Top News:
Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
Diamond Sports Group ordered to fully pay MLB teams' contracts — A U.S. bankruptcy judge ruled in favor of Major League Baseball and four of its teams in Houston on Thursday, forcing Diamond Sports Group, the RSN operator that airs broadcasts under the name Bally Sports, to fully pay the contracts in question.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Royals Review, Sportico, Washington Post, Plain Dealer, Associated Press, Denver Post, MLB Trade Rumors and The Athletic
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Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
What you need to know about MLB taking over Padres TV — It took a little longer than Major League Baseball might have anticipated, but the San Diego Padres, fielding one of the most expensive, star-laden rosters in the industry, have become the first team to fold into its long-term plan …
Discussion:
USA Today and The Athletic
Sports Business Journal:
SBJ Unpacks: Padres' deal with Bally Sports ends tonight — Tonight in Unpacks: Diamond Sports' 20-year, $1.2 billion deal for the Padres local TV rights looks to be over, as sources tell SBJ's John Ourand the Sinclair subsidiary missed its rights fee payment.
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
MLB takes over Padres television broadcasts after Bally Sports misses payments — After months spent preparing for this scenario, Major League Baseball is taking over the television broadcasts of one of its franchises, an unusual but potentially industry-altering step as the long-lucrative …
Abbey Mastracco / New York Daily News:
Max Scherzer, Mark Canha power Mets past Phillies to complete sweep with 4-2 win — The Mets needed a sweep as badly as Mark Canha needed home runs. They got both of those this week in a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies. — Canha powered the Mets past the Phillies for the second …
Discussion:
Newsday, ESPN, Yahoo Sports, Boston Herald, Phillies Nation, The Good Phight, Amazin' Avenue, New York Post, The Athletic and NBCSports.com
Associated Press:
Yankees activate Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson, Tommy Kahnle — LOS ANGELES — Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Tommy Kahnle were activated by the New York Yankees on Thursday ahead of their weekend series at the Los Angeles Dodgers. — New York cleared three roster spots …
Discussion:
New York Daily News, NorthJersey.com, Denver Post, Pinstripe Alley, The Athletic, New York Post, MLB.com, New Jersey Online and FanSided
Nathan Ruiz / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles sign Aaron Hicks, former Yankees and Twins outfielder, and place Cedric Mullins on injured list — After Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins exited Monday's loss to the Cleveland Guardians with a right abductor groin strain, Baltimore acted quickly to find a replacement.
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Jacob Calvin Meyer / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles explode for seven runs early, hold on late in 8-5 win over Guardians
Orioles explode for seven runs early, hold on late in 8-5 win over Guardians
Discussion:
Camden Chat, BaltimoreBaseball.com, The Athletic, Associated Press and Yahoo Sports
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Jeff Passan's early MLB trade deadline preview — Every Los Angeles Angels victory, every day they spend over .500, every win-now move they make reinforces what people across baseball now almost universally believe: They will not trade Shohei Ohtani, the best player in the world, before the 6 p.m. ET deadline Aug. 1.
Discussion:
The Good Phight, MLB Trade Rumors, Bleacher Nation and FanSided
Arizona Republic:
Diamondbacks, paced by Tommy Henry, shut out Rockies; Christian Walker slugs 100th career HR — Nick Piecoro Jenna OrtizArizona Republic — For years, left-hander Tommy Henry was the least heralded of the Diamondbacks' wave of young starting pitchers. But for the past month, he has been the best of the bunch.
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit, Yahoo Sports, Burn City Sports, Associated Press and Denver Post
LaMond Pope / Chicago Tribune:
Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout combine for 3 homers off Lance Lynn — totaling 1,345 feet— in the Chicago White Sox's 12-5 loss — Mike Trout launched a 461-foot, two-run homer to left-center on Lance Lynn's sixth pitch against the Los Angeles Angels. — Two innings later …
Discussion:
Mercury News, Orange County Register, Denver Post, ESPN, New York Post, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Sun Times
The Athletic:
Pistons to hire Monty Williams as coach, per sources: Why Detroit made an offer he couldn't refuse — Monty Williams and the Detroit Pistons have agreed in principle on a six-year, $78.5 million deal for Williams to become the franchise's head coach, league sources told The Athletic on Wednesday.
Daily News:
Angel City FC done in by late goal in NWSL Challenge Cup loss at Portland — Clarisse Le Bihan and Claire Emslie help Angel City erase a two-goal deficit, but the Thorns' Morgan Weaver scores in stoppage time to give her team a 3-2 win — PORTLAND, Ore. — Angel City FC erased a two-goal deficit …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register
Matthew Carey / Deadline:
HBO, Words + Pictures Step Up To Plate For Barry Bonds Project, Doc On Baseball Slugger Tarnished By Controversy — EXCLUSIVE: HBO and Words + Pictures have launched production on a documentary about Barry Bonds, one of baseball's greatest players - and one of the most polarizing figures in all professional sport.
Discussion:
New York Post and Mercury News