Let's play 163

Sometimes, 162 games just isn’t enough.

In this case, there are two divisional battles that just couldn’t sort themselves out over the course of a full 162-game season. Onward we go -- to Monday!

Since 1995, there have been seven other instances in which a tie forced an extra regular season game to sort things out before the real postseason begins. Never before, had two such games occurred in the same season. It’s the first time that such a tiebreaker has been needed since the Rays and Rangers played for the Wild Card in 2013.

All four squads that entered play on Sunday tied for their respective division leads certainly came to play.

In the National League West, the Dodgers spent the afternoon demolishing the Giants 15-0 behind seven shutout innings from Rich Hill. Matt Kemp led the offensive charge in that one with three hits and three RBI while Max Muncy, Brian Dozier and Austin Barnes each homered.

On the other side of that divisional battle, the Rockies busted out their whooping sticks, clobbering the Nationals 12-0 in Colorado. Nolan Arenado homered twice in the game, taking the lead in the chase for the National League home run crown with 37. David Dahl, and Trevor Story also left the yard for the home team, while Charlie Blackmon hit for the cycle. On the mound, Tyler Anderson fired 7 ⅔ scoreless innings.

Neither team in the National League Central faced any serious worry either. The Brewers wrapped up a three-game sweep over the Tigers with an 11-0 victory. Gio Gonzalez fired five shutout innings in that one, while Jesus Aguilar and Travis Shaw knocked balls out of the park.

Unlike the other three teams, the Cubs allowed the opposition to score in their regular season finale, though they still triumphed over the Cardinals 10-5. Willson Contreras homered and drove in a pair of runs while Anthony Rizzo went 4-for-4 with three runs scored.

The Brewers and Cubs will get things started at Wrigley Field at 1:05 PM Eastern on Monday. Jose Quintana will take the hill for the Cubs, looking to continue his season-long domination over the Brewers. In his six starts against his division foe this season, Quintana has posted a 2.17 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 33/10 K/BB ratio over 33 ⅓ innings. The Brewers have yet to announce who will be opposing Quintana in that start.

For the Dodgers, it’ll be rookie right-hander Walker Buehler taking the hill. He had been scheduled to pitch on Sunday, but the Dodgers opted instead to use Rich Hill on Sunday (which worked out masterfully), saving Buehler for the do-or-die game on Monday in Los Angeles.

Opposing him, will be Rockies’ right-hander German Marquez. The 23-year-old hurler has had an exceptional season, but has been absolutely dominant over his last 16 starts. Over that stretch, dating back to June 30, Marquez has gone 9-2 with a 2.41 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 137/20 K/BB ratio across 108 1/3 innings. Hes' 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 22/5 K/BB ratio over 21 innings in his three starts against the Dodgers this season

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Model of Consistency

There’s something to be said about being consistent.

Many risk-averse fantasy owners tend to lean toward players that they can trust. Players that they know will deliver consistent results year-in and year-out. There isn’t a more consistent hitter in all of baseball right now than Athletics’ slugger Khris Davis.

Davis went 0-for-2 in his regular season finale against the Angels on Sunday, finishing the season with a .247 batting average.

That’s notable, because it’s the same average that he has finished each of the previous three seasons with as well.

In doing so, Davis became the first player in MLB history to hit for the same batting average, rounded to three decimal places, four seasons in a row.

Overall, here’s how Davis’ fantasy production has stacked up across his last four seasons:

2015: .247/.323/.505, 54 R, 27 HR,  66 RBI, 6 SB in 440 plate appearances

2016: .247/.307/.524, 85 R, 42 HR, 102 RBI, 1 SB in 610 plate appearances

2017: .247/.336/.528, 91 R, 43 HR, 110 RBI, 4 SB in 652 plate appearances

2018: .247/.326/.549, 98 R, 48 HR, 123 RBI, 0 SB in 654 plate appearances

One thing is for certain. When I go around the league and make my initial projections in advance of a draft I have that begins next week, Davis will be penciled in right at .247.

Aside from the oddity in finishing the season with the same .247 batting average, Davis also achieved something more impressive on Sunday, locking up his first home run crown. His 48 long balls paced all players in both leagues, finishing five ahead of Red Sox’ slugger J.D. Martinez for the top spot in baseball.

Nice Round Numbers (Redux)

In this space two weeks ago I took a look around the league at players that were one or two stolen bases shy of of achieving a nice round number in the category before season’s end. This is the first time that I have checked back on that data, and thought it would be fun to see how many of them, if any, actually came to fruition. Or at least showed increased opportunity to try to get it done.

Here’s the list of potential thieves that I pointed out last time, and how they fared over the season’s final two weeks:

Mookie Betts (28 SB) - Given the cache that comes along with a 30/30 season, everyone knew that Betts was going to swipe another two bases to lock in that personal achievement. He didn’t attempt another steal after locking in his 30th bag on Wednesday.

Lorenzo Cain (28 SB) - I said that I would be shocked if Cain didn’t reach the 30-steal plateau, and what do ya know, he picked up his 30th stolen base on the same day that Betts did. Like Betts, he didn’t attempt another steal afterwards, finishing the year with 30 bags.

At the next level, there were three players that were sitting on 19 steals with two weeks remaining. Here’s how they fared:

Christian Yelich (19 SB) - While he was lighting the world on fire en route to locking up the National League MVP award, Yelich found the time to swipe not one, but two more bases, matching his career high with 21 on the season.

Ian Desmond (19 SB) - Desmond wasted no time trying to get his 20th stolen base, attempting two steals, achieving once, last Tuesday. Once reaching the 20-steal plateau, Desmond did not attempt another stolen base over the final 10 games of the season.

Rajai Davis (19 SB) - This one I knew was going to be tricky, as Davis is a part-time player, so opportunity may have been hard to come by.  Like Desmond, Davis went out last Tuesday and nabbed his 20th base, marking the 11th time in his career he has netted 20 or more swipes. He added one more steal on three attempts the rest of the way.

After that, there were two players sitting on 18 steals with two weeks to go. Did they reach the promised land like their predecessors?

Amed Rosario (18 SB) - The Mets’ 22-year-old shortstop maintained his fresh legs throughout the season, swiping an additional six bases in seven attempts to finish the season with 24.

Cesar Hernandez (18 SB) - Last, but not least, Hernandez is the one that I noted may be the hardest to reach the 20 steal total. He had stolen only two bases in four chances over his previous 24 games heading into the season’s final two weeks. I did think that his attempts would at least rise though as he chased the round number. Survey says? This was our lone failure. Hernandez did steal his 19th base of the season with plenty of time to go, but attempted only one other swipe over his final 11 games and was unsuccessful in doing so.

Award Season approaches

American League MVP - Mookie Betts - You can get into semantics here over the definition of the award, and whether it is supposed to be given to the league’s best player, or the most valuable to his club. I think that teammate J.D. Martinez is deserving of the award as well, and is probably the most valuable to his team as it was his addition that transformed the Red Sox’ lineup into the juggernaut that it was this season.  Still, Betts slashed a ridiculous .346/.438/.640 while going 30/30 and playing Gold Glove caliber defense in the outfield.

National League MVP - Christian Yelich - This one should be unanimous. His unbelievable second half has powered the Brewers to a playoff berth and potentially a division title if they can triumph over the Cubs in Chicago on Monday. He has already locked up the batting title, is one homer behind Nolan Arenado for the league lead and just two RBI behind Javier Baez for the league lead there.

While unlikely, there’s still a chance that he could win the Triple Crown. Javier Baez has had a terrific season in his own right, but he’s a clear runner-up behind Yelich in my mind.

American League Cy Young Award - Blake Snell - To me, this one isn’t particularly close either. Some detractors will argue that Snell only threw 180 ⅔ innings on the season, but that’s not a valid reason to deny him of the award. He led the league in wins (21) and ERA (1.89) while posting a 0.97 WHIP, .178 batting average against while striking out 221. Corey Kluber will get some votes and Blake Treinen had a season for the ages out of the A’s bullpen, but Snell is my guy here.

National League Cy Young Award - Jacob deGrom - Despite what his 10-9 record tells you, deGrom was the best in a fantastic bunch of National League hurlers this season. He owns a jaw-dropping 1.70 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 269/46 K/BB ratio over 217 innings. He finished the season with 24 consecutive quality starts. He allowed more than three earned runs once the entire year, and that was giving up four runs in six innings during his third start of the season. Max Scherzer, Kyle Freeland, Miles Mikolas, Mike Foltynewicz and Aaron Nola had fantastic seasons. This should be deGrom’s award.

American League Rookie of the Year - Shohei Ohtani - I don’t care who you are, you have to marvel at what Ohtani was able to do this season, both on the mound and at the dish. Before suffering a season-ending elbow injury, Ohtani dazzled in 10 starts, going 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 63/22 K/BB ratio over 51 ⅔ innings. When you add to that, the fact that he slashed an extremely impressive .285/.361/.564 with 22 homers, 61 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 367 plate appearances, I don’t see how there’s any way he isn’t the most deserving of the award. Miguel Andujar had a fantastic season, and in most years he would’ve run away with the award, but Ohtani is more deserving this season.

National League Rookie of the Year - Ronald Acuna - Ugh. Can there be Co-Rookies of the Year? Both Acuna and Juan Soto are very deserving of the honor. I give the nod to Acuna, who hit .293/.336/..552 with 26 homers, 78 runs scored, 64 RBI and 16 stolen bases in only 487 plate appearances  as a 20-year-old. Soto, put up equally as impressive numbers, slashing .292/.406/.517 with 22 homers, 77 runs, 70 RBI and five stolen bases as a 19-year-old who basically jumped to the show from A-Ball. You can’t go wrong with either pick here, but Acuna should bring home the hardware.

American League Quick Hits: Major League Baseball has suspended CC Sabathia five games for intentionally hitting the Rays' Jesus Sucre with a pitch during Thursday's game. He’ll appeal the suspension, which won’t take place until the 2019 regular season… Rays’ hurler Andrew Kittredge got three games for throwing at Austin Romine in the same game… Christin Stewart will be examined by Dr. William Meyers next week to make sure his abdominal strain isn't something worse… Adrian Beltre said Sunday that he's torn down the middle as to whether continue his playing career or retire…. The Royals signed manager Ned Yost to a one-year contract extension through 2019… Indians manager Terry Francona announced Sunday that Corey Kluber would start Game 1 of the ALDS versus the Astros and Carlos Carrasco would start Game 2… MLB.com's Jane Lee writes that "all signs point" to the Athletics using Liam Hendriks as their opener for Wednesday's Wild Card Game against the Yankees…. Charlie Morton struck out four over three shutout innings against the Orioles on Sunday, but most importantly felt no lingering shoulder soreness… Taylor Ward blasted a walk-off two-run homer to beat the Athletics… Whit Merrifield swiped his major league-leading 45th base in a loss to the Indians. He also paced both leagues with his 192 hits on the season… Angels' manager Mike Scioscia announced Sunday that he will not return to manage the team in 2019… J.D. Martinez clubbed a three-run homer, his 43rd of the year, in a rout of the Yankees…

National League Quick Hits: Yoenis Cespedes will undergo surgery on his left heel on October 23. He won’t be ready to resume baseball activities until late February and is expected to miss a chunk of the 2019 season… Dansby Swanson felt discomfort in his injured left hand while taking dry swings Saturday…. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo revealed Sunday that Joaquin Benoit was never healthy enough to pitch this season because of a right shoulder injury…. The Giants are viewing Steven Duggar as their Opening Day center fielder for 2019…. The Giants plan to have Buster Posey remain behind the plate for the 2019 season… Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said Sunday that if Jung Ho Kang returns next season, it will be only as a third baseman… Sandy Alcantara struck out a season-high 10 batters over seven innings in a loss to the Mets on Sunday… Noah Syndergaard tossed a five-hit shutout in a complete-game victory against the Marlins in his final start of the 2018 season on Sunday… Starling Marte hit his career-high 20th homer in a win over the Reds… Manuel Margot went 3-for-5 with a homer, triple and stolen base in an extra-inning win over the Diamondbacks…

Roctober Returns

The Rockies are rolling. On Friday, the club extended their winning streak to a season-high eight games as they punched their ticket to the postseason for the second straight season.

It’s the first time in Rockies’ franchise history that they have advanced to the playoffs in consecutive seasons. They fell to the Diamondbacks 11-8 in the Wild Card Game last season.

While it’s nice to lock up a spot in the playoffs, there’s still work to be done for the Rockies. On the back of their current winning streak, they entered play on Friday with a one-game advantage over the Dodgers for the top spot in the National League West.

After knocking off the Nationals  on Friday, the Rockies were glued to the television, watching the final few innings of the battle between the Dodgers and Giants, which the Dodgers eventually won 3-1.

One of the driving forces behind the Rockies’ current surge has been outfielder David Dahl. The 24-year-old outfielder entered Friday’s game having homered in four consecutive games. During that stretch, he had hit .444 (8-for-18) with four long balls and 11 RBI.

Dahl extended that impressive streak on Friday, taking Sammy Solis deep for a solo homer leading off the sixth inning, extending the Rockies’ lead to 5-2. In doing so, he became just the fourth player in Rockies’ franchise history to homer in five straight contests, joining Larry Walker, Dante Bichette and Nolan Arenado. On Saturday, he’ll have a chance to match Arenado’s club record of six straight.

Dahl wasn’t the only Rockie who helped power the team to victory on Friday. Charlie Blackmon got them on the board with a solo shot in the third, his 28th of the season. With the team trailing by a run in the fifth inning, Ian Desmond belted a go-ahead two-run shot, which was immediately followed by a solo homer from teammate Chris Iannetta.

They got strong work out of their starting pitcher once again as well.

Kyle Freeland surrendered just two runs over his six innings of work, improving to 17-7 on the season. He finishes the regular season with a stunning 2.40 ERA at Coors Field for the season, a new franchise record. At 2.85, he also holds the lowest ERA of any starting pitcher in club history, narrowly edging out Ubaldo Jimenez’s 2.88 from 2010. He also owns the lowest ERA of any left-handed pitcher in the National League that qualifies for the ERA title.

With the ridiculous season that Jacob deGrom is having, Freeland isn’t going to bring home the Cy Young Award, but he’s certainly going to garner plenty of votes for the honor, and rightly so. This has been one of the best season-long performances of any starting pitcher in club history.

The Rockies will take the field on Saturday looking to lock up at least a share of their first division title in team history. To achieve that, right-hander Jon Gray will need to out duel Nationals’ hurler Stephen Strasburg. This time, they’ll take the field already knowing the result of the Dodgers’ game, as they’ll take on the Giants earlier in the afternoon.

Applying Pressure

The Dodgers did their part to keep the pressure on the Rockies on Friday, knocking off Madison Bumgarner and the Giants to keep pace in the race for the division crown in the National League West.

While the Rockies are riding an eight-game winning streak, the Dodgers have won seven of their last 10 to stay right in the thick of things in the postseason race.

Justin Turner provided the necessary punch in this one, blasting a go-ahead two-run homer off of Madison Bumgarner in the fifth inning that proved to be the difference in the ballgame. He showed no ill-effects of the jammed thumb that he sustained on Wednesday.

Hyun-Jin Ryu delivered another masterful performance on the hill for the boys in blue, allowing just one run on four hits over six stellar frames. The 31-year-old southpaw now owns a phenomenal 1.97 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 82 ⅓ innings in his 15 starts this season. A free agent at season’s end, Ryu will be a highly-sought after commodity on the open market.

With the Cardinals falling to the Cubs on Friday afternoon, the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth is now down to one. They’ll get two opportunities to punch their ticket on Saturday. The first will come when the Cubs and Cardinals do battle in Chicago at 1:00 PM Eastern on Saturday. If the Cardinals win that game, the Dodgers still have a chance to punch their own ticket with a victory over the Giants on Saturday.

Bronx Bombers

Unlike the epic battles that are going on for postseason seedings in the National League, there hasn’t been much drama on the American League side of the ledger.

The only thing that was yet to be decided heading into play on Saturday was who would host the Wild Card Game between the Yankees and Athletics. With the Yankees’ victory over the Red Sox on Friday night, we now know that game will be played in New York on Wednesday.

Yankees’ slugger Aaron Judge, who homered in the victory, expressed his excitement after the game on the joy of getting to play that do-or-die game at home, "That's huge, getting home-field advantage… You guys saw what happened in the playoffs last year. The fans, there's nothing like it. They've got some kind of magic, man, coming to the jungle. It's a crazy atmosphere. It's what you play for."

The Yankees also made a bit of history of their own on Friday. Along with Judge, Gary Sanchez, Luke Voit and Aaron Hicks also homered in the win over the Red Sox. That gives the Yankees 264 home runs on the season, matching the 1997 Mariners for the most ever in a single season.

12 different Yankees have hit double-digit home runs this season -- Giancarlo Stanton (37), Miguel Andujar (27), Didi Gregorius (27), Aaron Hicks (27), Aaron Judge (27), Gleyber Torres (23), Gary Sanchez (18), Luke Voit (13), Brett Gardner (12), Greg Bird (11), Neil Walker (11), Austin Romine (10).

The Bombers should stand alone atop that list by the end of the weekend, though many of their regulars are likely to rest given the fact that their home field is now secured.

Miguel Andujar also socked his 44th double of the season on Friday, matching Joe Dimaggio for the most in a season by a Yankees’ rookie.

Bolstering his Resume

At this stage of the season, Christian Yelich has to be considered the front-runner for the National League MVP award. Just in case voters need an extra push though, he has continued to put up absolutely monster numbers in the final few weeks of the season.

That continued in Friday’s victory over the Tigers.

In a special moment for the Yelich clan, Christian had his younger brother, USMC Staff Sergeant Cameron, on hand to watch him play for the first time since 2016. The younger Yelich was honored on-field before the game and threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The elder Yelich wasted no time putting on a show for his sibling, crushing a two-run homer off of Jordan Zimmermann on the first pitch that he saw in the bottom of the first inning, helping to erase an early 3-0 deficit.

He spoke to reporters after the game, expressing his emotions over that first at-bat, "My heart was pumping a little bit in that first at-bat with how loud the stadium was and everybody I had in attendance watching… You're just trying to catch your breath, so for that to happen on the first pitch was really cool. It's really hard to describe. It was an awesome moment."

Teammate Ryan Braun, a former MVP winner himself, campaigned for his outfield-mate after the game, "I know [Craig] Counsell brought it up the other day, but it's almost Barry Bonds-esque, if you look at how rarely he's being pitched to and how often he's doing damage with the opportunities he's getting. Just continually stepping up and embracing the moment, embracing the situation he's in. There's a lot of pressure when you're in that MVP discussion, and for him to continue to elevate his game night in and night out, it's pretty remarkable. What we're watching is greatness right now."

Yelich leads the National League in batting average and slugging percentage, slashing a robust .322/.397/.588. His 34 home runs trail Matt Carpenter by two for the top spot in the National League, and he’s only five RBI behind Javier Baez for the top spot in that category as well.

With the way he’s hitting right now, if the season went on for another week we could be talking about a triple crown winner.

American League Quick Hits: Red Sox’ manager Alex Cora said in an interview on WEEI on Friday that whether Nathan Eovaldi or Eduardo Rodriguez is in the ALDS rotation depends on the opponent… Chris Davis is not expected to play over the final weekend of the season, and should finish the season with the lowest batting average in MLB history (.168) for a player qualifying for the batting title… Avisail Garcia left the first game of Friday’s doubleheader against the Twins due to right knee soreness… Christin Stewart is likely finished for the season due to a lower abdominal strain… Charlie Morton (shoulder) will rejoin the Astros on Saturday in Baltimore… Sam Gaviglio will start in the Blue Jays’ season finale on Sunday in place of Marco Estrada… Roenis Elias will start for the Mariners on Sunday in place of Mike Leake… Jose Berrios racked up nine strikeouts over seven innings of one-run ball in a win over the White Sox, pushing the right-hander over the 200-strikeout plateau for the first time in his career… David Hess fired seven innings of one-run ball in a tough-luck no-decision against the Astros… Gerrit Cole allowed one run on five hits over six innings against the Orioles, pushing him over the 200-inning mark for the season… Steve Pearce smacked a grand slam and drove in five total runs in a loss to the Yankees… Dawel Lugo crushed his first career home run -- a game-tying two-run shot off of Josh Hader -- as the Tigers eventually fell to the Brewers… Randal Grichuk came through with a pinch-hit bases-clearing triple, leading the Blue Jays to victory over the Rays… Mitch Garver went 4-for-5 and drove in a career-high six runs as the Twins crushed the White Sox in the nightcap of their doubleheader… Mike Clevinger picked up his 13th victory with six innings of one-run baseball against the Royals. He also topped the 200 inning mark for the first time in his career… Josh Donaldson swatted a grand slam as the Indians crushed the Royals… Shohei Ohtani went 3-for-3 with a double, two RBI and his 10th stolen base in a victory over the Athletics… Mike Trout swatted his 39th homer in that victory… Jaime Baria fired 4 ⅔ innings of no-hit ball, but was lifted after walking three batters in the fifth inning… Cameron Maybin went 3-for-5 with a double and four RBI as the Mariners beat up on Martin Perez and the Rangers…

National League Quick Hits: Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Friday that Pedro Strop (hamstring) still feels something in his landing leg when throwing off a mound… The Mets have shut down Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman for the remainder of the season to monitor their workloads… Bud Norris was lifted from Thursday’s game with left hamstring tightness. He’s likely done for the season… The Braves are cautiously optimistic they will have Dansby Swanson (hand) available for the NLDS… The Nationals plan to start Max Scherzer in their season finale on Sunday, if playoff implications are on the line… Brett Kennedy underwent season-ending surgery on Wednesday to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee. He’ll be fully healthy and ready to roll by the time spring training begins… Jorge Alfaro (quad) missed his fifth consecutive game on Friday, but is expected to return to the Phillies' starting lineup before the end of the weekend…. Austin Slater was pulled from Friday’s game after straining his elbow on a throw to the plate… Hunter Renfroe was scratched from the Padres’ lineup on Friday due to illness, but appeared as a pinch-hitter and delivered a game-tying homer in the 12th inning… Eugenio Suarez clubbed his 33rd homer in a loss to the Pirates… David Wright grounded out as a pinch-hitter Friday against the Marlins in his first at-bat since May 27, 2016… Miguel Rojas went 4-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored in a victory over the Mets… Rhys Hoskins swatted his 34th home run in a loss to the Braves… Ryan Braun blasted a pair of home runs, including a go-ahead solo shot in the eighth inning, as the Brewers topped the Tigers… Freddie Freeman went 4-for-5 and drove in three runs in a win over the Phillies… Mike Foltynewicz struck out nine over five innings of one-run ball, surpassing 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career…

Dahl-iciuos

David Dahl

You'd be forgiven if you didn't show patience with David Dahl.

You sure are being rewarded right now if you did.

Dahl hit a two-run homer on Thursday in the first inning to help the Rockies pick up a 5-3 victory over the Phillies. This gives Dahl 14 homers on the season, and it's the fourth-straight game that the outfielder has gone deep. The victory also gives the Rockies a full game lead in the NL West over the Dodgers with just three games to play.

Dahl's start to the season was solid -- if not spectacular -- but things have really clicked for the 24-year-old in September. He's hitting .309/.342/.610 in his 68 at-bats during the month, and he's blasted six homers and driven in 21 runs in that time frame. Since the All-Star break, the left-handed hitter has an OPS of .872, and while there's an obvious home/away split here (1.027 OPS in Coors Field, .607 on the road), he's hit better away from home as of late, and the production is the production -- assuming Dahl isn't going anywhere.

It's never been a question of talent with Dahl. He was considered one of the best outfield prospects in baseball the moment he was taken with the 10th pick in the 2012 draft. The issue has been staying healthy. He missed all of the 2017 season due to rib and back issues, and he missed a large portion of the 2018 season when he broke his foot this summer. He posted an .859 OPS in his rookie season of 2016, however, and he's always hit in the minors. This certainly doesn't come out of nowhere.

Dahl is going to always struggle against lefties, and he needs to show that he can do this over a full season. That being said, Dahl is just starting to figure some things out, and there's absolutely reason to believe that a breakout 2019 season is coming. We're excited to see what he can do.

The Mondesi show continues

It's been a disastrous season for the Royals, but to say that Adalberto has been a bright spot in a poor year is an understatement. A big one.

Mondesi homered again and stole two bases in a 2-1 extra-innings win over the Indians on Thursday. The homer gives Mondesi 13 in 72 games, and the two steals give him 30-in-37 attempts for the Royals.

Mondesi has always been a scouting favorite; he's not far removed from being a consensus top 25 prospect in baseball. He really struggled to apply those skills over the past few years, but he certainly has this year. The big development is the power; he was considered a fringe-average pop guy, which suggests 10-14 homers a year. Right now, Mondesi is showing at least plus power, and his bat speed and added loft suggests that he can keep it going. When you combine that with his ridiculous speed, you get one of the best young power/speed guys in the game right now.

It'd be nice to see him draw more walks -- he drew one on Thursday to up his total to just nine compared to 74 strikeouts -- and you'd be forgiven if you were concerned by the (relatively) small sample size. Guys who can hit for power and steal bases while playing the middle infield are rare, however, which makes Mondesi an intriguing -- if a bit volatile -- player to bid on this winter.

American League Quick Hits: Rangers interim manager Don Wakamatsu said Thursday that Adrian Beltre (hip) will attempt to play in each of the team's final three games over the weekend. Beltre was held out of Thursday's lineup due to lingering hip soreness ... Tigers LHP Francisco Liriano was removed from Thursday's start against the Twins after only 2 2/3 innings due to lower back tightness ... Royals OF Whit Merrifield went 2-for-5 with his American League-leading 42nd stolen base of the year Thursday in the Royals’ extra-innings win over the Indians ... Thursday's scheduled game between the Astros and Orioles in Baltimore was postponed due to rain. It'll be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday. ... Indians manager Terry Francona announced that Erik Gonzalez has improved, but remains in the concussion protocol. Gonzalez was removed from Wednesday's game after being hit in the head by a pitch ... Yankees LHP  CC Sabathia was ejected from his start Thursday against the Rays after hitting Jesus Sucre with a pitch ... Angels RHP Ty Buttrey has been shut down for the remainder of the season due to a recurrence of right knee bursitis.

 

National League Quick Hits: Mets OF Juan Lagares began running at full speed on Thursday for the first time since tearing the plantar plate in his left big toe in May ... Pirates OF Jordan Luplow will miss the remainder of the 2018 season after undergoing an emergency appendectomy in Chicago on Thursday ... RHP Chris Archer will not make his scheduled start on Sunday due to left groin discomfort. The Pirates are calling it continued discomfort from the groin strain that he dealt with earlier this season ... Cubs manager Joe Maddon said that he expects Kris Bryant (wrist) to return to the starting lineup on Friday ... Major League Baseball has extended Addison Russell's administrative leave through the end of the regular season, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic ... X-rays turned up negative on Justin Turner's left thumb. Turner's thumb got jammed as he tried to field a fifth-inning grounder off the bat of Paul Goldschmidt, but he remained in the game for all nine innings and should be fine for the Dodgers' final regular-season series against the Giants ... 3B Jung Ho Kang will join the Pirates on Friday.

Top 10 players

The final thoughts of the regular season is here, but fear not, I will have postseason columns aplenty.


Before that, though, a few thoughts…

Top 10 players

Here are this year’s Top 10 players, through Monday’s action,

1. Mookie Betts
2. J.D. Martinez
3. Jose Ramirez
4. Christian Yelich
5. Francisco Lindor
6. Javier Baez
7. Mike Trout
8. Trevor Story
9. Manny Machado
10. Trea Turner

There’s a lot to be happy about here. I was under the consensus only on Martinez and that not by much; I probably weighed the injury risk too heavily given that he was slated to DH the majority of the time. I didn’t project a true breakout for Baez like I did Yelich and Story. I also didn’t end up with any shares of him this spring because I was always drafting Story and Alex Bregman.

Of course, there were some other very good players I was under consensus on... Gerrit Cole, Matt Carpenter and Scooter Gennett to name a few. Much of that ground will be covered in the coming weeks.

American League notes

- The Rangers dismissed manager Jeff Banister last week to conclude a season that was doomed from the start. GM Jon Daniels and company could have been aggressive about trying to contend or aggressive in trying to rebuild last winter. They chose neither path and went into the season with a rather expensive team that had no real hope of winning.

The interesting thing about the Rangers this year is that the hitting (89 OPS+) has been less effective than the much maligned pitching (96 ERA+). Shin-Soo Choo leads the team with a 114 OPS+, which puts him even with the Marlins’ Derek Dietrich. Injuries have likely had something to do with the struggles of Elvis Andrus and Delino DeShields, but the Rangers can’t really complain much about health; they’re going to finish the season with just 11 different players having had 150 at-bats.

It’s easy to forget just how young several of these Rangers hitters are, though. Rougned Odor, Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara, Jurickson Profar and DeShields have been around for years, but none were older than 25 this season. Odor and Gallo were 24. Mazara was 23. It’s disturbing that the only one of the group really on an upward trajectory is Profar, but then, look at where Profar was a year ago… these things can change quickly.

One problem for the Rangers is that since all of those guys broke in so young, they’re about to start getting a lot more expensive. Gallo will just miss out on arbitration this winter, fortunately for the Rangers, but Odor, Mazara and Profar will go from making a combined $4.5 million to about $15 million next season.

I don’t envy Jon Daniels’ situation right now. Adrian Beltre is up for free agency, Elvis Andrus can opt out and there will probably be some push for wholesale changes this winter, even though it’s really hard to imagine any way to turn the team into a 2019 contender. There’s no one to sell high on except for maybe Profar. Staying the course with the young bats might pay off, but if it does, everyone is going to start getting more expensive -- the kinds of numbers Gallo and Mazara are capable of putting up pay off quite well in arbitration -- and the team is still going to need more pitching. Blowing it up, even if the haul won’t be as fruitful as hoped, still seems like a reasonable plan.

- With still nothing to suggest that Lonnie Chisenhall (calf) is on the way back, it truly looks like Melky Cabrera is going to be the Indians’ starting right fielder in the postseason. While Cabrera had the hot August, he’s back down to .263/.328/.351 this month. His defense is as bad as ever, of course. But with Bradley Zimmer, Chisenhall, Tyler Naquin and Leonys Martin all on the DL, it really doesn’t seem like the Indians can do better. Brandon Guyer isn’t what he was before the injuries started piling up, Greg Allen can’t hit and Rajai Davis is pretty much just his legs at this point.

- When Jose Miguel Fernandez defected from Cuba, I figured his on-base skills would make him an intriguing leadoff candidate in the majors. As it turned out, no one in MLB was that optimistic; he signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers two years ago, hit .306/.367/.496 in the minors and then got released when the team saw no real future for him in the organization. Picked up by the Angels on another minor league contract, he excelled in the minors this year, batting .333/.396/.535, but has merely held his own in the majors, batting .259/.286/.380 in 108 at-bats. I understand the skepticism now. Fernandez’s defense at second base was always a big question mark, and while he’s adept at putting the bat on the ball, most of his contact is of the soft variety. It’s good that he’s getting a chance and he’s not going to embarrass himself as a stopgap, but he’s not a starter in the majors. Maybe he would have been five years ago. That he barely got to play from 2014-16, his age 26-28 seasons, certainly didn’t help matters.

National League notes

- The Diamondbacks undoubtedly had the most disappointing final two months among NL teams, losing out on what certainly seemed to be their best chance of a lengthy postseason run during the Paul Goldschmidt era. Next in line, though, might be the Pirates, who had long shot playoff aspirations at the deadline, gave up the farm for Chris Archer and Keone Kela and then went bust in August. Making things all the bleaker is that they’ve since lost Gregory Polanco (shoulder) for the start of next season and Chad Kuhl (Tommy John surgery) for the entire year.

I look forward to seeing how the Pirates play the offseason now. The rotation seems to be set with Archer, Jameson Taillon, Trevor Williams, Ivan Nova and Joe Musgrove. The bullpen is fine. Josh Harrison is expected to have his option declined; Adam Frazier has already supplanted him anyway. Jordy Mercer is gone. They have to decide whether it’s worth it to give Jung-Ho Kang $5.5 million after two years of nothing and whether to pay Corey Dickerson $9 million-$10 million in arbitration in the hopes that he’ll repeat his 2018 (they probably will, since they sent Austin Meadows packing in the Archer deal). Josh Bell and Colin Moran haven’t demonstrated that they’re long-term options at the infield corners. I still have faith in Bell’s bat, but his defensive numbers have been awful. Polanco could miss a couple of months or perhaps even longer. There’s no one on the squad who projects to bounce back next year, since everyone there is playing pretty much at their established levels or better. I don’t know where the upside comes from. The Pirates need a scary bat for the middle of their order, but Meadows was probably their best hope. Maybe they’ll dangle Felipe Vazquez.

- Adam Duvall is hitting .104/.157/.123 with no RBI in 48 at-bats since the Braves gave up Lucas Sims, Matt Wisler and Preston Tucker to acquire him from the Reds. When he started Atlanta’s post-clincher on Sunday, it was his first appearance in the lineup this month. At this point, it’s easy to imagine him getting non-tendered this winter, even though he’s only eligible for arbitration for the first time and thus isn’t looking at more than $3 million-$4 million. He’ll be pretty interesting at that price; the OBP probably isn’t ever coming up, but he can hit 30 homers and play well above average defense in left field. That has some value.

- Eric Thames knows what Duvall\s going through; he’s started just two games in September. Because of Jesus Aguilar’s emergence, Thames would seem to be an obvious trade candidate this winter. However, since first basemen are plentiful and he probably wouldn’t bring much in return, it’s possible the Brewers will keep him at $6 million. After all, they do love their depth. I’d rather see Thames go elsewhere. He hasn’t been able to maintain his fast starts in either year since returning to MLB from Korea, but the overall numbers are fine; he has a 120 OPS+ in 713 a-bats the last two seasons.

 While wondering what’s happened to Brian Anderson, my main takeaway is that Lewis Brinson still looks over-matched at the plate, even when he manages to flare a ball in for a single. It’s hard to watch him and see the guy who hit .331/.400/.562 in the minors last year. Fortunately, he has an excellent glove working in his favor and it’s not like the Marlins are going to be aiming to contend in 2019 anyway. Still, you probably won’t find him on my sleeper list next spring.

Kluber Klubs his way to 20 wins

Corey Kluber has piled up plenty of accolades and gaudy statistics in his career, but one milestone he had yet to reach was 20 wins. He can now add that one to the list.

Kluber posted victory No. 20 of the season on Monday after shutting out the White Sox over seven brilliant innings. He limited the Pale Hose to just four singles and one walk while tallying 11 strikeouts. Kluber became the Indians’ first 20-game winner since Cliff Lee in 2008 and first right-hander to win 20 for the Tribe since Gaylord Perry all the way back in 1974.

The double-digit strikeout game was Kluber’s second straight and seventh overall this season. He has now fanned 216 batters, a total good enough to rank fifth in the American League. He lowered his ERA to 2.83, which ranks fourth in the Junior Circuit.

Blake Snell – who is baseball’s other 20-game winner – has emerged as the likely favorite to capture the AL Cy Young award, but Kluber is right on his heels as he looks for his second straight Cy Young award and third overall. “Klubot” will get one final tune-up this weekend in Kansas City.


Johnny on the Spot

The Rockies have been waiting for Jon Gray to come up big in a big moment. He did so Monday in a game he wasn’t even supposed to start.

After Tyler Anderson had to be scratched due to a sore left shoulder, Gray stepped in and delivered seven terrific frames against the Phillies, holding them to one run on just four hits and three walks. He fanned seven batters on the night in the Rockies’ 10-1 victory.

Gray was making his first start in a week, as the Rockies pushed back his turn following three straight poor outings during which he allowed 12 runs over 10 innings. Monday’s outing was just his second quality start in his last six tries and his seven strikeouts represented his highest total in over a month.

Gray’s inconsistency has been maddening, and it even reached a point earlier this season that he was optioned to the minors. He obviously has the potential to be dominating on any given night, and needless to say it would be quite a lift to the Rockies if their Opening Day starter hit his stride now as they attempt to secure a playoff berth.

Gray’s performance wasn’t the only lift the Rockies received Monday, as they also got Trevor Story back in the lineup. Story wound up missing a week of action with a right elbow injury that was initially feared to be more serious, and he returned with a pair of doubles and a run scored versus the Phils. With their win and the Cardinals’ loss to the Brewers, Colorado now sits just half of a game out of the second NL Wild Card spot.

Houston, We Have Injuries

The Astros have already clinched a playoff berth and are on the cusp of 100 victories, but they have a few key players that are limping to the finish line.

The most concerning injury the defending champs have is probably the one Carlos Correa is dealing with. Correa initially injured his lower back in late June and missed seven weeks of action with the ailment before returning in mid-August. He’s never looked like himself since he came back, though, posting an ugly .174/.257/.223 batting line over 34 games, and over the weekend the Astros revealed that his back is still an issue.

Correa is expected to miss a sixth straight start on Tuesday, but he is feeling better and the hope is that he could be back in there as soon as Wednesday. Of course, whether Correa is 100 percent and his old productive self when he does return certainly looks like a question mark.

Houston did get a couple key guys back from injury Monday in George Springer and Lance McCullers. Springer missed Sunday’s game with leg and thumb maladies but returned to the top of the Astros’ lineup against the Blue Jays. Injuries have been piling up with Springer, as he’s also battled a shoulder issue. He’s been productive since coming back last month, though. McCullers was activated after a seven-week absence with right elbow discomfort. He’s slated for bullpen duty down the stretch – perhaps the multi-inning variety – of the regular season and the playoffs.

Yet another injury the Astros are dealing with is Charlie Morton’s right shoulder discomfort. The veteran starter landed on the DL late last month with the malady but had to exit his third start back on Sunday when it popped up again. Manager A.J. Hinch said after the game that he expects Morton to make a start later this week. He may prove to be correct, but the injury is definitely a concern moving forward, especially for a player with a checkered injury history like Morton.


American League Quick Hits: Didi Gregorius reported improvement with his ailing right wrist Monday and said he thinks he'll play before the end of the regular season … Mookie Betts went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and a stolen base in the Red Sox' win over the Orioles on Monday … Aaron Hicks was lifted from Monday's game versus the Rays with a tight left hamstring and will undergo an MRI … Nathan Eovaldi struck out a season-high 10 batters over five innings of one-run ball in the Red Sox’ win over the Orioles on Monday … Lourdes Gurriel departed Monday's game versus the Astros with left hamstring tightness … Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-5 with a solo homer, a double and a pair of runs scored in the Yankees’ win over the Rays on Monday … An MRI on Andrelton Simmons' right knee came back negative and he hopes to return to the lineup Tuesday … Aaron Sanchez won't pitch again this season and could have offseason surgery to repair a lingering​ problem in​ his right index​​ finger …

National League Quick Hits: Brian Mitchell whiffed seven across 8 2/3 shutout innings in Monday’s victory over the Giants … Ketel Marte went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI Monday in a loss to the Dodgers … David Freese went 3-for-4 with a homer and pair of RBI Monday in Arizona … Francisco Cervelli went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer to propel the Pirates to a win over the Cubs on Monday … Kris Bryant (shoulder) was back in action Monday, singling and drawing a walk … Starling Marte (calf) didn’t play Monday after leaving Sunday’s game … Adam Eaton (knee) reached base three times and scored a pair of runs in his return to the lineup Monday … Anthony Rendon finished 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI in the Nationals' victory over the Marlins … Jameson Taillon fanned five over seven frames of one-run ball in Monday’s win over the Cubs … Starlin Castro left the Marlins on Monday to travel back to Florida to be with his wife after she went into labor … Pedro Strop (hamstring) played catch and went through agility drills Monday … Kolten Wong (hamstrings) remained out of the Cardinals' lineup Monday but hopes to return Tuesday … The Giants announced Monday that they have relieved general manager Bobby Evans of his duties … Aaron Altherr was lifted from Monday's game against the Rockies with a right big toe sprain, bruised right knee and possible concussion after colliding with the outfield wall … 

Snell's Pace

Blake Snell is making a very strong case that he deserves to win the American League Cy Young Award this season.

He delivered another magnificent performance on Sunday, striking out 11 batters over 6 ⅔ shutout innings in a victory over the Blue Jays. The left-hander scattered just three hits and a pair of walks in the contest.

Snell had entered play on Sunday as the only 20-game winner in all of baseball. With Sunday’s dazzling performance, he now sits at a mighty impressive 21-5. With his 21st victory, Snell also set a Rays’ franchise record for most victories in a season, topping the previous mark set by David Price in 2012.

He also owns the best ERA in the American League with a minuscule 1.90 mark, trailing only Jacob deGrom’s 1.77 for the best in either league.

He’s one of only six qualified pitchers to sport a sub-1.00 WHIP, with his 0.96 mark checking in as the fourth best in baseball, and trailing only Justin Verlander in the American League.

Snell has also recorded plenty of strikeouts. His 211 K’s rank 11th in all of baseball, trailing only Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Chris Sale, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Luis Severino in the American League.

What’s really remarkable though, is that the 25-year-old hurler continues to get better as the season progresses. In fact, he has been at his best over his last nine starts.

Over those nine outings, he’s a perfect 9-0 with a 1.03 ERA and 74/10 K/BB ratio across 52 ⅔ innings. According to STATS, only Johan Santana (2004) and Bob Gibson (1968) have matched or exceeded those numbers over any nine-start span.

Both Santana and Gibson were unanimous Cy Young Award winners those seasons. Snell should soon be joining that list.

Rays’ manager Kevin Cash echoed that sentiment after Sunday’s game, telling reporters, “"I think he's pretty much cemented his case that he belongs not just in the conversation, but right at the top of the list."

He has one more opportunity to bolster his resume, in a rematch against the Blue Jays at home on Friday.Should he win his 10th straight decision there, he’ll match Rick Porcello (2016) and Jake Arrieta (2015) for the most victories in any single season since 2011 where Justin Verlander won 24 games for the Tigers.

Down Goes Didi

Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone made a shocking announcement on Sunday, telling reporters that Didi Gregorius tore cartilage in his right wrist while sliding into home plate during Saturday’s playoff-clinching victory over the Orioles and that he could miss the remainder of the 2018 season.

Gregorius received a cortisone injection in his wrist on Sunday and remains hopeful that he’ll be able to participate in the postseason. He admitted that his right wrist got stuck underneath him while diving into home plate on a walk-off double by Aaron Hicks. He said that he didn’t feel any pain after Saturday’s game, but it was sore when he woke on Sunday which prompted the MRI.

Gregorius wants to take part in the Wild Card game and sounds like he’s going to do everything in his power to make it back in time for that. He explained Sunday, "We're going to take it day to day. We'll see how far it goes, but I have some movement in there. They say things like this happen to other players. Some of them have played through it. We're going to see how it goes. If it feels better, I'll be back in there so we can still make that playoff decision."

As he did the last time Gregorius was sidelined, Adeiny Hechavarria will see the bulk of the action at shortstop for the Yankees over the final week of the regular season.

Into the Home Stretch

With just one week of baseball remaining in the 2018 regular season, there are a few statistical battles that are already wrapped up and others that look like they’ll come down to the wire.

Barring an unforeseen power surge from J.D. Martinez, it looks as though Khris Davis will win his first ever home run title. He heads into the final week with a four-homer advantage over the Red Sox’ slugger.

Especially after his four-hit day on Sunday, it looks like Mookie Betts will be bringing home his first ever batting title. He’s hitting .343, with the nearest competitor, J.D. Martinez, hitting .329.

In the National League, Christian Yelich has a smaller edge over Scooter Gennett (.322 to .315) but has to be considered the favorite in that battle.

Trea Turner looks like he’ll be MLB’s stolen base leader, with a four bag edge over Whit Merrifield heading into the season’s final week.

One battle that’s a bit tighter, is for the Major League lead in RBI. J.D. Martinez leads that battle over Khris Davis, with a five RBI lead heading into the home stretch.

The closest battle, of the standard 5x5 hitting stats, is in runs where Mookie Betts and Francisco Lindor are separated by just one (124 to 123) heading into the season’s final week.

American League Quick Hits: Xander Bogaerts was lifted from Sunday night’s game against the Indians as a precautionary measure due to left shoulder soreness. He’s considered day-to-day… James Paxton (illness) will return to the Mariners’ rotation on Monday against the Athletics… Aaron Hicks sat out Sunday’s game with a sore ankle, but he’s expected to return to the Yankees’ lineup on Monday… George Springer was held out of the Astros’ lineup on Sunday due to leg and thumb injuries… Alex Cobb was removed from Sunday’s start against the Yankees after throwing just four pitches when the blister on his right index finger flared up again… Kevin Kiermaier is considered day-to-day after leaving Sunday's game against the Blue Jays with back and shoulder injuries.…Charlie Morton was forced to leave Sunday's start against the Angels after only one inning due to right shoulder discomfort. Astros manager A.J. Hinch called his departure precautionary and expects him to make another start this season… Andrelton Simmons left Sunday’s game with right knee soreness. He’s considered day-to-day and hopes to be in the lineup on Monday…  Adalberto Mondesi slugged his 12th home run of the season as the Royals beat the Tigers… Brad Keller allowed just three hits over seven innings of one-run ball in a win against the Tigers… Tim Beckham recorded his first multi-homer game as a member of the Orioles in Sunday’s win over the Yankees… Joey Gallo blasted his 39th home run in a victory over the Mariners… Pressed into emergency duty after Charlie Morton was pulled due to injury after only one inning, Framber Valdez struck out nine over six innings of one-run ball in an impressive win over the Angels… Kyle Gibson fired 7 ⅓ innings of one-run ball in a victory over the Athletics…

National League Quick Hits: Kris Bryant was held out of the  Cubs’ starting lineup on Sunday with left shoulder fatigue… Kolten Wong remained out of action on Sunday due to sore hamstrings, he’s considered day-to-day… Edgar Santana will undergo an MRI on his injured right elbow/forearm on Monday and isn’t expected to pitch again this season… Starling Marte was forced to leave Sunday’s game with tightness in his left calf… Chase Anderson will not make his scheduled start on Monday, the Brewers will skip him and go with a bullpen day instead… Steven Souza was lifted from Sunday’s game with a lower back spasm… Chad Wallach belted his first career home run, a three-run shot, powering the Marlins past the Reds… Trevor Richards struck out nine batters over seven shutout innings in a dominant victory over the Reds… Christian Yelich homered, drove in three runs and stole a base as the Brewers routed the Pirates… Miles Mikolas picked up his 17th victory of the season on Sunday, limiting the Giants to two runs (one earned) over seven innings… Kyle Schwarber went 2-for-2 with a homer and a pair of walks as the Cubs topped the White Sox… Matt Carpenter slugged his 36th home run as the Cardinals beat the Giants… Trea Turner swiped his major league-leading 42nd base and scored his 100th run in a loss to the Mets...Victor Robles homered and drove in three runs in that loss.. Jeff McNeil went 4-for-5 with an RBI and a stolen base in a win over the Nationals.He’s now hitting .340/.398/.495 across 221 plate appearances in his impressive rookie campaign… Hyun-Jin Ryu punched out eight over six shutout innings as the Dodgers crushed the Padres… Manny Machado clubbed his 37th home run in that win… On his 34th birthday, Matt Kemp went 3-for-4 with a double, homer and three RBI in a rout of the Padres… Kyle Freeland earned his 16th victory, striking out six over seven shutout innings against the Diamondbacks…

Blueprints

It's a blueprint that's all too familiar these days, but one still requiring plenty of right moves and some good fortune to pull off.

Burn it all down.

Cast a wide net for good, young, cost-controlled talent.

Reap the benefits.

The Braves endured some low times in recent years as they executed step one and two, and on Saturday they enjoyed the realization of step three when they clinched the National League East title with a 5-3 win over the Phillies. The division win is their first since 2013, which is also the last time they appeared in the postseason.

"You sit back sometimes and wonder what this is going to feel like," Braves manager Brian Snitker, making his first postseason as the club's skipper, said. "When I was here as a third-base coach and we won the division or the Wild Card, it was great. You wonder as a manager how it would feel, and it's even better than I had anticipated."

Making it even more notable was the fact that many of the key players on this year's team were acquired as part of the tear down that took place in the years prior. Starting center fielder Ender Inciarte and starting shortstop Dansby Swanson were acquired in the Shelby Miller trade in December 2015. Headlining starters Sean Newcomb and Mike Foltynewicz were part of returns for Andrelton Simmons and Evan Gattis, respectively.

Of course, the team had to find some gems on the free agent and international market as well, and they did that, too. Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. were acquired in consecutive July 2 international signings. Anibal Sanchez, who put up a 3.01 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 22 starts, signed a minor league contract in March after being released earlier in spring by the Twins.

While their fate is not sealed in either direction -- they're three games behind the Cubs for the top spot in the NL, and just one game ahead of the Dodgers for home-field advantage in a potential playoff series -- the players enjoyed themselves Saturday and will lean heavily on Sanchez, one of those deft additions, Sunday as they prepare for October for the first time in a long time.

"When I walked in the clubhouse after the first few days of Spring Training, you could tell we had the talent," Freeman said. "We still had to wait for a few guys to get here. They got here and they made a huge impact. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies. They're 20 and 21 years old. They get to walk into winning. That's awesome. Hopefully, we can continue it for a long time."

Yanks Clinch Spot Playing in October

The Yankees' road back to October was shorter, but certainly not without its challenges as well.

Contending with the best team Major League Baseball has seen in some years, the Red Sox, and a team in the Rays that has a better record than most teams in either league, the Yanks clinched a spot in the postseason Saturday with a walk-off win over the Orioles. The 3-2 win in 11 innings guarantees the club at least a spot in the one-game Wild Card in the AL.

"It's a privilege to get an opportunity to play postseason baseball and have an opportunity to chase the ultimate prize. We have that opportunity now," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "There's going to be [20] other teams going home, so I think it's really important that we appreciate it and never take it for granted."

Like the Braves, the Yankees got back to the postseason with strong moves -- some obvious, some under the radar -- and homegrown talent. Late-season trades for Luke Voit and J.A. Happ helped the team down the stretch, while major offseason acquisition Giancarlo Stanton has helped the team lead the majors in homers. On the homegrown side, Miguel Andujar, Aaron Judge and Luis Severino were among those playing major roles in the team's success this season.

The Yanks will likely meet the Athletics in the Wild Card Game, making the October visit a short one for one of the clubs. But they've been as battle-tested as anyone in a top-heavy AL East.

Musgrove Done for Year With Ab Strain

Joe Musgrove's season began with him on the shelf, and it will end that way as well after the Pirates shut down the right-hander on Saturday.

Musgrove, it was announced by the team, will miss the rest of the year with a stress reaction on the front of his pelvic bone and an abdominal wall muscle strain.

"Over the course of the last two months, it's kind of just gotten progressively worse," Musgrove said. "With two starts left to go in the season, I don't feel like I'm at the point where I can't go out and pitch. But it is bothering me. It is affecting my delivery a little bit."

Especially given that his delivery was impacted, it was a strong first year for the right-hander in Pittsburgh. Musgrove finishes the season with a 4.06 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 100/23 K/BB ratio over 19 starts.

Nick Kingham will start in Musgrove's place Sunday against the Brewers and next week against the Reds. As far as Musgrove, he'll return in 2019 looking to make an even bigger impact for the Bucs.

National League Quick Hits: Lorenzo Cain (intercostal) grounded out as a pinch-hitter in Saturday's game against the Pirates. Cain hadn't played in a game since Tuesday after tweaking an intercostal muscle, so it was a good sign that he felt well enough to get in an at-bat. After the game he offered even more good news, saying, "I plan on being in there tomorrow. Everything's going good right now" ... Jose Urena exited Saturday's start against the Yankees due to a tight right IT Band. That's the side of his right thigh, in layman terms. Urena was very strong before the injury, posting 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Reds, and he said he doesn't expect the issue to force him to miss his final scheduled start of the year Friday against the Mets. "Yeah, we'll take care of that, do a little treatment and I'll be ready" ... Kolten Wong (hamstring) was not in the Cardinals' starting lineup on Saturday against the Giants. Wong was lifted from Friday night's game due to cramping in his hamstring and sat out on Saturday as a precautionary measure. Yairo Munoz started in his place at second base ... Trevor Williams struck out seven batters while tossing six shutout innings to beat the Brewers on Saturday. He sprinkled four hits and a walk in his outing and has not allowed a run over 12 innings in his last two starts. He improves to 14-9 with a marvelous 3.04 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 30 starts. The 26-year-old right-hander doesn't garner a ton of strikeouts but he keeps the ball in the yard. He has a 122:52 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 15 homers allowed in 165 2/3 innings.

American League Quick Hits: White Sox manager Rick Renteria said Saturday that he's not ruling out Jose Abreu (thigh) not making it back this season. "He's got a pretty significant healing process he's got going on with that thigh right now," Renteria said. Abreu was hospitalized earlier this week with a serious infection in his right thigh, and with just nine games left in the season it sounds like time may be working against him. Even if he does get back, it'll likely only be for a game or two at this point ... Mookie Betts remained out of the Red Sox' starting lineup on Saturday. Betts has been battling through a side injury, and now with the division officially wrapped up they'll give him an extra day or two to rest and heal up for the postseason ... Felix Hernandez (hamstring) said the current plan is for him to pitch Wednesday at Safeco Field. Felix has been sidelined since September 8 with a low-grade hamstring strain, but apparently his bullpen session Friday went well enough that he's ready to return. The start will be his last of 2018, and he'll have one more year at $27 million left on his deal before he and the Mariners potentially have some tough emotional decisions to make about the future ... Jose Altuve went 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and a walk in the Astros' 10-5 win over the Angels on Saturday. 14 of the 15 runs in the game came in the eighth inning, with the Angels taking a 5-1 lead in the top of the frame and the Astros bouncing back with a nine spot afterwards. Altuve's homer off Blake Parker was his third in two weeks and 13th of the year. The Astros are now just three wins away from 100 ... Mike Clevinger surrendered two runs in five innings and did not factor into the decision against the Red Sox on Saturday. He notched six strikeouts and now has 202 for the season, making him the fourth Indians pitcher to reach 200 this season -- the first time any team has ever done that. He is 12-8 with a 3.07 ERA in 31 starts.