Top News:
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: A modest proposal for saving 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.
RELATED:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
With Cubs clinging to NL Central lead, their rotation remains in a state of flux — Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish speaks about his rehab assignment. August 17, 2018 (Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — Even precautionary measures couldn't prevent the Cubs from suffering another setback to their delicate rotation.
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune and MLB Baseball News …
Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
Record-tying 7 double plays, 5 induced by Cole Hamels, propel Cubs' win
Record-tying 7 double plays, 5 induced by Cole Hamels, propel Cubs' win
Discussion:
ABC News
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Kyle Schwarber's HR springs Cubs to 1-0 lead after 1 hour, 47 minute rain delay
Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Gabe Kapler using Phillies' position players to pitch was ‘strategy decision’
Bob Brookover / Philly.com:
Phillies' Gabe Kapler is like a quarterback - you can always write about him
Phillies' Gabe Kapler is like a quarterback - you can always write about him
Discussion:
The Good Phight
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 …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Indians' Trevor Bauer has stress fracture in leg, to miss 4-6 weeks — CLEVELAND — Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer, one of the leading candidates for the AL Cy Young Award, will be out four to six weeks because of a stress fracture in his right leg.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
RELATED:
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Jose Ramirez homers, leads Cleveland Indians to victory over Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field
Jose Ramirez homers, leads Cleveland Indians to victory over Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field
Discussion:
Plain Dealer
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
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.”
RELATED:
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:
DodgerBlue.com
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
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:
The Crawfish Boxes
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Matt Davidson hitting cleanup for White Sox against Royals — his favorite opponent — Chicago Tribune — Matt Davidson is looking for a good weekend against the Royals. He's in the White Sox lineup Friday night against right-hander Jakob Junis, off whom he homered twice April 26 in Kansas City.
Discussion:
South Side Sox, Royals Review and MLB Baseball News …
RELATED:
Scott Boeck / USA Today:
Orioles fall 50 games below .500, incredible 50½ games behind Red Sox — The 2017 World Series teams are struggling with injuries and depth. Can they make it back to the postseason? USA TODAY Sports — CONNECT — The Baltimore Orioles' miserable season struck a new low.
RELATED:
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.
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 …
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 …
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Last Slide — SAN DIEGO - Twice in the early innings on Thursday night, a Padres hitter scorched a ball to left field, and twice the Diamondbacks' David Peralta raced to make a play, the first ball taking him into the gap, the second one back toward the wall.
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit
Eddie MatzESPN Senior / ESPN:
Injury to Jeremy Hellickson latest blow to Nats' pitching staff — WASHINGTON — The struggling Washington Nationals have lost another pitcher to injury. — Starter Jeremy Hellickson will be placed on the disabled list after an MRI revealed a sprain to his right wrist area.