Drugs Are Bad, MmmKay? And Other MLBullets

The latest from around MLB...

• Thanks in no small part to the Ryan Braun fiasco, MLB and the MLB Players Association have agreed to a number of modifications to their joint drug agreement. Among the changes: (1) changes to the collections process and the appeals process (these two are directly aimed at avoiding the Ryan Braun situation), (2) players who are suspended for violating the Program prior to the All-Star Break (including during Spring Training and the preceding off-season) ineligible to be elected or selected for the All-Star Game, and (my favorite) (3) permitting public announcement of the specific substance that resulted in a player's positive test result or discipline. There are a number of other procedural changes, including formal implementation of HGH testing, which we've known was coming since the new CBA was revealed, but those are the big three.

• Because of an injury to starter Eric Stults, former Cub Andrew Cashner is going to get a chance to return to the starting rotation. He'll start tomorrow for the Padres, though he'll likely go only three innings or so, since he's been in the bullpen all year and is not stretched out. But this could be the beginning of a transition back to the rotation, where he would have been all of last year if not for twin shoulder injuries.
• Rangers lefty Derek Holland is headed to the disabled list with the scarey "shoulder fatigue" designation. A little while ago, Holland suffered from a stomach virus that cost him 20 pounds, so it's possible that the fatigue really is just fatigue. But anytime shoulder weakness pops up, you get nervous.
• Aroldis Chapman, who's been having an insanely good season in the midst of some insanely weird off-the-field stuff, finally gave up his first earned run of the season. On June 7.
• Grady Sizemore still might not be within a month of returning from back surgery. The Indians have been playing well this year, so Sizemore's return could have been a nice injection of energy, but they'll have to continue to wait, as is often the case with Sizemore.
• As you might have expected, superagent Scott Boras is pretty displeased with the way the Draft went under the new CBA. "There was all forms of artificial behavior in the draft,'' Boras told USA TODAY Sports. "The purpose of the draft is that it's supposed to create parity in the game. You want teams with the greatest needs to get the best available talent. That has not been achieved in this draft. It's created a mockery.''
• Speaking of the Draft, the Astros have signed the top overall pick, high school shortstop Carlos Correa, for something in the range of $4.8 to $5 million, considerably below the $7.2 million slot value. That should allow them to pony up for some of the more aggressive picks they made later in the Draft. Rookie GM Jeff Luhnow continues to impress.

Brett Taylor is the Lead Writer at Bleacher Nation, and a Contributor here at Bleed Cubbie Blue.