Top News:
Bob Nightengale / Arizona Republic:
A year ago, he was unknown. Today, Luke Voit is the Yankees' savior — Luke Voit still can't get used to people recognizing him in the city. The subway system remains terrifying to him. And the folks back home would never believe the price you have to pay for a good steak dinner in New York City.
RELATED:
Jesse Yomtov / Greenville News:
MLB power rankings: Time to start believing in the Twins — SportsPulse: C.C. Sabathia has likely punched his ticket to Cooperstown after eclipsing 3,000 strikeouts. MLB Insider Bob Nightengale looks at the current players that are also locks to be future Hall of Famers. — CONNECT
Discussion:
USA Today
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
Why are home runs flying in Triple-A? Turns out, all baseballs are not created equal — SportsPulse: C.C. Sabathia has likely punched his ticket to Cooperstown after eclipsing 3,000 strikeouts. MLB Insider Bob Nightengale looks at the current players that are also locks to be future Hall of Famers.
David Haugh / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Joe Maddon's methods have helped the Cubs rebound into 1st place. Isn't it time to look at giving him an extension? — Photos of Joe Maddon, the 2015 NL Manager of the Year. — Chicago Tribune — Without even trying, Joe Maddon summed up the essence of what makes him most effective as Cubs manager.
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ESPN:
Cubs recall reliever Edwards from Triple-A — Reliever Carl Edwards Jr. is back with the Chicago Cubs after spending the past month at Triple-A Iowa, a demotion the right-hander called “very humbling” on Monday. — Right-hander Dillon Maples was optioned to Iowa in a corresponding move.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Tyson Miller and Robel Garcia are the Cubs' minor-league pitcher and player of the month for April
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
How the Cubs already took over first place in the NL Central
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds closer Raisel Iglesias upset with use in non-save situations — Josh VanMeter discusses his breakout start to his Triple-A season. He was called up to the Majors on Sunday. — CONNECT — Reds closer Raisel Iglesias doesn't want to make excuses for his early-season struggles …
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John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Is it time for the Cincinnati Reds to call free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel? — During the Reds' struggles to find a leadoff man a couple of years ago, a smart-aleck writer answered a Tweet with this: It's not like you call 1-800-LEADOFF. — Snarky, but true.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and McCovey Chronicles
Joe Kay / scores.nbcsportsbayarea.com:
Bees circle, Senzel homers twice as Reds swarm Giants 12-4 — CINCINNATI (AP) Bees swarmed home plate. A rookie hit two homers. A third baseman wound up pitching. Reds batters got plunked at a record rate in a lopsided win. — Bruce Bochy sure has some memories from his final game at Great American Ball Park.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, NBCSports.com and baseballmusings.com
Stu Durando / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Jose Martinez trying to get family out of Venezuela — Jose Martinez may not seem distracted on the field these days, but the Cardinals outfielder frequently is thinking about his family in Venezuela, where political turmoil has led to violence in the streets. — Martinez wants badly to get his relatives out of the country.
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Keith Law / ESPN:
Keith Law's 2019 MLB Mock Draft 1.0 — The MLB draft starts in just four weeks, which means we're close enough to at least start talking about who might be drafted where. The top 10 or so picks are at least becoming less opaque. I think these are mostly the right names up top …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
RELATED:
ESPN:
Vets Hernandez, Sabathia battle as Yankees host Mariners — Felix Hernandez and CC Sabathia own a combined 416 victories, 5,498 strikeouts and 951 starts. — Besides accumulating numbers, the veteran pitchers are in various stages of revamping their pitching styles from being power pitchers to using craftiness to get outs.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
RELATED:
USA Today:
Red Sox pitcher David Price signal-boosts tweet about ‘white Sox’ visiting Trump's White House — The Boston Red Sox are set to be honored at the White House on Thursday, but a number of players and coaches have announced they would not be attending the ceremony with President Donald Trump.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, New York Post and NBCSports.com
RELATED:
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Red Sox Place David Price On Injured List, Select Ryan Weber
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Phil Rosenthal / Baltimore Sun:
‘Jeopardy!’ champ James Holzhauer, off the show until May 20, will visit MLB Network's ‘MLB Now’ on Tuesday — Chicago Tribune — While “Jeopardy!” sensation James Holzhauer's string of victories is on hold as the quiz show presents its two-week teachers tournament, the Naperville-raised …
Phil Thompson / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. pays a surprise visit to breast cancer survivors: ‘This is bigger than baseball, man’ — Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. poses for a photo with Keno Ely, Kristen Hall and the couple's twins at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital's Cancer Survivorship Center in Park Ridge.
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
Matt Olson to rejoin A's on Tuesday; Morales likely to be let go — Gold Glove first baseman Matt Olson will come off the injured list Tuesday for the A's game against the Reds, The Chronicle has learned. — Olson, who hit 29 homers and drove in 84 runs last year, broke the hamate bone …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and Athletics Nation
