Top News:
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers' Andrew Friedman: ‘If we had to assign blame at this point, it should be me who is taking that’ — The conversation could have been entirely different. The schedule presented the Dodgers with a golden opportunity last weekend, four home games against the team with the worst record in the National League.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and DodgerBlue.com
RELATED:
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Reds sweep Dodgers, whose 16-24 record is the worst 40-game start since 1958 — If this isn't rock bottom, the Dodgers don't want to know. — The Dodgers have to be better than this, or so they keep telling us. They just got swept by the team with the worst record in the National League.
Discussion:
Sporting News, DodgerBlue.com and The Crawfish Boxes
Jill Painter Lopez / Associated Press:
Reds sweep Dodgers; Votto, Suarez homer in 5-3 win
Reds sweep Dodgers; Votto, Suarez homer in 5-3 win
Discussion:
Red Reporter and Purple Row
ESPN:
Angels reliever Keynan Middleton has damaged UCL in right elbow — An MRI performed on Los Angeles Angels reliever Keynan Middleton revealed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, the team announced Monday. — Middleton is seeking a second opinion, the team said.
RELATED:
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Keynan Middleton Headed To DL With UCL Damage — Angels reliever Keynan Middleton is going on the 10-day DL after being diagnosed with damage to his ulnar collateral ligament, as MLB.com's Maria Guardado was among those to report (Twitter links). He is headed for a second opinion.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Bernie Wilson / Associated Press:
Padres call up Reyes, whose 14 homers lead all of baseball — SAN DIEGO (AP) — Outfielder Franmil Reyes, whose 14 home runs for Triple-A El Paso lead professional baseball, has been brought by the San Diego Padres to make his major league debut. — The 22-year-old was due to bat sixth …
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Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Jason Castro Out Four To Six Weeks Following Knee Surgery — Twins catcher Jason Castro, already on the disabled list due to a tear in his right meniscus, will undergo surgery and miss another four to six weeks of action, manager Paul Molitor tells reporters (Twitter links via Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com).
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
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Phil Miller / Star Tribune:
Twins' Jason Castro will have knee surgery, miss 4-6 weeks
Twins' Jason Castro will have knee surgery, miss 4-6 weeks
Discussion:
Twinkie Town
Associated Press:
Color war: Zobrist defies MLB again with black spikes — CHICAGO (AP) — Ben Zobrist was joined by Chicago Cubs teammates Kyle Schwarber and Steve Cishek in wearing black spikes on Monday despite a warning from Major League Baseball that he was in violation of the sport's uniform regulations.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Kent Somers / Arizona Republic:
Photos: Cardinals draft pick Christian Kirk … Christian Kirk, a former standout at Scottsdale Saguaro and Texas A&M who was drafted in the second round by the Cardinals, was arrested almost two months before the draft as he was leaving the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Discussion:
ProFootballTalk, Cards Wire, Dallas Morning News and Revenge of the Birds
Associated Press:
Beltre might go back on disabled list — Rangers' Beltre may be headed back to disabled list — Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre left Sunday's 6-1 loss to Houston in the seventh inning after aggravating a left hamstring injury. — Beltre fielded a Max Stassi slow chopper and was trying …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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ESPN:
Jameson Taillon open to urinating on hand to heal cut finger — Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon is open to trying anything that will heal a cut on his middle finger and keep him on the mound, including urinating on it. — Taillon told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he's received that suggestion as a possible remedy.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Associated Press:
Ratliff hits walk-off single, Hickory beats Rome 2-1 — HICKORY, N.C. (AP) — Tyler Ratliff hit a walk-off single with one out in the ninth inning, as the Hickory Crawdads beat the Rome Braves 2-1 on Monday. — Franklin Rollin scored the game-winning run after he entered the game as a pinch runner on third base.
ESPN:
Dustin Pedroia (knee) to start rehab assignment Monday — Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia will begin his rehab assignment Monday in Pawtucket. He is scheduled to start at second base and bat third against Buffalo, the PawSox announced. — Pedroia hasn't played yet this season …
Discussion:
Over the Monster
Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Aaron Nola was ‘Noles being Noles’ | Extra Innings — Nick Williams hit a clutch homer, Gabe Kapler called on a new closer, and the Phillies stayed within a game of first place in the NL East on Sunday with a big win over the Mets. They went 5-1 during the homestand behind some excellent starting pitching.
Discussion:
The Good Phight
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Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:
Jacob deGrom produces shortest start of career in Mets' 4-2 loss to Phillies
Jacob deGrom produces shortest start of career in Mets' 4-2 loss to Phillies
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Associated Press:
Gonzalez hits walk-off homer, Lake County beats South Bend 3-2 — EASTLAKE, Ohio (AP) — Oscar Gonzalez hit a walk-off solo homer with two outs in the seventh inning, as the Lake County Captains beat the South Bend Cubs 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader on Monday.
Tampa Bay Times:
Another setback for Rays' Nathan Eovaldi — Rays RHP Nathan Eovaldi has has another setback in his comeback, delayed now by a right rib muscle strain.Eovaldi was set to open the season in the Rays rotation following his 2017 rehab from Tommy J
Discussion:
DRaysBay
Scott Lauber / Philly.com:
Odubel Herrera's star turn is no surprise to the Phillies official who discovered him — Day after day, week after week, the sun rises and sets. And somewhere in between, Odubel Herrera reaches base. — It has been this way now for 41 games — four at the end of last season, 37 at the beginning of this one.
ESPN:
Brandon Drury reinstated from DL, assigned to Yankees' Triple-A team — EDITOR'S PICKS — The Yankees may be riding high after winning 18 of their past 21 games, but that doesn't mean the future belongs to them. — Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton hit his 10th home run of the season Sunday night …
Associated Press:
O'Neill's homer leads Memphis to 2-1 win over Nashville — MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tyler O'Neill hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to give the Memphis Redbirds a 2-1 win over the Nashville Sounds on Monday. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Redbirds and a four-game winning streak for the Sounds.
Scott Boeck / USA Today:
MLB power rankings: Yankees leapfrog Red Sox for top spot as AL East battle continues — The New York Yankees went from a .500 ballclub to one of the best in baseball in a matter of just over three weeks. — Winners of 19 of their last 22 games, including two of three against the Boston Red Sox last week …
Discussion:
Over the Monster and Athletics Nation
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Fowler joins Carpenter in cage quest for production, ‘confidence’ — SAN DIEGO • Although he had already spent 13 innings in the field and taken six fruitless at-bats in the Cardinals' loss Saturday night, in the hour after the game Dexter Fowler remained in the batting cage …
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Wainwright likely headed back to DL after difficult start, loss to San Diego
Wainwright likely headed back to DL after difficult start, loss to San Diego
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos, MLB Baseball News …, NBCSports.com and Gaslamp Ball