Top News:
Jesse Yomtov / Cincinnati.com:
MLB power rankings: Led by George Springer, red-hot Astros take back the No. 1 spot — Having won eight of their last nine games, the Houston Astros are firing on all cylinders and are primed to run away with the American League West again. — The Astros will be without Jose Altuve …
Discussion:
USA Today
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Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
The Rays are still in first place, but here's five things to be concerned about — A sudden rash of injuries to catchers and a certain AL-leading pitcher aren't the Rays' only worries as the head to Miami. — MIAMI — Things aren't that bad for the Rays.
Discussion:
NESN.com, NBCSports.com and MLB Trade Rumors
David Schoenfield / ESPN:
Real or not? George Springer could be going from star to superstar
Discussion:
Daily News, MLB Baseball News …, Beyond the Box Score, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and True Blue LA
Tommy Birch / Des Moines Register:
'He's going to be a big-league player in Chicago for a long time': Why there are still high hopes for Ian Happ — The hope is that although Ian Happ is in the minors, he can get back on track at the plate and return to the major leagues. — He needs to become the player the Chicago Cubs have always hoped he could be.
RELATED:
Tommy Birch / Des Moines Register:
Winner, winner: The Iowa Cubs are in first place — A look at the Iowa Cubs' 2019 season — During his first spring training with the Chicago Cubs, Iowa Cubs outfielder Johnny Field listened closely whenever veterans like Jason Heyward and Anthony Rizzo would talk.
Tommy Birch / Des Moines Register:
Cubs pitching prospect Adbert Alzolay expected to join Iowa Cubs this week — One of the top pitching prospects in the Chicago Cubs' organization is headed back to Iowa. — Soon. — Right-handed pitcher Adbert Alzolay is expected to join the Iowa Cubs this week.
Tommy Birch / Des Moines Register:
Cubs catcher Victor Caratini recovers quickly from injury — Right after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured left hamate bone, Chicago Cubs catcher/first baseman Victor Caratini made a bold prediction. — “I told (the trainer) I'd be back quickly,” Caratini said. — He was right.
Charlotte Knights / The Charlotte Observer:
Dieter Kurtenbach: Derek Holland's ripping of the Giants' front office rings hollow — Giants pitcher Derek Holland is disgruntled and he needed everyone to hear about it. — But instead of achieving his goal of embarrassing the Giants' front office and perhaps forcing a move …
Discussion:
Marin Independent Journal, Chico Enterprise-Record and Mercury News
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Buster Olney / ESPN:
Running in place, Giants need to start tearing down — If the San Francisco Giants had slogged along to the All-Star break with a record around .500, not really in contention but not really out of it, then Farhan Zaidi, the team's new head of baseball operations, would have faced difficult decisions.
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Why Cincinnati Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig dyed his Mohawk blond
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals notebook: Hurler Martinez could return next weekend — The Cardinals intend to push former starting pitcher Carlos Martinez into longer relief appearances in the coming days and that could mean seeing him sooner than advertised. — Martinez struck out three and walked …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
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Associated Press:
RHP Loaisiga 17th Yankee to hit IL this year — NEW YORK — Right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga has a strained pitching shoulder and became the New York Yankees' 17th player to go on the injured list this season. — New York announced the roster move Monday before starting a homestand against Baltimore and made it retroactive to Friday.
RELATED:
ESPN:
Yankees' Hicks set for season debut as Orioles visit — While the New York Yankees are anticipating the returns of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton from injuries, they can look forward to the imminent return of Aaron Hicks. — Hicks is expected to be activated off the injured list …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Pinstripe Alley
Associated Press:
Castellanos, Norris lead Tigers to 5-3 win over Twins — MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Daniel Norris rediscovered his rhythm, Nicholas Castellanos maintained his and the Detroit Tigers left Minnesota with a series split. — Norris turned in his longest outing since 2017 and, backed by Castellanos' three hits …
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
RELATED:
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Tigers' Daniel Norris, with mom on his mind, breaks through in win over Twins
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes, Bless You Boys and Twinkie Town
Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rain pours through roof at Astros-Rangers game — The retractable roof at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, was no match for the powerful storms that rolled through the area on May 9.
RELATED:
Stefan Stevenson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Astros complete series sweep of Rangers with Mother's Day massacre
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball, Dallas-Fort Worth Sports News and Rangers News
Sam Miller / ESPN:
Casey Mize, Vlad Jr. and the craziest minor league stats ever — The earned run Casey Mize allowed to the Clearwater Threshers on April 9 was a bit of a cheapie. Mize got the first two outs of the second inning, then clipped the Threshers' No. 6 hitter on a two-strike cutter.
Associated Press:
Former Braves pitcher Edwin Jackson on verge of history — How does someone pitch for 14 different teams before his 36th birthday? — Edwin Jackson is on the verge of accomplishing exactly that after the right-hander was traded from Oakland to Toronto. He is expected to start for the Blue Jays …
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Watch: Trevor Bauer reads Happy Mother's Day letter in heartwarming video — Cleveland Indians starter Trevor Bauer shared a heart-warming Happy Mother's Day video on Twitter. — CLEVELAND — Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer has a toughmindedness about him on the baseball field …
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Indians minor-leaguer Bobby Bradley named to MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week — Cleveland Indians minor-league first baseman Bobby Bradley was named to MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week Monday. — CLEVELAND — Cleveland Indians minor-league first baseman Bobby Bradley …
Associated Press:
Blackmon homers twice, Rockies beat Padres 10-7 — DENVER — The sun broke through, and Charlie Blackmon came out swinging. — Blackmon homered twice, Antonio Senzatela pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Colorado Rockies hung on to beat the San Diego Padres 10-7 on Sunday.
