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.
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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:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, San Diego Union-Tribune, USA Today and The Athletic
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:
ESPN, Newsday, Faith and Fear in Flushing, Yahoo Sports, Mercury News, The Athletic, Phillies Nation, Amazin' Avenue and New York Post
Adriana Perez / Chicago Tribune:
From Taylor Swift to several sporting events: Traffic and big crowds arrive in Chicago this weekend — Summer has arrived in Chicago. Perhaps unofficially, but sunny days, high temperatures and a variety of events across the city can only mean one thing: Summer living has certainly arrived.
Discussion:
Denver Post, Mercury News and Chicago Sun Times
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:
MLB Trade Rumors, Covering the Corner, The Good Phight, Bleacher Nation and FanSided
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Once Jordan Walker ‘relaxed’ his swing took flight, carrying him back to majors: Cardinals Extra — PITTSBURGH — As the luggage carousel went round and round and round Thursday afternoon at Pittsburgh International Airport, Jordan Walker retrieved one of his bags, but did not spot his second one.
Discussion:
The Athletic, MLB Trade Rumors, DraftKings Nation and FanSided
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 Post, New York Daily News, New Jersey Online, NorthJersey.com, Pinstripe Alley, Denver Post, The Athletic and MLB.com
Nathan Ruiz / Baltimore Sun:
How the Orioles brought Yennier Cano's ‘beautiful’ breakout to Baltimore — Within the span of half an hour on Aug. 2, 2022, Yennier Cano's life changed twice. — First, his wife, Arianny, told him she was pregnant. Cano had longed to be a father, and to that point, the couple's efforts to have a child had been fruitless.
Discussion:
Denver Post and Camden Chat
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:
Burn City Sports, Yahoo Sports, AZ Snake Pit, 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:
Orange County Register, 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:
Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times