Top News:
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Why MLB's sticky-stuff crackdown plan is causing a major rift across baseball — INSIDE THE DUGOUT of a National League team this week, a passive-aggressive internecine squabble broke out. When two veteran hitters returned to the dugout after striking out, each said, loud enough for everyone around them to hear, “Sticky stuff.”
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Union-News, AZ Snake Pit, MLB Trade Rumors, The Athletic, Lookout Landing and Associated Press
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MLB.com:
New guidance on foreign substances announced — Major League Baseball provided guidance to all 30 Clubs today that, effective with games beginning on June 21st, enhanced enforcement of Official Baseball Rules 3.01 and 6.02(c) and (d), which prohibit applying foreign substances to baseballs, will go into effect.
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Kansas City Star, The Ringer, Cubs News, Washington Post, Royals News, Deadspin, ESPN, The Crawfish Boxes, Beyond the Box Score, Federal Baseball, NBCSports.com, MLB Trade Rumors, MLB Baseball News …, Athletics Nation, 98.5 The Sports Hub, U.S.S. Mariner, Bleacher Nation, Royals Review, Talking Chop, True Blue LA and Lone Star Ball
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
Unlike past MLB scandals, players face instant scrutiny in crackdown on foreign substances — Shane Bieber, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, was struggling. The light-hitting Seattle Mariners raked him for 10 hits and five earned runs in his start Sunday and became …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
Tampa Bay Rays' Tyler Glasnow blames MLB crackdown on foreign substances for his UCL injury
Tampa Bay Rays' Tyler Glasnow blames MLB crackdown on foreign substances for his UCL injury
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Deadspin, Lookout Landing, The Athletic and baseballmusings.com
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Historic futility: Diamondbacks set MLB record for consecutive road losses — The Diamondbacks established a modern-era major league record on Thursday afternoon with their 23rd consecutive road loss. — In losing, 10-3, to the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, the Diamondbacks moved past …
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Sports Illustrated and MLB Baseball News …
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ESPN:
Arizona Diamondbacks fall to San Francisco Giants, set modern-era record with 23rd straight road loss — SAN FRANCISCO — Occasionally, the Arizona Diamondbacks' players glanced up at the Oracle Park scoreboard in center field. It told a most familiar, gloomy story.
Discussion:
The Athletic, Arizona Sports, McCovey Chronicles, MLB Baseball News …, Associated Press and baseballmusings.com
USA Today:
Arizona Diamondbacks match MLB record with 22nd straight road loss — It did not seem to be a question of whether the Arizona Diamondbacks would etch their names into the record book on Wednesday night. It was how they would do it. — Would they lose in excruciating fashion, blowing a late lead like they did the night before?
Associated Press:
MLB relaxes COVID protocol restrictions for all vaccinated players and staff — NEW YORK — All fully vaccinated players and staff can stop wearing masks in dugouts, bullpens and clubhouses under the latest change to Major League Baseball's coronavirus protocols.
Discussion:
Royals Review and The Good Phight
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Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom exits with shoulder soreness, ‘confident that this is nothing’ — New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom will get an MRI on his right shoulder on Thursday after leaving Wednesday's start against the visiting Chicago Cubs because of soreness.
Discussion:
Defector, Amazin' Avenue and New York Post
Chris McCosky / Detroit News:
Schoop's offensive surge could raise profile at MLB trade deadline — It's hard to be jokey and light during Zoom interviews. No matter how you try to soften things, the player is sitting in front of a screen, staring into a camera with a bunch of reporters asking questions — it always feels like an interrogation.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Deesha Thosar / New York Daily News:
Jacob deGrom exits start after three perfect innings with right shoulder soreness before Mets beat Cubs — The good vibes at Citi Field tangibly turned to dread. — Jacob deGrom exited his start with right shoulder soreness, the Mets announced, after three perfect innings in the Amazin's 6-3 win over the Cubs on Wednesday night.
Discussion:
Newsday, NorthJersey.com, Newsday, Bleed Cubbie Blue, The Athletic and New York Post
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Laura Albanese / Newsday:
Taijuan Walker strikes out 12, Mets stay hot in victory over Cubs
Taijuan Walker strikes out 12, Mets stay hot in victory over Cubs
Discussion:
NorthJersey.com
Deesha Thosar / New York Daily News:
David Peterson bounces back with six one-hit innings in win over Cubs
David Peterson bounces back with six one-hit innings in win over Cubs
Discussion:
Newsday, NorthJersey.com, MLB Baseball News …, Amazin' Avenue and New York Post
Shams Charania / The Athletic:
Suns' Chris Paul enters NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols: Sources — Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul has entered the NBA's health and safety protocols and is sidelined for an indefinite period of time, sources tell The Athletic. — Paul's status is up in the air for the start …
ESPN:
Yankees turn a triple play you've never seen before — The New York Yankees have had their issues this season, but they've got at least one thing down — turning triple plays. — In Thursday night's game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Buffalo, the Yankees turned their second triple play of the season, a first in franchise history.
Discussion:
New York Post and baseballmusings.com