Top News:
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Cubs know they won't get any sympathy for a 30-day work stretch — Javy Baez discusses his game-winning bunt against the Nationals on Sept. 13, 2018, in Washington. (Paul Sullivan/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — The heaviest thing most baseball players lift during a game is a bat …
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Associated Press:
MLB: Cubs' Strop is out for season — It looks like the back end of the Chicago Cubs' bullpen will be a big question mark down the stretch. — Pedro Strop will miss the rest of the regular season with a left hamstring strain, leaving the NL Central leaders with a closer-by-committee approach …
ESPN:
Gregory Polanco likely to miss 7-9 months after shoulder surgery — PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates say right fielder Gregory Polanco could be out until June after having surgery on his left shoulder. — Polanco dislocated his throwing shoulder on an awkward slide into second base on a double last Friday against Miami.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
ESPN:
Cubs return home to face Reds — CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs have a razor-thin margin for error as they attempt to hold onto first place in the National League Central down the stretch. — So if there was a time when a team that has already experienced its share of injuries this season …
ESPN:
Clay Buchholz's resurgent season with D-backs ends early — Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Clay Buchholz won't pitch again this season, manager Torey Lovullo said Friday night. — Buchholz was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday because of tightness in his right elbow …
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Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Diamondbacks pitcher Clay Buchholz's season likely over due to flexor strain in elbow
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Joe Lyons / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Flaherty-Buehler rematch highlights Cards vs. Dodgers — Two of baseball's top young righthanders — Jack Flaherty of the Cardinals and the Dodgers' Walker Buehler — will square off Friday in a 7:15 p.m. showdown at Busch Stadium. — Los Angeles won 9-7 in the opening game of the four-game series …
Discussion:
True Blue LA
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ESPN:
Mets' Noah Syndergaard on Boston rodent: New York rats way worse — Noah Syndergaard's first start at historic Fenway Park was everything the right-hander could have asked for. — Seven shutout innings. Three hits allowed. An 8-0 New York Mets win. — The only thing not that impressive to Thor?
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Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Learning the outfield could help Cincinnati Reds top prospect Nick Senzel reach the Majors — Scott Schebler talks about Luis Castillo's start and the Reds' 3-1 victory over the Dodgers. The Reds have a 6-0 record vs. the Dodgers this year. Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati Enquirer — CONNECT
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Associated Press:
Kansas City Royals beat Minnesota Twins 8-4 to lower Cleveland Indians' magic number to 1 — Salvador Perez's walk-off grand slam provided the difference. — KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Salvador Perez capped Kansas City's five-run ninth inning with a game-ending grand slam …
Peter Schmuck / Baltimore Sun:
Trey Mancini homers twice, but Orioles' pitching crisis continues in 8-6 loss to White Sox — Orioles manager Buck Showalter has spent the past week trying desperately to backfill his beleaguered starting rotation, but if it isn't one minor disaster it's another.
Discussion:
Camden Chat and South Side Sox
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Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
WATCH: Josh Donaldson hits first home run as member of Cleveland Indians — Third baseman Josh Donaldson hit his first home run as a member of the Cleveland Indians in the sixth inning of Friday's game against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. — CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians …
Discussion:
Plain Dealer
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Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
RECAP: Cleveland Indians' ninth-inning rally falls short in 5-4 loss to Detroit Tigers
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Mark Didtler / Associated Press:
Khris Davis homers as A's edge Rays in 10 to win another one-run game — Tampa Bay Rays' C.J. Cron breaks his bat as he lines out during the 10th inning of Friday's loss to the A's. — Khris Davis helped Oakland win another close one. — Davis led off the 10th inning …
ESPN:
Don Mattingly reunites with former Make-A-Wish recipient after 30 years — Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly reunited 30 years later with a former Make-A-Wish recipient who overcame his cancer diagnosis and named his daughter after the longtime New York Yankees first baseman.
Kristie Rieken / Associated Press:
Jay triples in 8th, D-backs top Astros 4-2, races tighten — Houston's Charlie Morton (14-3, 3.15 ERA) opposes Arizona's Zack Godley (14-9, 4.67) when the series continues Saturday night. Morton has won two straight and tied his career high for wins. — HOUSTON — Pinch-hitter Jon Jay's …
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Braves, Giants franchises molded by 1993, MLB's last great pennant race — SAN FRANCISCO — The last great pennant race left some with the most beautiful memories in their careers and others with the ugliest of scars. — It created the most radical change in baseball's playoff format …
George Henry / Star Tribune:
Acuna goes 4 for 5, Braves win 6th straight — ATLANTA — Ronald Acuna Jr. struck out twice and reached base once in his first six at-bats against Nationals ace Max Scherzer. — “I think it helps having some previous at-bats against him,” Acuna said through a translator. “I just went in with the same approach.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
Betts: Red Sox must carry sense of urgency into postseason — After getting walloped by the Astros in the first two games of last season's American League Division Series the Red Sox decided enough was enough. It was team meeting time. — The Red Sox finally looked in the mirror and didn't like what they were seeing.
Discussion:
Over the Monster and MLB Baseball News …
