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
RELATED:
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
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.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and baseballmusings.com
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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.
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:
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:
CBSSports.com, U.S.S. Mariner, Pinstripe Alley, Beyond the Box Score, MLB Baseball News … and MLB Trade Rumors
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Walter Villa / UPI:
San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlins ready to open series — MIAMI — The Miami Marlins and the San Francisco Giants, who meet Monday night to start a three-game series, have vastly different objectives this season. — The Giants (33-32) are trying to win now, and they have remained competitive …
Discussion:
Fish Stripes and McCovey Chronicles
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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
Associated Press:
Rays recall shortstop prospect Willy Adames from Triple-A Durham — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have recalled 22-year-old shortstop prospect Willy Adames from Triple-A Durham after placing infielder Daniel Robertson on the 10-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
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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:
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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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 …
RELATED:
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
Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:
Stroman's rehab moving along as pitcher prepares for Dunedin outing — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Yes, the winter home of the Jays has been a busy spot of late, with regulars from the big team recovering from a variety of injuries. — Let's start with pitcher Marcus Stroman …
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 …
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
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 …
Jerry CrasnickESPN Senior / ESPN:
Dee Gordon solidifying second base job, Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto says — As the Seattle Mariners keep winning games, their 41-24 record and view from the top of the American League West has forced them to contemplate their plans for Robinson Cano once the eight-time All-Star returns from the suspended list in August.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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 Daily Dish and MLB Trade Rumors
Vinnie Duber / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Alec Hansen to make 2018 debut this weekend with Double-A Birmingham — One of the top pitching prospects in baseball will finally be returning on a minor league mound. — Alec Hansen, ranked as the second-best pitching prospect in the — White Sox loaded farm system and the No. 46 prospect …
Discussion:
South Side Sox