NL CENTRAL NEWS AND NOTES

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Just when the Pirates had put themselves back into contention, they lost two members of their lineup in the same day.

First baseman Josh Bell (strained muscle in left side) and left fielder Corey Dickerson (left hamstring) were placed on the disabled list July 28. The Pirates hoped both could return after spending the minimum 10 days on the DL.

Bell is hitting .266, and Dickerson has a .318 batting average and 11 homers after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays during spring training.

Jose Osuna, David Freese and Sean Rodriguez will see action at first base while Bell is out. Rookies Austin Meadows and Jordan Luplow will cover in left field for Dickerson.

❚ Right-hander Trevor Williams beat two of the best pitchers in the majors, the Cleveland Indians’ Corey Kluber on July 23 and the Mets’ Jacob deGrom five days later. He pitched six scoreless innings in both starts, running his scoreless streak to 17 innings.

CHICAGO CUBS

The Cubs are hoping a rise in the standings can help Cole Hamels elevate his performance.

The Cubs acquired the veteran left-hander from the Texas Rangers on July 27 in a trade for right-hander Eddie Butler, a minor leaguer and a player to be named. Hamels goes from a team that was in last place to one competing with the Milwaukee Brewers for its third consecutive National League Central title.

Texas also sent the Cubs $2,862,903 to cover a portion of the $7,862,903 remaining in Hamels’ $22.5 million salary this year.

Hamels, who was scheduled to make his Cubs debut Aug. 1, was 5-9 with a 4.72 ERA in 20 starts with Texas, including 1-3 with an 11.12 ERA in four games in July.

He said he was a Cubs fan while growing up in Southern California and added, “This was a place I always wanted to play.”

❚ Third baseman Kris Bryant was placed on the disabled list because of left shoulder soreness for the second time in a little more than a month. The move was retroactive to July 24.

CINCINNATI REDS

Jesse Winker’s fine rookie season ended abruptly.

The right fielder was placed on the disabled list July 24 because of a right shoulder injury that required surgery. Winker is expected to be healed by the start of spring training.

The 24-year-old batted .299 with seven home runs in 89 games. Winker also had a .405 on-base percentage thanks to 49 walks in 334 plate appearances.

The Reds selected Winker in the supplemental first round of the 2012 draft. He made his major league debut last season, hitting .298 with seven homers and 15 RBI in 47 games.

Another rookie, Phil Ervin, will get a chance to be the everyday right fielder. Ervin, the Reds’ first-round draft pick in 2013, was hitting .289 with five homers and 10 stolen bases in 49 games with Class AAA Louisville (Kentucky).

❚ Third baseman Eugenio Suarez tied the franchise record by hitting a home run in five consecutive games July 23-27. That raised Suarez’s season homer total to 24, and he was hitting .298 with an NL-high 80 RBI through July 29.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Mike Moustakas won a World Series with the Kansas City Royals in 2015. Now the third baseman will try to do the same with the Brewers.

Moustakas was acquired from the Royals in a trade on July 27 for right-handed reliever Jorge Lopez and outfielder Brett Phillips.

Moustakas hit .249 with 20 home runs in 98 games with the Royals this season.

❚ Third baseman Travis Shaw became the second baseman following the acquisition of Moustakas. When Shaw started at second July 28, it marked the first time he had played the position in his eight-year professional career. The Brewers wanted to find a way to keep his bat in the lineup.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

The Cardinals remade their bullpen on the fly.

On July 27, they traded righthander Sam Tuivailala to the Seattle Mariners for a minor leaguer and designated lefty Tyler Lyons and righty Greg Holland for assignment.

The next day, the Cardinals acquired left-hander Chasen Shreve and right-hander Giovanny Gallegos from the New York Yankees in a deal for first baseman Luke Voit and international signing bonus pool money. Gallegos was assigned to Class AAA Memphis (Tennessee).

Holland was signed to a one year, $14 million contract as a free agent on opening day but had a 7.92 ERA in 32 games. He led the NL with 41 saves last season for the Colorado Rockies.

❚ Right-handed reliever Seth Elledge, acquired from the Mariners for Tuivailala, was assigned to Class AA Springfield (Missouri). He was 5-1 with a 1.17 ERA and nine saves in 31 games for high Class A Modesto (California).

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

MATT CARPENTER, CARDINALS: The third baseman is on the way to having the best season of his eight-year career — he was hitting .272 with 31 doubles and 25 home runs through 100 games. Carpenter’s career high for homers is 28 in 2015, and the 32-year-old has a good chance of becoming the first Cardinals left-handed hitter to belt 30 in a season since Jim Edmonds had 42 in 2004.