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:
The Guardian, MLB on Yahoo! Sports, MLB Daily Dish, Talking Chop, FanRag Sports, Bluebird Banter and Fox Sports
RELATED:
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 …
Richard W. Rodriguez / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Tensions high, suspension levied in Braves-Blue Jays series — In the hours leading to the final game Thursday night in a contentious home-and-home series between the Braves and Blue Jays, fallout continued from Wednesday's wild 8-4 Braves win including confirmation of Freddie Freeman's fractured wrist …
ESPN:
Braves' Julio Teheran hits Jose Bautista in thigh day after bat flip — Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran hit Toronto's Jose Bautista in the left thigh with his second pitch of the at-bat in the top of the first inning Thursday night at Atlanta. — The Braves weren't pleased …
New York Daily News:
Blue Jays suspend outfielder Kevin Pillar 2 games for yelling homophobic slur; MLB investigating
ESPN:
Kevin Pillar under inquiry for shouting at Braves pitcher
Kevin Pillar under inquiry for shouting at Braves pitcher
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports, 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:
Call to the Pen, Minor League Ball, Talking Chop, MLB Trade Rumors, FanSided 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:
SI.com, Toronto Star, MLB on Yahoo! Sports, NBCSports.com, The Big Lead and NESN.com
Chicago Tribune:
Cubs fan dies after falling over railing at Wrigley: ‘He was a great guy, everyone loved him’ — Exterior of Wrigley Field in Chicago in 2016. A Wheaton man died May 17, 2017, after falling over a railing at the ballpark on May 16, 2017. — A Wheaton man died a day after falling …
Discussion:
FanRag Sports and Fox Sports
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Ben Zobrist leads off as Cubs go for sweep of Reds
Ben Zobrist leads off as Cubs go for sweep of Reds
Discussion:
Red Reporter
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
Detroit Free Press:
Next Slide — Victor Martinez is expecting another addition to his family. — The Detroit Tigers will place their veteran designated hitter on the paternity list Friday afternoon and he will miss the upcoming weekend series against the Rangers. — But before he left, Martinez made sure to get his last licks in.
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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:
Halos Heaven, FanRag Sports and MLB Daily Dish
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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:
Athletics Nation, Over the Monster and USA Today
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Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune:
Road has been a (7-home run) blast for White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu — Photos of White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu. — Chicago Tribune — Jose Abreu's two-run homer off Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker on Wednesday night in Anaheim was his seventh on the road this year.
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 …
Associated Press:
Mets' Steven Matz, Seth Lugo pitch to Travis d'Arnaud in minors — NEW YORK — Help may be on the way for the hobbled New York Mets. — Steven Matz and Seth Lugo made their first minor league rehab appearances Thursday night, pitching to Travis d'Arnaud in a game with Class A St. Lucie.
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 and True Blue LA
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
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
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:
Purple Row and Twinkie Town
SBD Articles:
United Gets L.A. Coliseum Naming Rights In College-Record Deal … United Airlines is buying the naming rights to L.A. Memorial Coliseum for more than $70M over 15 years, according to sources, making it the richest naming-rights deal among college football stadiums.
Discussion:
USA Today, ProFootballTalk, CBS Los Angeles, FanRag Sports and CollegeFootballTalk
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