Top News:
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
How an uncharacteristically off day for Chavez spelled doom for Rangers, his mustache — Pete Fairbanks, the Texas Rangers rookie reliever, is from St. Louis and was showing his civic pride Wednesday afternoon in place where that might not have been the best idea.
RELATED:
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
A walk-off loss, yes, but Lynn kept alive the formula that will keep the Rangers rolling — Check back in a couple weeks to see how the rotation spot Drew Smyly lost Wednesday is doing, but it's safe to assume the grass will be greener than the 8.40 ERA Smyly is lugging around the American League.
Discussion:
Over the Monster and Lone Star Ball
Toronto Sun:
Benintendi, Cora, Woodward ejected in Rangers-Red Sox game
Discussion:
Boston Globe and Associated Press
Peter Abraham / BostonGlobe.com:
Darwinzon Hernandez a work in progress — like his team
Discussion:
Boston Herald and Over the Monster
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers take fond memories of College World Series to Omaha — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — By mid-afternoon Wednesday, Matthew Boyd had already hit the road for a return trip to the place that put him on the map. — Six years ago this week, the Detroit Tigers' left-hander pitched the game …
RELATED:
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers put JaCoby Jones at leadoff spot with Niko Goodrum ailing — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four days after he predicted he would start receiving questions on when JaCoby Jones would move up in the Detroit Tigers' batting order - Jones was doing just fine hitting ninth - manager Ron Gardenhire has moved Jones up.
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Why not Kyle Funkhouser for Detroit Tigers? ‘He needs to step up’
Discussion:
Bless You Boys and MLB Trade Rumors
Jeremy Cluff / Arizona Republic:
MLB trade rumors: Arizona Diamondbacks could be buyers, not sellers at MLB trade deadline — MLB trade rumors have been circulating around the Arizona Diamondbacks and how the team could potentially deal some of its veteran players before the MLB trade deadline. — But could the team be buyers, instead of sellers this season?
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit and Sporting News
RELATED:
Andy McCullough / Los Angeles Times:
You know what that Angels' sweep of the Dodgers meant? Not much — The distance between the Dodgers and the Angels could be gauged by a decision Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made in the eighth inning of the first game of the Freeway Series on Monday. — With the score tied …
RELATED:
Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
Dodgers fear Seager has serious hamstring strain
Discussion:
Forbes, Sporting News and MLB Baseball News …
Ryan Divish / The Seattle Times:
‘More versatility the better’: Mariners' Shed Long to try left field with no open spot at second base — MINNEAPOLIS — Shed Long will eventually be the Mariners' everyday second baseman. That's why they acquired him this offseason as part of a plan to rebuild their lineup of the future.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
RELATED:
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Mariners Release Nick Rumbelow — The Mariners have released right-hander Nick Rumbelow from their Triple-A affiliate, tweets Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. He'd already been designated for assignment and outrighted off the 40-man roster earlier in the season but will now hit the open market in search of a new opportunity.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
Cubs, Rockies get testy; 4 batters hit by pitches — DENVER — Despite the bumps and bruises after four players — two on each side — got hit by pitches in the Chicago Cubs' 10-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, both teams played it cool afterward.
RELATED:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Joe Maddon says Rockies pitchers hitting Kris Bryant not ‘intentional’
Discussion:
Purple Row
Kerry Crowley / Mercury News:
2019 Giants not embracing ‘Nothing to lose’ mentality (at least so far) — San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy sets the tone for his club and he expects coaches and players to make smart, calculated decisions — SAN FRANCISCO — When Giants' third base coach Ron Wotus …
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
RELATED:
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
A couple of MLB division races are already over - but others are just about to get going — With four teams on pace to lose 100 games, there will already be enough meaningless baseball this summer without declaring any division races dead by Flag Day. — Yet here we are.
RELATED:
ESPN:
Nunez talks with Ortiz, ‘embarrassed’ by shooting — Boston Red Sox infielder Eduardo Nunez lamented the fact that David Ortiz was shot in their native Dominican Republic, calling the incident an “international shame.” — Nunez, who is friends with Ortiz and shares an agent with the former Red Sox star …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Marly Rivera / ESPN:
Keep calm and mash: How the relaxed Twins are rewriting HR-hitting history — On Sunday, Nelson Cruz homered again. It was his fourth straight game in which he went yard, in his first five games back from the injured list. No big deal for a guy who came into this season with 203 home runs over the previous five seasons, right?
Discussion:
Twinkie Town
RELATED:
Bradford William Davis / New York Daily News:
DJ LeMahieu is playing like Derek Jeter so far — If you expected the Yankees to go big game hunting this summer — pummelling the biggest superstars in the game with enough generational wealth to keep Harpers, Machados and Corbins flying private until the stars burn out — this offseason was likely a disappointment.
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
How soon could Gallo, Calhoun rejoin the Rangers? One could be back next week — Willie Calhoun could return from the injured list on Monday when the Rangers open a seven-game homestand, and fellow outfielder Joey Gallo could follow the next week to open a six-game road trip.
James O'Connell / New York Daily News:
The NL MVP race is shaping up to be one for the ages — Christian Yelich is playing even better than he did in his 2018 NL MVP campaign, and yet Cody Bellinger has been so good that Yelich might not even retain the title. — Bellinger and Yelich are putting up numbers at a historic rate.
