NL EAST NEWS AND NOTES

ATLANTA BRAVES

While the Braves could use help at third base, they weren’t a big player for Manny Machado before the Baltimore Orioles traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the All-Star break.

One reason could be that Machado has declared his preference for playing shortstop. A bigger reason is the Braves’ reluctance to spend big for pending free agents at this stage of the team’s development.

Anthopoulos also told the newspaper that the Braves’ strong first half has increased the pressure on him and his staff to provide upgrades before the trade deadline.

❚ The Braves began the second half without closer Arodys Vizcaino, who went on the disabled list July 14 because of a sore shoulder. Manager Brian Snitker said rookie A.J. Minter will be the primary closer in Vizcaino’s absence.

MIAMI MARLINS

While the Marlins have said repeatedly that they’re not eager to trade catcher J.T. Realmuto, that hasn’t stopped people from talking about it. And it didn’t stop people from asking Realmuto about it as he made his first All-Star appearance.

Realmuto’s .307 batting average and .886 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) through July 22 were both tops among major league catchers. At 27, he’s still young enough to be part of a Marlins rebuild.

❚ The Marlins originally hoped center fielder Lewis Brinson would return from the disabled list right after the All-Star break. But Brinson’s right hip bone bruise didn’t heal as fast as expected, and the 24year-old rookie still hadn’t resumed baseball activity.

NEW YORK METS

Yoenis Cespedes came off the disabled list July 20, played for the first time since May 13 and hit a home run. But after the game he said he has problems in both heels that will require major surgery and would sideline him for 8-10 months.

Cespedes was out of the lineup the next day, but the Mets front office refused to comment on the heel issue, on why Cespedes was allowed to return when he wasn’t healthy or why he isn’t having the surgery now. “We thought his heels were in a really good spot coming in, or we wouldn’t have activated him,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “He was good to go.”

Meanwhile, the Mets had little to say after Jacob deGrom’s agent said at the All-Star Game that he believes the team should either sign deGrom to a longterm contract or strongly consider trading him.

The club got more bad news when right-hander Noah Syndergaard had to go back on the disabled list, this time because he was diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease.

❚ So much for any thought of Tim Tebow getting called up to the Mets this season. Tebow, who was hitting .340 in July in Class AA, broke the hamate bone in his right hand and was scheduled to undergo surgery July 24. He was expected to be out 6-8 weeks.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Phillies admit they tried hard to trade for Manny Machado before the Baltimore Orioles sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. General Manager Matt Klentak said he prefers not to chase players who will be free agents after the season, but Machado was a special case.

Watching Machado go to the Dodgers wasn’t a worst-case scenario for the Phillies, who long have had high regard for Machado and likely will try to sign him this winter. The Dodgers will have shortstop Corey Seager returning from injury and seem to regard Machado as a short-term solution.

The Phillies need an infield bat (Machado would have been perfect, but someone like Mike Moustakas or Eduardo Escobar would do) and bullpen help.

❚ While plenty of sluggers turn down the Home Run Derby or do it just once, Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins came out of the event saying he’d love to do it again. “Too cool an opportunity to turn down if I was ever asked again,” he said.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The second half was supposed to be better for the Nationals, and one reason was the return of Stephen Strasburg from the disabled list.

Then the right-hander started the first game after the All-Star break and allowed six runs in 4 2 / 3 innings as the Nats lost to Atlanta to fall back under .500.

On top of that, Strasburg got in a heated discussion with teammate Max Scherzer after leaving the game, and manager

Dave Martinez had a 20-minute meeting with the two.

❚ An MRI revealed that closer Sean Doolittle ’s toe injury is actually a stress fracture, and he is expected to be out a few more weeks.

THIS WEEKS PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

BRYCE HARPER, NATIONALS: If Harper’s first half raised more questions about a 25-year-old star who is headed for free agency after the season, his impressive win in his hometown Home Run Derby reminded everyone of his talent. The Nationals hope it also spurs Harper to a big second half after he hit .214 (albeit with 23 home runs, 54 RBI and a league-leading 78 walks) before the break.