Top News:
Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
Cubs' Theo Epstein says bullpen improvement key down the stretch — CHICAGO - Exactly one year ago Saturday, Chicago Cubs President Theo Epstein, along with other members of the front office, watched the team play the Milwaukee Brewers from the left field bleachers at Wrigley Field.
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Reliever Hector Rondon sidelined with elbow inflammation — Cubs' Theo Epstein before series vs. Cardinals: “We have to do a lot of things to get to where we want to go.” (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) — The Chicago Cubs could benefit Friday from a lengthy performance from starter John Lackey …
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Contreras, Zobrist return to Cubs lineup; Cards still waiting on Fowler
Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune:
Jen-Ho Tseng, Taylor Davis feel nerves in first Cubs starts
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Wainwright, Arrieta set to pitch Saturday — just not in a game
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs pull away, top Mets 14-6 to complete sweep
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue and Chicago Tribune
ESPN:
MLB reviewing pitch by Tigers' Buck Farmer that hit umpire — Major League Baseball is reviewing how an umpire got hit this week by a pitch that a catcher missed in a game between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
Discussion:
SI.com, MLB on Yahoo! Sports and Bless You Boys
RELATED:
Associated Press:
MLB rules Tigers pitch that hit plate umpire was unintentional — NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has ruled that the Detroit Tigers did not intend to throw a pitch that struck a plate umpire in the shoulder and knocked him to the ground. — MLB said Friday that Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre reviewed …
Alex Butler / UPI:
Aaron Judge: New York Yankees star hits two homers in win vs. Baltimore Orioles … It appears that Aaron Judge has returned to his extraterrestrial status, after smacking two home runs Thursday for the New York Yankees. — Judge, 25, went 15 games without a home run at the end of August.
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Eduardo A. Encina / Baltimore Sun:
Despite defeat, Orioles' Chance Sisco comes up with memorable first hits at Yankee Stadium
Discussion:
Camden Chat
Peter Botte / New York Daily News:
Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez hit back-to-back milestone home runs in Yankees' win
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Larry Fleisher / UPI:
Aaron Judge powers New York Yankees past Baltimore Orioles
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Scott Gleeson / USA Today:
Indians fever increasing - Friday game sold out, TV ratings soar as win streak hits 22 — As the Cleveland Indians look to improve their American League-record win streak to 23 — games on Friday night against the Kansas City Royals, they'll have a sellout crowd to root them on.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Finance and MLB on Yahoo! Sports
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Demetrius Bell / Baseball Prospectus:
All Of This Winning, I've Been Losing My Mind
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, MLB on Yahoo! Sports and USA Today
Associated Press:
Astros trim magic number to 3 with 5-2 win over Angels — ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — After righting a road trip that nearly went terribly wrong, the Astros are cruising back home with plenty of chances to clinch a playoff berth while bringing a long-overdue division title to Houston.
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Associated Press:
Astros OF Jake Marisnick out 6-8 weeks after breaking thumb — ANAHEIM, Calif. — Houston Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick could be out for the season after breaking his right thumb while sliding headfirst into second base. — Marisnick will need surgery and will be out six to eight weeks, the Astros announced Thursday.
Discussion:
FanRag Sports, MLB on Yahoo! Sports and The Crawfish Boxes
ESPN:
This is going to be the wildest October in history — To exactly one of the Angels, Mariners, Orioles, Rangers, Rays, Royals and Twins: Congratulations! It's really happening! — For weeks, we've watched the seven of you fight for the American League's second wild-card spot.
Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
John Lackey, Willson Contreras ejected after berating plate umpire — CHICAGO — Cubs starter John Lackey and catcher Willson Contreras were both kicked out of Friday's game against the Cardinals after arguing with plate umpire Jordan Baker following an apparent missed strike three call on St. Louis pitcher Carlos Martinez.
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers Reaction: After that homestand, 'It doesn't look good' — ARLINGTON — The homestand was setting up nicely for the Texas Rangers, who had two wild-card contenders coming to town and a chance to assert themselves in the playoff standings. — Or they could lay an egg and start the slow journey to the off-season.
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Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers' single-game playoff tickets on sale next week — Yasiel Puig celebrates a home run by Dodgers teammate Justin Turner against the Rockies on Sept. 8. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images) — The Dodgers will put single-game postseason tickets on sale next week.
Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds' Hunter Greene's future is on the mound, not shortstop, he says — BILLINGS, Mont. — Hunter Greene says he's a pitcher. — Before the Reds drafted him No. 2 overall in June, there was talk about him being a two-way player, someone who could be either a big-league shortstop or a pitcher.
Discussion:
FanRag Sports
Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune:
Recovered from fractured jaw, Willy Garcia rejoins White Sox — White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada and right fielder Avisail Garcia discuss the team's 17-7 victory over the Tigers on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune) — The White Sox reinstated outfielder Willy Garcia …
Corey Seidman / CSN Philly:
Phillies-Athletics thoughts: No longer the worst team in baseball — Another night, another homer and two more walks from Rhys Hoskins. This has to stop at some point, right? — Hoskins is 34 games into his major-league career and is hitting .314/.442/.805 with 18 homers and 39 RBIs.
Discussion:
Athletics Nation and Fish Stripes
Emma Span / SI.com:
Reasons to Root for Each Team in Crowded AL Wild-Card Race — Walk-Off Win Pushes Indians' Historic Win Streak to 22 Games — With a handful of teams encroaching on playoff position despite average records (some losing ones, too!), it's difficult to sort through the AL Wild Card race.
Discussion:
Royals Review and baseballmusings.com
