Top News:
Associated Press:
Braves clinch 1st NL East crown since 2013, top Phillies 5-3 — ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves capped a most surprising season by clinching their first NL East crown since 2013, with Mike Foltynewicz taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning Saturday in a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
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baseballmusings.com
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Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves ready to surprise again - this time, in postseason — The Braves have a message for the rest of the National League: Bring it. — Fresh off securing the NL East title, the Braves were talking postseason while being drenched in champagne. — A common message: They don't plan to take our foot off the gas.
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves on cusp of division title, and they sure have earned it — The day is coming. It may be Saturday or Sunday - that would be the easiest finish - but it's at worst two wins away. — After a half-decade of retooling, the Braves will win the National League East.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, The Good Phight and Talking Chop
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen will be limited to 60-70 pitches in his 2nd start — Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati Enquirer — MIAMI - As Michael Lorenzen prepares to make his second start of the season Sunday against the Miami Marlins, he will throw again with another pitch count.
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Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds coaches Billy Hatcher, Pat Kelly interested in interviewing for managerial jobs — MIAMI - During most home games this season, Reds interim bench coach Pat Kelly sat in the manager's office during Jim Riggleman's postgame press conferences with reporters.
Ryan Ford / Detroit Free Press:
What were Victor Martinez's best games and seasons? — Victor Martinez, the 39-year-old designated hitter, is retiring after the 2018 season. Free Press sports writer Ryan Ford takes a look at his career. Wochit — CONNECT — Detroit Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez is set …
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Bless You Boys, WKYC-TV and MLB Baseball News …
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs add infielder Mike Freeman to take Addison Russell's roster spot — Chicago Tribune — In a perfect setting, infielder Mike Freeman will be able to celebrate a National League Central title with the Cubs before returning to Greenville, S.C., for the birth of his first child.
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USA Today:
Astros clinch playoff berth with win over Angels — HOUSTON - Yuli Gurriel hit a grand slam and a two-run homer on his way to a career-high seven RBIs, and the Houston Astros clinched a postseason berth by routing the Los Angeles Angels 11-3 on Friday night.
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Naples Herald, The Crawfish Boxes and MLB Baseball News …
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Kristie Rieken / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Gurriel homers twice as Astros punch playoff ticket
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The Crawfish Boxes
Kerry Crowley / Mercury News:
Mark Melancon gives up walk-off home run, Aramís García records four hits in loss — ST. LOUIS-As the season winds down, the book on the 2018 Giants is almost ready for publication. — Some of the chapters focus heavily on injuries and others on the team's offensive failures …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and McCovey Chronicles
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Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Wainwright impresses Giants' Bochy
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
David Schoenfield / ESPN:
Ohtani, ‘openers’ and Moneyball 2.0: My 10 favorite MLB stories of 2018 — It feels like we're trudging a bit to the end of the regular season. The American League playoff teams are essentially set, with the only real question whether the Yankees or A's will host the wild-card game.
Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' Kris Bryant moves to 5th in batting order vs. White Sox — Chicago Tribune — Kris Bryant will bat fifth Saturday night for only the fourth time this season when the Cubs face the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. — Bryant is 2-for-14 with seven strikeouts in his last three games.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and South Side Sox
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Dhiren Mahiban / Toronto:
Tellez hits two-run homer, lifts Jays to 5-2 win over Rays — TORONTO — Rowdy Tellez's two-run home run in the fourth inning helped the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. — Tellez added an RBI double in the eighth, finishing 3 for 4 with three RBI as the Blue Jays …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
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Jeffrey Kirshman / ESPN:
Put it on the board, Hawk Harrelson's career unlike any other — On an overcast Sunday earlier this season, Ken Harrelson sat behind the wheel of his white Hyundai Genesis and began the 90-minute commute from his home in Granger, Indiana, to the ballpark on Chicago's South Side.
Scott Lauber / Philly.com:
Reaching 200 innings will be a meaningful achievement for Phillies ace Aaron Nola — ATLANTA — Aaron Nola won't start a playoff game this season. He probably won't win the Cy Young Award either. But the Phillies ace is poised to achieve the best measure of his rise to the level of baseball's elite pitchers.
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Could Clayton Kershaw have pitched his final regular-season home game for the Dodgers? — There is no finality in Clayton Kershaw's future. There is uncertainty, which is why he took the mound at Dodger Stadium last Tuesday with thoughts beyond that night's game.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
ESPN:
Wakamatsu-led Rangers look to beat Mariners again — The Texas Rangers won their first game with interim manager Don Wakamatsu at the helm, and did so emphatically, trouncing the Seattle Mariners 8-3 on Friday in the opening game of Rangers' final three-game home series.
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Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Adams beats the odds with winning hit off lefty — ‘Big City’ fisted a two-run double past third baseman Evan Longoria to drive in Harrison Bader and Yairo Munoz as the Cardinals remained on the right path to the wild
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