As expected, Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson was the first player selected Monday night. MLB DRAFT 2015: Track the first round | Meet Dansby Swanson The Diamondbacks selected the shortstop, who went 2 for 4 with a home run and double in Vanderbilt’s 4-2 win over Illinois Monday to clinch a berth in the College World Series. Swanson hit .350 with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases while driving in 62 runs for the defending college national champions....

“It’s just an honor,” Vitello told The Sporting News in a phone conversation this week. “Obviously, you watch on TV and you’re envious of the people that are there, so it’ll be a cool opportunity to be involved, especially with Harold Reynolds. I grew up watching him as a player, have his baseball card then he segued into being on television and does the job at such a high level....

The free-agent outfielder agreed Tuesday night to a one-year, $10.5 million contract with his original team. MORE: Top 25 free agents | Top 10 FA outfielders It’s a nice story, but also a puzzler for both sides, as SN’s Jesse Spector notes: A non-contender like the Twins would seem to be an odd fit for Hunter, history or no history. On the other hand, he’ll be making $10.5 mil at age 39....

Kazmir, who Oakland shipped to the Astros as a rental at the trade deadline, is reportedly interested in a return to Oakland where he was an All Star in 2014. MORE: What your team still needs to do this offseason | Best player at each jersey number The southpaw pulled in $13 million last season and has multiple three-year offers in the $12 million to 13 million range, but he is seeking a fourth year, according to multiple reports, including CBS....

Even amid a historic and fun World Series, nobody outside the sport’s bubble knows much about your best players. In other words, there aren’t any more famous baseball players. MORE: SN ranks baseball’s 50 best players You probably disagree, but you’re wrong. How do I know? Because your most marketable player was a star 20 years ago. It was announced Thursday that Ken Griffey Jr., whose career peaked in the 1990s, and who hasn’t played a game in six years, will be on the cover of “MLB The Show 17,” to be released in March....

According to USA Today, league officials are investigating the use of peptides among players. The report, citing a person with knowledge of the investigation, said peptides are now the “preferred way for many players to dope.” Peptides are a banned substance made up of amino acids and are used to build muscle, among other things. Reportedly, they are manufactured in China and sold online in the U.S. and Canada as research chemicals often labeled “not for human consumption....

MLB odds: Baseball betting lines from Vegas The Angels look for their 18th win in 24 meetings against Boston tonight behind left-hander C.J. Wilson (2-2, 3.06 ERA), who comes off his worst outing since the opening week of the season. On Monday at Toronto, he gave up four runs and a season-high 10 hits while getting a no-decision in a 10-6 loss, ending a run of five straight starts of giving up two runs or less....

MLB odds: Current baseball betting lines Both teams have been kind of sluggish lately, with Minnesota going 5-5 over its last 10, and Kansas City in a scoring drought during a 3-9 run. But due to the Tigers’ recent woes, both have remained atop the standings, and the Twins hold a one-game lead. Despite the Twins and Royals being in the same division since 1969, they’ve finished 1-2 in the division just once, in 1987, when Minnesota ended up winning the World Series....

MLB betting lines: Live odds from Las Vegas Tonight’s total is set at 7.5 (UN -120), and the UNDER could be helped by Reds rookie starter Anthony DeSclafani, who has been pitching well on the road with a 2.52 ERA over his past four starts. The one Reds player Lackey will have to try and pitch around is red-hot Joey Votto, who is 23-for-41 (.561) with four homers in 12 games since the All-Star break....

Live odds: Check updated lines and totals Sign up for The Linemakers’ free newsletter and follow us on Twitter.

The big dogs in baseball right now are the Angels, who have won nine straight games to push their AL West lead to 11 games over the A’s. Losing Garrett Richards may eventually catch up with them in the playoffs, but it appears the loss of their young ace has made this team more focused than ever as they’ve gone 18-5 since the injury. Here’s a look at some trends on today’s card:...

Check The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for current baseball lines from Las Vegas. Arizona Diamondbacks (+106) vs. Miami Marlins Robbie Ray (3-4, 2.29 ERA) vs Jose Fernandez (2-0, 2.37 ERA) Neither of the teams have exactly impressed nor were expected to achieve much this season. The Marlins had their time in the spotlight with some impressive performances and the Diamondbacks have pretty much been in the “bubbling under” category so far....

Here are three picks for Monday: Kansas City -133 (@ Minnesota Twins) Danny Duffy vs Trevor May According to AccuScore simulations, there is almost a 65 percent chance the Royals will win tonight, which translates to odds of -185. The -133 odds offered by bookmakers, which imply just a 56 percent chance to win, is a bargain. The Royals, who are off to a 6-0 start, present significant value tonight....

New York joined Chicago on Thursday night with a tense 3-2 victory over the Dodgers in Game 5 of the NL Division Series in Los Angeles. Game 1 of the NLCS will be Saturday night at Citi Field. MORE: Top NLDS photos | MLB postseason schedule | Ethier screams at Mattingly Daniel Murphy had a hand in all three Mets runs with an RBI double, a solo home run off Dodgers starter Zack Greinke and a run scored after a heads-up stolen base against a Dodgers infield shift....

Miller threw 40 pitches in Game 1 against the Red Sox, and Cleveland squeaked through with a 5-4 win. After a dominant outing by Corey Kluber in Game 2 allowed Miller to rest, the left-hander returned for Game 3 and threw 35 pitches. Cleveland hung on again, completing the sweep of Boston with a 4-3 victory. Had Cleveland lost either game — and that was a real risk — there would have been the prospect of being without Miller in the subsequent contest....

That’s the goal, right? Make sure whatever damage allowed isn’t real damage. That’s been the story of the playoffs so far, as far as starting pitching is concerned. MLB PLAYOFFS 2016: Top 50 players in the postseason The starters who have done a better job preventing home runs have won the game. It’s not completely that simple, of course — nothing ever is — but the numbers are pretty interesting....

The Chicago Cubs had just finished their surreal 9-8 victory against the Nationals in Game 5 of the NLDS, a contest that was a series of competing “no way that just happened” moments. But the watery eyes aren’t only tears of joy. MORE: 14 postseason oddities you need to know The air in this place is an assault on the senses. For the past half-hour, the clubhouse has been filled with Korbel and Budweiser flying through the air — sprayed and flung about in liquid form, not bottles, of course — and that stuff stings the eyeballs....