Top News:
Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
Record-tying 7 double plays, 5 induced by Cole Hamels, propel Cubs' win — PITTSBURGH — It was only appropriate the Chicago Cubs completed their 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday by turning a double play to end the game, as it was their seventh of the evening, tying an MLB record.
Discussion:
ABC News and Bleed Cubbie Blue
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: A proposal to save bullpens without using position players — Chicago Tribune — The Mets were trouncing the Phillies in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday, so Phillies manager Gabe Kapler wanted to save his bullpen for the nightcap. — Center fielder Roman Quinn …
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' Cole Hamels doubles his pleasure with record-setting defense — Photos from the Cubs-Pirates game on on Aug. 17, 2018 in Pittsburgh. — Chicago Tribune — Even at 34 years old and with 13 years of major-league service, Cole Hamels is learning about the talent of his new Cubs teammates at a rapid pace.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Kyle Schwarber homers, Cubs turn 7 double plays in 1-0 win over Pirates
Kyle Schwarber homers, Cubs turn 7 double plays in 1-0 win over Pirates
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
With Cubs clinging to NL Central lead, their rotation remains in a state of flux
With Cubs clinging to NL Central lead, their rotation remains in a state of flux
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune and MLB Baseball News …
Janie McCauley / Toronto Sun:
Matt Olson homers in 10th, A's pull within game of Astros — OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) With September approaching, the Oakland Athletics are showing the baseball world what they believed from the start: This group and its young sluggers are ready to make a playoff push.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, baseballmusings.com and The Crawfish Boxes
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Bill Madden / New York Daily News:
Here's how the no-name Oakland A's are giving baseball's super teams a run for their money — Perhaps the best story in baseball right now is also the best-kept secret in baseball right now. — We refer to the Oakland A's, or maybe more fittingly the Oakland Phantoms …
Toronto Sun:
Yankees' Severino tries to get back into groove vs. Jays — NEW YORK — One of the many questions surrounding the New York Yankees as they slog through mid-August is the state of Luis Severino and his recent performances. — Severino will be five days removed from his shortest start …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley and Bluebird Banter
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Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers had the depth to survive key injuries in the past; Kenley Jansen is a different story — When the New York Mets spent the first pick of the 1961 expansion draft on a catcher, manager Casey Stengel explained why. — “You gotta have a catcher,” he said, “or you're gonna have a lot of passed balls.”
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Andy McCullough / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen and manager Dave Roberts have their fingers crossed for Monday
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen and manager Dave Roberts have their fingers crossed for Monday
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score and DodgerBlue.com
Tom Timmermann / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Wong's ‘next to impossible’ play saves the day for Cardinals — From his ringside spot at first base, Matt Carpenter, who knows a thing or two about playing second base, saw what Kolten Wong did in the eighth inning and was amazed. — “It's next to impossible,” Carpenter said. “An amazing play.
RELATED:
Stats / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Cardinals close in on Brewers in wild-card race
Cardinals close in on Brewers in wild-card race
Discussion:
Star Tribune and Brew Crew Ball
Coley HarveyESPN / ESPN:
What Aaron Judge's absence means for the rest of his season — NEW YORK — Aaron Judge has willingly embraced his current role as the New York Yankees' big-bodied hype man and cheerleader on the bench. — But he's long past ready to retire from it. — When the right fielder was taken …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Jose Ramirez homers, leads Cleveland Indians to victory over Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field — On the strength of a two-run home run from Jose Ramirez in the first inning of play, the Cleveland Indians topped the Baltimore Orioles, 2-1, in their series opener at Progressive Field Friday night.
Discussion:
Plain Dealer
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Steve Herrick / Star Tribune:
Carrasco gets 15th win, Ramirez homers as Indians top O's
Carrasco gets 15th win, Ramirez homers as Indians top O's
Discussion:
Camden Chat
Marly RiveraESPN / ESPN:
How far have the Phillies come? Ask pair who started at the bottom — The Philadelphia Phillies have been through darker periods before. After all, they had a record-setting steak of 16 consecutive losing seasons on their way to becoming the first team in professional sports to lose 10,000 games.
Harvey Valentine / Associated Press:
Scherzer picks up 16th win, Nationals beat Marlins 8-2 — WASHINGTON (AP) - Max Scherzer is using all his tools to help keep the Nationals' playoff hopes alive. — Scherzer pitched six scoreless innings, doubled and scored twice as the Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 8-2 on Friday night for his major league-leading 16th win.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Hitting refresh button may be Chris Sale's key to winning 1st Cy Young Award — Chicago Tribune — Red Sox ace Chris Sale has a career ERA of 2.82 or lower for April, May, June and July. But the number rises to 3.16 in August and 3.78 in September, suggesting he tires as the season wears on.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and Over the Monster
Peter Botte / New York Daily News:
Twenty years ago, the '98 Yankees ruled baseball like no one had ever done before ... or since — Brian Cashman remembers the two cross-country flights from California back to New York very differently, but he recalls them vividly two decades later. — The second plane trip was the far …
Laura Albanese / Newsday:
Cy Young candidate Aaron Nola outpitches Noah Syndergaard in Mets' loss to Phillies — Philadelphia ace allows one run and three hits in seven innings, striking out 11. — PHILADELPHIA — The Mets helped build the case for a National League Cy Young Award candidate on Friday.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Corey Seidman / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Phillies run all over Noah Syndergaard; Aaron Nola earns 14th win
Phillies run all over Noah Syndergaard; Aaron Nola earns 14th win
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, CBSSports.com and NBCSports.com
Joel Colomby / Toronto Sun:
Fantasy Fare: A late-season waiver treat for each league — Thanks to the injury list, both American League and National League-only fantasy leagues received one more tasty treat to bid on before the window for free-agent waiver claims closes on Aug. 31, or thereabouts.
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Remember all that Rays hate? — BOSTON —Nope, this is not going to be the worst Rays team of all time, as a certain writer for a certain website that you may happen to be reading right now suggested in April was a real possibility. Not going to be second worst, third, even bottom 10.
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Three up, three down: The Mets have done it all this year, except win — A look at what's trending in Major League Baseball this week: — THREE UP — One shining moment: The New York Mets have done it all this season, except win. GM Sandy Alderson stepped down to fight a recurrence of cancer.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
DeWitt on Shildt: ‘Hard to imagine he could do any better’ as Cardinals manager — Calling the vibe around his team “fresh” and the turnaround led by interim manager Mike Shildt “impressive,” Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said a search for the team's next manager is not happening …