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 …

A day off pays dividends for Cardinals' Ozuna  —  When manager Mike Matheny approached him about taking a day off, Cardinals left fielder Marcell Ozuna not only didn't fight it, he embraced it.  —  Struggling to work through an -for-22 slump that saw him strand 13 runners in the first three games …

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.

Cards' Alex Reyes to start, could return next week  —  Cardinals pitching prospect Alex Reyes will return to the majors as a starter and could rejoin St. Louis' rotation as early as next week.  —  Reyes, 23, has been dominant in three minor league starts this month and is eligible to return from the 60-day disabled list next Monday.

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 …

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.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Shohei Ohtani experiment isn't just working — it's been perfect  —  I just got a calendar reminder that I set a little more than a year ago, to make fun of my friend Daniel.  “There's no way a major league team will let Shohei Ohtani hit,” he swore to me last spring.  “Zero chance.  Way too risky.”

Rafael Palmeiro, 53, smacks his first home run for independent league baseball team  —  SportsPulse: MLB insider Bob Nightengale looks at the historic season Shohei Ohtani is putting together and if he truly can become the ‘next Babe Ruth.’ USA TODAY Sports  —  Former MLB star Rafael Palmeiro homered like it was 2005 on Monday.

MLB, USA Baseball modify youth game to pick up pace  —  NEW YORK (AP) — MLB and USA Baseball are promoting a modified version of youth baseball with fewer innings, batters and pitches to pick up the pace.  —  Hit and Run Baseball is part of the MLB's Play Ball initiative announced Tuesday.

Cubs slugger Kris Bryant isn't satisfied with simply making more contact  —  CHICAGO — His quest for perfection in the batter's box will never reach its conclusion, but that doesn't mean Cubs star Kris Bryant won't stop trying.  The latest edition of his journey, which might well end …