Top News:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Philadelphia Phillies emerge as clear-cut favorite to land Bryce Harper after meeting — LOS ANGELES - The Philadelphia Phillies, and not the Washington Nationals, have emerged as the clear-cut favorite to sign free-agent outfielder Bryce Harper after meeting with him for five hours Saturday in Las Vegas …
Discussion:
Bleacher Report, MLB Baseball News …, MLB Trade Rumors, New York Post and Phillies Nation
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Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Phillies' meeting with Bryce Harper might not end in an immediate deal, but optimism builds about free agency prospects — It took roughly 10 weeks, but the Phillies finally found themselves on Saturday face-to-face with Bryce Harper. — The Phillies — led by owner John Middleton …
Andy Schwartz / Baltimore Sun:
Report: Phillies may favor Bryce Harper over Manny Machado — Of The Morning Call — The Phillies' meeting with Bryce Harper in Las Vegas went so well that the team may be shifting its focus to Harper instead of Manny Machado, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, who cited a pair of sources.
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: White Sox's long shot pursuit of Manny Machado could be paying off — Photos of Manny Machado, one of the top free agents this season. — Chicago Tribune — As unlikely as it seemed entering the offseason, the White Sox could wind up one of the biggest winners of free agency.
Mark Fischer / New York Daily News:
Bryce Harper, Manny Machado sweepstakes nearing end with Yanks nowhere to be found — Time to warm up the hot stove because in the words of Michael Scott: “It's happening!” — An end to the Bryce Harper, and Manny Machado offseason thriller, that is, and perhaps even soon.
Steve Politi / New Jersey Online:
Yankees will regret passing on Manny Machado and going cheap in the 2018-19 free agent market — So that's it? — The Yankees' big splash from the vaunted 2018-19 free agent class, the one fans have been hearing about for years now, is a utility infielder named DJ LeMahieu.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley, Beyond the Box Score and New York Post
Associated Press:
Padres moving Wil Myers back to the outfield, may need third baseman — SAN DIEGO — Wil Myers said Saturday that he's moving back to the rebuilding Padres' crowded outfield, indicating that San Diego is likely still in the market for a third baseman. — Myers said the decision …
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Kevin Acee / sandiegouniontribune.com:
Moving Myers again means Padres loaded in outfield, lacking at third — Wil Myers confirmed on Saturday that he is once again an outfielder. — “What we think is best for the team is for me to go back to the outfield,” said Myers, who began his career as an outfielder …
Discussion:
Redleg Nation, Cubs Insider, Bleacher Nation and MLB Trade Rumors
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Tigers deal with Nicholas Castellanos paves way for eventual trade — Who will start for the Detroit Tigers in 2019 after their offseason acquisitions — Heading toward Friday's deadline for teams and players to exchange salary arbitration figures, one case stood out as the Detroit Tigers' most complicated.
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Leonys Martin healthy after life-threatening infection, ready to return to Indians — After overcoming a life-threatening bacterial infection, outfielder Leonys Martin is healthy and ready to get back to playing baseball for the Cleveland Indians. — CLEVELAND — Outfielder Leonys Martin …
Rich Hammond / Orange County Register:
Rams show playoff toughness, beat Dallas Cowboys to advance to NFC title game — C.J. Anderson, Todd Gurley run over the Dallas defense in a 30-22 home victory — LOS ANGELES - Dallas had a good game plan, a winning one. So the Rams co-opted it, improved it, rolled it up and smacked the Cowboys around with it Saturday night.
Discussion:
Daily News, Daily Breeze, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and Whittier Daily News
TC Zencka / MLB Trade Rumors:
Manny Pina's Contract Details — Catcher Manny Pina signed for $1.6MM in 2019, his first season of arbitration eligibility, but the Milwaukee Brewers hold a team option for 2020 worth $1.85MM, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. — The team option for 2020 also includes …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
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Ken Davidoff / New York Post:
The last-ditch option for heating up MLB's Hot Stove season — Oh, goodness, the hand-wringing. — So much hand-wringing over this slow-moving free-agent market. From the players' side. From the media. From the fans. — It's enough to drive a free-market advocate into considering ... salary caps and floors?