Top News:
Charlie Goldsmith / Cincinnati.com:
Big game moves don't lead to a big hit in a Reds loss to the Cardinals — The MLB playoff race comes with a sense of urgency and leads to the types of aggressive moves that a manager wouldn't make in the dog days of the summer. Against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday …
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Cincinnati.com:
Joey Votto returns to Cincinnati Reds lineup for playoff push Sunday against Cardinals — Add one more big name to the Cincinnati Reds' growing list of reinforcements getting healthy enough quickly enough to return to the lineup during this weekend series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
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Charlie Goldsmith / Cincinnati.com:
‘No mercy.’ Here's why the Cincinnati Reds are looking forward to the stretch run — The Cincinnati Reds took off for Anaheim on Aug. 20 and flew into a city experiencing a hurricane. It was the start of a 17-game stretch in 17 days that included two doubleheaders and was filled with chances …
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports and New Jersey Online
Theo Mackie / Arizona Republic:
Diamondbacks lean on pitching again, get by Cubs in 10 innings — CHICAGO — If, on Friday morning, Torey Lovullo had learned the Diamondbacks would score two runs over their next 18 innings, even his supreme confidence in Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly would not have fostered optimism.
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Meghan Montemurro / Chicago Tribune:
Javier Assad struggles with his command in Chicago Cubs' 6-2 loss to Arizona Diamondbacks in opener of 4-game series — Javier Assad's command has been a staple of his big-league success. — Since his transition to the rotation one month ago, it has served as the basis for his ability to give the Chicago Cubs quality starts.
Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
Dodgers P Walker Buehler won't return to rotation this season — Any hopes of Walker Buehler returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers' needy rotation before the start of the postseason were officially dashed Friday when the team announced that Buehler, in the late stages of his recovery …
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Nathan Ruiz / Baltimore Sun:
Injured Orioles closer Félix Bautista plays catch, but Brandon Hyde 'wouldn't put any stock into it' — BOSTON — Two weeks to the day after exiting the mound in the ninth inning with a right elbow injury, Orioles All-Star closer Félix Bautista played catch on the field before Friday night's game at Fenway Park.
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Rey Castillo / Corpus Christi Caller-Times:
Big second inning helps push Hooks past Wind Surge to win series — HOOKS 7, WIND SURGE 3 — Wind Surge: Yoyner Fajardo 1-5, R, 2B; Tanner Schobel 2-4, RBI; Seth Gray 1-4, 2 R; Alex Isola 2-4, RBI; Willie Joe Garry Jr. 1-3, RBI, 2B; Travis Adams (L, 4-10) 5 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
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Associated Press:
Derek Jeter returns, Yankees honor 1998 team at Old-Timers' Day — NEW YORK — Back at Yankee Stadium and hearing the cheers at age 49, Derek Jeter had some advice for the team he led to five titles. — “I'm working on rebranding the name Old-Timers' to something else,” he said.
Discussion:
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Exclusive: 25 years later, Mark McGwire still gets emotional reliving 1998 Home Run Chase — Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa captured the nation's imagination in the summer of 1998. Twenty-five years later, the magic from that season lives on. — IRVINE, Calif. — Mark McGwire …
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ESPN:
Reports: Mookie Betts (foot) leaves ballpark on crutches — Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts left LoanDepot Park in Miami on crutches after fouling a ball off his foot Thursday night against the Marlins, according to multiple reports. — X-rays reportedly were negative.
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CNN:
At least 14 killed as fierce storms and severe flooding lash southern Europe — At least 14 people have died and several remain missing across Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria as torrential rain and severe flooding batter southern Europe. — Flooding has claimed at least three lives in mainland Greece …
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
MLB places Dodgers' Julio Urías on administrative leave — Major League Baseball announced it placed Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias on administrative leave Wednesday, three days after police arrested the left-hander on suspicion of felony domestic violence.
Discussion:
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