Top News:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals deal Valera to Dodgers for minor-league outfielder — NEW YORK • The Cardinals completed the trimming of their 40-man roster Sunday morning by dealing infielder Breyvic Valera to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a Class A outfielder. — Valera, 26, came to spring training as a possible addition to the major-league bench.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals have big trouble at the plate — NEW YORK • When he left Florida, jetting north for the start of the season, Michael Wacha did so with a crisp sense for the fundamentals of his game and an uplifting feel for a couple of his new toys: an elevated fastball and plunging curve.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals deploy Gyorko vs. lefty Matz in search for first victory — NEW YORK • The Cardinals have been cautious over the past week with how and when they start Jedd Gyorko as he continues to deal with a sore wrist that sapped him of some thump during spring training.
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Aaron Boone insists he hasn't lost faith in struggling Yankees reliever Dellin Betances — TORONTO — It doesn't sound like Boone has lost any faith in Dellin Betances despite his pair of poor early outings, which have included a pair of homers and Kevin Pillar stealing three bases in a single inning.
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ESPN:
Gabe Kapler calls for reliever who hasn't thrown — Philadelphia Phillies new manager Gabe Kapler called on a reliever who hadn't thrown a pitch to warm up on Saturday against Atlanta. — Kapler came to the mound to replace starter Vince Velasquez in the third inning and the Phillies down 5-2.
Discussion:
Deadspin and baseballmusings.com
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Joe Knowles / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox-Royals game postponed due to cold weather — Chicago Tribune — With temperatures not expected to rise much above freezing and a chance of snow in the afternoon, Sunday's White Sox-Royals game was postponed. The tentative make-up date is April 28.
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Joe Knowles / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
White Sox come back for 4-3 win against Royals in Lucas Giolito's season debut
White Sox come back for 4-3 win against Royals in Lucas Giolito's season debut
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Joe Knowles / Baltimore Sun:
White Sox come back for 4-3 victory over Royals in Lucas Giolito's season debut
Joe Knowles / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox manager Rick Renteria expects a more stable lineup in 2018
White Sox manager Rick Renteria expects a more stable lineup in 2018
Discussion:
South Side Sox, MLB Baseball News … and Royals Review
Bob Baum / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Blackmon homers twice, Rockies beat Diamondbacks 2-1 — Charlie Blackmon homered twice and the — Colorado Rockies salvaged the final game of their season-opening series in Arizona with a 2-1 victory over the Diamondbacks on Saturday night. — Blackmon, whose three hits in the series were all homers …
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit
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Arizona Republic:
Next Slide — The Diamondbacks lost their first game of the season on the basis of two swings by Charlie Blackmon. Each produced a towering, solo home run. That was all the Colorado Rockies needed to come away with a sweep-averting, 2-1 win at Chase Field on Saturday evening.
Associated Press:
Hot-hitting Bogaerts homers, Red Sox hold off Rays 3-2 — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Xander Bogaerts homered, Rick Porcello carried a shutout into the sixth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Saturday night. — Bogaerts also doubled in a run …
Discussion:
DRaysBay and Over the Monster
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Roger Mooney / Tampa Bay Times:
For starters: Rays looking to get ‘O’ started in finale against Red Sox — The Rays wrap up this four-game series against the Red Sox with a 1:10 p.m. start at the Trop. — RHP Jake Faria (5-4, 3.43 in 2017) makes his season debut against RHP Hector Velazquez (3-1, 2.92 last year).
Associated Press:
McCullers fans 10, Correa has 4 hits, Astros top Rangers 9-3 — ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Carlos Correa thinks Lance McCullers Jr. is headed for a big season. McCullers feels the same way about Correa. — McCullers struck out 10 in 5 1/3 innings, Correa hit a two-run homer …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
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Christopher Stock / Associated Press:
Bryant's three-run double in the 10th helps lead Cubs — Chicago Cubs' pitcher Yu Darvish throws in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins in Miami, Saturday, March 31, 2018. (AP Photo/Gaston De Cardenas) — MIAMI (AP) — Ben Zobrist had a tiebreaking RBI single …
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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Paul Sullivan / Baltimore Sun:
Yu Darvish knocked out early in debut with Cubs — Chicago Tribune — Yu Darvish's Cubs debut couldn't have been much more low-key going into Saturday night's game at Marlins Park. — Now only was the attention of Chicago focused on Loyola's Final Four appearance in San Antonio …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
WKYC-TV:
Yonder Alonso smacks grand slam as Cleveland Indians beat Seattle Mariners, 6-5, at Safeco Field — Yonder Alonso's first hit of the season was a grand slam and the Cleveland Indians beat the Seattle Mariners, 6-5, at Safeco Field Saturday. — Author: Matthew Florjancic
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Associated Press:
Dodgers get 1st runs and win of season, 5-0 over Giants — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kenta Maeda struck out 10 over five scoreless innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers finally found their offense to beat the San Francisco Giants 5-0 on Saturday night for their first win of the season.
Steve Buffery / Toronto Sun:
Blue Jays' Pillar wants to become a noted thief — There's a little less Superman for Blue Jays' fans to love this year. — And that's a good thing. — Toronto centre fielder Kevin Pillar stole 25 bases for the Jays in 2015 but swiped 14 and 15 the last two seasons.
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Coley HarveyESPN / ESPN:
Kevin Pillar's gamble pays off as he steals home to seal Jays' win
Martin Gallegos East Bay / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
A's defensive mishaps lead to second loss in a row to Angels — OAKLAND, Calif. — There's days where a pitcher's final line doesn't tell the whole story. Daniel Mengden had one of those days. — A quick glance at the A's starter's numbers in Saturday's 8-3 loss to the Angels shows …
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Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Photos: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies … The Diamondbacks have placed slugger Yasmany Tomas on outright waivers, according to sources, a move that could amount to little more than his removal from the 40-man roster. — Tomas, who was optioned to Triple-A Reno last weekend …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, MLB Trade Rumors and FanRag Sports
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Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Photos: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies
Eduardo A. Encina / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles' Rule 5 relievers Cortes and Araujo hold their own in major league debuts — The Orioles entered the season with two Rule 5 draft picks in their bullpen, embarking on the huge challenge of carrying two inexperienced pitchers who can't be moved to the minor leagues.
Parker Smith / New York Daily News:
Braves sideline reporter Kelsey Wingert has eye socket broken by foul ball — ATLANTA — A TV reporter who covers the Atlanta Braves for Fox Sports South has suffered a fractured eye socket after she was hit by a foul ball. — Kelsey Wingert was struck Friday night while standing in the camera …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Sporting News
MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings …:
Flaherty's 4 hits highlight Braves' 15-2 rout of Phillies — Ryan Flaherty came back to haunt his former team, posting his second career four-hit game to pace the — Atlanta Braves to a 15-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday at SunTrust Park in Atlanta.
Discussion:
Talking Chop and MLB Trade Rumors
Bradford DoolittleESPN / ESPN:
Why the Dodgers are good enough to justify their boring offseason — LOS ANGELES — At some point, you just have to get over it. Many or maybe all of us have survived a “threshold” moment. In a literal life-or-death situation, it's called the quietus — that moment when the living ceases …
Discussion:
USA Today