Top News:
Joe Kay / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds fired Bryan Price on Thursday after their 3-15 start, the first managerial change in the major leagues this season. — Price was in his fifth season leading the rebuilding team, which has relied on rookies more than any other team in the majors during his tenure.
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Tom Schad / USA Today:
With baseball's worst record, Cincinnati Reds fire manager Bryan Price
Discussion:
Sporting News, Cincinnati.com, WSLS-TV, MLB Baseball News …, Bleed Cubbie Blue and Red Reporter
John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Get to know Cincinnati Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman
Discussion:
USA Today and FanGraphs Baseball
Charles Odum / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Braves beat Phillies, await word on Freeman's status — Philadelphia Phillies' Vince Velasquez singles during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, April 18, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland) — Philadelphia Phillies' Andrew Knapp scores …
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
RELATED:
ESPN:
Braves 1B Freddie Freeman leaves game after taking pitch off left wrist
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Bob Brookover / Philly.com:
Phillies flattened by Ryan Flaherty | Extra Innings
Discussion:
Philly.com
Andy McCullough / Sacramento Bee:
Dodgers extend win streak to four with sweep over Padres — SAN DIEGO — When he arrived at the ballpark Wednesday afternoon, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts knew who his closer was. The unsteady April of Kenley Jansen was not enough to dislodge him from the position he earned with half a decade of excellence.
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Associated Press:
Muncy homers, Maeda fans 10 in Dodgers' 13-4 win over Padres — SAN DIEGO — The Los Angeles Dodgers roughed up the San Diego Padres in sweeping a three-game series, and newcomer Max Muncy got in on the action in a big way. — Muncy homered for the first time since 2016 …
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Bader starts in center as Pham gets a day off; O'Neill offers pop off bench — CHICAGO • With a roster move Thursday morning and a lineup nod later that day, the Cardinals revealed how they feel about center fielder Tommy Pham's recovery from a groin soreness that interrupted his ninth inning, in the cold, on Tuesday night.
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals have hesitance using rookie Hicks for multiple innings — CHICAGO • The new makeup of the Cardinals' bullpen, with its collection of closers and lack of a long reliever, means that all the fresh arms are going to have to cover innings, if needed.
Todd Milles / Associated Press:
Houston's big seventh inning dooms Mariners — SEATTLE (AP) - Gerrit Cole pitched seven strong innings and the Houston Astros scored six runs in the seventh to beat the Seattle Mariners 7-1 on Wednesday night. — Cole (2-0) struck out five, ending a string of double-digit strikeout games at three.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing and sports.MyNorthwest.com
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Gene Warnick / UPI:
Mariners getting healthy as they face Astros — The Seattle Mariners are finally getting close to fielding the starting lineup they expected this season as they prepare for Thursday afternoon's series finale against the Houston Astros in Seattle. — Left fielder Ben Gamel …
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' Victor Martinez enjoys sharing with ‘great group of kids’ — It appears Detroit Tigers DH Victor Martinez is having fun again in what is likely his final season playing baseball. Entering Thursday, he is batting .304 with four doubles, a home run and eight RBIs in 13 games.
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George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers still unsure of Daniel Norris' role on pitching staff
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' Mahtook battling through demotion: ‘Gut punch for sure’
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Brian Manzullo / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers fan goes shirtless in 36-degree weather, goes viral
Discussion:
USA Today and Daily Mail
Jose M. Romero / Associated Press:
Belt homers as Giants beat Diamondbacks 4-3 — PHOENIX (AP) — Brandon Belt hit a two-run homer with two out in the 10th inning, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 on Wednesday night to stop a four-game slide. — Andrew McCutchen opened the 14th with a leadoff single against Brad Boxberger.
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit, McCovey Chronicles and MLB Baseball News …
RELATED:
Arizona Republic:
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Francisco Giants … Brandon Belt's drive cleared the right-field fence in the 10th inning, the deciding blow in a 4-3 victory for the San Francisco Giants. And yet it was not the reason the Diamondbacks lost. They lost because they were beaten in one situational at-bat after another on Wednesday night.
Jack Magruder / UPI:
Giants hope to get offense going against D-backs — PHOENIX — While the Arizona Diamondbacks began the process Wednesday of filling their starting rotation in the wake of Taijuan Walker's season-ending elbow injury, the San Francisco Giants held a closed-door, hitters-only pregame meeting in an attempt to round up its offense.
Associated Press:
Twins beat Indians 2-1 in 16 innings in Puerto Rico — SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Eddie Rosario scored the winning run in his homeland in the 16th inning, coming around on Ryan LaMarre's single to lift the Minnesota Twins over the Cleveland Indians 2-1 on Wednesday night for a split of their two-game series in Puerto Rico.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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Tim Reynolds / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
LaMarre's single lifts Twins over Indians 2-1 in 16 innings — Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jose Berrios throws in the fourth inning of the final game of a two-game Mayor League Series against the Cleveland Indians at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
Discussion:
Associated Press
Dan Arritt / UPI:
Angels aim to avoid sweep vs. Red Sox — The highly anticipated three-game series between the two hottest teams in the American League has turned into a one-sided affair. — The Boston Red Sox head into the series finale against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night with a chance …
RELATED:
Dan Greenspan / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Red Sox continue best-ever start with 9-0 win over Angels
Discussion:
Over the Monster and Halos Heaven
Chris Iseman / Daily Record:
Steven Matz pitches with conviction to overcome rough 1st inning in NY Mets win over Nats — NEW YORK — For Steven Matz, it was all about conviction. — The Mets left-hander got off to a bad start on Wednesday night, surrendering a three-run home run to Ryan Zimmerman that put his team in an early hole.
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: White Sox end their circus trip, while Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts juggles — Photos from the White Sox-Athletics game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. — Chicago Tribune — The White Sox's misery continued with a 12-11 loss to the A's on Wednesday …
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John Hickey / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox rotation stumbling in early going of season
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune
John Hickey / Chicago Tribune:
Athletics sweep White Sox with bases-loaded single in 14th inning for 12-11 victory
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Stephen Pianovich / UPI:
Pirates brace for familiar face vs. Phillies — The Pittsburgh Pirates will see a familiar face Thursday night in Philadelphia. — Jake Arrieta, making his third start with the Phillies, will be on the mound against the Pirates, the team he's faced the most during his major league career.
Discussion:
The Good Phight
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Will Graves / Pueblo Chiefton:
Pirates avoid sweep, pound Rockies 10-2
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Associated Press
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
The Mallex Smith effect can take effect for Rays — ST. PETERSBURG - Mallex Smith has style. — Effervescent personality. Pop culture hipness. Sense of fashion with accoutrements. — Now the Rays are going to find out if he has game. — More specifically, enough game …
RELATED:
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Anonymous Rays rally to beat Rangers 4-2, win series
Discussion:
Dallas Morning News
Associated Press:
Yankees sign 1B/OF Lind to minor league deal — NEW YORK — The New York Yankees have signed first baseman/outfielder Adam Lind to a minor league deal. — The Yankees announced the contract on Wednesday. Lind will report to the team's complex in Tampa, Florida, for extended spring training.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Amazin' Avenue
Jerry CrasnickESPN Senior / ESPN:
Inside Albert Pujols' path to 3,000 hits — ALBERT PUJOLS' THREE MVP awards, 10 All-Star Games and abundance of Baseball-Reference black ink ensure him a place in Cooperstown and the right to take an occasional breather from the concept of every pitcher-batter confrontation as a life-or-death experience.
