The Colorado Rockies have sent opening-day starter Jon Gray down to the minors, optioning the right-hander to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Gray was 7-7 with a 5.77 ERA over 17 starts this season, but has particularly struggled since May 13 while posting a 7.25 ERA in his last nine outings. The Rockies replaced him on the roster Saturday with outfielder Raimel Tapia, who was batting .308 with 10 home runs and 48 RBI at Albuquerque.

Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire on Friday defended the decision to fire pitching coach Chris Bosio for what the team called insensitive comments toward a clubhouse attendant.

"I think this has been a reality check for everybody that hey, we're not going to stand for this anymore," Gardenhire told reporters Friday. "We've got to get this out of lives and our systems and treat each other with respect.

"This has been going on and it's probably overdue and it needs to be pushed even harder. This is why the Tigers did what they've had to do, which is very important."

Tim Tebow was named to the Eastern League All-Star roster Friday.

Tebow is an outfielder for the New York Mets' Double-A affiliate Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

Rookie Walker Buehler, the Dodgers' top prospect, has been optioned to the minor leagues after struggling in a relief appearance.

The team says Buehler was sent to Class A Rancho Cucamonga before Friday night's game against Colorado.

Yu Darvish has a new diagnosis on his injury: It's a right elbow impingement and inflammation.

Darvish went to Texas to get another opinion on the sore triceps muscle that flared up again in a bullpen session Thursday. Following the Cubs' win over Minnesota on Friday, team spokesman Peter Chase confirmed the right-hander had consulted with Dr. Keith Meister, an orthopedic surgeon who is one of the Rangers' team physicians.

During the visit, Darvish got a cortisone shot in the area. Chase said the injection would take three to five days "to settle in."

The New York Yankees sent a scout to watch Michael Fulmer pitch Thursday afternoon against the Oakland Athletics.

New York is looking to add pitching before the trade deadline. They have also shown interest in the New York Mets' Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.

"… I'll stay engaged with the Mets as well as every other club and see where it takes us," Brian Cashman said. "I don't think I'll have any dialogue with the Boston Red Sox. I'll take them off the call list. But other than that, we'll be very busy trying to improve ourselves."

The trade market for Manny Machado is heating up once again and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies are the most aggressive suitors at this point, according to a source.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs are also contenders to acquire Machado from the Baltimore Orioles.

It remains unlikely that Machado is dealt until closer to the July 31 non-waiver deadline. He is also headed for free agency, which complicates the cost of acquiring him for what could be just a half-season.

The Texas Rangers are progressing in trade talks involving Cole Hamels and may move him before the All-Star break, according to a report.

The Rangers have discussed Hamels with the Seattle Mariners but no deal is close, according to sources.

Hamels is 4-6 with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in 16 starts this season. He is in the final year of a six-year, $144 million contract which includes a $20 million club option for 2019 with a $6 million buyout.

The left-hander also has a partial no-trade clause that allows him to block a trade with 20 teams, although he may be willing to waive it in order to join a contender.

Chris Bosio says the Detroit Tigers fired him over a misunderstanding and that he will explore potential legal action against the organization.

The former pitching coach was fired earlier this week for using what the team called insensitive comments toward a club employee.

"I'm crushed," Bosio said. "I'm absolutely crushed. I still can't believe it's gotten to this point."

Bosio explained his side of the story to USA Today. He says he used the word "monkey" to describe pitcher Daniel Stumpf, who is white. However, Bosio said a clubhouse attendant who is African-American overheard what he said and thought Bosio was talking about him.

"Someone in our coaches' room asked me [Monday afternoon] about Stumpf," Bosio said. "And I said, "Oh, you mean 'Spider Monkey.' That's his nickname. He's a skinny little white kid who makes all of these funny faces when he works out.

"The kid [clubhouse attendant] thought we were talking about him. He got all upset. He assumed we were talking about him. I said, 'No, no, no. We're talking about Stumpf.'

"And that was it. I swear on my mom and dad's graves, there was nothing else to it."

The Boston Red Sox have acquired Steve Pearce in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Boston will send minor league infielder Santiago Espinal to Toronto for Pearce and cash considerations.

Alex Cora said the Red Sox are adding a strong batter they can use against left-handed pitching.

"It's one more weapon that we have. We got better tonight," Cora said. "It's good to have him."