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4:45 PM ET, March 23, 2018

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 Top News: 
Coley HarveyESPN / ESPN:
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge batting leadoff Friday vs. Red Sox  —  TAMPA, Fla. — For at least one day, the New York Yankees have a new leadoff hitter: Aaron Judge.  —  The right fielder will bat first on Friday against the Boston Red Sox in a batting position that's normally occupied …
Discussion: Associated Press
RELATED:
Jake Becker / New York Daily News:
Aaron Judge hitting leadoff for Yankees vs. Red Sox lefty starter Brian Johnson  —  Aaron Boone will get his first look at Yankees leadoff hitter Aaron Judge on Friday.  —  Judge will be the first batter up for the Bombers in their afternoon spring training game against the Red Sox and lefty starter Brian Johnson in Tampa.
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Success hasn't turned Cubs from lovable to unlikable ... yet  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The parade has been over for 17 months now, but the legacy of the Cubs' championship season remains untouched as they prepare for the 2018 campaign.  —  The 13 remaining survivors of the '16 World Series roster …
Discussion: Brew Crew Ball
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:   Aaron Judge as the Yankees leadoff hitter? The experiment begins today
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:   Get to know a few of the new faces on the Cubs in 2018
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Marcell Ozuna's big move: From Marlins anonymity to Cardinals catalyst  —  JUPITER, Fla. - Marcell Ozuna didn't want to leave Miami.  He didn't see the trade coming.  When first told he was going to St. Louis, the All-Star outfielder thought somebody was pulling a prank on him.
RELATED:
Scott Boeck / USA Today:   Through three teams and seven seasons, Ichiro Suzuki can't get rid of David Phelps
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Newest Cardinals are rounding into top form
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs minor-leaguer suspended 50 games for positive drug test  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Cubs pitcher David Garner was suspended 50 games Friday for a second positive test for a drug of abuse.  —  Garner, 25, is 11-13 with a 4.07 ERA over five minor-league seasons.  He was a seventh-round pick in the 2013 draft.
RELATED:
FOX2now.com:
Cardinals minor leaguer one of four suspended by MLB for drug violations  —  NEW YORK - The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball has suspended four players for violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.  One of those players is St. Louis Cardinals Minor League …
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:   Rep. Peter King says he didn't know spending bill he voted for would make minor leaguers exempt from minimum wage laws
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals rookie Hudson sinks Mets 5-1  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.  • The Cardinals' young starting pitcher riches extend past Jack Flaherty, who recently was sent to the minors despite a strong spring Dakota Hudson, dispatched to minor league camp earlier, was summoned to make a start …
RELATED:
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Munoz, Pena make Cards' team; Gregerson has hamstring injury
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Cardinals notebook: Motte may be headed to Memphis
Fabian Ardaya / Chicago Tribune:
Jose Abreu ‘feeling very, very good,’ but White Sox remain cautious with tight hamstring  —  Perhaps the biggest indicator of Jose Abreu's health approaching opening day had nothing to do with baseball.  —  Standing in the White Sox clubhouse at Camelback Ranch on Friday …
RELATED:
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Sit back, relax and watch 'em grow: White Sox's rebuild ahead of schedule  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Every rebuild has its honeymoon period, and the White Sox currently are in the midst of theirs.  —  For the time being, few fans venturing out to Sox Park are going to complain …
Discussion: Baseball Prospectus
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox outfielder Ryan Cordell optioned to Triple-A Charlotte
Discussion: South Side Sox
Associated Press:
Former MLB star Jack Clark files for bankruptcy protection  —  ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jack Clark, who hit 340 home runs over an 18-year major league career, has filed for bankruptcy protection.  —  Clark's attorney, Al Watkins, said Friday that Clark and his wife, Angie, claimed in a federal court filing …
RELATED:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   NL preview: Is this Bryce Harper's last run with the Nationals?
Pat Grahamap / Pueblo Chiefton:   Rockies look to reel in playoff spot
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs opt for 8 relievers on opening-day roster  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The Cubs are expected to finalize their 25-man roster Saturday, and one issue has been resolved.  —  Manager Joe Maddon said Friday the Cubs will carry eight relievers.  All indications are that Eddie Butler will earn the final spot as a long reliever.
RELATED:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:   Pedro Strop feels ‘great’ after first spring outing but waiting for Cubs' seal of approval
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Joe Maddon ecstatic over way players have bought into team-first mentality
Discussion: Bleed Cubbie Blue
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Mets season predictions: Strong season for pitchers, new homes for some position players  —  Coming off a disappointing 70-92 season, the Mets are hoping they will rebound in 2018 and make the playoffs for the third time in four years.  —  A new manager is in place in Mickey Callaway …
RELATED:
Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:   Mets have tough decision to make with Zack Wheeler
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Michael Conforto hits for cycle one day ahead of Grapefruit League debut
Discussion: Amazin' Avenue
Evan Drellich / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Wright suspended 15 games for violation of domestic-violence policy  —  Steven Wright will be suspended 15 games for violating MLB's domestic violence policy, NBC Sports Boston has learned.  The league is set to make the announcement Friday.  —  Wright, working his way back from right knee surgery …
Tampa Bay Times:
Baseball players in minors to lose minimum wage protection  —  Minor league baseball players who make as little as $5,500 a season would be stripped of the protection of federal minimum wage laws under a provision in government spending legislation expected to b
RELATED:
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:   Baseball players in minors expected to lose minimum wage protection
Associated Press:
Will flip-flopping fielders be baseball's latest trend?  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — New Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler's progressive approach includes a strategy straight from a slow-pitch softball league.  —  Kapler plans to flip-flop outfielders in the middle of an inning …
Discussion: MLB Baseball News …
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants starter Jeff Samardzija has shoulder pain, getting MRI  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — On the eve of breaking camp and going north, the Giants are dealing with a potentially serious setback in the one unit of the team that has the least experienced depth.  —  Starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija …
RELATED:
ESPN:   Giants' Jeff Samardzija (shoulder) likely headed to disabled list
Jorge Castillo / Chicago Tribune:
MLB tried to debunk ‘juiced balls’ theory amid historic home run spike.  Pitchers remain skeptical.  —  The Washington Post  —  Last July, Major League Baseball issued a memo to every player on all 30 clubs as a direct response to the conspiracy theories circulating about the most crucial component …
Daily Record:
Yankees' Brandon Drury's X-rays negative after being hit on the elbow  —  After seemingly locking up the third base spot, Brandon Drury's status going forward was briefly uncertain after he was hit in the elbow Friday.  —  The injury happened during the Yankees' 5-0 spring training loss tp the Red Sox …
 
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 More News: 
Mike Sherman / Tampa Bay Times:
20 years of the Rays' brushes with ‘celebrity’
Tampa Bay Times:
For starters: Rays in action all over the place today
Jeff Miller / Los Angeles Times:
Angels expect Shohei Ohtani to make MLB debut against Oakland Athletics
Discussion: Red Reporter and Royals Review
Evan Sernoffsky / San Francisco Chronicle:
Former 49er, Raider Aldon Smith arrested again in San Francisco
Brett Bodner / New York Daily News:
SEE IT: Umpire ejects three players, manager and bench coach in Tigers-Phillies spring training game
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Christin Stewart making his case for playing time with Detroit Tigers
Stephen Gross / Morning Call:
Two of first six Phillies games will be live stream only
Discussion: Phillies Nation
 Earlier Picks: 
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
The Rangers offseason starting pitching acquisitions have given up 18 runs in the last three days
Jerry CrasnickESPN Senior / ESPN:
The rookie and the veteran: Can opposite ends of the MLB manager spectrum both succeed?
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Joe Maddon hoping his pink flamingos — Ron and Ernie — fetch a fair price for charity
Bill Madden / New York Daily News:
Don Mattingly is keeping up morale amid bleak situation with Marlins
Discussion: Fish Stripes
Associated Press:
MLB notebook: Outfielder Davis, 37, makes roster for Indians
 

 
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