Top News:
David SchoenfieldESPN Senior / ESPN:
Real or not? Mariners crashing Astros' party in AL West — This is what you might call a tough run of games. The Houston Astros just finished a stretch of four games at Cleveland, three games in the Bronx against the Yankees, and four games at home against the Red Sox.
Discussion:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Talking Chop
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Baseball notes: ‘Furious’ Arrieta blasts Phillies — Jake Arrieta is demanding the Philadelphia Phillies shift their strategy. Do it right now, too. The team's ace pitcher criticized his team following a 6-1 loss Sunday that completed a sweep by San Francisco of a three-game series.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Kerry Crowley / Mercury News:
Dereck Rodríguez powers Giants to series sweep with first career win
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and McCovey Chronicles
Associated Press:
Cardinals' Michael Wacha loses no-hit bid to first Pirates batter in ninth inning … Michael Wacha lost a no-hit bid in the ninth inning when pinch-hitter Colin Moran led off with a single, leaving to a huge ovation and pitching the St. Louis Cardinals past the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-0 Sunday.
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
One-hit wonder: Wacha dominates in another near-miss no-hitter
David SchoenfieldESPN Senior / ESPN:
No-no near miss highlights Michael Wacha's comeback season
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos and St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Associated Press:
Moreland, Benintendi homer in Boston 9-3 win over Astros — HOUSTON (AP) — Rick Porcello pitched well into the seventh, Mitch Moreland and Andrew Benintendi each homered and the Boston Red Sox beat the Houston Astros 9-3 Sunday night. — Boston slugger J.D. Martinez was pinch hit …
Discussion:
Over the Monster
RELATED:
Buster OlneyESPN Senior / ESPN:
Olney: The time is right for dynasty-minded Astros to be all-in — If A.J. Hinch makes an induction speech at Cooperstown someday, he could thank Lance McCullers Jr., Brad Peacock and Charlie Morton for helping to make him look really smart during the Houston Astros' inaugural championship run.
Discussion:
Royals Review, The Crawfish Boxes and MLB Trade Rumors
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Which player will the Cincinnati Reds select with the No. 5 pick in the MLB Draft? — Reds No. 2 pick Hunter Greene is in Goodyear, Arizona, for his first experience at spring training The Enquirer/Adam Baum — Drafting in the Top 5 for the third straight season, the Reds have another opportunity …
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe and Talking Chop
RELATED:
Keith LawESPN Senior / ESPN:
Keith Law's 2018 Mock Draft 4.0 — It is draft day, the most wonderful time of the year, so here is my final — ahem, “final” — projected first-round selections, but one I present with the caveat that multiple GMs told me Sunday that nothing would really be final until at least Monday afternoon …
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Bill Madden / New York Daily News:
Rob Manfred, MLB Commissioner, needs to step in and fix Yankees vs. ESPN debacle — We are about to find out if baseball is running baseball or ESPN is running baseball. — In what has turned out to be a major dispute involving the game's integrity, ESPN announced it was picking up the Yankees …
RELATED:
George A. King III / New York Post:
Aaron Boone is going all-in on fight against MLB/ESPN
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley, MLB Baseball News … and baseballmusings.com
Dana Gauruder / UPI:
New York Yankees, dominating AL Central, visit Detroit Tigers
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Miami Marlins … PREGAME READING — Monday's game — Diamondbacks at Giants — Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco. — Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (5-4, 4.38) vs. Giants LHP Derek Holland (3-6, 4.94). — TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7), KHOV-FM (105.1).
RELATED:
Bradford DoolittleESPN / ESPN:
Charlie Culberson is Atlanta's man of the moment — again — ATLANTA — There is a fine line between a good homestand and a great one. — Did the Atlanta Braves end up on the right side of it this weekend? We'll let you decide the answer to that on the basis of the following statement.
RELATED:
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Culberson does it again as Braves take three of four from Nats
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Talking Chop
Scott Lauber / Philly.com:
Johnny Almaraz defends scouting record with Phillies, hopes to find more gems this year — Frank Wren still remembers the phone call — and the enthusiasm in the voice on the other end. — “Wait till you see this kid!” — Johnny Almaraz didn't have to say anything more.
RELATED:
USA Today:
MLB draft: Order, schedule, start times, TV — The Detroit Tigers have No. 1 overall pick for second time in franchise history, and the first since taking Rice pitcher Matt Anderson in 1997. — The Major League Baseball draft starts Monday and continues for 40 rounds over three days …
Discussion:
Purple Row
Associated Press:
Rosario's 3rd homer of game lifts Twins over Indians 7-5 — Eddie Rosario hit his third homer of the game, launching a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Minnesota Twins over the Cleveland Indians 7-5 Sunday. — Rosario, who began the day with 10 home runs this season …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Let's Go Tribe
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Dylan Covey could have staying power with the White Sox — Photos from the White Sox-Brewers game at Guaranteed Rate Field on Sunday, June 3, 2018. — Chicago Tribune — Dylan Covey is showing he might have staying power. — He was viewed mostly as a short-term option …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Lester, Cubs blank Mets 2-0 for 4-game sweep — NEW YORK (AP) — Jon Lester dominated for seven innings and Javier Baez stole home to break a scoreless tie as the Chicago Cubs blanked the New York Mets 2-0 Sunday, completing a four-game sweep and winning for the seventh time in eight games.
Associated Press:
Mitchell, Wilmington escape eighth-inning jam, defeat Salem 5-4 — SALEM, Va. (AP) — Josh Mitchell induced a fielder's choice from Trenton Kemp in the eighth inning, leading the Wilmington Blue Rocks to a 5-4 win over the Salem Red Sox on Sunday. — The fielder's choice came with runners …
Discussion:
Over the Monster
Associated Press:
Tigers have top selection in Monday's MLB draft — The Detroit Tigers didn't begin rebuilding in earnest until the second half of last season. Already, they have a chance to add the type of player who could become a centerpiece of the franchise's future. — Detroit has the No. 1 pick …
Discussion:
Bless You Boys and Talking Chop
ESPN:
Power Rankings: Make way for new contenders in NL shakeup — Another week into the season, the same three American League power houses rule the roost — and in the same order for the time being — but things are getting interesting in the Senior Circuit as the National League's top teams sort out their own pecking order.
