Column: Manny Machado, the ideal Cub, handles hoopla over arrival like superstar he is  —  Orioles slugger Manny Machado fields questions about being the focus of trade rumors on Monday, May 21, 2018.  (David Haugh/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune  —  About 20 Chicago media members filed …

Soto, 19, homers in first start for Nationals  —  Juan Soto, the youngest player in the majors at 19, hit a three-run homer in his first career start as the Washington Nationals defeated the San Diego Padres 10-2 on Monday.  —  Mark Reynolds had two solo home runs for the Nationals, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Brewers hit 3 HRs off Greinke, beat Diamondbacks 4-2  —  MILWAUKEE (AP) — Travis Shaw, Domingo Santana and Lorenzo Cain each hit home runs off Zack Greinke, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 on Monday night.  —  Arizona has lost five in a row and 11 of 12, scoring just 24 runs in that span.

O'Neill starting in third consecutive game; Garcia at SS  —  The Cardinals, coming off a four-game split with the Philadelphia Phillies, host the Kansas City Royals Monday at 7:15 p.m. in the first of three at Busch Stadium.  —  The teams will also meet Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. and on Wednesday …

Mets open series with 2-0 win over Marlins  —  Fish fall in New York  —  NEW YORK - Jason Vargas returned to the rotation with five excellent innings, AJ Ramos pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 2-0 on Monday night.

Notes: Brewers activate Chase Anderson, send Freddy Peralta back to Class AAA Colorado Springs  —  Freddy Peralta's first stay in the majors ended Monday but it won't be his last.  —  The Milwaukee Brewers optioned the 21-year-old right-hander to Class AAA Colorado Springs to activate Chase Anderson …

Phillies' Gabe Kapler: Jorge Alfaro and Pudge Rodriguez are ‘neck-and-neck, at worst’  —  PHILADELPHIA — Even at this early stage of the season, a series for first place in the National League East elicits extra excitement from already-pumped up Phillies manager Gabe Kapler — and more than a touch of hyperbole.

Phillies minor league report: IronPigs homer four times to beat Rochester  —  The IronPigs, Fightin Phils, and BlueClaws were all in action, while the Threshers were rained out.  —  Phillies minor league report: Dylan Cozens leads IronPigs to sweep, JoJo Romero picks up first win for Reading

Twins overtake Tigers 4-2 behind strong start from Berrios  —  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) While Jose Berrios struggled through a four-start stretch that began in mid-April, the Minnesota Twins were reeling for most of that time.  —  His last two turns have been masterpieces, and maybe the injury-affected Twins have found a groove again.

Jerad Eickhoff suffers setback in return to Phillies rotation  —  Jerad Eickhoff's rehab program has been put on hold after he felt a sensation in his fingertips on Sunday during the end of his start at triple-A Lehigh Valley.  —  The Phillies starter is working his way back from a back muscle injury …

West rivals Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics clash  —  Two American League West rivals riding winning streaks open a three-game series Tuesday night when the Seattle Mariners visit the Oakland Athletics.  —  The clubs have met six times already this season, all in Seattle, with the Mariners capturing each three-game series 2-1.

Tampa Bay Rays will try to slow down Boston Red Sox's power  —  The Tampa Bay Rays get back to having a traditional starting pitcher on the mound, but they'll do so Tuesday night against the best hitting lineup in the majors as the Boston Red Sox come to town.

Rangers GM Jon Daniels not blaming coaching staff for struggles  —  As the Texas Rangers continue to fall off the pace in the American League West, president and general manager Jon Daniels isn't looking for scapegoats on his coaching staff.  —  “When we took the approach we took this offseason …

It's your turn to debate this ‘legendary’ Milwaukee Brewers trading card lineup  —  Beckett Media and Topps present their all-time legendary trading card line-up for the Milwaukee Brewers Wochit  —  Mike Caldwell or Teddy Higuera?  Pete Vuckovich or Ben Sheets?

Slip-ups cost Dodgers a run in 2-1 loss to Colorado  —  The kinetic chain of mistakes went from the pitcher to the catcher to the second baseman.  The string of slip-ups cost the Dodgers a run in the eighth inning of a 2-1 defeat to Colorado and snapped a four-game winning streak.