Top News:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals notebook: Banged-up Carpenter out of lineup, but expected back Saturday — CHICAGO — A series of foul balls over the past week tenderized Matt Carpenter's right shin so much that it left the Cardinals' leadoff hitter comparing the nagging pain to an ingrown toenail and wondering …
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Hamels quiets Cardinals, keeps Cubs rolling at Wrigley with 3-1 shutdown — CHICAGO — All the hand-wringing and angst generated this past week by free-agent moves from other teams in the National League to fortify their pitching staffs — including a closer coming to Chicago …
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Hamels breezes through Cardinals, keeps archrivals winless at Wrigley — The Cubs' Javier Baez hits a two-run home run in first the inning Friday. — Dexter Fowler is picked off as Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo applies the tag in the sixth inning Friday afternoon.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Wacha in ‘heavy pencil’ to start Monday; Carpenter rests tenderized shin
Wacha in ‘heavy pencil’ to start Monday; Carpenter rests tenderized shin
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves get their payback, hammer Urena in win over Marlins — This was the Braves' long-awaited payback for Jose Urena. And their revenge came in the form of six runs and a win. — It was their second time facing the Marlins righty since he plucked Ronald Acuna last season, a controversy that sparked animosity between the sides.
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Jordan McPherson / Miami Herald:
Caleb Smith is heading to the IL. How will the Marlins handle his rotation spot?
Caleb Smith is heading to the IL. How will the Marlins handle his rotation spot?
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Tom Withers / Associated Press:
Gregorius returns to Yankees after offseason elbow surgery — CLEVELAND (AP) — Didi Gregorius taught himself to play piano while recovering from elbow surgery. — The Yankees are counting on his other talents. — Eight months after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Gregorius was activated …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley and MLB Baseball News …
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Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Domingo German can't hold lead as Cleveland homers twice — CLEVELAND — Thursday night, Aaron Boone was confident the Yankees had the right pieces. Reacting to the news that Dallas Keuchel had signed with the Braves over the Yankees, the manager was adamant that his starting five …
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Hazen: Diamondbacks looking to improve but direction could change before trade deadline — TORONTO - Diamondbacks General Manager Mike Hazen can't make any assurances yet as to what direction his team will take in the days or weeks leading up to the July 31 trade deadline.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and MLB Trade Rumors
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Associated Press:
Cron hits 1st big league homer, Diamondbacks beat Jays 8-2 — Kevin Cron hit his first major league home run, David Peralta had a solo shot among his three hits and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-2 Friday night. — Merrill Kelly (6-6) allowed one run and three hits …
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Kevin Cron's first career home run sparks Diamondbacks' win over Blue Jays — TORONTO - The Cron family group texts tend to light up on days when either C.J. Cron or his younger brother, Kevin, connect for a home run. It's happened from time to time over the years, with C.J. playing …
ABC News:
Murphy homers, benches clear, Rockies top Mets 5-1 — Ian Desmond got plunked square in the back by a pitch from New York Mets rookie Drew Gagnon immediately after two colossal Colorado homers, leading to a bench-clearing scrum late in the Rockies' 5-1 victory Friday night.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Amazin' Avenue
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Deesha Thosar / New York Daily News:
Benches clear at Citi Field as Mets suffer series opening loss to Rockies — If any one player sparks passion and fury in Flushing, it's Daniel Murphy. — The former Met launched a solo home run off right-handed reliever Drew Gagnon in the eighth inning of the Mets' 5-1 loss to the Rockies on Friday night at Citi Field.
Deesha Thosar / New York Daily News:
Mets testing the water of Jacob deGrom-Wilson Ramos battery — Mickey Callaway had cautioned, before Jacob deGrom's last start throwing to Tomas Nido, that the favorable battery was not something fans should get used to. Six days later, Callaway stayed true to his word and plugged Wilson Ramos …
Associated Press:
Giants beat Kershaw, Dodgers 2-1 to end 5-game skid — Kevin Pillar hit an RBI single in a two-run sixth inning and San Francisco dealt Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw his first loss of the season as the Giants snapped a five-game home losing streak with a 2-1 win over the NL West-leading Dodgers on Friday night.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and True Blue LA
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Barry M. Bloom / Forbes:
Bruce Bochy Declines To Join Dave Roberts' Staff In Annual All-Star Game — San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy declined a chance to join his friend Dave Roberts as a coach on the National League staff in the upcoming July 9 All-Star Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
Austin Green / Dodger Blue:
Dave Roberts: ‘Something Different’ About 2019 Dodgers Compared To '17 & '18 Teams
Dave Roberts: ‘Something Different’ About 2019 Dodgers Compared To '17 & '18 Teams
Discussion:
True Blue LA
Chris McCosky / Detroit News:
Thundering Twins hand Tigers their 12th loss in 13 games at Comerica Park — Detroit — Matthew Boyd rarely shows any emotion on the mound. But when he struck out Mitch Garver, swinging through his 108th pitch, to end the seventh inning, he gave a little kick and a fist-pump in exaltation.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
RELATED:
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Riley Greene's journey to Detroit Tigers started with a Florida scout
Chris McCosky / Detroit News:
‘Just the beginning’: Riley Greene's goal is to command Comerica Park's center field
‘Just the beginning’: Riley Greene's goal is to command Comerica Park's center field
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Pirates To Activate Corey Dickerson, Jung Ho Kang — The Pirates will activate outfielder Corey Dickerson and infielder Jung Ho Kang for tomorrow's game, skipper Clint Hurdle told reporters including MLB.com's Adam Berry (via Twitter). Corresponding roster moves aren't yet known.
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Keith Jenkins / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Woodruff fans 10, Brewers' bats shine in 10-4 win over Bucs
Woodruff fans 10, Brewers' bats shine in 10-4 win over Bucs
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds' Scooter Gennett moving closer to return, will head to Arizona next week — PHILADELPHIA - Sidelined with a strained right groin since the end of spring training, Scooter Gennett will soon move into the next phase of rehab. Gennett will report to the Cincinnati Reds' spring training complex …
Discussion:
Phillies Nation and Red Reporter
RELATED:
ESPN:
Red Sox's Moreland back; Martinez not in lineup — The Boston Red Sox got Mitch Moreland back from the injured list Friday but J.D. Martinez was out of the lineup a day after leaving a game with back spasms. — Moreland, who leads the Red Sox with 13 home runs this season …
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Peter Abraham Globe / BostonGlobe.com:
At this point, Mookie Betts is trying anything to get some pop in his bat
At this point, Mookie Betts is trying anything to get some pop in his bat
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, NBCSports.com, South Side Sox, Boston Globe and Over the Monster
Kristie Rieken / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Chirinos has RBI in 11th to lift Astros over Orioles 4-3 — Robinson Chirinos hit an RBI double with two outs in the 11th inning to lift the — Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. — Yuli Gurriel singled with one out in the 11th before Chirinos hit a line drive to left field off
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes and Camden Chat
ABC News:
Hedges caps Padres' rally in 5-4 win vs Nationals — Austin Hedges' RBI single with two outs in the ninth capped a two-run rally off Sean Doolittle and gave the San Diego Padres a 5-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night. — Hedges' single brought in rookie Josh Naylor …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball, MLB Baseball News … and Federal Baseball
Associated Press:
Mondesi has 3 hits, helps KC beat ChiSox to end skid at 6 — This time, they delivered. — A night after failing multiple times with runners in scoring position, Whit Merrifield and Adalberto Mondesi had clutch hits to help the Kansas City Royals stop a six-game slide with a 6-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
Discussion:
South Side Sox and MLB Baseball News …
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
MLB.com writer believes Indians should trade Trevor Bauer, Brad Hand — MLB.com writer Richard Justice believes the Cleveland Indians should trade starting pitcher Trevor Bauer and closer Brad Hand ahead of the July trading deadline. — CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians enter a three-game series …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley and MLB Baseball News …
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Dallas Keuchel and Braves: An unlikely pairing that became reality — Maybe the Braves and Dallas Keuchel were meant to be together all along; their union came after months of flirtation, and when a window opened, the Braves were getting their guy. — Keuchel, a Cy Young winner, officially signed with the Braves on Friday night.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Leclerc took the loss for Rangers on Friday, but plenty of blame should be placed here — Jurickson Profar was presented with the Richard Durrett Hardest Working Man Award on Friday night after his impressing 2018 season for the Texas Rangers. — The on-field ceremony included 50 percent …