Top News:
Jorge L. Ortiz / Citizen Times:
In baseball, numbers are everything. Why 10 matters most to MLB veterans. — SAN FRANCISCO - Throughout this summer, small but lively pregame celebrations will take place in several clubhouses across the baseball landscape. — The Tampa Bay Rays will likely fete Sergio Romo on Monday …
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
MLB's great free agent class of 2018 limping toward finish line — This was going to be the mother of all free-agent classes, the one leaving baseball executives salivating, knowing that a checkbook alone could instantly turn around the fate of their franchise.
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
MLB power rankings: Are the Mariners for real? We're about to find out — Perhaps the time has come to take the Seattle Mariners seriously. — Oh, it's possible their .631 winning percentage and first place standing in the AL West is as much about schedule - they've played 26 games against the Rays …
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
Tommy Birch / Des Moines Register:
Memphis Redbirds pitcher at center of scary scene at Principal Park called up to majors — A year after getting struck in the head by a vicious line drive at Principal Park, Memphis Redbirds pitcher Daniel Poncedeleon talked about wanting to move on from the incident and his hope of being remembered for something else.
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Peter Baugh / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals sign top pick Nolan Gorman — Cardinals pitching coach Mike Maddux (right) and manager Mike Matheny at spring training. Photo by Chris Lee, clee@post-dispatch.com — The University of Arizona's loss is the Cardinals' game. — Nolan Gorman, the Cardinals' first-round draft pick …
ESPN:
Daniel Poncedeleon called up by Cardinals 13 months after severe head injury — St. Louis Cardinals righthander Daniel Poncedeleon is preparing for his major league debut just 13 months after a line drive to the head threatened not only his baseeball career but his life.
ESPN:
Gomez: Ohtani ‘probably will need Tommy John surgery’ — Pedro Gomez discusses Shohei Ohtani's Grade 2 UCL sprain and how the Angels are holding out hope that surgery won't be necessary.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Pinstripe Alley, Beyond the Box Score and MLB Baseball News …
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Paul Sporer / ESPN:
Daily notes: Pitcher and hitter rankings for Tuesday — A throng of fourth and fifth starters toe the bump Tuesday, with a couple teams likely running a bullpen game, too. This offers plenty of streaming hitter opportunities and should also make for an interesting DFS day …
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Walter Villa / UPI:
San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlins ready to open series
San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlins ready to open series
Discussion:
Fish Stripes and McCovey Chronicles
Gabe Lacques / Detroit Free Press:
Giants' Brandon Crawford handed Nationals' Max Scherzer his first loss in over 2 months
Giants' Brandon Crawford handed Nationals' Max Scherzer his first loss in over 2 months
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and McCovey Chronicles
George Stoia / Detroit Free Press:
WATCH: Detroit Tigers' Kody Clemens a HR machine in super regionals — Perhaps the Detroit Tigers made a good third round pick in Kody Clemens. — The son of former star pitcher Roger Clemens has been outstanding for Texas this postseason. Clemens — the No. 79 overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft …
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Associated Press:
Thumbs up: Brewers activate Eric Thames from disabled list — MILWAUKEE (AP) - The Milwaukee Brewers have reinstated first baseman Eric Thames from the 10-day disabled list and optioned right-hander Brandon Woodruff to Triple-A Colorado Springs. — Thames had been out since April 25 after tearing a ligament in his left thumb.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
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Associated Press:
Balk gives Astros 8-7 win, first 4-game sweep of Rangers — Texas closer Keone Kela had already thrown a pitch to Evan Gattis with two outs when Astros manager A.J. Hinch came out of the dugout apparently to question whether Kela had balked. After a brief conversation among the four umpires …
Discussion:
ABC News
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John Healy / New York Daily News:
Seth Lugo, Todd Frazier lead Mets to 2-0 win over Yankees in Subway Series finale to snap eight-game skid — Perhaps the loud “Let's go Yankees” chants reverberating throughout Citi Field early Sunday night convinced the Mets they were no longer playing at home.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Albert Almora Jr. in, Ben Zobrist out of Cubs lineup against Brewers — Cubs manager Joe Maddon explains why he pulled Kyle Hendricks after 5 innings. (Teddy Greenstein/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — Albert Almora Jr. will bat leadoff Monday night as the Cubs try to seize …
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
More challenges await Cubs' Brian Duensing
ESPN:
Indians call up top C/OF prospect Francisco Mejia — The Cleveland Indians called up top prospect Francisco Mejia on Monday. — Mejia, a catcher/outfielder, was ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect in baseball by ESPN's Keith Law in January. He has been hot of late, batting .350 with three doubles …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
Eduardo A. Encina / Baltimore Sun:
After another rocky outing, is Rule 5 pick Pedro Araujo's roster spot in jeopardy? — The Orioles opened spring training with four Rule 5 draft selections in camp. Now, there's only one — right-handed reliever Pedro Araujo — and his time on the active roster might be running out.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Eduardo A. Encina / Baltimore Sun:
As losses pile up, Orioles still haven't done much to shift focus to future
As losses pile up, Orioles still haven't done much to shift focus to future
Discussion:
Camden Chat
ESPN:
Bullpen Power Rankings: Who's best at locking down their leads? — If you asked fans of 30 teams how they feel about their team's bullpen, you'd probably get 25 or so responses indicating how much better their teams would be without those bums in the pen. People instinctively remember …
ESPN:
Power Rankings: Rivals stake their claims for Astros' throne — The voting is in, and what figures to be a season-long three-way wrestling match for top honors in our Power Rankings has a new champ. After reclaiming the highest perch for just two weeks, the Astros, defending world champs …
Kellan Olson / Arizona Sports:
A.J. Pollock lone D-back in first return of All-Star votes — The Arizona Diamondbacks do not have much representation in the first return on All-Star balloting. — Outfielder A.J. Pollock was ranked 13th among National League outfielders with 110,055 votes.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Yankees examining minor-league pitching options as injuries will test their depth — Mel Stottlemyre is the gold standard as far as Yankees' mid-season starting pitching call-ups are concerned. In 1964, Stottlemyre went 9-3 after being promoted from Triple-A Richmond …
David SchoenfieldESPN Senior / ESPN:
Ross Stripling, Max Muncy, Matt Kemp give Dodgers unexpected lift — The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 7-2 on Sunday and these three all contributed to the win: — • Ross Stripling allowed two runs over 6 innings, striking out six with no walks, improving to 5-1 with a 1.65 ERA.
Discussion:
Dodgers Nation