Top News:
Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:
Blue Jays add to villainous reputation in loss to Braves — ATLANTA — Whatever happened when Kevin Pillar struck out in the top of the seventh inning of the latest unsightly Blue Jays loss to the Atlanta Braves, he was quick to apologize. — And if teammate Jose Bautista offended anybody …
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports, The Guardian, Fox Sports, MLB Daily Dish, FanRag Sports, Talking Chop and Bluebird Banter
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Kevin Pillar / ESPN:
Blue Jays suspend Kevin Pillar 2 games for anti-gay slur — The Toronto Blue Jays have suspended outfielder Kevin Pillar two games for using an anti-gay slur during Wednesday night's game. — Toronto general manager Ross Atkins told reporters that the suspension was arrived at in consultation …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
New York Daily News:
Blue Jays suspend outfielder Kevin Pillar 2 games for yelling homophobic slur; MLB investigating — The Blue Jays have suspended Kevin Pillar for two games after the Toronto outfielder yelled a homophobic slur Wednesday night after striking out against Braves hurler Jason Motte.
ESPN:
Kevin Pillar under inquiry for shouting at Braves pitcher — Major League Baseball is investigating Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar regarding his comments made toward an Atlanta Braves pitcher during Wednesday's game, a source confirmed to ESPN's Buster Olney.
Discussion:
Globe and Mail, baseballmusings.com and Fox Sports
Jon Heyman / FanRag Sports:
Heyman | Freddie Freeman expected to miss significant time
Heyman | Freddie Freeman expected to miss significant time
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Minor League Ball, Call to the Pen, FanSided, Talking Chop and MLB Daily Dish
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
MLB investigating incident involving Kevin Pillar's homophobic slur
MLB investigating incident involving Kevin Pillar's homophobic slur
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports, SI.com, Toronto Star, NBCSports.com, The Big Lead and NESN.com
Amara Grautski / New York Daily News:
MLB investigating Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar for possibly yelling homophobic slur
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Ben Zobrist leads off as Cubs go for sweep of Reds — Cubs' Kyle Schwarber talks about hitting — and breaking — another sign at Wrigley Field during batting practice. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — Ben Zobrist will bat leadoff Thursday as the Chicago Cubs attempt …
Discussion:
Red Reporter
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Chicago Tribune:
Cubs fan dies after falling over railing at Wrigley: ‘He was a great guy, everyone loved him’
Cubs fan dies after falling over railing at Wrigley: ‘He was a great guy, everyone loved him’
Discussion:
Fox Sports and FanRag Sports
UPI:
Cincinnati Reds recall promising LHP Amir Garrett to start series finale vs. Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds recall promising LHP Amir Garrett to start series finale vs. Chicago Cubs
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Scott Gleeson / USA Today:
Cubs fan dies after falling over railing at Wrigley Field
Cubs fan dies after falling over railing at Wrigley Field
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue and NESN.com
Associated Press:
Collins snaps skid with 2 HRs, Tigers beat Orioles 5-4 — DETROIT (AP) — Tyler Collins snapped an 0-for-30 skid in style, hitting two home runs for the Detroit Tigers in a 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. — Collins hit a solo homer in the second inning …
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports, Camden Chat and Bless You Boys
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Stefan Stevenson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers finish undefeated homestand with ninth straight win — ARLINGTON — The Rangers won their ninth consecutive game Thursday afternoon, sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies with a 8-4 win at Globe Life Park. The Rangers went 8-0 on their homestand. They begin a nine-game road trip Friday in Detroit.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Stefan Stevenson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers crush Phillies for 8th consecutive victory
Rangers crush Phillies for 8th consecutive victory
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Fox Sports:
Royals can't overlook Yankees' running game (May 18, 2017) — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The perception is the Runnin' Royals versus the Ponderous Yankees. That would be fake news. — As the Yankees and Royals prepare to close out a three-game series Thursday at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City has stolen fewer bases than New York.
Discussion:
Royals Review
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Associated Press:
Red Sox rally past Cardinals in 13-inning win — ST. LOUIS (AP) — Chris Young waited a long time for his opportunity Wednesday night and made the most of it. — Young drove in the tiebreaking run with a pinch-hit single in the 13th inning, and the Boston Red Sox rallied past …
Discussion:
USA Today, Athletics Nation and Over the Monster
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Matheny named to MLB's reorganized competition committee — ST. LOUIS • Within his first few years as manager of the Cardinals, Mike Matheny found himself standing before the commissioner and other baseball officials making a case for a rule change that he, as a catcher, would have been adamantly against.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Associated Press:
Rob Manfred acknowledges pace of game in MLB has gone ‘backwards’ — NEW YORK — Acknowledging that games have gotten even slower this season, commissioner Rob Manfred says MLB with will meet with players in an attempt to find a solution. — The average time of a nine-inning game is a record 3 hours …
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rays Acquire Michael Martinez, Place Brad Miller On Disabled List — The Rays have acquired infielder/outfielder Michael Martinez from the Indians in exchange for cash or a player to be named later and placed fellow infielder Brad Miller on the 10-day disabled list due to a left abdominal strain.
Discussion:
DRaysBay and Let's Go Tribe
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Angels To Sign Doug Fister — The Angels are in agreement with free-agent right-hander Doug Fister on a Major League contract, reports SB Nation's Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). Fister is a client of PSI Sports Management. — As of last week, the 33-year-old Fister was said to be close to signing …
Discussion:
FanRag Sports, Halos Heaven and MLB Daily Dish
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Nationals Notes: McCutchen, Gio, Harper, Fedde, Ross — Last December's Andrew McCutchen trade talks between the Nationals and Pirates included top prospect Lucas Giolito and left-hander Gio Gonzalez, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Heyman notes that talks between Pittsburgh …
Discussion:
FanRag Sports, Nationals Pastime and Bucs Dugout
Fox Sports:
Twins ace Ervin Santana struggles early in rare loss — MINNEAPOLIS — Nolan Arenado got Colorado going with a first-inning home run, Mark Reynolds added a two-run single and the road-tough Rockies beat the Minnesota Twins 5-1 on Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader.
Discussion:
Twinkie Town and Purple Row
Connor Hughes / New York Jets Fan Blog:
Matt Forte on 2016 Jets: Everybody was on field ‘as an individual’ — The problems were there. Easy for any and all to see. Between the locker room turmoil, sideline drama, and significant drop in on-field production, something clearly wasn't right with the Jets.
Discussion:
ProFootballTalk, FanRag Sports and Fox Sports
Arizona Republic:
Next Slide — Why does he feel he needs to mind his bellowing from the bench? — “Because, what's going to happen is I'm going to scream something out and they're going to look at Torey and throw his butt out and then I'm going to be in trouble,” Gardenhire said, laughing.