Top News:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Teixeira expected in lineup on Sunday — ST. PETERSBURG — First baseman Mark Teixeira played three innings in a Minor League game on Thursday at the team's complex in Tampa, Fla., and is expected to return to the big league lineup on Sunday against the Rays. — “He had a really good day,” manager Joe Girardi said.
Discussion:
SI Wire, HardballTalk and CBSSports.com
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves-Phillies rainout makeup date announced — NEW YORK — The Braves-Phillies game that was rained out Tuesday in Philadelphia will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on June 28, with start times of 2:05 p.m. and 7:35 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park. — The makeup game will turn …
Discussion:
Talking Chop
MLB.com:
Bryce Harper travels back in time in new “For the Love of Baseball” TV spot — Celebrating his “throwback” style of play, the latest spot from Major League Baseball's “For the Love of Baseball” campaign sees Washington Nationals All-Star outfielder Bryce Harper traveling through time …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Scott Eden / ESPN:
MLB: Puig's journey from Cuba — With Puig was Yunior Despaigne, then 24. A former national-level Cuban boxer and a friend of Puig's from their teens, Despaigne had spent the previous year recruiting Puig to defect, under the direction of a Cuban-born resident of Miami named Raul Pacheco.
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USA Today, NESN.com, baseballmusings.com, SI Wire and HardballTalk
Albert Chen / Sports Illustrated:
Ranking the 10 best pitching rotations in MLB this season — Fresh off his first Cy Young, Max Scherzer leads a strong Detroit rotation into the 2014 season. — DETROIT — Max Scherzer had a good offseason. He collected his Cy Young Award; married his college sweetheart, Erica May …
Discussion:
The Strike Zone
Ryan Lawrence / Philly.com:
Cole Hamels poised to return to rotation — In the last 2 days, the Phillies have watched the two pitchers atop their rotation post two of the team's top pitching performances of the young season. Cole Hamels looks plenty ready to join the party. — In what was very likely …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and CBSSports.com
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Nathan records save; dead arm feels ‘livelier’ — DETROIT — When Joe Nathan talked about dead arm last week, he also talked about how quickly it can come back to life. That resuscitation seems to have started. — “Today was more how I felt, being able to finish,” Nathan said Thursday …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Jeremy Jeffress Elects Free Agency — FRIDAY: The White Sox, Brewers and Cardinals are three of the teams interested in Jeffress, TSN's Scott MacArthur reports. Conversely, MLBDailyDish.com's Chris Cotillo (Twitter links) hears from a source that that the Cards aren't in the hunt but Jeffress' …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball, HardballTalk, Bluebird Banter and Al's Ramblings
Canadian Press:
Shields strikes out 12 for first win; Royals sweep Astros — HOUSTON - James Shields struck out 12 in eight innings and the Kansas City Royals completed a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros with a 5-1 win on Thursday night. — Shields (1-2) gave up one run and four hits, all singles.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Rob Neyer / Fox Sports:
Rational behavior: Why system is rigged against young pitchers — Usually when it seems like there's a rash of something, it just seems like it. — All these elbow injuries lately, though? It's an actual rash. In recent seasons, top high school pitching prospects have essentially …
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Canadian Press:
Ryu leads Dodgers past Giants to avoid series sweep — SAN FRANCISCO — Hyun-Jin Ryu stretched his road scoreless streak to 26 innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 Thursday to avoid a sweep. — Ryu (3-1) struck out three and walked one on a season-high 112 pitches …
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RELATED:
Associated Press:
Sizemore's scoop caps Yankees' triple play — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Sean Rodriguez of the Tampa Bay Rays has grounded into a triple play for the second time in his career. — The Rays had runners on first and second in the second inning Thursday night against the Yankees.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley and ESPN
Sports Illustrated:
Duke's freshman forward Jabari Parker sits down with Sports Illustrated's Jeff Benedict to make his decision whether to stay in school or declare for the NBA draft. — After losing in the NCAA tournament, I needed to clear my mind. I was incredibly disappointed and blamed myself.
Discussion:
SI Wire, One And One, Bleacher Report, JSOnline, The Big Lead and NESN.com