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Thanks to instant replay, Carlos Correa’s major league debut was somewhat successful. After being promoted by the Astros on Sunday, Houston’s top prospect beat out an infield single in the fourth inning to tie the game and earn his first career hit and RBI in Monday’s loss to the White Sox. Though Correa was initially ruled out, the Astros successfully challenged the call and it was overturned. MORE: MLB to reevaluate fan safety after Fenway incident | Royals fans vote early, often for All-Stars...

Like a fine wine, Kris Bryant seems to get better as time goes on. And he’s only a rookie. The 23-year-old Cubs third baseman slugged the second grand slam of his career, after blasting a two-run homer in the first inning, for his second career multi-homer game. He is the first Cub to hit a grand slam on the Fourth of July since Frank “Wildfire” Schulte in 1911 and the first Cubs rookie to hit two grand slams in single season since Hall of Famer Billy Williams did so in 1961....

It will take several years of sustained success for Max Scherzer to prove he’s worth all of his $210 million deal, but Saturday’s performance was certainly a major step toward achieving that goal. The Nationals right-handed pitcher was just one strike away from a perfect game when he hit Pirates outfielder Jose Tabata on the elbow with an inside pitch. Still, Scherzer struck out 10 Pirates over nine innings in a spectacular no-hitter to hand Pittsburgh a 6-0 loss....

The Pirates (11-8) come in on a five-game winning streak, which is tied with the Marlins and Rays for the longest current win streak in the majors. The streak started last week in Pittsburgh, after the Cubs took the first two of a four-game series. The Pirates would win the next two and then sweep the Diamondbacks in Phoenix over the weekend. Pittsburgh’s success can be attributed to its starting rotation getting the job done with a 1....

Every new season brings new questions and new storylines. Some things will go as we expect, and some things won’t. Other things will come out of nowhere to grab our attention and leave us wondering why we never saw it coming. It’s all part of the fun of an MLB season. With a new season upon us, here are 18 burning questions for the 2018 campaign. These definitely aren’t the only 18 questions, but we have to start somewhere....

Check The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for current baseball lines from Las Vegas. Twins -110 (vs White Sox) Carlos Rodon (6-5, 4.15 ERA) vs Tommy Milone (6-4, 3.86 ERA) The Twins are pushing for the playoffs and have everything to gain in its series versus the White Sox, as opposed to Chicago, a team without much to play for in September. Minnesota is excellent at home, and the visiting Sox are a team they should beat comfortably....

Facing postseason elimination, Toronto kept its season alive with stellar pitching and timely hitting. MORE: Blue Jays look to overcome 0-2 hole, like these teams The Blue Jays still trail 2-1 in the series, but finally appear to have found some of the offensive form that led them to the AL East crown. Here are our five takeaways from Game 3: The Blue Jays can hit. This may seem like we’re stating the obvious about a team that tied for second in average during the regular season and sent 125 more players across home plate than any other team....

With the Rockies and the Yankees winning their respective wild-card games, we have nothing but series upon series from here on out. The battle of attrition starts now. So who’s coming out of each league? National League Los Angeles Dodgers: Nobody is pretending the 2018 season went according to the script for the Dodgers. It was bumpy. Ugly, even. They spent more time in third, fourth or fifth place in the NL West then they did in first place, and there were whispers that manager Dave Roberts’ job might be on the line....

Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion blasted three home runs and had nine RBIs in a 15-1 win against the Tigers on Saturday. August has been kind to Encarnacion, who extended his hitting streak to an MLB-leading 24 games, which is also the fifth-longest in Blue Jays history. Encarnacion has seven home runs and 25 RBIs this month and has raised his average from .241 to .269 in the process....

Their offense has been another story, though. First-time All-Stars Todd Frazier and Devon Mesoraco have had breakthrough seasons, and rookie Billy Hamilton has been playing like an All-Star after a slow start. But veterans Jay Bruce and Joey Votto have struggled like never before, and shortstop Zack Cozart and outfielder Ryan Ludwick have had their issues at the plate, too. Votto is on the DL for the second time this year, and franchise cornerstone Brandon Phillips is there, too, with a thumb injury....

But other clubs are much more interested in Brett Gardner, according to the report. — SN ranks the 20 best managers of all time The market for the 40-year-old Suzuki figures to be limited. He will make $13 million in 2013, the second and final year of his contract. The 10-time All-Star hit .262/.297/.342 with 20 steals and seven homers while playing most of his games in right field in 2013....

Ten of the most intense rivalries in MLS will be on display during Heineken Rivalry Week in what will showcase heated matchups between the most bitter of foes. With the league’s biggest stars chasing down records, this year’s field of Heineken Rivalry Week matches is the most robust and consequential ever with each team looking to improve its positioning for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. The Los Angeles Football Club has already clinched a spot in the postseason but teams across the league are battling for a playoff berth and the all-important home-field advantage....

Ignacio Piatti and Anthony Jackson-Hamel scored braces as Montreal beat an understrength Toronto 5-3 in the 401 Derby at BMO Field. Piatti was fortunate for the opener, blocking a clearance from goalkeeper Alex Bono and watching the ball find the back of the net. It was 3-0 inside 25 minutes as Marco Donadel unleashed a 30-yard rocket and Piatti finished clinically from just inside the area. A Deian Boldor own goal pulled one back for Toronto, who were without star duo Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore due to lower body injuries....

Toronto FC enters as the biggest favorite, taking on a feisty New York Red Bulls side riding high off its 4-0 thrashing of the Chicago Fire. The Supporters’ Shield winners will be hard to stop, but Jesse Marsch will do everything he can to trip up the Canadian powerhouse. The Columbus Crew enter the conference semis on an 11-match unbeaten run, but may feel the fatigue from a grueling knockout round elimination of Atlanta United when they begin their series with New York City FC on Tuesday....

Three of the four teams that competed in last year’s conference finals now find themselves at the bottom of their respective conference standings. The Montreal Impact are bringing up the rear in the East while 2016 West finalists Seattle and Colorado find themselves at the bottom of the West. There are still plenty of games to be played, but all three teams are enduring trends that are worrisome to say the least....

Twelve pitchers have led their teams to perfect 4-0 records on the season and three of them are on the mound tonight. Clayton Kershaw is a massive -300 favorite at home tonight against the Marlins (Tom Koehler), Chris Sale is -115 at Toronto (R.A. Dickey) and Edinson Volquez is -119 at Anaheim (Jered Weaver). It’s not a bad idea to ride the hot pitchers, but who wants to lay -300 with Kershaw, or even lay -1....

OPENING DAY 2015: Schedule for all 30 teams Manfred, who previously worked as a lawyer in Washington, became baseball’s 10th commissioner in January when he succeeded Bud Selig, who is now commissioner emeritus after serving in the top post for more than 22 years. “We are so honored that Commissioner Manfred has chosen to spend this historic Opening Day in Washington,” Mark Lerner, one of the Nationals’ principal owners, told the Washington Post....

Those who have may get their wish as MLB has discussed creating a separate event to allow pitchers to compete in a home run-hitting contest, according to ESPN.com. It comes on the heels of endorsements from Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner, who’s said he’d love to try his hand against other batters in that actual Derby. MORE: Best photos from 2015 Home Run Derby “There’s actually been talk about the idea of a pitcher challenge-type Home Run Derby,” ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Sunday night....

For a team with just one winning season in the past six years, the Twins must find another franchise player atop the draft like they did 16 years ago when they drafted Joe Mauer with the No. 1-overall pick in 2001. Mauer went on to win the 2009 A.L. MVP award, and is a six-time All-Star. The Twins now have the tough task of deciding which elite prospect in the 2017 MLB Draft could be its next franchise player....

The Texas Rangers stunned the world by taking Kumar Rocker at No. 3 after an arduous offseason as he rehabbed his arm from injury. Rocker, who was picked No. 10 by the Mets last year, has been pitching in an independent league to remake his bones. Going first overall was Jackson Holliday, a shortstop who is the son of Matt Holliday. Druw Jones, son of outfielder Andruw Jones, went second....