Top News:
Associated Press:
Stanton homers twice in debut, Yankees beat Blue Jays 6-1 — TORONTO (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton homered twice, doubled and had four RBIs in his New York Yankees debut, a 6-1 win Thursday over the Toronto Blue Jays that gave Aaron Boone in a win in his first game as a professional manager.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Pinstripe Alley and MLB Baseball News …
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Larry Millson / UPI:
Stanton, Yankees hope for encore vs. Blue Jays — TORONTO — Giancarlo Stanton made a first impression as a New York Yankee that will be hard to forget. — The designated hitter hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat as a Yankee in the first inning on Opening Day Thursday afternoon against Toronto Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ.
Jason Bristol / KHOU-TV:
Rangers fan, 7, returns meaningful HR ball to Springer — Houston Astros outfielder George Springer became the first player in major league history to slam a leadoff homer on back-to-back Opening Days. — ARLINGTON, Texas - Houston Astros outfielder George Springer became the first player …
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Stephen Hawkins / Associated Press:
Springer, World Series champ Astros top Texas 4-0 in opener
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Bill Plaschke / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Dodgers' opener fizzles like a certain Game 7 — LOS ANGELES—Matt Kemp began the ninth inning with a single, an afternoon of welcoming cheers still ringing in his ears. — The Dodgers trailed the San Francisco Giants by a single run, but that was about to change.
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Kerry Crowley The Mercury / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Blach outduels Kershaw, Giants blank Dodgers to steal Opening Day win — LOS ANGELES — Joe Panik stared in disbelief. — Clayton Kershaw laughed it off. — It was one of those moments that didn't seem real. Until it was. — With a high, arching flyball that hooked just inside the foul poul …
Discussion:
Associated Press
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
No score through three innings
Discussion:
True Blue LA, MLB Baseball News … and baseballmusings.com
Andy McCullough / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Dodgers suffer Panik attack in opening day loss to Giants
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
WATCH: Cleveland Indians SS Francisco Lindor made standout defensive play in 2018 season opener — Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor made a standout defensive play in the team's 2018 season opener against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field Thursday night.
RELATED:
WKYC-TV:
OPINION | Time for Cleveland Indians to seize World Series crown because nothing is guaranteed
Discussion:
Red Reporter
WKYC-TV:
Cleveland Indians fall to Seattle Mariners, 2-1, in opening game of 2018 regular season
Discussion:
Lookout Landing and sports.MyNorthwest.com
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
When, where to watch Cleveland Indians open 2018 season at Seattle Mariners
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Five predictions for Cleveland Indians ahead of 2018 regular-season opener
Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
Jon Gray struggles vs. D-backs at Chase Field, again, in opening-night loss — Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu homer for Colorado, but it's not nearly enough … PHOENIX — The indelible impression left by the Rockies' season-opening, 8-2 loss to the Diamondbacks on Thursday night was starter Jon Gray's painful struggles.
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit, Purple Row and MLB Baseball News …
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Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Photos: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies
Discussion:
Purple Row and AZ Snake Pit
Katherine Fitzgerald / Arizona Republic:
Photos: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies
Discussion:
USA Today and MLB Baseball News …
Paul Newberry / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Markakis' 3-run homer gives Braves 8-5 walk-off vs Phillies — Nick Markakis hit a three-run homer with two out in the ninth inning, capping the — Atlanta Braves' comeback from a five-run deficit that rocked the — Philadelphia Phillies 8-5 Thursday and ruined the managing debut of Gabe Kapler.
Discussion:
Talking Chop, Phillies Nation, The Good Phight and baseballmusings.com
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Bob Brookover / Philly.com:
A new day after sickening loss for Phillies | Extra Innings — One down, 161 to go. The Phillies' difficult-to-digest, season-opening 8-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves gave us a first glimpse of how rookie manager Gabe Kapler plans to run things from the dugout this season.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Philly.com
Associated Press:
Davidson hits 3 of White Sox's 6 homers in 14-7 rout of KC — KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Most days, Tim Anderson's performance would have made him the star. — Matt Davidson showed up his Chicago White Sox teammate. — The young designated hitter became the fourth player in major league history …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and South Side Sox
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Tony Gutierrez / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Stanton, Davidson tee off, opening day turns into HR derby
Adam TeicherESPN / ESPN:
White Sox's Matt Davidson blasts 3 homers in opener
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Teddy Greenstein / Chicago Tribune:
Yu Darvish and the Cubs look like the perfect match at the perfect time — Chicago Tribune — One month into his Cubs career, Jon Lester had zero victories. He had one quality start. He had a 6.23 ERA. — He had the burden of a $155 million contract, and he took the mound each …
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Associated Press:
Reds play catch between raindrops, await opener vs Nationals — CINCINNATI (AP) — Closer Raisel Iglesias skirted the tarp-covered infield along with the rest of the Cincinnati Reds pitchers, heading for the outfield and a quick game of catch before the rains returned.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and Red Reporter
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Cam Ellis / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Washington Nationals 2018 Season Preview: 10 biggest questions
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Attention, Span! How Tampa's Denard Span made Rays opener his best career moment — ST. PETERSBURG - Denard Span first felt the emotions of the day when he ran on to the Tropicana Field turf for the start of the Rays' Thursday season-opener. — “It was crazy,” Span said.
Discussion:
DRaysBay
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Rough start for Cards, Martinez against Mets — NEW YORK • Often out of sight but never out of mind, Carlos Martinez spent weeks of spring groping for consistency on the back fields against minor-leaguers, and his results were as erratic as his schedule sometimes appeared.
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals land their closer, finalizing deal with All-Star Holland — NEW YORK • For several days leading into Thursday's opener and for several minutes that morning, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny candidly acknowledged how the team's ad hoc approach to the bullpen and lack of a tried-and-true closer presented a challenge.
Alex Butler / UPI:
Adam Jones saves Orioles with walk-off homer … Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones led his team to a victory against the Minnesota Twins Thursday with a walk-off home run. — Jones saved his heroics for the bottom of the 11th inning in the 3-2 win at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Discussion:
Camden Chat
RELATED:
Eduardo A. Encina / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Adam Jones hits walk-off homer in 11th, Orioles top Twins, 3-2
Discussion:
Camden Chat
Bernie Wilson / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Arcia's single lifts Brewers over Padres 2-1 in 12 innings — SAN DIEGO (AP) — Orlando Arcia singled in Ji-Man Choi with two outs in the 12th inning to lift the Milwaukee Brewers over the San Diego Padres 2-1 on opening day Thursday. — Arcia's hit came off sidearmer Adam Cimber (0-1), who was making his big league debut.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball, Baseball Prospectus and Gaslamp Ball
RELATED:
New York Daily News:
MLB average salary drops as new season opens, AP study finds — NEW YORK — The average major league salary on opening day dropped slightly following an offseason of slashed contracts for many free agents and the decisions to start three highly paid players in the minor leagues, according to study by The Associated Press.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
First Mets mailbag: Questions on Callaway, Nimmo and prospects to watch — Welcome to the first edition of the Mets mailbag. — Each week I'll answer a handful of questions surrounding the Mets, and perhaps a pop culture question or two. You can ask questions using the hashtag #RecordMets or just direct them to me, @mattehalt.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Roger Mooney / Tampa Bay Times:
Rays' Blake Snell not tired of talking about 2017 — ST. PETERSBURG - Blake Snell will throw the first pitch of his 2018 season tonight against the visiting Red Sox. It is a small act that will bring an end to the parade of questions he faced during spring training about his performance last season.
Brett Bodner / New York Daily News:
HEAR IT: Dan Le Batard laughs hysterically as Derek Jeter's Marlins surrender home run on first pitch of the season — The Miami Marlins were the best joke Dan Le Batard heard Thursday. — On Thursday's “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” producer Billy Gill called into the show for the first pitch of the Marlins season.
