German_Force » consummation of

A look at what’s happening around the majors Thursday:

MIDSUMMER SKID

The Nationals open a series against Miami hoping to end a five-game skid and get back to .500. Washington fell to 42-43 with a loss to Boston on Wednesday Ryan Jensen Color Rush Jersey , the first time the preseason NL East favorites have been under .500 this late in the year since being 60-61 on Aug. 21, 2015. The Nationals held a players’ only meeting after a 3-0 loss to the Red Sox highlighted by Adam Eaton’s throwing error and a wild pitch from Ryan Madson. Jeremy Hellickson (2-1, 2.63) makes his second start since returning from the DL, while Marlins righty Pablo Lopez (1-0, 3.00) makes his second MLB start.

NOT VERY VERLANDER

Justin Verlander (9-4, 2.12) tries to stop a personal slide when the Astros open a series against the White Sox. Verlander has allowed nine runs in 11 2/3 innings over his past two starts, taking losses to Toronto (four runs) and Tampa Bay (five runs). Verlander hasn’t allowed four or more earned runs in three straight starts since June 2014 while with Detroit. Carlos Rodon (1-3, 4.55) is up for Chicago.

CUETO’S BACK

Johnny Cueto is expected to be reinstated from the disabled list and pitch when the Giants open a four-game series against the Cardinals. Cueto was placed on the disabled list May 1 with inflammation in his right elbow. A few days later, he visited Dr. James Andrews, who diagnosed him with a strained elbow. Cueto is 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA in five starts this season. The Giants are 41-21 in his starts since he joined the team in 2016.

PITCHING IN

Angels rookie Jaime Barria will start against AL West-leading Seattle in place of Tyler Skaggs a day after the left-hander went on the DL with a thigh strain. Barria is making his 12th start of the season and has given up two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. Lefty Marco Gonzales (8-5, 3.77) makes his first start since pitching the first complete game of his career in a 4-1 win over Kansas City.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Joe Mauer needs one double to give him 415 in his career, which would break a tie with Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett for the Twins’ franchise record. Minnesota has lost six straight and returns home from a 1-8 trip to play Baltimore, which has the worst record in the majors at 24-61. More good news for the scuffling Twins: Two-time All-Star Ervin Santana (right middle finger surgery) is scheduled to make his next rehab appearance for Class A Fort Myers.

—

The Minnesota Vikings have secured yet another core player with a long-term contract Blake Martinez Jersey Youth , signing wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a five-year extension and moving the star of the "Minneapolis Miracle" pass into the NFL's top 10 highest-paid players at his position.

Diggs has yet to post a 1,000-yard or 100-catch season, but his ability was on full display when he turned a sideline catch into a 61-yard touchdown as time ran out to lift the Vikings to victory over New Orleans in last season's playoffs. He formed a prolific tandem with Adam Thielen last year, helping Case Keenum stabilize the passing game after Sam Bradford was injured, and over his first three seasons has been one of the biggest steals of the 2015 draft.

"I love it here. I truly do, and I'm just happy I'll be here for a while now," Diggs said after practice Tuesday. "That's why I want to play for them for selecting me in the fifth round. It was a bumpy road that day, and I just remember getting a call, and they gave me a chance. They believed in me, and they won, and going forward they pushed me to be where I am now."

Now the Vikings have a new quarterback in Kirk Cousins, who was elated by the news that Diggs is under contract through 2023.

"What I most like is he loves football and loves to come and work, because as a quarterback it can be miserable if you're out here with someone who is here to just get a paycheck and leave Ed Dickson Color Rush Jersey ," Cousins said. "He wants to work."

The Vikings offense was at the new practice facility on Monday night past 9 p.m. working on playbook installation.

"I've been a part of some locker rooms where by 9 o'clock, some of your guys are sleeping in the back row, not taking notes, not paying attention. They're basically checked out, texting or whatever," Cousins said. "That's not him. That's not these guys."

The new deal is valued at $72 million plus an additional $9 million in possible incentives, according to a person with knowledge of the contract who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the details. Diggs, who will play the final season of his rookie deal for the original base salary of slightly more than $1.9 million, received a $15 million signing bonus.

"He's been a good person off the field. He's been a good person on the field as far as that," head coach Mike Zimmer said. "When he messes up, he knows. One time I had him in my office, and I asked him ... a question, and he said Kenny Young Jersey Ravens , 'Now, coach, you know you knew the answer when you asked the question.' He's a smart guy."

Since Cousins signed his fully guaranteed $84 million contract in March, the Vikings have signed linebacker Eric Kendricks, defensive end Danielle Hunter and now Diggs to multi-year deals. The Vikings now have Cousins, Diggs, Thielen, running back Dalvin Cook, left tackle Riley Reiff, right guard Mike Remmers and center Pat Elflein all under team control through at least the 2020 season. On defense, the same goes for Hunter, Kendricks, defensive end Everson Griffen Youth Rick Leonard Jersey , defensive tackle Linval Joseph, cornerback Xavier Rhodes and safety Harrison Smith. That's a lot of star power to squeeze under the salary cap, with linebacker Anthony Barr the only prominent player with an expiring contract this year.

"Continuity, to me, is very important, and it's not a luxury we have in the NFL these days," Cousins said. "There is a lot of change year in and year out, so I've come to expect that and understand you can't use that as an excuse."

Diggs has come a long way since his father, Aron Diggs, died of heart failure in 2008. He told his son in his final months to make sure to look after his mother and two brothers, and for Diggs this new deal was the consummation of that directive.

"I'm happy that I can look at my mom and smile and tell her that everything is going to be OK," Diggs said. "I'm just very thankful for everybody involved."

.