Sources: MLB umpires to crack down on pitchers using illegal substances on baseballs  —  After repeated efforts by Major League Baseball to dissuade pitchers from using illegal substances to get a better grip on the ball and create more spin, the league is going to crack down on the practice by giving umpires more latitude.

‘This Should Be the Biggest Scandal in Sports’  —  The inside story of how rampant pitch-doctoring in MLB is pumping pitchers up and deflating offenses.  —  To understand the fiasco of baseball's 2021 season, which people around the game describe as sullied by rampant cheating to a degree …

Former Cub Aramis Ramírez says Bob Brenly's commentary was discriminatory; Brenly to take week off of Diamondbacks broadcasts  —  Former Cubs star Aramis Ramírez says he felt Bob Brenly made a point of attacking and deriding him on the air when Brenly was broadcasting Cubs games …

Mets get shut out by Blake Snell, Padres in rough start to San Diego series  —  SAN DIEGO — The Mets, getting just one hit off Blake Snell, could not summon any offense or even pose as a viable threat in their 2-0 loss to the Padres at Petco Park.  —  Snell was dealing on Friday night …

Kiley McDaniel's 2021 MLB draft rankings 3.0: Two shortstops lead race to be next month's top pick  —  We're five weeks out from the 2021 MLB draft with college regionals starting Friday and high school seasons winding down or already wrapped up, so some consensus is building.

Injuries & Roster Moves: Moose not running  —  Keep track of the Reds' recent transactions and injury updates throughout the season.  —  ROSTER MOVES  —  June 2: RHP Michael Feliz activated from the injured list  —  June 2: LHP Cionel Pérez optioned to Triple-A Louisville

Pete Alonso helps power Mets over Diamondbacks in 9th  —  PHOENIX — The Mets have received help from an eclectic, and largely unknown, group of heroes over their first two months of the 2021 season.  Wednesday's late-game clutch base hit, however, came off the bat of a familiar name.

Athletics call food served to minor leaguers ‘totally unacceptable,’ say they cut ties with vendor weeks ago  —  A photo depicting food provided to some Oakland Athletics minor leaguers went viral on Tuesday, sparking references to the infamous Fyre Festival that allegedly once offered sandwich bread with sliced cheese for dinner.

Aaron Boone not quite ready to panic as Yankees' offensive slump deepens  —  It has been ten days since the Yankees scored more than five runs in a game.  Since that day, a 7- win over the White Sox on May 22, the team has gone 2-6, including a three-game sweep by the last-place Tigers …

Marcus Stroman, bullpen can't hold down D-backs after dust-up  —  PHOENIX — Edwin Diaz and Trevor May blew saves in consecutive innings Tuesday night as the Mets lost to the Diamondbacks, 6-5, to end their five-game winning streak.  —  Josh Reddick hit a walk-off, two-run double against May in the 10th inning.