Top News:
Coley Harvey / ESPN:
Injuries may force Yanks to use ‘opener’ in '19 — TAMPA, Fla. — The “opener,” the phenomenon that swept through major league pitching staffs last season, might finally take hold in the Bronx later this spring. — With injuries already ravaging the upper echelon of his starting rotation …
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Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Nick Senzel sidelined with tight left hamstring — Nick Senzel on his first start in center — GOODYEAR, Ariz - The Reds want to see top prospect Nick Senzel in center field as much as they can during spring training, but Senzel missed his second straight game …
Discussion:
Red Reporter
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:
Aaron Hicks still delayed, Jacoby Ellsbury scheduled to return to Yankees spring training — Yankees outfielders Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks working out on Tuesday, the club's first official full-squad workout day — TAMPA, Fla. - There's still no date for Aaron Hicks' return to the Yankees lineup.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, MLB Baseball News … and New York Post
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds reliever David Hernandez continues to learn from last season — GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Learning from last year, Reds reliever David Hernandez decided to press pause on his pitching schedule after he felt some soreness in his shoulder. — Hernandez was supposed to start pitching …
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Yankees desperately need Luis Severino, who is hopeful for quick return
Maria Torres / Los Angeles Times:
Angels contact MLB regarding Bryce Harper's possible tampering with Mike Trout — The Angels have contacted Major League Baseball regarding Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper's public recruitment of Angels star Mike Trout, a possible violation of tampering rules.
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Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Sources: MLB All-Star ‘Election Day’ planned — The first Tuesday in November isn't going to be the only annual Election Day in the United States. — As part of sweeping changes to the collective bargaining agreement, which is increasingly likely to be ratified by Major League Baseball …
Discussion:
Bleacher Nation and MLB Baseball News …
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Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
AP sources: MLB near deal for rosters to expand to 26 in '20
Discussion:
Purple Row, Sporting News, Forbes, Bleacher Nation, MLB Baseball News … and baseballmusings.com
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Diamondbacks prospect Jazz Chisholm trying to refine his plate discipline — Diamondbacks prospect Jazz Chisholm is known for his smooth left-handed swing, a swing he's usually not shy about unleashing early in his at-bats. But so far in spring training he has taken a different approach to his trips to the plate.
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Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Jake Lamb's education at first base for Diamondbacks continuing in spring — Jake Lamb stood at first base as a coach smashed ground ball after ground ball at him. These were not low-intensity, go-through-the-motions fungos. These were rockets, hard one-hoppers, balls that felt as close to the real thing as possible.
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards catcher Pena to miss only one week; Molina guns down 3 runners in squad game — JUPITER, Fla. • The forecast of Francisco Pena being out at least 10 to 15 days because of a strained left oblique has been shortened to only a week, according to a Cardinals official …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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ESPN:
Boston's Wright suspended 80 games for PEDs — Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright was suspended 80 games on Wednesday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. — Major League Baseball said Wright tested positive for growth-hormone-releasing peptide 2 (GHRP-2).
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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Buster Olney / ESPN:
Expect a monster year from Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, MLB Trade Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
Lynn Worthy / Kansas City Star:
Royals must collectively pick up the slack with Salvador Perez out for the season — In the immediate aftermath of the news that All-Star catcher, Gold Glove winner and team leader Salvador Perez will have to sit out this season following surgery, the general tone of the Royals was a mix of sadness for …
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Associated Press:
Blue Jays finalize minors deal with Bud Norris — DUNEDIN, Fla. — Right-hander Bud Norris and the Toronto Blue Jays have finalized a minor league contract, and he will report to major league spring training. — Norris, who turned 34 on Saturday, had 47 saves over the past two seasons …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Bluebird Banter
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: No karaoke. No animals. No bounce house. Is it the end of an era at Cubs spring training camp? — Photos of the Cubs at spring training at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz., before the 2019 season. — Chicago Tribune — If it seems like the Cubs have toned down their spring antics, it's probably because they have.
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
These two things are contributing to Odor's opposite-field pop this spring for Rangers — It's not that Rougned Odor has never hit an opposite-field run in a major-league. He has. — But the left-handed hitter has gone deep to left field only six times in his career, which started in 2014.
Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
'Cody's gotta be our guy': Bellinger ready for star turn in L.A. — GLENDALE, Ariz. — Cody Bellinger got pitched to differently and struggled initially. The month of May was coming to an end, the batting average was down in the low .200s and anxiety began to set in.
