Top News:
ESPN:
Giants ace Madison Bumgarner has pins removed from broken finger — Madison Bumgarner had pins removed from the broken pinkie on his pitching hand Thursday, and the San Francisco Giants are hopeful that their ace can start playing catch in the next two weeks.
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
RELATED:
Dan Arritt / UPI:
Angels aim to rebound in matchup with Giants — The Los Angeles Angels will host the San Francisco Giants for the first time in nearly six years beginning Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Angel Stadium. — Both teams are looking to turn things around in their first interleague series …
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Jeff Miller / Kansas City Star:
Boston whips out the broom against Angels
Boston whips out the broom against Angels
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles and Lookout Landing
Scott Boeck / Detroit Free Press:
5 astonishing facts from the Red Sox's historic 16-2 start — The red-hot Boston Red Sox, who own a MLB-best 16-2 record, are off to a historic start. — Their record after 18 games is the best in franchise history and they are the first team to win 16 of its first 18 games since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers started 17-1.
RELATED:
Daniel Popper / New York Daily News:
Aaron Boone: It's ‘hard not to notice’ how great the Red Sox are playing — Yes, it's still April. And yes, analyzing the standings this early in the season is typically a useless endeavor. — But it is nonetheless hard to ignore what the Red Sox have done to open this 2018 campaign …
Dave Del Grande / UPI:
A's hope to build on hot streak vs. torrid Red Sox — OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics take a step up in class when they attempt to improve upon their four-game winning streak Friday night in the opener of a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox.
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Mike Gerber has emotional day after first call-up by Tigers — David Gerber heard the emotion in his older brother's voice. They talk nearly every other day during the baseball season, but he quickly sensed this phone call was different. — Mike Gerber, a left-handed hitting outfield prospect …
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George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
JaCoby Jones goes big for Tigers with steal, web gem, homer — JaCoby Jones used his legs, glove and bat to help the Detroit Tigers win again. — Jones hit a walk-off home run to left to give the Tigers a 3-2 win in 10 innings over the Kansas City Royals on Friday afternoon at Comerica Park in the first game of a doubleheader.
Chris McCosky / Detroit News:
Another walk-off! Tigers' JaCoby Jones homers in 10th
Another walk-off! Tigers' JaCoby Jones homers in 10th
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Bless You Boys
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Mike Gerber, Warwick Saupold called up by Detroit Tigers
Mike Gerber, Warwick Saupold called up by Detroit Tigers
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Matt Ehalt / USA Today:
Mets' Matt Harvey bristles over job security question: 'I'm a starting pitcher' — ATLANTA — Five years ago Thursday, Matt Harvey had the Citi Field faithful chanting “Harvey's better” as the young right-hander outdueled Washington's Stephen Strasburg. — Harvey is no longer that caliber of pitcher …
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Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Clayton Kershaw vs. Max Scherzer: Showdown in L.A. highlights a dying breed of ace — They won't be taken out of the game just because the opposing lineup is about to get a third crack at them. — That's one of the certainties of Friday night's scintillating matchup between three …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and True Blue LA
Darren RovellESPN Senior / ESPN:
Pitcher goes from working at Miller Brewery to facing the Brewers — When the Florida Marlins take the field Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers, the man who will take the mound is the same guy who, 15 months ago, was selling trinkets in the MillerCoors gift shop two miles away.
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Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox's Carlos Rodon to begin pitching in Arizona games — Who does what for the White Sox? A look at their organizational flowchart. — Chicago Tribune — Carlos Rodon walked into Guaranteed Rate Field on Thursday and briefly was taken aback at the reminder of what it feels like to be in a major-league ballpark again.
RELATED:
Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox are 1st MLB team to ditch single-use plastic straws — Photos from a tour of the White Sox's Guaranteed Rate Field before the 2018 home opener. — Chicago Tribune — The White Sox are ditching straws this season as part of the Shedd Aquarium's “Shedd the Straw” initiative.
Tom Musick / UPI:
Astros' Verlander starts opener at White Sox
Astros' Verlander starts opener at White Sox
Discussion:
Lookout Landing and South Side Sox
Steve Buffery / Toronto Sun:
Blue Jays prospect Gurriel makes MLB debut — NEW YORK — Somebody threw a horse racing analogy at Blue Jays manager John Gibbons prior to Friday night's game at cold and breezy Yankee Stadium. — It was suggested to Gibbons that infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who was called up to the Jays …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
RELATED:
Arizona Republic:
Link between Alex Rodriguez, kidnapping victim questioned — Norberto Susini has told people that he was Alex Rodriguez's nephew for years - a familial link that was called into question after Susini was abducted Wednesday. — Susini allegedly was held hostage by two men after a deal to sell a Lamborghini went bad.
Discussion:
The Comeback, New York Post and Chillicothe Gazette
John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds gave Jim Riggleman a chance after a chance meeting with Walt Jocketty — ST. LOUIS - Jim Riggleman was back in the big league manager's chair, a place he knew he might never get back to when he walked off the job 75 games into the 2011 season. — Riggleman, 65, loves nothing more than to manage baseball.
Bradford DoolittleESPN / ESPN:
The case for 154 games, Fenway's quest and MLB's next big thing — Baseball needs to shorten the regular-season schedule. — Pausing. — Pausing. — OK, I guess I can't just leave it at that because that declarative statement is far from self-evident. Allow me to explain.
Jerry CrasnickESPN Senior / ESPN:
Orioles closer Zach Britton takes another step toward return — BALTIMORE — Baltimore Orioles closer Zach Britton took a significant step Friday in his recovery from an Achilles injury, throwing 20 pitches off a half-mound in the indoor batting cage at Camden Yards.
Bob Brookover / Philly.com:
Reliever Victor Arano's legendary uncle Ramon would be proud of him — With each recorded out, the legend of Victor Arano grows. It sprouted a little more Thursday night when the 23-year-old reliever from Veracruz, Mexico, worked another perfect inning, closing out a 7-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates with a strikeout of Josh Bell.
Discussion:
The Good Phight
ESPN:
EDITOR'S PICKS — Not long ago, Kershaw was the unquestioned ace of the senior circuit, but between the L.A. left-hander's injury issues and the rise of Scherzer, it's up for debate who is the NL's No. 1 guy on the mound heading into Friday's duel. — Here's what you need to know heading …
Frank Pastor / Tampa Bay Times:
Wall Street Journal: Baseball in Florida ‘has been a disaster’ — The Rays and Miami Marlins “are at a moment of reckoning” after histories of low attendance and an offseason in which they sold off many of their top players and were singled out by the MLB Players Association for failing …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs place Eddie Butler on DL, promote Luke Farrell — Joe Maddon on Cubs' hitters Thursday: ‘I loved our approach today.’ (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — The Cubs placed reliever Eddie Butler on the 10-day disabled list Friday because of a right groin strain …