Top News:
Harvey Valentine / UPI:
Surging Pittsburgh Pirates begin series with Washington Nationals — The visiting Pittsburgh Pirates will be looking for their sixth straight win when they open a four-game series against the Washington Nationals on Monday. — Pittsburgh (17-11) completed a sweep of St. Louis on Sunday as Nick Kingham …
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Bucs rookie nearly perfect in debut to complete sweep of Cardinals — PITTSBURGH • The Cardinals had three of his minor-league games on video, a breakdown of his pitches and velocity, and an idea that Pittsburgh rookie Nick Kingham would fall behind in counts with his breaking pitches …
Associated Press:
Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray leaves start with oblique injury
Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray leaves start with oblique injury
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Associated Press, AZ Snake Pit and MLB Baseball News …
Jeff Miller / Baltimore Sun:
Surging Yankees sweep Angels — The Angels aren't hitting, aren't scoring, aren't winning. — There's one other thing they aren't doing, not even after another low-octane loss that gave the New York Yankees a three-game sweep at Angel Stadium. — “I'm not panicking,” infielder Zack Cozart said after Sunday's 2-1 loss.
RELATED:
Steve Gardner / USA Today:
Shohei Ohtani has next start pushed back for Angels — The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been riding some hot hitting and stingy pitching. Can they actually dethrone the Houston Astros in the AL West? Time — CONNECT — The Los Angeles Angels are being cautious with Shohei Ohtani …
Associated Press:
Baseball roundup: Cubs blank Brewers again, sweep series — Cubs blank Brewers again to sweep series — Tyler Chatwood allowed two hits, struck out four and walked three over seven innings and had an RBI single, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 2-0 victory at home over Milwaukee on Sunday for a sweep of a four-game series.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
RELATED:
Pedro Gomez / ESPN:
Dodgers' Cody Bellinger surprised by benching: 'I'm always hustling'
Dodgers' Cody Bellinger surprised by benching: 'I'm always hustling'
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Andy McCullough / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers' frustrations boil over as Cody Bellinger benched in loss
Dodgers' frustrations boil over as Cody Bellinger benched in loss
Discussion:
DodgerBlue.com
Tom Haudricourt / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Cubs 2, Brewers 0: For third time in series and fifth time in April, Cubs blank Brewers
Cubs 2, Brewers 0: For third time in series and fifth time in April, Cubs blank Brewers
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Associated Press:
Cuthbert homers twice in Royals' 5-4 win over White Sox — KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cheslor Cuthbert homered twice and drove in four runs as the Kansas City Royals won consecutive games for the first time this season, defeating the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Sunday.
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Jimmy Hascup / USA Today:
Royals' Salvador Perez to White Sox's Tim Anderson: Don't curse after a home run
Royals' Salvador Perez to White Sox's Tim Anderson: Don't curse after a home run
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune, South Side Sox and Royals Review
Associated Press:
Healy hits 2 homers in Mariners' win over Indians — CLEVELAND (AP) - Ryon Healy hit two home runs and had four RBIs, Robinson Cano and Mitch Haniger also homered, and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Cleveland Indians 10-4 on Sunday. — Healy had an RBI double in the second inning …
Discussion:
Intelligencer/Wheeling … and Let's Go Tribe
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals Notes: A curve in Memphis brings Gomber to Cardinals bullpen — PITTSBURGH • If asked to describe the “ideal pitcher” he could be, lefty Austin Gomber said he would be able to provide a description, maybe a list. — Now, though, he just has to point to a box score.
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals notebook: Fowler ready Tuesday — PITTSBURGH • The wrist that Cardinals outfielder Dexter Fowler used to brace himself as he tumbled over a wall in foul territory Saturday remained swollen Sunday morning and kept him from starting the series finale against the Pirates at PNC Park.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Flawless debut? Pirates rookie perfect through six innings against Cardinals
Flawless debut? Pirates rookie perfect through six innings against Cardinals
Discussion:
Associated Press, Viva El Birdos, Bucs Dugout and baseballmusings.com
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
No decision made, but Brandon Drury may return to Yankees this week, Clint Frazier homers in Class A Tampa rehab game — ANAHEIM — Aaron Boone said no decision has been made yet whether Brandon Drury will rejoin the Yankees in Houston this week, but the manager wouldn't rule it out.
RELATED:
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:
Extra-base hit machine Miguel Andujar cementing his status as the Yankees' third baseman
Extra-base hit machine Miguel Andujar cementing his status as the Yankees' third baseman
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Pete Caldera / USA Today:
Yankees headed back to Houston, where their 2017 season came to an abrupt end
Yankees headed back to Houston, where their 2017 season came to an abrupt end
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and NorthJersey.com
Joshua Koch / Associated Press:
Cole strikes out 12, Astros capitalize on errors to beat A's — HOUSTON (AP) — Gerrit Cole worked into the seventh inning and struck out 12, George Springer and Jose Altuve each drove in two runs and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 8-4 on Sunday.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and The Crawfish Boxes
Jeff Arnold / UPI:
Cubs' pitching could be challenging for Rockies — The way the Chicago Cubs' starting pitching has been rolling, any shortage of offense has not caused negative results. — That may be bad news for the Colorado Rockies, who Monday at Wrigley Field struggling to score runs.
RELATED:
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Mets pushing back Steven Matz's scheduled start due to soreness, will go with Noah Syndergaard vs. Braves on Tuesday — SAN DIEGO — Steven Matz is having his scheduled start on Tuesday pushed back after he felt soreness in his back. The Mets, who have an off day on Monday …
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Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Adrian Gonzalez powers Mets to 14-2 blowout win over Padres, but they lose Yoenis Cespedes in the process — SAN DIEGO — The Mets finished their road trip with a win, but they suffered what could be a big loss getting there. Yoenis Cespedes suffered a left-hand injury as the Mets beat the Padres 14-2 at Petco Park.
RELATED:
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Yoenis Cespedes removed from Mets game with left thumb injury
Yoenis Cespedes removed from Mets game with left thumb injury
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
ESPN:
Which players' slow starts should scare you, and why — “It's still early!” is the motto of April baseball. Everyone knows in their hearts that the guy on pace for 324 home runs after Opening Day and the slugger hitting .090 are not going to finish the season anywhere near those figures.
Steve Buffery / Toronto Sun:
Nobody is grouchy when Blue Jays' Teoscar is on — When the Blue Jays start getting guys back from the disabled list (Josh Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki), there will be some tough decisions that will have to be made. — But it's becoming pretty clear that one of those decisions …
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers: 10 players they should consider drafting No. 1 overall — Matthew Stevens, Montgomery Advertiser — Auburn right-handed pitcher Casey Mize emerged as the early favorite to be chosen No. 1 overall by the Detroit Tigers in the MLB draft in June.