Top News:
Coley Harvey / ESPN:
‘Turn off the lights’: How the Yankees rallied to seize the AL East lead — NEW YORK — The game was tied, but CC Sabathia was telling his teammates they could start packing up their belongings; first place was about to be theirs. — “Turn off the lights,” the New York Yankees' 19-year veteran bellowed …
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Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
What Yankees lefty CC Sabathia was saying and doing in trying, unsuccessfully, to get revenge on Rays — Sabathia throws inside to Austin Meadows, then gets caught on camera saying he “definitely was trying” to hit him. — NEW YORK - Veteran pitcher CC Sabathia went on the offensive …
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Yankees could turn to opener this weekend with James Paxton still out — James Paxton will not be back in the rotation this weekend. The Yankees' left-hander, who is on the injured list with left knee inflammation, threw a bullpen on Friday. While Aaron Boone said it went well …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Pinstripe Alley and New Jersey Online
David Pinto / baseballmusings.com:
Games of the Day — Blake Snell faces Masahiro Tanaka as the Rays and Yankees continue their epic battle for the AL East lead. They Rays put together a great cost effective team, while the Yankees added so much depth they sustained injuries to a number of their best players.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals, grasping for a spark, stick with lineup amidst losing streak — ARLINGTON, TEXAS — The trip to Texas and the access to the designated hitter seemed to give the Cardinals all the reason they needed to give their lineup a different look. They had scored two runs in two losses in Atlanta …
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Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
There's a very simply way for Calhoun to stick with Rangers for the rest of the season — With no offense intended toward the the city of Nashville or its fine citizens and baseball fans, Willie Calhoun would rather not return there anytime soon. — Or ever, at least not as a lineup regular for Triple A Nashville.
Discussion:
Dallas-Fort Worth Sports News, Lone Star Ball, Rangers News and MLB Baseball News …
Richard Morin / Arizona Republic:
Diamondbacks bullpen provides major lift in shut-out win vs. Giants — After right-hander Merrill Kelly loaded the bases in the sixth inning, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo turned to right-hander Yoshihisa Hirano to inherit three runners in one-run game and one out.
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MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings …:
D-backs shut out Giants to open weekend series
D-backs shut out Giants to open weekend series
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit and San Francisco Chronicle
Michelle Gardner / Arizona Republic:
Zack Greinke MRI comes up clean, will throw bullpen Saturday
Zack Greinke MRI comes up clean, will throw bullpen Saturday
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves erupt for 9-run inning in win over Brewers — When Braves manager Brian Snitker switched up his lineup last weekend, he ignited an offensive revival even he probably didn't foresee. — Behind an explosive sixth and another prodigious performance from Max Fried, the Braves outdid the Brewers, 12-8, on Friday.
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards add power arms to bullpen mix — ARLINGTON, TEXAS — While giving regular updates on Carlos Martinez's minor-league appearances as the righthander made his way back to the major-league bullpen, manager Mike Shildt would offer radar readings on Martinez's fastball for the “velocity fiends.”
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Terry Pluto / Plain Dealer:
Cleveland Indians: Are playoffs realistic or is this team in trouble? — TALKING TO MYSELF ABOUT THE TRIBE … ANSWER: And their record was 23-19 heading into the weekend. They trailed the Minnesota Twins by four games. And we know this much - it's a different Central Division.
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Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Trevor Bauer: Indians teammates, fans depend on me to be better, need to live up to expectations
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Indians 2B Jason Kipnis ‘going in right direction’ after early-season struggles
Indians 2B Jason Kipnis ‘going in right direction’ after early-season struggles
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Sports Illustrated
Associated Press:
White Sox put LHP Banuelos (shoulder) on IL — CHICAGO — White Sox left-hander Manny Banuelos has been placed on the injured list, another blow to a Chicago pitching staff that already lost Carlos Rodon and Nate Jones for the season this week. — Banuelos left in the fifth inning …
Discussion:
South Side Sox and MLB Baseball News …
Associated Press:
Kinsler on outburst: Only regret doing it on field — SAN DIEGO — Ian Kinsler said he regrets using profanity during an emotional outburst after hitting a pivotal three-run home run for the San Diego Padres on Thursday night and maintained he was firing up his teammates and not taking a shot at fans.
ABC News:
McCutchen, Harper lead Phillies over Rockies 5-4 — Andrew McCutchen's early batting practice quickly paid off. — McCutchen hit a two-run homer, Bryce Harper lined a two-run double and Cole Irvin tossed six effective innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies past the Colorado Rockies 5-4 Friday night.
Discussion:
Purple Row, Phillies Nation, MLB Baseball News …, NBCSports.com and The Good Phight
Brian Hight / Oregonian:
Is Kyle Seager a Top-5 all-time hitter for the Seattle Mariners? — Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager began a rehab stint with the AAA Tacoma Rainiers this week. Seager has missed the entire season after undergoing surgery to an injured tendon in his left hand, which he suffered diving for a ball in Spring Training.
Chris Nelsen / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera ties Lou Gehrig for hits — Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera, going through a power slump this season, has taken heat from fans after blaming his decline, in part, on a lack of power hitters in the team's lineup. — In Friday night's 7-2 loss …
TC Zencka / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rays Notes: Wood, Pruitt, Bemboom — The Tampa Bay Rays activated righty Hunter Wood from the injured list, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). In a corresponding move, Austin Pruitt was optioned back to Triple-A Durham. — Wood gives the Rays another long option to soak …
Discussion:
DRaysBay