Top News:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Game 53: Rangers at Yankees (updates with Wang returning to rotation and Teixeira scratched) — YANKEES (31-21) — New lineup — Pitching: LHP Andy Pettitte (5-1, 4.10). — RANGERS (30-21) — Kinsler 2B — Young 3B — Jones DH — Cruz RF — Murphy LF — Byrd CF — Davis 1B
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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Wang to start Thursday for Yankees — Hughes headed to bullpen; Sabathia pushed back a day — NEW YORK — No matter how well Phil Hughes was pitching in their rotation, the Yankees knew they could not keep one of the winningest starters in the American League shackled in their bullpen for long.
Discussion:
Replacement Level …
Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com:
Wang hopes to reward Yankees' faith — New York (31-22) vs. Texas (31-21), 1:05 p.m. ET — NEW YORK — Thursday's newly anointed Yankees starter, Chien-Ming Wang, will take the mound with a bloated 16.04 ERA and a pitch count that will likely run out before he gets to 80.
ESPN.com:
Atlanta Braves cut 305-game winner Tom Glavine … ATLANTA — In a stunning move, the Atlanta Braves released 305-game winner Tom Glavine on Wednesday, just when it seemed he was ready to return to the big leagues. — The move was first reported by ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
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David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves call up top prospect Tommy Hanson
Braves call up top prospect Tommy Hanson
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Paul Newberry / Yahoo! Sports:
Braves release 305-game winner Tom Glavine
Braves release 305-game winner Tom Glavine
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
After eighth blunders, Putz dropped to 7th — PITTSBURGH - Jerry Manuel met with J.J. Putz Wednesday and informed the ex-Mariners closer that he was being moved from an eighth-inning to seventh-inning role until he can rediscover his form. — Putz was the primary culprit …
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Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
McLouth traded to Atlanta for three prospects; McCutchen coming to Pittsburgh — The Pirates have traded center fielder Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves tonight, according to two sources, but there is no immediate word on the return. — Details to come.
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Braves acquire Pirates CF McLouth for three prospects
Braves acquire Pirates CF McLouth for three prospects
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Rain wins, Big Unit forced to wait — Johnson's attempt at career win No. 300 pushed to Thursday — WASHINGTON — Their day began at the White House, where the San Francisco Giants met the first family. It ended at Nationals Park, where the first left-hander — or at least the tallest left-hander …
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Mel Antonen / USA Today:
Storms in D.C. delay Randy Johnson's bid for 300th win
Storms in D.C. delay Randy Johnson's bid for 300th win
Discussion:
Fox Sports
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Beckett takes no-hitter into seventh as Red Sox tame Tigers — DETROIT — Boston Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, who grew up idolizing Nolan Ryan, nearly joined him in the record books Wednesday. — Beckett flirted with a no-hitter for 6 2/3 innings vs. the Detroit Tigers in Boston's 10-5 rout at Comerica Park.
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ESPN.com:
New York Yankees' A.J. Burnett suspended six games for pitch … Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett has been suspended six games for throwing a pitch over the head of the Rangers' Nelson Cruz in Tuesday night's game. Burnett has filed an appeal of the penalty, however, and will be allowed to pitch until the appeals process is complete.
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Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
White Sox to DFA Betemit, Promote Beckham — According to a tweet by MLB.com's Noah Coslov, the White Sox will designate infielder Wilson Betemit for assignment before Thursday's game and call up top prospect Gordon Beckham. Beckham was the eighth overall pick in the 2008 Draft …
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Yoel Adames / MLB:
Sammy Sosa planning to announce formal retirement — SANTO DOMINGO — Former Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa said Wednesday that he will soon announce his formal retirement from baseball and that he will not allow his legacy to be stained by steroid-use accusations.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Walkoff Walk, Bluebird Banter, It is about the money, stupid and MLB Rumors
Mark Healey / Baseball Digest:
The Rumor Mill: June Test Drive — According to an industry source, suddenly out of work pitchers Tom Glavine and Vicente Padilla will not be jobless for long. — One NL exec told BaseballDigest.com on Wednesday night the Phillies “like both pitchers and will sign one of them before the week is out.”
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
A-Rod takes brunt of boos in loss — Alex Rodriguez has gotten much of the credit for the Yankees' terrific play lately. But on a night when their lineup was a dud and Andy Pettitte struggled to throw strikes, A-Rod took most of the blame, at least from fans, for the Yankees' 4-2 loss to Texas.
Associated Press:
Howard leads Phils to 6th straight win; Romero returns to the mound — SAN DIEGO (AP) — After Ryan Howard and J.A. Happ did their thing, J.C Romero finally made his season debut for the Philadelphia Phillies. — Howard hit a two-run homer and Happ threw seven scoreless innings …
Sam Borden / The Journal News:
Outcry over Stadium home runs is way off base — There has been so much talk and so much hand-wringing from fans over the number of home runs hit at the new Yankee Stadium that it sometimes feels like one more broken-bat homer might spark a particularly passionate group to stage a full-blown intervention in Lonn Trost's office.