Top News:
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
Cubs know Brewers are coming for them as NL Central tightens — CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon often says a team has to go out and take what they desire because nothing is going to be given in baseball. Not over 162 games. The Milwaukee Brewers are heeding Maddon's advice …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball, Bleacher Nation and MLB Daily Dish
RELATED:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The Brewers' magic number is down to 12; here's who to cheer against the rest of the way — The Milwaukee Brewers' “magic number” to earn a spot in the 2018 playoffs is down to 12 after a win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. That's only part of the story - the team also finds itself within …
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs win season series vs. Brewers — but haven't yet won the war — The Cubs won the season series over the Brewers (11-8), but you wouldn't say they won the war. — The Brewers headed back to Milwaukee for a homestand against the Pirates and Reds only one game out of first place in the National League Central.
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: September song is out of tune for Cubs ahead of makeup game against Nationals — Chicago Tribune — The tarp is on the field Thursday afternoon at Nationals Park as the Cubs and Nationals prepare to play their makeup game. — But rain is holding off and they're expected to start on time …
Coley Harvey / ESPN:
Yankees feel sense of urgency with wild-card lead down to 1 game — MINNEAPOLIS — Suddenly in the fight for their postseason lives, the New York Yankees are heading back home from a rocky road trip with a heightened sense of urgency as their wild-card lead has shrunk to one game.
Discussion:
Sporting News and Pinstripe Alley
RELATED:
Daily Record:
Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka or J.A. Happ: Who starts New York Yankees' wild-card game? — Yankees manager Aaron Boone discusses Luis Severino's start prior to game vs. Twins at Minnesota on Wednesday Pete Caldera, Staff Writer, @pcaldera — NEW YORK - Open casting continues …
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Former Diamondbacks executive to auction off 2001 World Series ring to help sick colleague — DENVER - Washington Nationals Assistant General Manager Bob Miller, a former executive with the Diamondbacks, has placed his 2001 World Series ring up for auction to raise money for his colleague …
Toronto Sun:
Red Sox go for 101st win against Blue Jays — BOSTON — Having reached 100 victories for the first time in more than seven decades, the Boston Red Sox send Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound hoping to sweep their three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night at Fenway Park.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter and MLB Baseball News …
RELATED:
ESPN:
A's starter Trevor Cahill scratched with strained muscle in back — The surging Oakland Athletics won't have Trevor Cahill on the mound Saturday. — The right-hander had been scratched from his scheduled start at Tampa Bay with a rhomboid (upper back) muscle strain. — Cahill has returned to Oakland for an MRI.
RELATED:
Andy Clayton / New York Daily News:
David Wright will be activated for the Mets' final homestand, will start at third base on Sept. 29 — David Wright will get to wear a major-league uniform one more time. Then the captain is done with baseball. — The Mets announced Thursday that Wright will be activated on Sept. 25 …
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David Schoenfield / ESPN:
Why this AL race is the best MVP race ever — Here's the hypothesis: The American League MVP race is arguably the greatest MVP race ever. — Here's the evidence: We already have six position players with a WAR of 7.0 or higher, plus a seventh candidate who is merely chasing a Triple Crown.
Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
'He's addicted to winning': Clayton Kershaw's battle to remain elite — LOS ANGELES — It was the onset of spring training in 2015, Andrew Friedman's first as the Los Angeles Dodgers' president of baseball operations. “Player plan” meetings — basically, an analytics session with players, coaches and executives — were being held.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos and DodgerBlue.com
Scott Lauber / Philly.com:
Not even Aaron Nola can stop the Phillies' free fall in sweeping loss to Nationals — No one is immune to the Phillies' free fall. Not even Aaron Nola. — Thirty-nine days since the Phillies last won a series, with their playoff hopes fading faster than a scoop of ice cream on the late-summer pavement …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Phillies Nation and Federal Baseball
Associated Press:
Marlins-Mets doubleheader bumped back after 5 1/2 hour delay — NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Mets and Miami Marlins have bumped their doubleheader back a day after the opener of Wednesday's scheduled twinbill was delayed by rain for 5 hours, 35 minutes. — The teams will play …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Fish Stripes and Amazin' Avenue
RELATED:
David Smale / Associated Press:
Tim Anderson's 12th-inning homer lifts White Sox over Royals — Tim Anderson kept the White Sox in the game with his glove before he won it with his bat. — Anderson hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning, and Chicago beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Wednesday night.
Discussion:
CBS Chicago and MLB Baseball News …
Star Tribune:
Twins' Joe Mauer to consider retiring after season — The Twins fixture must choose between retirement and a 16th MLB season, telling the Star Tribune: 'It's a big decision and I want to make sure I'm 100 percent about it.' — Joe Mauer knows he has a decision to make …
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, MLB Trade Rumors and Twinkie Town
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Angels' Mike Trout makes a push toward his first Gold Glove award — For all of Mike Trout's individual honors — two American League most valuable player awards, AL rookie of the year, five Silver Slugger awards, seven All-Star Game selections and two All-Star Game MVPs …
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Regrets? The Rays have a few (or more) — ST. PETERSBURG — Team officials are stirring up interest and dropping ticket prices for the weekend showdown series with the A's, trying to do everything they can to help their red-hot Rays close the gap for the final American League playoff spot.