Top News:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals set opening roster, remove Lucas, Valera to make room for Hicks, Pena — • After making two moves they hope won't erode the depth they might need later, the Cardinals finalized their 25-man roster for Thursday's opening day at Citi Field. — To make room for Jordan Hicks …
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus
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Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Series preview: Cardinals at New York Mets — • Two of the hardest throwers in the majors will face off in Thursday's series opener when New York's Noah Syndergaard, who touches 100 mph twice as often as any other pitcher, will oppose the Cardinals' Carlos Martinez, who occasionally hits that level.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Opening acts: Cardinals, Mets need young, talented pitchers to contend — NEW YORK • There is a word that two executives with rival teams used this past year to describe the one hitch the Cardinals could face by resting so much of their hopes, so much of their identity as a perpetual contender …
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
J. Martinez at 1B for Cardinals, Carpenter at 3B in opener — NEW YORK • Jose Martinez is in the Cardinals' opening-day lineup at first base and Matt Carpenter is at third instead of Jedd Gyorko for the Cardinals' game Thursday against the New York Mets and fireballer Noah Syndergaard.
Jerry Beach / UPI:
Syndergaard leads Mets into opener vs. Cardinals — The St. Louis Cardinals remained in the wild-card chase until game No. 159 last season. The New York Mets began playing out the string around Memorial Day. — But the sting of missing the playoffs is the same for both clubs …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Dave Eiland wants Mets pitchers to be the most aggressive in baseball
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
MLB salaries 2018: A 3.5% raise for average major leaguer - but future commitments dipping — TORONTO - The free-agent market was a dud this winter, leaving Major League Baseball players and their agents seething. — Ultimately, baseball's average salary compared to 2017 amounted to a cost-of-living bump …
Discussion:
True Blue LA
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Associated Press:
Judge and Stanton eager to get started as Yankees teammates — TORONTO — After a winter of waiting, the New York Yankees are ready to roll with two of baseball's best sluggers. — Aaron Judge and newcomer Giancarlo Stanton will bat second and third when the Yankees open against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter and ESPN
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Tampa Bay Rays hope modest investment in Nathan Eovaldi pays big
Discussion:
DRaysBay
Dan Cancian / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Opening Day 2018: TV Info and Where to Watch All 15 Games as MLB Season Begins — Major League Baseball makes its return on Thursday as the race to dethrone the Houston Astros begins. — Opening day for the 2018 MLB season is scheduled for March 29, the earliest opening day in league history.
Discussion:
Purple Row and Newsweek
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Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
'We're making the postseason. No question.' With Rangers, there might be a few
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes and MLB Baseball News …
Gerry Fraley / Dallas Morning News:
5 things Rangers fans need to know about the Houston Astros ahead of opening day 2018
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Game Day: Arizona Diamondbacks open 2018 season against Colorado Rockies — The Arizona Diamondbacks open the 2018 regular season against the Colorado Rockies. Follow this page for updates, news and analysis throughout the series. — PREVIEW: Diamondbacks' lineup looks thin with Steven Souza injured
RELATED:
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Last Slide — The last time the Diamondbacks played a game …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Bill Madden / New York Daily News:
Rusty Staub, beloved Mets icon, dead at 73 — In every way, Rusty Staub, the beloved Mets' hitting icon, who passed away early Thursday morning at age 73, was bigger than life — a bigger-than-life baseball personality, humanitarian, gourmet chef, wine connoisseur, friend-to-all and …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Faith and Fear in Flushing, FOX 61 and Amazin' Avenue
Associated Press:
Tigers-Pirates opener postponed because of weather — DETROIT — The season opener between the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates has been postponed because of bad weather. — The game has been pushed back to Friday. — The Tigers announced the postponement about four hours …
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George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: How to follow Opening Day game
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Mets have discussed adding reliever Greg Holland, according to sources — The Mets may have one big more up their sleeve. — The team has recently discussed adding free agent closer Greg Holland, according to sources. Holland is the top remaining free agent pitcher.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
RELATED:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs not taking Marlins, or any team, for granted — Chicago Tribune — The Marlins may have as many as a dozen players participating in opening-day festivities for the first time. — Their No. 2 starter, Caleb Smith, was a Rule 5 pick whom the Cubs returned to the Yankees last spring.
RELATED:
MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings …:
New-look Royals open versus White Sox — Kansas City Royals lost a couple key contributors during the offseason when — San Diego Padres and Lorenzo Cain joined the — Milwaukee Brewers. — Then the Royals learned this week that they lost five-time All-Star catcher
Discussion:
South Side Sox and Chicago Tribune
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Dave Brown / Chicago Tribune:
James Shields hopes to help White Sox surge as he did with Royals
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Andy McCullough / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Dodgers' Toles is optioned to minors — LOS ANGELES — In one of the final moves in constructing their opening-day roster, the Los Angeles Dodgers optioned outfielder Andrew Toles to triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, clearing a path for outfielder Joc Pederson and utility man Kyle Farmer to occupy the last two spots on the bench.
RELATED:
Gene Warnick / UPI:
Kluber-Hernandez duel highlights Indians-Mariners opener — In 2014, Corey Kluber edged Felix Hernandez for the American League's Cy Young Award. — Since then, the careers of the two 31-year-old right-handers have taken different paths. That was strikingly evident last year …
RELATED:
Jeff Fletcher / Orange County Register:
A healthy Garrett Richards opens Angels' season with optimism — OAKLAND — On a team whose starting pitchers have been victims of a raft of injuries over the past few years, Garrett Richards stands alone in a couple ways. — He's had the most serious injuries. He's also performed the best when healthy.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven and Daily News
Rotoworld.com:
Salvy Sidelined — Salvador Perez has been the most durable catcher in the majors over the past five seasons, but he's going to get a late start on his 2018 campaign after suffering a Grade 2 MLC tear in his left knee. — According to Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star …
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus and MLB Baseball News …
John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds postpone Opening Day until Friday — Phil Castellini remembers Fourth of July of 2013. The Reds made an early decision to postpone that day's game because of the forecast. — The forecast was wrong. — Castellini, the Reds chief operating officer …
Discussion:
Down The Drive
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Ian Happ bats leadoff as Cubs open the 2018 season — Chicago Tribune — The Cubs will open the 2018 season Thursday with the hope that Ian Happ will stabilize the leadoff spot. — Happ will bat leadoff as the Cubs face the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park.
