Top News:
Toronto Sun:
Astros' Verlander goes for eighth win vs. Rangers — The Texas Rangers, mired in last place in the American League West while acknowledging they are in a rebuilding mode, announced Thursday that they've reached an agreement with general manager Jon Daniels on a multi-year contract extension.
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Toronto Sun:
Gattis and Cole lead Astros past Rangers 5-2 — ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Evan Gattis homered in a happy homecoming, aided by a favorable matchup. — The Astros slugger and Dallas native hit a two-run homer and an RBI single, and Gerrit Cole allowed one run over six solid innings as Houston topped …
Associated Press:
Pederson hits 2 HRs, Bellinger goes deep again for Dodgers — PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joc Pederson went deep twice, Cody Bellinger hit his third home run in as many games and the Los Angeles Dodgers used nine pitchers to hold off the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 on Thursday.
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Rotoworld.com:
Daily Dose: Ring the Bellinger — Ring the Bell-inger — Cody Bellinger was the darling of the National League en route to winning the Rookie of the Year Award in his debut with the Dodgers in 2017. He slashed .267/.352/.581 with 39 homers, 97 RBI and 10 stolen bases in only 132 games …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Will Graves / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Pederson homers twice, Dodgers hold off Pirates 8-7
Discussion:
Talking Chop, Bucs Dugout and True Blue LA
Scott Lauber / Philly.com:
Phillies return home seeking more offense from shortstop, third base | Extra Innings — Close your eyes, Phillies fans. Now, click your heels and repeat after me: There's no place like home. After 11 days on the road — and a 3-7 record in 10 games against the Dodgers, Giants and Cubs …
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Scott Lauber / Philly.com:
Phillies' difficult road trip proves offense could use a boost — CHICAGO — Asked why he decided to elevate Scott Kingery to the No. 3 spot in the batting order for the last three games, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler explained that the rookie infielder has swung the bat better lately …
Corey Seidman / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Phillies waste great opportunity and it gets only tougher from here
Discussion:
The Good Phight
Coley HarveyESPN / ESPN:
Thor, deGrom to Bronx? Yankees' hunt for arms just got real — NEW YORK — The New York Yankees' hunt for starting pitching just got more intense. — When the organization learned this week that left-hander Jordan Montgomery would undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his 2018 season …
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Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Mets will listen to Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard offers if team doesn't turn things around: source
Discussion:
The Comeback
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
What Mets and Yankees would have to swallow for Syndergaard or deGrom deal
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley and FanGraphs Baseball
Jerry McDonald / Mercury News:
Athletics' Blackburn sharp; beats Royals in 2018 debut — OAKLAND — With an expedited return to a ravaged rotation, the Athletics weren't sure exactly what they'd get out of starting pitcher Paul Blackburn Thursday night. — Blackburn surpassed all expectations in his 2018 season debut …
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
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Dave Del Grande / UPI:
Past and present collide as Oakland A's host Kansas City Royals
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, MLB Baseball News … and Royals Review
David SchoenfieldESPN Senior / ESPN:
Orioles ‘slugger’ Chris Davis is having a mind-bogglingly bad season — It was a relatively slow day of baseball on Thursday, so indulge me as I go down the rabbit hole with Chris Davis. Hopefully we'll all come out alive. — Davis is having a terrible season.
Keith LawESPN Senior / ESPN:
Keith Law's draft recap: AL team-by-team breakdown — After our breakdown of the 2018 draft began with a recap of the National League's most notable picks, it's now time to examine — you guessed it — the American League. — Baltimore Orioles — The Orioles started their draft …
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Top prospect Adbert Alzolay out with injury but promotion to Cubs is ‘close’ — Cubs' senior vice president of player development/scouting Jason McLeod on the Cubs' draft. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — The Cubs hope Adbert Alzolay will be wiser once he returns …
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' draft provides balance in farm system
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Gibson, McCarver, Shannon remember Red as tough, no-nonsense manager — St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famers Red Schoendienst (left) and Bob Gibson return to the dugout after pregame festivities before a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, April 13, 2015, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
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Steve Gardner / USA Today:
Rockies' first-round pick regrets 2012 tweet calling for Obama assassination — Was it a character flaw or just high school immaturity? — Either way, University of Mississippi pitcher Ryan Rolison addressed the issue of his controversial tweet from 2012 when he was introduced to the media …
Rodney Page / Tampa Bay Times:
Jake Bauers' promotion to majors continues Rays' youth movement — ST. PETERSBURG — The promotion of Jake Bauers is just one more part of the Rays' youth movement this season. The 22-year-old made his major-league debut Thursday night, starting at first base and batting sixth in the order against the Mariners.
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Associated Press:
Rangers, Jon Daniels agree to multiyear contract extension — ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers have given general manager Jon Daniels a multiyear contract extension at a time when the team is focused on developing young players at the big league level.
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Bradford DoolittleESPN / ESPN:
To shift or not, the bullpen shuttle and MLB's next big thing — My working assumption about shifts in baseball has been that they work so often that when they don't, it sticks in our minds. I also kind of figured pitchers who get burned by a shift now and again tend to see it the same way.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Drew Smyly's comeback with the Cubs on schedule — Chicago Tribune — The prospect of throwing batting practice at Wrigley Field never has looked this attractive for left-hander Drew Smyly. — “I'm looking forward to throwing in a stadium Friday, versus a big dose of the back fields lately,” Smyly said.
Bill Baer / NBCSports.com:
Report: Nationals checked in with the Marlins about J.T. Realmuto recently — In his latest notes column, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that the Nationals checked in with the Marlins a couple weeks ago about catcher J.T. Realmuto. The two sides didn't get anywhere …
Discussion:
FRS Baseball and Fish Stripes
Steve Buffery / Toronto Sun:
Gibbons' job becoming a hot topic around Blue Jays — Prior to Thursday's game against the visiting Baltimore Orioles, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons read part of a text he received from his friend, former O's pitching great Jim Palmer, now a noted broadcaster.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
Tom Timmermann / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals' Voit can handle the role of pinch hitter — Photo by Chris Lee, clee@post-dispatch.com — St. Louis Cardinals' Luke Voit is greeted by teammates, including Marcell Ozuna (23) and Yairo Muñoz, after he hit a solo home run to lead off the seventh inning during a game between …
