The 2019 draft is over and the All-Star break is a mere four weeks away. Make sure you get your votes in. As usual, Friday brings us a full 15-game slate of big league action. Here's what you need to know going into Friday's contests:

• The Rays and Red Sox began a four games in three days weekend series at Fenway Park. (They have a doubleheader Saturday.) Boston had won four straight games coming in.

• The Rangers and Athletics are separated by two games in the standings and they opened a four-games-in-three-days series Friday night. (They also have a doubleheader Saturday.) Texas is entering an important stretch of the season.

• Didi Gregorius is back. The Yankees shortstop has not played this season after having Tommy John surgery last October. He's been activated off the injured list and played in Friday night's series opener in Cleveland.

Select games can be streamed regionally via fuboTV (Try for free). For more on what channel each game is on, click here.

Who wins every MLB game? And what underdogs can give you a huge victory tonight? Visit SportsLine now to see the exact score of every MLB game, plus get full player stat projections, all from the model that simulates every game 10,000 times.

Baseball schedule/scores for Friday, June 7

Chirinos dominates BoSox as Rays take opener of big series

The Red Sox were hoping to win their fifth game in a row on Friday night, but instead the Rays, behind starter Yonny Chirinos, suffocated the Boston lineup and took the opener of this key AL East series. Check out Chirinos' night: 

player headshot
Yonny Chirinos
MIA • RP • #26
vs. BOS, 6/7/19
IP8
H2
R0
SO6
BB2
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With that effort, Chirinos lowered his 2019 ERA to 2.87 with 55 strikeouts against 13 walks in 69 innings. On offense, Ji-Man Choi and Kevin Kiermaier each homered. 

That win in tandem with the Yankees' loss means the Rays are now just a half-game out of first place. Coming in the Rays this season had been just 4-7 against the Yankees and Red Sox. 

The Bruce is loose in Philly

The Phillies not long ago acquired veteran outfielder Jay Bruce from the Mariners, and the plan was to use him as a platoon guy. Unfortunately, Andrew McCutchen tore his ACL, and that pressed Bruce into full-time duty. Bruce is certainly a capable and established hitter, so you can do much worse when it comes to fallback plans. Since arriving in Philly, though, Bruce has been much better than that. 

Here's Bruce on Friday putting the Phillies ahead of the visiting Reds in the fifth inning: 

That was Bruce's fourth home run in as many games with the Phillies, and according to Elias he's the first Phillies player in the modern era to hit four homers in his first four games with the club. There's more: 

Counting his time with the Mariners, Bruce on the season is now batting .235/.298/.609 with 18 home runs. He hasn't been much of an on-base threat thus far, but the power outputs have been among the game's best. The Phillies no doubt are hoping Bruce can keep it going.

Baez hits third homer in June, Hamels shuts down Cardinals

May was not too kind to Javier Baez. While dealing with a nagging heel issue, Baez went 8 for 42 (.190) with 19 strikeouts in his final 12 games of the month. He's been on a tear in June though, going 7 for 20 (.450) with two homers in five games.

Thursday afternoon, Baez made it three homers in six games. His first-inning opposite field shot against Miles Mikolas gave the Cubbies an early 2-0 lead in their series opener with the Cardinals.

Baez came into the weekend 4 for 19 (.211) with one home run and seven strikeouts in five games against the Cardinals this season. He didn't wait too long to make his presence felt this weekend though. Baez's two-run home run stood up because Cole Hamels was on point. He struck out 10 in eight shutout innings.

player headshot
Cole Hamels
SD • SP
June 7 vs. Cardinals
IP8
H3
R0
BB1
K10
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Hamels threw 99 pitches and was not sent out for the ninth inning. His last shutout was his no-hitter against the Cubs at Wrigley Field in July 2015. That was back when he was still with the Phillies. Hamels now owns a 3.24 ERA on the season. He's been fantastic and is setting himself up for a nice free-agent payday after the season.

The Cubs have won four of seven meetings with the Cardinals this season. Weirdly, the home team has won every game. The Cubs swept a three-game set in Chicago in early May and the Cardinals swept three games at Busch Stadium last weekend. Now the Cubs have opened this series at Wrigley Field with a win.

Cleveland tops Yanks in Gregorius' return

Zach Plesac pitched seven strong innings (his ERA for the season is now 1.86 after three starts) and picked up his first career win, and Carlos Santana and Tyler Naquin each homered as the Indians topped the Yankees moved back above .500 for the season. 

For the defeated Yankees, the story was the return of shortstop Didi Gregorius, who appeared in the majors for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. Gregorius wound up going 2 for 4 with a pair of singles. Here's his first time up in 2019: 

Hey, focus on the positive: That's a well struck base hit. From 2017-18, Gregorius averaged 32 home runs per 162 games played while providing solid fielding at short. His return will no doubt help the first-place Yankees, who are gradually getting healthier. 

So what's his secret to such a successful return? Well: 

Sir Didi's eighty-eight keys to a swift recovery!

Acuña hits revenge homer

On Friday night in Miami, the Braves opposed the Marlins and starting pitcher Jose Ureña. That's significant because Ureña last season drilled Braves young phenom Ronald Acuña with the first pitch of his Aug. 16 start. Although Ureña of course denied intent, he was eventually dinged with a suspension by MLB for his actions. The reasonable suspicion is that Ureña threw at Acuña simply because he'd been ritually abusing the Marlins. 

In a sense, the issue was laid to rest when Acuña's teammate Kevin Gausman was ejected back in May for throwing behind Ureña. All that was left was for Acuña himself to get a little revenge. That happened on Friday evening. 

Click here to read more about Acuña's night. 

Quick hits

  • The Cubs officially announced the RHP Craig Kimbrel signing and introduced him at a press conference at Wrigley Field on Friday morning.
  • After missing out on LHP Dallas Keuchel, the Yankees will have to turn to the trade market for rotation help. Here are some potential targets for the trade deadline. More names will of course surface in the coming weeks.
  • The Rangers are entering a difficult and important stretch of their schedule. They'll play 21 games in 20 days, many of them against contenders. These next three weeks could determine whether the team buys or sells at the trade deadline.
  • Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas exited Friday's game after taking a line drive to his pitching arm in the fourth inning. The team announced he has a contusion. Chances are the Cardinals will send their Opening Day starter for X-rays.
  • The Blue Jays recently signed GM Ross Atkins to an extension through at least 2020, reports Sportsnet. The exact contract terms are unknown. Atkins spent 15 years with the Indians before joining the Blue Jays in 2016.
  • The Yankees activated SS Didi Gregorius (Tommy John surgery) off the injured list, the team announced. IF Thairo Estrada was sent down and SS Troy Tulowitzki was transferred to the 60-day injured lists in corresponding moves.
  • The Rockies activated OF Charlie Blackmon (calf) and RHP Wade Davis (oblique) off the injured list, the club announced. IF Garrett Hampson was sent to Triple-A and LHP Chris Rusin was designated for assignment in corresponding moves.
  • Phillies RHP Seranthony Dominguez has an ulnar collateral ligament injury and may need Tommy John surgery, reports MLB.com. He is still weighing his options. Dominguez exited a game with elbow soreness earlier this week.
  • Cardinals C Yadier Molina (thumb) is not yet ready to return, reports Fox Sports Midwest. He is eligible to be activated Saturday, though there is no timetable for his return. Molina has been dealing with lingering thumb issue.
  • The Mariners placed OF Mitch Haniger on the 10-day injured list with a ruptured testicle, the team announced. It's unclear how long he will be sidelined. RHP Taylor Scott was called up to fill the roster spot.
  • The Red Sox activated 1B Mitch Moreland off the 10-day injured list, the team announced. Moreland missed roughly two weeks with a back problem. RHP Ryan Weber was optioned to Triple-A to clear a roster spot.
  • The Marlins placed LHP Caleb Smith on the 10-day injured list with hip inflammation, the club announced. The issue has been nagging him for a few days now. RHP Tyler Kinley was called up in a corresponding move.
  • The Twins activated RHP Michael Pineda (knee) off the injured list, the club announced. Pineda missed the minimum 10 days with tendinitis. LHP Devin Smeltzer was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.
  • The Orioles have placed OF Dwight Smith Jr. on the 7-day concussion injured list, the team announced. He crashed into the outfield fence making a catch Thursday. OF Anthony Santander has been called up in a corresponding move.
  • The Rangers acquired C Tim Federowicz from the Indians for cash or a player to be named later, the team announced. He was added to their MLB roster. UTIL Isiah Kiner-Falefa was placed on the injured list with a finger injury.