Top News:
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Molina has two homers, a single and a double — • Along about the fourth inning of Friday's exhibition game, acting Cardinals manager Mike Shildt asked catcher Yadier Molina if he wanted to come out of the game when starter Michael Wacha exited. Wacha whipped through six innings in 65 pitches …
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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
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 …
Bill Plunkett / Daily News:
Cody Bellinger homers but Dodgers lose to Diamondbacks 4-1 — THE GAME: Cody Bellinger hit his second home run of the spring but the Dodgers lost 4-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday afternoon at Salt River Fields. — PITCHING REPORT: RHP Walker Buehler retired six of the seven batters …
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit
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Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Arizona Diamondbacks spring training - 2018 … Right-hander Zack Greinke's next step as he works his way back from a right groin strain remains unclear. What seems more evident, however, is that Greinke's injury does not appear to be particularly significant.
Discussion:
Bleacher Report, MLB Baseball News … and AZ Snake Pit
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Arizona Diamondbacks spring training - 2018 … Not long after being signed out of Cuba in 2015, Yoan Lopez threw his first bullpen session at Diamondbacks camp. It was a minor event. Club executives came out to watch. Cameras followed his every move. In a scrum with reporters later that day …
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:
Jacoby Ellsbury isn't likely to be ready for Yankees opener, Clint Frazier progressing — TAMPA, Fla. - Less than two weeks before opening day, it's doubtful that Jacoby Ellsbury will be ready to break camp with the Yankees. — “That's possible,” manager Aaron Boone said Friday of the chance that Ellsbury …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Pinstripe Alley
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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 on Yahoo! Sports and Twinkie Town
Associated Press:
Baseball notebook: Altuve, Astros add $151 million to contract — A person familiar with the negotiations says American League MVP Jose Altuve and the World Series champion Houston Astros have agreed to a contract that guarantees him an additional $151 million over five seasons from 2020-24.
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Thomas Lott / Sporting News:
Jose Altuve reportedly to sign huge 5-year extension with Astros
Discussion:
USA Today, The Crawfish Boxes and MLB Trade Rumors
Jon Heyman / FanRag Sports:
Altuve agrees to extension with Astros
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports and The Comeback
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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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 …
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.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' Daniel Norris solid in latest pitch for rotation spot — LAKELAND, Fla. — Daniel Norris isn't thinking about how the Tigers' starting rotation is going to shake out because if he did, he would be up all night thinking about it. — Honestly, he said, he has no idea.
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
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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
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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 …
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Associated Press:
Angels' Shohei Ohtani gives up 7 runs against Rockies — TEMPE, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani was rocked for seven runs over 1 1/3 innings in his second spring training start for the Los Angeles Angels, allowing long home runs to Colorado's Ian Desmond and Nolan Arenado on Friday.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
CTVNews:
Blue Jays pitching prospect Pannone suspended 80 games after positive test — NEW YORK — Toronto Blue Jays left-handed pitching prospect Thomas Pannone received an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT).
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports and Let's Go Tribe
Tommy Birch / Des Moines Register:
Des Moines native Jeremy Hellickson finds new team — Jeremy Hellickson will have to prove himself again. — The Des Moines native could have an opportunity to pitch his way into the Washington Nationals' starting rotation after reportedly signing a minor-league contract with the team Friday.
Keith Jenkins / Cincinnati.com:
Milwaukee Brewers 16, Cincinnati Reds 13 — Reds right-handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen struggled in his second start of spring training Thursday against the Chicago White Sox The Enquirer/Adam Baum — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Reds lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 16-13 Friday at Goodyear Ballpark.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs like the way their bullpen is coming together — Chicago Tribune — Pedro Strop glanced in the direction of the lockers Hector Rondon and Justin Grimm once occupied and assessed their departures in perspective. — “It's not easy, but I also know it's a business and this is the way it goes …
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Yankees may have a dangerous lineup, but their rotation has nothing on the Astros' — TAMPA - The Yankees' roster is presumably far from a finished product, as there's plenty of time between now and the July 31 trade deadline. But it's pretty clear that - at least for the time being …
