Top News:
Associated Press:
Nationals give GM Mike Rizzo 2-year contract extension — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals have agreed to a two-year contract extension with general manager Mike Rizzo. — The team announced the deal on Thursday, hours before its home opener against the New York Mets.
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Chelsea Janes / Washington Post:
Nationals GM Mike Rizzo agrees to extension through 2020 season
Nationals GM Mike Rizzo agrees to extension through 2020 season
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, baseballmusings.com and MLB Daily Dish
Harvey Valentine / UPI:
Mets out to make statement vs. Nationals
Mets out to make statement vs. Nationals
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and Amazin' Avenue
USA Today:
Facebook Watch, MLB hope to build off Phillies-Mets broadcast — Luckily baseball didn't add the designated hitter in the age of Facebook, which debuted its exclusive MLB broadcast package on Wednesday. — The rain-delayed Philadelphia Phillies-New York Mets game brought the first round of gripes …
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Brian Marron / Daily Record:
Mets Facebook debut vs. Phillies draws mixed reaction
Mets Facebook debut vs. Phillies draws mixed reaction
Discussion:
Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and New York Daily News
Michael Wagaman / Associated Press:
Manaea goes 8 innings, pitches A's to 6-2 win over Rangers — OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Even as Sean Manaea eased through a 1-2-3 eighth inning and retired his 10th consecutive batter, Oakland manager Bob Melvin had no intention on sending the young lefty back out for the ninth. — Not yet anyway.
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Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers Reaction: One play that wasn't made was one too many for this offense to overcome — At 2-5, fans of the Texas Rangers might be looking for some silver linings. The Rangers Reaction is here help. — Try these: — The Rangers have not been shut out this season.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers lacking two key elements of the ‘pitch-to-contact’ philosophy — OAKLAND, Calif. - Critical elements of having a pitching staff with a “pitch-to-contact” mentality: — Throw strikes to force contact. — After contact, make plays. — The Rangers are struggling with the concepts.
Associated Press:
Corbin strikes out 12 as Diamondbacks sweep Dodgers — PHOENIX — Patrick Corbin finally found a way to end his long losing streak against the Los Angeles Dodgers. — And he did it emphatically. — Corbin shut out the Dodgers on one hit over 7 1/3 innings, striking out a career-high 12 in the Diamondbacks' 3-0 win on Wednesday.
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Dan Bickley / Arizona Republic:
Photos: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Photos: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Discussion:
Arizona Sports and USA Today
Bernie Wilson / Associated Press:
Gray, Rockies shut down Villanueva and Padres in 5-2 win … SAN DIEGO — Jon Gray pitched seven scoreless innings, Trevor Story and Ian Desmond each drove in two runs and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 on Wednesday night. — Gray (1-1) shut down the Padres a night …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
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Mike Shalin / UPI:
Red Sox, Rays heading in opposite direction since Opening Day — Last week on Opening Day, the Tampa Bay Rays scored six runs in the eighth inning against the Boston bullpen and stunned the Red Sox 6-4 in St. Petersburg, Fla. — Since that fateful eighth inning that spoiled the managerial debut …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, DRaysBay and Over the Monster
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Cold — but dry — for today's White Sox home opener — Chicago Tribune — It's cold but dry on the South Side Thursday morning as the White Sox get ready to meet the Tigers in the home opener. — Parking lots will open at noon, with the gates to the park open at 1:10 p.m.
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Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Mets' Michael Conforto is back for Thursday's game vs. Nationals — and he's leading off — WASHINGTON — Michael Conforto is back. — The Mets activated the outfielder for Thursday's series opener against the Nationals. Conforto, who started the year on the disabled list …
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Alex Butler / UPI:
Pablo Sandoval calls homer against Felix Hernandez … San Francisco Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval followed through on his prediction that he would hit a homer off of Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez. — He did so by going yard in the fifth inning of the Giants' 10-1 win …
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Kerry Crowley / Mercury News:
Home run-happy Giants crush ‘King Felix’, reward Cueto with win
Home run-happy Giants crush ‘King Felix’, reward Cueto with win
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles, Lookout Landing and MLB Baseball News …
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Matheny: Decision to start Waino ‘not about sentimental reasons’ — MILWAUKEE • It was a good day for Adam Wainwright although not so much for Jack Flaherty, or even Michael Wacha. — After undergoing two days of intensive running and movement drills and a final review …
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Associated Press:
Ohtani homers again, Cozart lifts Angels past Indians in 13 — ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his second homer in two games at Angel Stadium in the fifth inning, and Zack Cozart had walk-off homer in the 13th inning of the Los Angeles Angels' 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Andrew Wagner / UPI:
Lester aims for better effort as Cubs face Brewers — MILWAUKEE — The major-league season is barely a week old, but it will almost certainly be a playoff-like atmosphere at Miller Park this weekend as the Milwaukee Brewers face the Chicago Cubs in a four-game series.
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Dave Clark / Cincinnati.com:
What Bronson Arroyo and Shohei Ohtani have in common — After a rough spring, Shohei Ohtnai impressed in his first pitching start of the year against the Oakland A's. Was it enough to silence his doubters? Time — CONNECT — One of Shohei Ohtani's rarest feats in his first week …
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Associated Press:
Astros sweep away Orioles with 3-2 victory — Josh Reddick had three hits and Alex Bregman's tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning lifted the Houston Astros to a 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles. — HOUSTON (AP) - Josh Reddick had three hits and Alex Bregman's tiebreaking RBI single …
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
A look at where the Mets prospects will be to start the minor league season — The minors season opens Thursday, and the Mets will have their top prospects sprinkled throughout their various affiliates. Here's a look at where you can find most of the organization's top 30 prospects as ranked by MLB.com.
David SchoenfieldESPN Senior / ESPN:
Want to be entertained? The most exciting teams, players and themes of the 2018 season — The best part of the first week of the baseball season is flipping through games and seeing all the amazing things going on: Giancarlo Stanton being booed in the rain at Yankee Stadium …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Scenes from downtown as fans gather for Cardinals Opening Day — It's like a holiday in St. Louis when the Cardinals play their first home game at Busch Stadium. — The action starts long before the pep rallies road and the Clydesdales trot around the stadium.