Top News:
Kyle Newman / Denver Post:
Journal: Nolan Arenado will let his play speak for itself, but believes his MVP campaign still hasn't reached its ceiling — Arenado: “I feel like I can get better. I haven't been playing my best ball lately, so hopefully I continue to improve down the stretch.”
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Purple Row
RELATED:
MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings …:
Report: Dodgers RP Jansen out until September — Kenley Jansen is reportedly expected to be sidelined up to one month after he was sent to Los Angeles from Colorado to see his cardiologist because of an irregular heartbeat on Thursday. — ESPN reported Friday that Jansen is expected to be out “about a month,” citing unnamed sources.
Discussion:
Reuters and True Blue LA
Pat Graham / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Taylor, Dozier homer in ninth as Dodgers beat Rockies 8-5
Discussion:
True Blue LA and Purple Row
Mark Polishuk / MLB Trade Rumors:
Phillies Acquire Justin Bour — 2:15PM: The Marlins will receive left-hander McKenzie Mills, Fancred's Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). Mills was an 18th-round pick for the Nationals in the 2014 draft, and the 22-year-old has a 3.51 ERA, 2.58 K/BB rate, and an 8.5 K/9 over 89 2/3 IP …
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, FanGraphs Baseball, MLB Baseball News … and Fish Stripes
RELATED:
David Murphy / Philly.com:
What the Justin Bour trade means for the Phillies in 2018 and beyond
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Jon Meoli / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles call up outfield prospect Cedric Mullins — Orioles' Cedric Mullins hits a sacrifice fly to score teammate Austin Hays during spring training. (Lloyd Fox / Baltimore Sun) — Orioles outfield prospect Cedric Mullins earned his first major league call-up Friday, the team has announced …
Discussion:
Camden Chat, MLB Trade Rumors and MLB Baseball News …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Brewers place Joakim Soria on 10-day DL with groin strain — ATLANTA — Brewers right-hander Joakim Soria was placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday because of a strained right groin. — Soria was injured while giving up a grand slam to Hunter Renfroe in the ninth inning Thursday in an 8-4 home loss to San Diego.
RELATED:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Next Slide — ATLANTA - After a crushing loss Thursday afternoon to end a disappointing home series, this was not the way the Milwaukee Brewers hoped to open a long, important road trip. — The Atlanta Braves hit starter Freddy Peralta harder than any opponent in his rookie season and cruised …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Brew Crew Ball
Bradford DoolittleESPN / ESPN:
MLB's next big thing: Red Sox vs. 116 and more races to watch — Baseball is a story, one that never ends and one that never follows any pat formula. Each season is a chapter in the longest novel ever written. The chapters achieve closure; the novel does not. We just have to keep reading.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
RELATED:
Kristie Rieken / Associated Press:
M's jump on Verlander early in 8-6 win over Astros
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and The Crawfish Boxes
Teddy Greenstein / Chicago Tribune:
Willson Contreras, Anthony Rizzo perfectly execute ‘do-or-die’ pickoff play to help escape 8th inning jam — Photos from the Cubs-Nationals game at Wrigley Field on Aug. 10, 2018. — Chicago Tribune — The details don't matter, except to Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras.
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Justin Verlander apologizes to Tigers for saying he was misdiagnosed — Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press Columnist — Justin Verlander has apologized to the Detroit Tigers. — In a feature story published by Bleacher Report on Thursday about Verlander, the former Tigers right-hander …
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Bless You Boys and MLive.com
RELATED:
ESPN:
Angels OF Mike Trout lands on DL with right wrist inflammation — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with right wrist inflammation, the team announced. — Trout hasn't played since Aug. 1, when he hurt his wrist during a feet-first slide into third base in Tampa Bay.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Athletics Nation and baseballmusings.com
Associated Press:
Former All-Star pitcher Esteban Loaiza pleads guilty to drug charges — MLB, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox — SAN DIEGO — Former All-Star pitcher Esteban Loaiza, who earned more than $43 million over 14 seasons, pleaded guilty Friday to federal drug charges in California.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and baseballmusings.com
Associated Press:
Texas rookie Guzman homers 3 times against Yankees — NEW YORK (AP) — Ronald Guzman became the first rookie to hit three home runs in a game against the Yankees, powering the Texas Rangers past New York 12-7 on Friday night. — Eight days after Boston's Steve Pearce connected three times off the Yankees …
Keegan Matheson / Tampa Bay Times:
Rays journal: Patience paying off for Mallex Smith — TORONTO — It's all clicking now for Rays OF Mallex Smith, who continues to ride a prolonged hot streak and flash game-changing ability at the top of Tampa Bay's lineup. — A hot April from Smith generated plenty of buzz, but that quieted through the summer.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Associated Press:
Stunner: Mariners demote ace Felix Hernandez to bullpen — HOUSTON (AP) — Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has lost his spot in the rotation in the wake of his latest terrible start in a season filled with struggles. — The right-hander, who threw a perfect game in 2012 …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and MLB Baseball News …
RELATED:
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Diamondbacks notes: Torey Lovullo giving Paul Goldschmidt red light on steal attempts — CINCINNATI - Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt said last month that his decline in stolen bases has to do with opposing teams paying more attention to him. Manager Torey Lovullo acknowledged …
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit
Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
It's time to talk about Bryce Harper and the Cubs again — CHICAGO - Let the hype begin anew. — Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper will make his final appearance at Wrigley Field this weekend — barring a playoff matchup — before hitting free agency this winter.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Daily Record:
Mets weighing six-man rotation but want to do right by Jacob deGrom — Mets manager Mickey Callaway on Zack Wheeler Matt Ehalt, Staff Writer, @MattEhalt — MIAMI — The Mets are considering using a six-man rotation in the near future although the team may hold off on doing so since Jacob deGrom is vying for the Cy Young.
