Lookout Linkage, 8/31/14

Here's the latest from all around Major League Baseball:

• The Mariners have agreed to a deal with 16-year-old shortstop Christopher Torres.
• The M's have announced the names of players they will send to the Arizona Fall League.
• Here's the latest on the Brady Aiken saga.
• The Oakland A's are working towards drawing up some designs for a possible new ballpark.
• The Rangers have activated Derek Holland from the DL.
• Jeff Passan at Yahoo! Sports thinks Yu Davish is wise to be so cautious about his sore elbow.
• The Braves' Jonny Venters will have his third Tommy John Surgery.
• Masahiro Tanaka has been shut down due to elbow soreness.
• Rusney Castillo will report to his first minor league game today.
• The Orioles and Nelson Cruz might be working on hammering out a contract extension soon.
• Cubs fans are certainly enjoying their first taste of Jorge Soler and the power he brings to the lineup.
• Marc Mormandin discusses the Cubs and how well they've done so far in their latest attempt to rebuild.
• Tony Blengino of Fangraphs talks about a possible surprise AL MVP candidate.
• Jeff Zimmerman of Fangraphs looks at how outfield defensive numbers might have impacted Alex Gordon's rise to the top this season.
• Bill Petti discusses the value of consistency in baseball.