Top News:
Jorge L. Ortiz / Arizona Republic:
MLB tanking: Nine teams that can wait 'til next year after a wretched first month — Much as baseball likes to tout its parity, a substantial number of teams entered the season with what seemed like virtually no shot at reaching the playoffs. — Now we have confirmation.
Discussion:
USA Today
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Associated Press:
Skaggs shuts down Astros; Angels win 2-0 after call reversed — HOUSTON (AP) — Yuli Gurriel was thrown out at third base by catcher Martin Maldonado to end the game after an original safe call was reversed on replay, giving the Los Angeles Angels a 2-0 win over Houston on Monday night that ended the Astros' six-game winning streak.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Aaron Boone plans to pair struggling Sonny Gray with Austin Romine in his next start — Aaron Boone is leaning toward going with a Sonny Gray-Austin Romine battery for Thursday's game. Gray, 28, has struggled this season, posting a 8.27 ERA in his first four starts, while going a combined 16.1 innings in those outings.
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Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Didi Gregorius is emerging into elite player, but Yankees shortstop focusing on getting better — Didi Gregorius got his work ethic from his parents, Johannes Sr. and Sheritsa Stroop, standout ballplayers in their own right. — “There's never a satisfaction,” Gregorius …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Buster OlneyESPN Senior / ESPN:
Olney: Giants should consider a Bumgarner blockbuster — The San Francisco Giants played according to the script of their front office on Monday night. Chris Stratton, who is quickly establishing himself as a reliable force in the rotation, threw well against the Nationals, and there was some power …
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
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Associated Press:
Williamson 2-run homer highlights Giants' 4-2 win over Nats — SAN FRANCISCO — Mac Williamson remade his swing during the offseason to become a more consistent power hitter. He added a leg kick, lowered his hands, found better balance all in an effort to keep the bat in the zone longer and give himself more room for error.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball, MLB Baseball News … and McCovey Chronicles
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Pham returns and bats second; Carpenter leads off, Fowler hits 6th — ST. LOUIS • The promised return of Tommy Pham came Tuesday, as planned, and he's right in the spot in the order manager Mike Matheny said he would be. — Pham, who has brought production to the top of the Cardinals' lineup …
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Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Pham to return after brief absence
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
Bucky Dent / UPI:
Things get tougher for Cardinals, who are set to host Mets
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos and Amazin' Avenue
Sean Farrell / Daily Record:
Yankees: Miguel Andujar, Gleyber Torres' roles unclear for Greg Bird, Brandon Drury return — Aaron Boone will have some tough decisions to make. And that's the way the Yankees' first-year manager would like it. — Two of the Yankees' top prospects have earned prominent roles …
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Teddy Greenstein / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox call up Daniel Palka to replace the injured Avisail Garcia — White Sox starter Carson Fulmer discusses the team's offensive outpouring and his outing against the Mariners on Monday, April 23, 2018. (Teddy Greenstein/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Beth Harris / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Buehler! Top prospect shines in Dodgers' 2-1 win over Miami — Miami Marlins center fielder Lewis Brinson runs into the wall as fans catch a ball hit for a solo home run by Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernandez during the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, April 23, 2018, in Los Angeles.
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Dave Sheinin / Chicago Tribune:
The Indians' brilliant pitching staff is bidding for all-time greatness — The Washington Post — For a pitcher, a WHIP of 1.000 is a beautiful and mystical number, both aesthetically — with that perfect, indivisible integer on the left and those big, round zeros on the right — and as a delineation of sheer greatness.
Discussion:
Baltimore Sun
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Brett Bodner / New York Daily News:
Jenny Cavnar prepared for Rockies play-by-play duties by practicing with ‘MLB The Show’ — Fire up “The Show.” — Jenny Cavnar became the first woman to do TV play-by-play for a Major League Baseball game since 1993 when she called the Rockies-Padres game Monday night at Coors Field in Denver.
Discussion:
Washington Post, USA Today and Purple Row
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rockies Select Contract Of Brooks Pounders, Designate Zach Jemiola — The Rockies announced on Tuesday that they've selected the contract of right-hander Brooks Pounders from Triple-A and cleared a spot on the 40-man roster by designating fellow righty Zach Jemiola for assignment.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Mile High Sports and Purple Row
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers couldn't continue using ‘misfiring’ Drew VerHagen — PITTSBURGH — Manager Ron Gardenhire said right-hander Drew VerHagen was “misfiring” too much to remain part of the Detroit Tigers' bullpen. — “Hopefully he'll clear and will get back in our system,” …
Discussion:
Bless You Boys and MLB Baseball News …
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
John Smoltz, former Braves pitcher, believes Matt Harvey may not be done just yet despite demotion to the bullpen — ST LOUIS — That July night in 2001, John Smoltz had already started 356 games and won 157 of them. The four-time all-star was as nervous as a rookie when he got ready for his first appearance out of the bullpen.
Associated Press:
Gibson's triple leads Lakeland to 2-1 win over Dunedin — LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Cam Gibson hit a run-scoring triple in the eighth inning, leading the Lakeland Flying Tigers to a 2-1 win over the Dunedin Blue Jays on Tuesday. — Isaac Paredes scored on the play after he reached base on a walk.
Steve Habel / UPI:
A's hope to keep momentum going vs. Rangers — The Achilles' heel for the Texas Rangers through the first month of the 2018 season has been relief pitching. — That situation reared its ugly head again Monday when two relievers allowed six runs in the ninth inning to all but hand …
John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds cut Kevin Quackenbush, activate Shackelford; could a Senzel move be coming? — The Reds shook up the roster a bit Tuesday. Out is right-hander Kevin Quackenbush. He was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for right-hander Kevin Shackelford.
