Top News:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
All-Star Game: Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander take different paths to historic dominance — WASHINGTON - They have everything you'd possibly want in life. — They've got more than $400 million in guaranteed contracts, the kind of money that will take care of generations of their families long after they're gone.
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USA Today:
MLB at the All-Star break: Seven eye-opening numbers from the first half — A first half that never seemed to end has finally reached the All-Star break. — And several storylines have dominated Major League Baseball heading into its symbolic halfway point - many of them coming out of Boston.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
Max Scherzer, Chris Sale get starting nods in All-Star Game rematch — WASHINGTON — It will be a rerun at the start of Tuesday night's All-Star Game. This one will feel a little different for Max Scherzer, however. — Scherzer's accomplished major league career will add yet another milestone …
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Mets ace Jacob deGrom on All-Star Game: ‘I want to start’
Mets ace Jacob deGrom on All-Star Game: ‘I want to start’
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Brew Crew Ball, Bleed Cubbie Blue and Gaslamp Ball
Associated Press:
Futures Game a showcase of potential Manny Machado trade chips — WASHINGTON — Touki Toussaint was about to settle down for his pregame nap when Atlanta Braves director of player development Dom Chiti called. — “When I saw his name pop up, I did kind of get nervous,” Toussaint said.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball, Camden Chat and School of Roch
RELATED:
Steve Gardner / USA Today:
Futures Game features power surge with Peter Alonso, Yusniel Diaz, Taylor Trammell
Yahoo Sports / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
MLB stars of tomorrow blast eight home runs in 2018 Futures Game
MLB stars of tomorrow blast eight home runs in 2018 Futures Game
Discussion:
DodgerBlue.com, New York Post, Red Reporter, Bless You Boys and Bluebird Banter
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs rookie reliever James Norwood maximizing his midseason audition — Chicago Tribune — There was a different pecking order Sunday during the final 3 2/3 innings of the Cubs' 7-4 win over the Padres, and it included rookie James Norwood, who quickly has taken on a more prominent role in the bullpen.
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Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
Cubs surge to top of NL at All-Star break thanks to clubhouse culture — SAN DIEGO — All is right in Cubs Nation as the 2016 world champions used the final week before the All-Star break to take command of their division, and the National League, and now find themselves on top of both after a weekend sweep of the San Diego Padres.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs have long history of competing in the Home Run Derby
Associated Press:
Success on the road lifts A's into contention — The Oakland Athletics have played their way into contention by beating up on teams that are far from it. — Oakland enters the All-Star break having won 21 of its last 27, and the A's are only three games behind the second wild card.
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Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' Albert Almora Jr. says wife Krystal ‘is doing much better’ — Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr., who was placed on Family Medical Emergency leave Sunday, tweeted Monday that his wife, Krystal, “is doing much better and baby #2 is kicking all over the place!”
Carlos Monarrez / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit trying to move past breakup with Justin Verlander — Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press Columnist — Sometimes it hurts more when they say they still think about you. — Detroiters knew this was going to be a hard weekend. Seeing your ex for the first time after the breakup is never easy.
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Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Motivated Detroit Tigers, against all odds, crush Justin Verlander
Motivated Detroit Tigers, against all odds, crush Justin Verlander
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Jenny Dial Creech / Houston Chronicle:
Astros Balls & Strikes: A.J. Hinch sets rotation for after All-Star break
Astros Balls & Strikes: A.J. Hinch sets rotation for after All-Star break
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
Derrick Goold / Kansas City Star:
High-tech approach led Cardinals to sign Mikolas without seeing him in person — Almost all of what the Cardinals saw of Miles Mikolas' reinvention as a pitcher in Japan was the byte-sized view offered by video clips they played and replayed again on a laptop or tablet.
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Ed Barkowitz / Philly.com:
Phillies' Rhys Hoskins one of the favorites to win Monday's Home Run Derby | Sports betting — ATLANTIC CITY — Bryce Harper is favored to win the Home Run Derby, but Rhys Hoskins is getting some major respect from the oddsmakers. — The William Hill company, which operates the sportsbook …
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Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers' Muncy says he'll practice restraint at home run derby
Dodgers' Muncy says he'll practice restraint at home run derby
Discussion:
DodgerBlue.com
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Mike Trout's incredible start elevates him into the class of MLB's all-time elites — Chicago Tribune — Former Angels scouting director Eddie Bane cringed after soliciting help from one of his evaluators in 2009. — “Around the time of the draft, I asked our scouts to give some comps …
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R.J. Anderson / CBSSports.com:
With MLB All-Star break underway, here are six observations from the first half of the 2018 season
With MLB All-Star break underway, here are six observations from the first half of the 2018 season
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Gary Sanchez takes positive step in rehab; Yankees set rotation for Subway Series against Mets — CLEVELAND - Gary Sanchez's minor-league rehab stint got off to a great start. — Sanchez homered while also striking out twice in three at-bats for Triple-A Scranton on Sunday.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
RELATED:
Mitchell Gladstone / Philly.com:
Phillies minor leagues: JoJo Romero is turning things around at double-A Reading — READING — Seven of the Phillies' top 12 prospects are pitchers, with Sixto Sanchez and his blazing triple-digit fastball leading the way in single A and Enyel De Los Santos becoming the first young hurler …
John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Hard work made Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suárez into an MLB All-Star — When the Cincinnati Reds got Eugenio Suárez in December of 2015 from the Detroit Tigers, they hoped they were getting a good player. Suárez was known as a glove-first shortstop.
Discussion:
Red Reporter
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Rest arrives for Cubs reliever Steve Cishek: 'We'll go to a theme park' — Chicago Tribune — Cubs followers can relax, for now. — Reliever Steve Cishek, arguably their best free-agent signing, won't pick up a baseball until Wednesday at the earliest in an effort to rest his taxed right arm.
Dennis Georgatos / Associated Press:
Trevor Story's walk-off home run lifts Rockies past Mariners … DENVER — Trevor Story tuned up for the All-Star Game with one memorable swing. — Story led off the ninth inning with his 20th homer, and the Colorado Rockies completed a series sweep of the Seattle Mariners with a 4-3 victory on Sunday.
Rotoworld.com:
Top 10 Prospects: July 16 — Follow @Rotoworld_BB and @Crawford_Milb on Twitter. — A reminder that this is strictly a list for 2018. Several of these prospects are among the best in baseball, but for the purpose of this series, it's just measuring potential impact for the coming season.
Scott Lauber / Philly.com:
Cole Hamels is focused on the Rangers, but a trade to Phillies would be a ‘blessing’ — BALTIMORE — Cole Hamels stays in touch with enough of his former teammates to know that the Phillies will honor the 2008 World Series champions before the Aug. 5 game at Citizens Bank Park.
Discussion:
Philly.com, MLB Baseball News … and Phillies Nation