MLB REPORT

MARINERS ACQUIRE LEAKE

The Mariners acquired RHP Mike Leake from the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday for minor league infielder Rayder Ascanio as Seattle tries to bolster its beleaguered starting rotation during the AL wild-card race.

Seattle is without James Paxton, Felix Hernandez and Hisahi Iwakuma because of injuries and has struggled to get five innings out of its starters for most of the past month.

St. Louis will send Seattle $17.5 million to cover a portion of the $55.6 million Leake is guaranteed during the remainder of an $80 million, five-year contract through 2020. The Mariners also acquired $750,000 in international signing bonus allotment as part of the deal.

Leake has been one of the most durable starters in the NL but has not been at his best since the AllStar break. Leake is 7-12 with a 4.21 ERA for the season but since the break is 1-5 with a 6.90 ERA in nine starts since July 14.

ATLANTA BRAVES

C Tyler Flowers was placed on the 10-day DL with a left wrist contusion. The Braves called up C David Freitas and designated RHP Enrique Burgos for assignment.

CHICAGO CUBS

SS Addison Russell was called back to Chicago to be examined after experiencing a setback in his recovery from a right foot injury. The 2016 AllStar has been sidelined since early August after straining the foot.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

With 83 losses, the club needs to win 14 of its remaining 30 games to avoid its first 100-loss season since 1961.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

C Yadier Molina played Wednesday after he was a late scratch Tuesday because of right lower abdominal soreness.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

OF Bryce Harper, on the DL since Aug. 13 with a hyperextended left knee, said he had no set target date for a return.

“The knee’s feeling OK,” Harper said. “Going through a calf strain and, of course, the bone bruise, it takes time. It’s all it’s been. I’m just trying to take some time. It’s only been two weeks plus three days. It’s still fairly new. I’m just trying to take it day by day.”