Top News:
Ben Frederickson / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
After Mikolas exits, Nationals pounce on Cardinals relievers — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. • What happened after Miles Mikolas left the mound might have made the starter's five scoreless innings against the Nationals look better, but it didn't look great for the Cardinals.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
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Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Molina homers twice, has four hits to spark 4-2 Cards win over Marlins — JUPITER, Fla. • Most regulars don't get four at-bats in a spring training game. And fewer get four hits. — Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who clearly is not traveling more than two hours to Disney …
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Bader races headlong after Cardinals bench spot — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. • The question after Harrison Bader saved a couple of runs with two diving catches and made one showman throw from center was whether a day in the field like that was every bit as delicious as delivering a home run from the plate.
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Mets say Jason Vargas day-to-day, X-rays negative after lefty hit in glove hand — PORT ST. LUCIE — Jason Vargas left a minor league game Friday after being hit on his glove hand by a comebacker and is now considered “day-to-day.” The team said the lefty's X-rays were negative.
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Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Although Jacob deGrom won't pitch Opening Day, Mets know he deserves the honor — PORT ST. LUCIE — Dave Eiland admitted that on merit, Jacob deGrom should be the Mets' Opening Day starter with “no doubt.” And Noah Syndergaard knows he is getting the honor only because deGrom's spring …
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Mets send Jason Vargas for X-rays after lefty hit in glove hand — PORT ST. LUCIE - So maybe that rotation won't be too crowded. — Jason Vargas left a minor league game Friday after being hit on the glove hand by a comebacker. The lefty was sent for X-rays, which Mickey Callaway said had not been read yet.
Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Phillies pitcher Jerad Eickhoff out six to eight weeks — Jerad Eickhoff will start the season on the disabled list, as he will be sidelined for six to eight weeks because of a strained back muscle. — The Phillies likely will fill Eickhoff's rotation spot with Ben Lively or Zach Eflin.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Phillies Nation and The Good Phight
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Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Ping-pong champ Tommy Hunter and '93 player Dave Hollins helped Phillies land Jake Arrieta
Discussion:
NBCSports.com and MLB Baseball News …
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Twins Acquire Jake Cave, Designate Kennys Vargas — The Twins have acquired outfielder Jake Cave from the Yankees, per Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (via Twitter). Righty Luis Gil goes to the Yankees in return. In a corresponding move, Minnesota has designated slugger Kennys Vargas for assignment.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Twinkie Town
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Daily Record:
Yankees trade Jake Cave to Twins, acquire pitcher Luis Gil — The Yankees made a small trade Friday, acquiring minor-league righty Luis Gil from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for outfielder Jake Cave. — Gil is a 19-year-old out of the Domincan Republic who has a small body of work with the Twins' Dominican Summer League squad.
Keith Jenkins / Cincinnati.com:
Scott Schebler looking to expand role in his second full season with Cincinnati Reds — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Scott Schebler had a historic first full season in the Major Leagues in 2017. Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price said he sees no reason not to expect more of the same from the 27-year-old outfielder this season.
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John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price lists who's in the starting rotation ... sort of — GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Reds manager Bryan Price started to go there. He seemed to be ready to say who was in the rotation. — Since the injuries to Anthony DeSclafani and Brandon Finnegan …
Discussion:
Red Reporter
New York Daily News:
Manny Machado calls Aaron Judge ‘a great kid’ and says tampering talk ‘blown out of proportion’ — Just leave our conversation on the field. That's the message Manny Machado had for Aaron Judge. — Machado finally weighed in Friday after the Yankee slugger was reprimanded …
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, Baltimore Sun and Elite Sports NY
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Jon Meoli / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles' Machado calls Judge tampering saga ‘blown out of proportion’ as hot spring continues — Orioles shortstop Manny Machado had been quiet for two days on the hoopla surrounding New York Yankees star Aaron Judge admitting and then being reprimanded for telling the free-agent-to-be that he'd look good in pinstripes.
Discussion:
New York Daily News
Tommy Stokke / Locked On MLB:
Sources - Reds agree to extension with Eugenio Suarez — Cincinnati Reds top prospect Nick Senzel is coming, but third baseman Eugenio Suarez isn't going anywhere. — Suarez, 26, has agreed to a 7-year deal guaranteeing him $66 million with an option that can bring the deal to $79 million …
Discussion:
Bleacher Nation, MLB Trade Rumors, Red Reporter, MLB Daily Dish and FanRag Sports
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Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Daniel Norris just OK; Detroit Tigers tie Phillies in spring training … CONNECT — At Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, Fla. — What happened: The Detroit Tigers tied with the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-6. ... Daniel Norris made the start, throwing plenty - if not too many - strikes in four innings.
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George Vecsey / New York Times:
Ed Charles, Infield Sage of the Miracle Mets, Is Dead at 84 — Ed Charles, the heart and soul of the Miracle Mets of 1969, died on Thursday at his home in East Elmhurst, Queens. He was 84. — His daughter-in-law, Tomika Charles, confirmed the death, saying he had been ill for several years.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, New York Daily News, Faith and Fear in Flushing and baseballmusings.com
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Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Rays journal: Sigh of relief over Faria, roster cuts, injury news, Kiermaier-Purdue love — FORT MYERS — As much reason as second-year RHP Jake Faria had to be concerned through his first three spring outings, his much-improved showing in Friday's 11-1 win over the Twins led to a sigh of relief.
Marcus Hayes / Philly.com:
Pat Gillick dampens expectations for 2018 Phillies | Marcus Hayes — CLEARWATER, Fla. — One of the traits that earned Pat Gillick membership in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011 and a spot on the Phillies Wall of Fame this year is his chronic truth-telling.
