Top News:
Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
Yasiel Puig hits sixth HR in past 18 at-bats: 'We're going to win the West' — LOS ANGELES — Yasiel Puig couldn't decide which celebration fit best, so he basically used all of them. He rubbed his fingers and flexed his biceps, clapped his hands and raised them to the sky …
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Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
Rookie Walker Buehler, now the Dodgers' co-ace, isn't stopping — LOS ANGELES — Walker Buehler surpassed 140 innings between the minors and majors on Wednesday, while giving up only a couple of unearned runs in a sweep-clinching victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Beth Harris / Star Tribune:
Puig's pinch-hit homer helps Dodgers sweep Rockies, 5-2 — LOS ANGELES — Pinch-hitter Yasiel Puig slugged a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh inning that sent the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Colorado Rockies 5-2 on Wednesday night to increase their NL West lead to 2½ games.
Discussion:
Over the Monster and True Blue LA
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Cubs battle White Sox on the South Side as Ken ‘Hawk’ Harrelson calls it a career — Photos of the White Sox broadcaster and former general manager (1986) Ken “Hawk” Harrelson. — Chicago Tribune — The Cubs find themselves in the catbird seat this weekend as they travel …
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Steve Herrick / Associated Press:
Indians turn back Sox on walk-off grand slam — Jason Kipnis hit a grand slam with one out in the ninth inning and the Cleveland Indians rallied for a 4-1 win over the White Sox on Wednesday night. — Kipnis hit a 3-2 pitch from Ian Hamilton into the right-field seats for his 1,000th career hit …
Discussion:
South Side Sox, Associated Press and Let's Go Tribe
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
Can Joe Maddon manage with Cubs' depleted bullpen? — PHOENIX — The road to a World Series title has gotten a little tougher for the Chicago Cubs, as they'll have to navigate October without closer Brandon Morrow due to a nagging bone bruise in his right forearm — assuming they make the playoffs, of course.
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' key relief pitchers should be rested and ready to go for final 10 games — Chicago Tribune — Suffering a 9-0 loss Wednesday night to the Diamondbacks left the Cubs in a reflective mood as they completed a stretch of 30 consecutive days with a scheduled game with an 18-11 record.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs survive 30-day stretch just fine — and their last 10 games are in Chicago
Cubs survive 30-day stretch just fine — and their last 10 games are in Chicago
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Daily Record:
Last Slide — NEW YORK - Justus Sheffield's big-league debut occurred in Wednesday's ninth inning, with a nine-run lead — as soft of an opening as possible, even against the 103-win Red Sox. — Yet, it's no surprise to hear that Sheffield was battling first-time jitters more than Boston's lineup.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Betts returns as Red Sox chase clinch at Yankee Stadium
Betts returns as Red Sox chase clinch at Yankee Stadium
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
New York Post:
De Blasio has secret meeting with Red Sox management
De Blasio has secret meeting with Red Sox management
Discussion:
CBS Boston and Halos Heaven
Zachary D. Rymer / Bleacher Report:
How the San Francisco Giants Became a $205M MLB Flop — So desperate were the San Francisco Giants for another World Series championship in 2018, that they tried to wedge their contention window open with a $205 million wad of cash. — But rather than the top of the National League West, the Giants are near the bottom at 72-81.
Discussion:
The Sports Daily
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Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants fail to sweep Padres; Belt ‘likely’ done for '18
Giants fail to sweep Padres; Belt ‘likely’ done for '18
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles, Gaslamp Ball, NBCSports.com and MLB Baseball News …
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants' Madison Bumgarner wants to stay, but knows decision isn't all his
Giants' Madison Bumgarner wants to stay, but knows decision isn't all his
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and Houston Chronicle
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Shildt gives Carpenter a little extra rest — ATLANTA • After Matt Carpenter salvaged a three-strikeout game Tuesday by taking a walk and scoring a run, manager Mike Shildt asked him to step aside for a conversation. — Shildt suggested to Carpenter a day off Wednesday …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
RELATED:
Charles F. Gardner / Associated Press:
Gio Gonzalez, Jesus Aguilar lead Brewers to win over Reds — Gio Gonzalez pitched six smooth innings on his 33rd birthday and Jesus Aguilar hit a three-run homer in the Brewers' 7-0 victory over the Reds on Wednesday night. — Manny Pina also had a three-run shot and Aguilar finished with four RBIs.
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Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Last Slide — To further explain his decision to bench his top four everyday players on Wednesday night - while continuing to say he wasn't giving up on the season - Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo drew a parenting analogy. He recalled the look he's seen on his kids' faces after they studied hard for a test but didn't do well.
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit
RELATED:
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Last Slide — Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had four …
Last Slide — Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had four …
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit
Bob Brookover / Philly.com:
Phillies' playoff hopes may have improved had they added a Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ at the trade deadline — The moment of truth was supposed to arrive Thursday for the Phillies. For months, we looked at the schedule and saw the last 11 games - seven of them against the Atlanta Braves …
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New York Daily / Associated Press:
Noah Syndergaard gets chased as Mets fall to Phillies
Noah Syndergaard gets chased as Mets fall to Phillies
Discussion:
The Good Phight
Bob Nightengale / Des Moines Register:
Hall of Famer John Smoltz says MLB needs an overhaul and proposes drastic changes — Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz watches baseball every day, talks about it virtually every day, sits in a broadcast booth and TV studio every week, and can't stand what he's seeing.
Discussion:
USA Today
ESPN:
Red Sox manager Alex Cora laments post-Maria stadium demolition in Puerto Rico: ‘I grew up there’ — CAGUAS, Puerto Rico — When José Manuel Cora covered the Caguas Criollos ballclub as a newspaper correspondent, his youngest son had free rein of Yldefonso Solá Morales Stadium.
Keith Law / ESPN:
Harrison Bader, Matt Chapman among players I was wrong about — This is the seventh annual installment of my “Guys I Got Wrong” column (for past versions, see the links below). I'll look at players who have become much better big leaguers than I ever forecasted them to be and try to explain where I made mistakes in evaluating them.