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NY Daily News | Mark Fischer: It seems the Yankees have some competition in their quest to land Seattle Mariners left-hander James Paxton. The Houston Astros are seeking Paxton’s services as well. Houston should prove to be a formidable contender for the Yankees, as they have a wealth of prospects to deal. Hopefully the Yankees can snatch Paxton away from the AL West; we certainly don’t need the Astros’ rotation to become even better than it is now.
NY Post | Mark W. Sanchez: Speaking of the Astros and the hot stove, former Astro Dallas Keuchel would make for a very nice free-agent addition to the Yankees’ starting five. However, should Keuchel end up in New York, he would have to relinquish his beard before taking the field. The good news is that Keuchel seems to have no qualms about the Yankees’ no facial hair proviso, and is open to the idea of pitching in New York. Let’s just hope that Keuchel’s beard isn’t the baseball version of Samson’s hair.
The Japan Times | Jason Coskrey: On Sunday, The MLB (not really) All-Stars beat the Japanese national team 7-3 in Game Three of the Japan All-Star Series. The MLB squad doesn’t feature any current Yankees, but they have Don Mattingly at the helm and former World Series MVP, and legal guardian of Pedro Martinez, Hideki Matsui as first base coach. Plus, their pitching corps include Yankee legends of past such as Chris Martin, Vidal Nuño, and Kirby Yates, making this a must-watch team for any serious Yankees fan. In all seriousness, though, the MLB lineup features some of the game’s best young talent, and the Japanese roster boasts, well, Japan’s best. If you find yourself pining for some game action, find a way to catch a game or two.