Alex Rodriguez ran the bases Saturday in Tampa for the first time since his January hip surgery

By Drew SilvaJun 16, 2013, 11:24 AM EDT
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Alex Rodriguez moved his rehab from New York to the Yankees’ spring training complex in Tampa, Florida last month and has slowly been introducing different baseball-related activities into his workout plan. Saturday saw probably the biggest step yet.

According to Andy McCullough of the Newark Star-Ledger, A-Rod ran the bases “at 75-percent effort” for the first time since undergoing surgery on his hip in mid-January. Rodriguez, who has been taking regular batting practice for the past few weeks, reported no physical issues during or after the base-running.

If everything continues to go according to plan and the Biogenesis stuff doesn’t result in a suspension, the veteran third baseman should be back on the Yankees’ active roster shortly after the All-Star break (with Derek Jeter soon to follow). Yankees third basemen have hit .252/.301/.346 this season. A-Rod, who is obviously on a steep career decline, still managed a decent .272/.353/.430 batting line in 2012.

Nationals acquire Kelvin Herrera from Royals

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By Bill BaerJun 18, 2018, 7:53 PM EDT
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Update (8:06 PM ET): The Royals will receive minor leaguers Blake Perkins, Kelvin Gutiérrez, and Yohanse Morel from the Nationals, per Heyman. The trade is official as the Nationals and Royals have announced the deal.

Perkins, 21, is the Nationals’ No. 11 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The outfielder was selected by the Nationals in the second round of the 2015 draft. This season, with High-A Potomac, Perkins hit .234/.344/.290 in 305 plate appearances.

Gutiérrez, 23, is rated by MLB Pipeline as the Nats’ No. 10 prospect. The club signed him as an international free agent in April 2013. With Double-A Harrisburg this season, the third baseman hit .274/.321/.391 in 249 trips to the plate.

Morel, 17, is not in the Nats’ Top-30 as the club signed him last July as an international free agent. In one start in the Dominican Summer League, Morel allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts across 3 1/3 innings.

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Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that the Nationals are close to acquiring reliever Kelvin Herrera from the Royals. Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post says three minor leaguers are going from the Nats to the Royals.

Herrera, 28, has been outstanding for the last-place Royals. He owns a 1.05 ERA with 14 saves and a 22/2 K/BB ratio in 25 2/3 innings. Herrera is a free agent after the season, so this is effectively a rental for the Nationals, who are three games behind the Braves for first place in the NL East.

Herrera will help bolster the Nats’ bullpen behind closer Sean Doolittle, who has 17 saves and a 1.52 ERA. It’s not known yet how the Nationals will handle the closer’s role with Herrera in the mix. One would imagine Herrera slides into the set-up role behind Doolittle.