Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks activated outfielder Corbin Carroll from the 10-day injured list before Saturday’s game against the Royals. Carroll, sidelined since June 18 with a chip fracture in his left wrist, returned to his customary leadoff spot and was starting in right field against the Royals. He was injured when he was hit by a pitch thrown by the Blue Jays’ Justin Bruhl. Carroll said before Saturday’s game that his wrist felt better the last couple of days and he played in a minor league game on Friday in the Arizona Complex League to test it out. The 2023 National League Rookie of the Year has 20 home runs, a major league leading nine triples and a .255 batting average this season. To make room for Carroll on the roster, the Diamondbacks optioned utilityman Tim Tawa to Triple-A Reno.

Astros, Dodgers: Jose Altuve homered twice while reaching base five times and driving in five runs, and the Astros routed the Dodgers 18-1 on Friday night in the series opener of a matchup between division leaders. The defending World Series champion Dodgers were held to five hits and Will Smith’s solo homer in the team’s worst loss in Dodger Stadium history. The AL West-leading Astros scored 10 runs in the sixth, highlighted by Victor Caratini’s grand slam and Altuve’s three-run shot. It was the most runs given up in an inning by the Dodgers since April 23, 1999, when they allowed 11 to the Cardinals. The Astros’ Lance McCullers Jr. (2-3) allowed one run and four hits in six innings of his second start since returning from a sprained right foot. He struck out four. Isaac Paredes hit his first career leadoff homer on the first pitch of the game from rookie Ben Casparius. Altuve doubled and scored on Walker’s RBI single for a 2-0 lead. Jake Meyers doubled beading off the third and scored on Altuve’s 14th homer. Rookie Cam Smith doubled and scored on Walker’s 417-foot shot halfway up the left-field pavilion to cap four straight hits given up by Casparius and extend the Astros’ lead to 6-1. The Astros broke it open in the sixth. Smith had a bases-loaded RBI single, reliever Noah Davis hit Walker with two strikes to force in a run and Caratin hit his grand slam came with no outs. Meyers added an RBI single and Altuve hit his second homer of the night. Caparius allowed six runs and nine hits in three innings and struck out three. Dodgers fans relentlessly booed Altuve throughout his at-bats, chanting “Cheater! Cheater!” He’s one of two players, along with McCullers, remaining from the Astros’ 2017 team that beat the Dodgers in the World Series.

Guardians: Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas left during the sixth inning of Friday night’s game against the Tigers due to mild plantar fascia symptoms with his right foot. Thomas missed 11 games in late May and early June because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He is batting .160 this season and .197 (13 for 66) since coming off the injured list on June 9. He does have four homers in his last 10 games.

Mariners: On the spot, Cal Raleigh compiled a laundry list of players he would consider for a Mount Rushmore of Mariners following their 6-0 victory over the Pirates on Friday. Ichiro was one of the first names off the board, followed by the likes of stud starting pitchers Felix Hernandez and Randy Johnson. When identifying who is the face of the Mariners, though, Raleigh immediately landed on Ken Griffey Jr., who he tied for the franchise record for home runs before the All-Star break with 35 with a pair of blasts.