Top News:
Bob Nightengale / Detroit Free Press:
Chris Bosio ‘crushed’ by Tigers firing, insists he did not direct slur toward employee — Chris Bosio still can't grasp why he was sitting in his Detroit apartment Thursday afternoon instead of on the bench at Comerica Park, unable to accept his abrupt firing as the Detroit Tigers pitching coach.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Deadspin and Bless You Boys
RELATED:
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' Daniel Stumpf's nickname at root of Chris Bosio firing — Former Detroit Tigers pitching coach Chris Bosio denied allegations of directing “insensitive comments” at a team employee on Thursday afternoon, telling USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale that his comments were not racial in nature …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' Daniel Stumpf has no knowledge of spider monkey nickname — Detroit Tigers pitcher Daniel Stumpf has told the Detroit Free Press that he has no knowledge of the nickname “spider monkey,” which fired pitching coach Chris Bosio said he called him and was fired for when it was taken out of context, according to Bosio.
Associated Press:
Jays trade veteran Steve Pearce to Red Sox for minor leaguer, cash — BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox acquired veteran first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night. — Dave Dombrowski, the Red Sox president of baseball operations …
RELATED:
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Yankees are finally calling up Brandon Drury for Red Sox series: report — Brandon Drury is finally being summoned from Triple-A Scranton, according to Ken Rosenthal. — Drury has played his previous three games for the RailRiders all at first base, so he could be an option to start …
John Harper / New York Daily News:
If Yankees want to beat Red Sox in AL East race, they need Giancarlo Stanton to start hitting like J.D. Martinez — Over the last few weeks Giancarlo Stanton has started to look more like the reigning National League MVP than the guy who spent the first couple of months as a Yankee chasing pitches …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
Christian Red / New York Daily News:
CC Sabathia, Friday's starter for Yankees, calls Red Sox tilt biggest series yet this season
David SchoenfieldESPN Senior / ESPN:
Why the Red Sox — not the Yankees — will win the AL East
Discussion:
Halos Heaven, MLB Baseball News …, Over the Monster and Bluebird Banter
Associated Press:
Rizzo has huge day; Cubs rip Dodgers' bullpen in 11-5 win — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Rizzo's three-run double and Addison Russell's two-run homer highlighted a seven-run seventh inning as the Chicago Cubs broke loose after Clayton Kershaw exited, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-5 on Thursday.
RELATED:
Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
Cubs emphasize positives after salvaging up-and-down trip — LOS ANGELES — Perhaps Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon's analysis of his team's woeful-looking road trip was spot on. — “The Reds are screwing this whole thing up,” Maddon said before the Cubs' 11-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.
Associated Press:
Dodgers hit 3 homers for 51 in June, beat Cubs 7-5
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Bleed Cubbie Blue and True Blue LA
Helene Elliott / The Charlotte Observer:
Matt Kemp's game, and his life, have been on the upswing since his return to the Dodgers
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Anthony Rizzo returns to lineup as Cubs take on Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw
Alex Butler / UPI:
Dodgers' Muncy homers, ball comes back to hit outfielder in head
Discussion:
Minor League Ball
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Until Yu Darvish returns, Jose Quintana says he and other Cubs starters will ‘have his back’ — Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses Yu Darvish's delayed return to the rotation and need for another minor-league rehab start on Thursday, June 28, 2018. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune
RELATED:
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds notebook: Hunter Greene continues to pitch well; Nick Senzel has surgery — Reds pitcher Anthony DeSclafani discusses his third-inning grand slam in an 11-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. It was the first grand slam by a Reds pitcher since 1959. The Enquirer/Bobby Nightengale
Cincinnati.com:
Next Slide — Despite playing their best baseball of the season, the Reds couldn't avoid a familiar nemesis Thursday night. — Milwaukee Brewers slugger Eric Thames hit 10 home runs against the Reds last year and he's working his way toward that number again.
RELATED:
Alan Robinson / UPI:
Resurgent Reds take on first-place Brewers
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Brew Crew Ball and Red Reporter
Steve Gardner / USA Today:
In wake of feud with Cubs, Sammy Sosa remains adamant about not using PEDs — Sammy Sosa hit 609 home runs in his major league career, 545 of them with the Chicago Cubs. But he and the team are locked in a standoff over suggestions that he hit most of them with the assistance of performance enhancing drugs.
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, Sporting News and Chicago Tribune
RELATED:
Tommy Birch / Des Moines Register:
Iowa Cubs reliever Alberto Baldonado selected to play in Triple-A All-Star Game — Iowa manager Marty Pevey is headed to the Triple-A All-Star Game with some company. — Alberto Baldonado, a left-handed reliever, was selected to play for the Pacific Coast League All-Star team in the Triple …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: There's no telling how long the White Sox rebuild will take — White Sox manager Rick Renteria talks about 36-year-old pitcher James Shields making himself ‘relevant.’ (Phil Thompson/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — The White Sox reach the midway point of the 2018 season Friday …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and South Side Sox
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
A happy homecoming for Tampa's Lance McCullers as Astros cool down Rays — ST. PETERSBURG - Tampa's Lance McCullers had come to work twice previously at the Trop with little to show for his efforts. — Thursday proved much more rewarding as McCullers got his first hometown win in leading …
