By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Here we go again. Just when things were looking up for him, the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun had to leave Wednesday’s 8-4 loss to the visiting Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning after injury his rib cage on this play. He was 0-for-2 before coming out for a pinch hitter in the fifth.

I wouldn’t be totally shocked if Braun was DL- bound…again. In the meantime, this food for thought: should the Brewers (68-55) retire his number 8 when the time comes? Personally, I think that’s a tad premature.

Alex Bregman hit his 38th double in four at-bats, scoring one run and driving in another on a sacrifice fly as the Houston Astros (74-47) beat up the visiting  Colorado Rockies, 12-1. With 74 ribbies, he has a legitimate shot at 100.

Kevin Pillar was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a walk, and drove in the first two runs — one in the second inning and another in the fourth — as the Toronto Blue Jays (55-65) beat the host KC Royals, 6-5. Hard to believe, but Pillar is currently the longest-serving player on his team.

Joc Pederson drove in a run the first fun of the game on a pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the sixth inning as the LA Dodgers beat the visiting San Fransisco Giants, 4-3, in 12 innings.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (66-53) beat the visiting Boston Red Sox (86-36), 7-4. Look for the Sox to activate Ian Kinsler from the DL tomorrow.

Robert Stock did not appear for the San Diego Padres (48-75) in their 3-2 loss to the visiting LA Angels.

Five days after designating him for assignment, the Baltimore Orioles released Danny Valencia, making him a free agent. At least two sources suggest the Yankees should snatch him up quickly.

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Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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