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:
Jeff Miller / Kansas City Star:
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
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 …
RELATED:
Chris McCosky / Detroit News:
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
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 …
RELATED:
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Mickey Callaway is the perfect person to try and fix Matt Harvey if Mets send former ace to bullpen — ATLANTA — Mickey Callaway said he has not made a decision about Matt Harvey's future, but Friday afternoon it sure sounded like the Mets manager is leaning towards putting the one-time ace into the bullpen.
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
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.
RELATED:
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.
Tom Musick / UPI:
Astros' Verlander starts opener at White Sox
Discussion:
Lookout Landing and South Side Sox
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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Peter Botte / New York Daily News:
A few Yankees say they'd be in favor of shorter MLB season, but it will all come down to money — Rob Manfred believes it is “realistic” to shorten the regular season by as many as eight games, but the MLB commissioner stated the obvious on Friday that the Players Association would have to be on board …
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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:
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.
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, Chillicothe Gazette and New York Post
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.
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.
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
