “serious bidders” for outfielder Justin Upton, who the Arizona Diamondbacks have said they would trade for the right price, ESPN’s Jayson Stark reported Sunday on Twitter.

#Pirates emerging as serious bidder for Justin Upton. More on that and other trade buzz on the 12:30 ET edition of Baseball Tonight!

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 15, 2012

The Pirates have been mentioned before as a possible destination for the 24-year-old Upton, who Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers said he would trade for the right price. Upton has also been loosely linked to the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers.

The Diamondbacks would likely be interested in Pirates’ top pitching prospects Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon, the PIrates’ two first-round picks in the 2011 and 2010 drafts, respectively.

On Saturday, Towers said that he had discussed the trade rumors with Upton. He said he told Upton his policy of listening to offers on him is nothing unusual.

“I said, ‘Hey, this is no different than the way I approached it even before you got to know me in 2010. I listen on everybody,’” Towers said. “We’re in the information gathering business. I said, ‘If something gets close, you’ll be a part of the process. I’m not going to shock you with something. If something is coming down and I think it’s close, there will be a heads up.’ I said, ‘At this point in time, a lot of people are kicking tires. Your name is out there a lot, most of it is untrue.’”

In 82 games this year, Upton is batting .264 with a .735 OPS. He has seven homers and 37 RBI while stealing 10 bases.

Justin Upton sat down with Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers about trade rumors involving Upton. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers told reporters Saturday that he had discussed trade rumors with star young right fielder Justin Upton, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert reported.

Towers said the pair had a “good conversation,” and that he thinks Upton “gets it.” Towers has said he would be open to dealing the 24-year-old Upton for the right price. Towers also said that he told Upton his policy of listening to offers on him is no change from of his players. From Gilbert’s report:

“I said, ‘Hey, this is no different than the way I approached it even before you got to know me in 2010. I listen on everybody,’” Towers said. “We’re in the information gathering business. I said, ‘If something gets close, you’ll be a part of the process. I’m not going to shock you with something. If something is coming down and I think it’s close, there will be a heads up.’ I said, ‘At this point in time, a lot of people are kicking tires. Your name is out there a lot, most of it is untrue.’”

Upton has been loosely linked to the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates as potential trade partners for the Diamondbacks.

Upton is batting .268 with seven homers and 37 RBI in 81 games this season. He has a .744 OPS and 10 stolen bases.

Major league sources tell Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com that if the Arizona Diamondbacks fall out of contention for a playoff spot, they would consider offers for rightfielder Justin Upton.

Rosenthal writes: “A trade of Upton would become realistic only if the D-Backs became outright sellers, which is hardly certain given the unsettled state of the NL West.”

The D-Backs entered Friday night’s game seven games out of first place in the NL West and 5 1/2 games back in the wild-card race.

Rosenthal’s and Morosi’s sources say that shortstop Stephen Drew and third baseman Ryan Roberts could also be moved.

Upton was hitting .266 with seven homers and 34 RBI entering Friday’s game. He is signed through the 2015 season.

Diamondbacks pitcher Daniel Hudson has torn UCL and is out for the year. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Daniel Hudson is out for the season and will likely have Tommy John surgery after completing tearing his ulnar collateral ligament.

Hudson left last night’s 8-1 loss against the Atlanta Braves after giving up hits to five of the first seven batters he faced in the second inning.

“It’s been sore for the last few starts,” Hudson said to the Arizona Republic. “I’ve always had soreness in there. With my arm action, I just kind of figured it came with the territory. It’s been getting progressively worse. I just tried to pitch through it. Tonight it wasn’t happening.”

Most likely, this means Hudson is headed for Tommy John surgery. That normally means he'd be out about 12 months.—
Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) June 27, 2012

According to @Kyndra620, GM Kevin Towers told KTAR that Hudson has a 100 percent tear of the UCL.—
Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) June 27, 2012

Hudson, 25, is 3-2 with a 7.35 ERA in nine starts this season.  Hitters were batting .332 against him.

Bauer will reach the majors only 12 months after being drafted. (Rob Tringali/Getty Images)

Arizona Diamondbacks righthander Trevor Bauer, the third overall pick in the 2011 draft, will make his major league debut on Thursday when he starts against the Atlanta Braves, manager Kirk Gibson confirmed on Tuesday.

“He’s excited, we’re excited to have him, let’s be honest,” Gibson said. “It’s a great challenge for Trevor, and he’s up to it.”

In 16 starts this season between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno, Bauer has a 2.23 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 93 innings. Bauer will be the first member of the class of 2011 to play in the big leagues. Baseball America rated him the ninth-best prospect in the game entering the 2012 season.

SI.com’s Albert Chen wrote this piece in May about the atypical between-start routines of Bauer and Orioles prospect Dylan Bundy.

Two other Diamondbacks notes: shortstop Stephen Drew, who hasn’t played since breaking his ankle last July, will be activated and start in Wednesday’s game against the Braves. Also, righthander Daniel Hudson left Tuesday’s game in the second inning with tightness in his forearm. As Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic points out, forearm tightness is often code for an elbow injury.

Arizona Diamondbacks top prospect Trevor Bauer is expected to make his debut Thursday. (Rob Tringali/Getty Images)

Top prospect Trevor Bauer will make his major-league debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, Fox Sports Arizona’s Jack Magruder reported.

Bauer was the third overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft, and he has dominated minor-league competition so far this year. He’ll likely take over for Joe Saunders, who was placed on the disabled list on Sunday with left shoulder inflammation. Bauer was taken out of his start Sunday after 50 pitches, and Magruder reported that it was not due to injury.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson spoke “generally” about Bauer on Saturday, and it’s clear that he is at least impressed with the 21-year-old Bauer.

“There are certain things he does great. We all know he has great stuff. His last two starts, he has had 100 pitches in five innings. If I was Trevor, I can tell you, when I was a big leaguer, I would argue that I would get better with better competition. I think that’s how he probably thinks. I don’t know that we know that answer.”

Bauer is a combined 11-1 with a 2.23 ERA at Double-A and Triple-A this season. With the Triple-A Reno Aces, he was 4-0 with a 2.82 ERA. He has struck out 56 batters in just 44 2/3 innings.

Baseball America rated Bauer as its No. 9 prospect going into the 2012 season.

Kevin Youkilis could be flipping to a new uniform soon, as trade talks have intensified between the Boston Red Sox and several clubs. (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

The Boston Red Sox could soon trade third baseman Kevin Youkilis as talks have picked up steam recently, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi reported Monday night. One National League executive said Youkilis is being shopped “everywhere.” From the Fox Sports report:

The Red Sox have made clear that (a) Youkilis is available and (b) they are willing to include cash to facilitate a better player return. In response, a number of clubs have indicated that they have interest in acquiring the three-time All-Star. …

The Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates are among the teams with varying levels of interest in acquiring Youkilis, sources say.

The 33-year-old Youkilis is posting easily the worst numbers of his career this season, though he has been hampered by a lower back strain for most of the year. He’s hitting just .213 with a .301 on-base percentage. He has four homers and 13 RBI in 39 games. He is currently mired in a dreadful 1-for-21 slump.

Fox Sports reported that Youkilis is still due about $7 million this season. He has a $13 million club option for next season. Or his next team could buy out his contract next season for $1 million.

One team to which Fox Sports says he won’t be traded: his hometown Cincinnati Reds. Third baseman Scott Rolen was activated from the disabled list on Monday, and 26-year-old third baseman Todd Frazier had also been playing well while Rolen was out of the lineup.

Kendrick is none too pleased with a couple of his franchise’s cornerstones. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Arizona Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick called out two of his stars on Tuesday in a radio interview (audio clips here).

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic has the transcript of Kendrick’s comments.

On Drew, a 29-year-old shortstop who missed the second half of the 2011 season with a severe ankle injury and has not played this season, Kendrick said: “I’m going to be real direct about Stephen. I think Stephen should have been out there playing before now, frankly. I, for one, am disappointed. I’m going to be real candid and say Stephen and his representatives are more focused on where Stephen is going to be a year from now than on going out and supporting the team that’s paying his salary. All you can do is hope that the player is treating the situation with integrity. Frankly, we have our concerns.”

Drew is making $7.75 million this season and has a $10 million mutual option for 2013.

On Upton, a 24-year-old rightfielder who is hitting .243 with five home runs and 20 RBIs after finishing fourth in NL MVP voting in 2011, Kendrick said: “I think Justin is an enigma at this point. I know he had an injury (thumb) early on and may be a little bit of a nagging injury. But he’s played. He’s certainly not the Justin Upton that he has been in the past and that we would expect of him. He’s 24 years old and it’s time for him to be a consistent performer and right now this year he’s not been that.”

Upton is making $6.75 million this season and has another three years at $38.5 million remaining on his contract.