Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered and knocked in two runs to back a solid start from Zac Gallen, and the Arizona Diamondbacks continued their surprising postseason run with Monday's 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Arizona, the sixth and lowest playoff seed in the National League, took a 2-0 lead in this best-of-five Division Series against a Dodgers team it finished 16 games behind of in the NL West standings. The Diamondbacks are now 4-0 in these playoffs after sweeping the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers on the road in the Wild Card round.

The Diamondbacks now return home with a chance to close out this series Wednesday. 

After battering Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw in an 11-2 rout in Saturday's Game 1, the Diamondbacks started fast again with three first-inning runs off rookie Bobby Miller.

The first three Arizona hitters reached base in front of Christian Walker's sacrifice fly and Gabriel Moreno's run-scoring groundout, and Gurriel later produced an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.

Los Angeles got on the board in the fourth on J.D. Martinez's solo homer off Gallen, but Arizona countered with Gurriel's homer in the sixth to increase the margin to 4-1.

Max Muncy and Martinez singled to chase Gallen in the bottom of the sixth and got a run back on Enrique Hernandez's RBI single, but reliever Ryan Thompson prevented further damage by getting the final out and stranding the bases loaded.

Thompson, Kevin Ginkel and Paul Sewald then held the Dodgers without a hit over the final three innings to seal the win.

Gallen was charged with two runs over 5 1/3 innings, while Miller was pulled after permitting three runs and four hits in just 1 2/3 innings.

 

Riley's homer caps rally as Braves even series with Phillies

Austin Riley's dramatic two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning capped a crucial comeback for the Atlanta Braves, who rallied from a four-run deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-4, in Monday's Game 2 of the National League Division Series.

Atlanta, which won a major league-best 104 games during the regular season, was facing a 2-0 deficit in this best-of-five series before scoring five unanswered runs to avoid a potential elimination game in Philadephia on Wednesday.

Travis d'Arnaud aided the improbable rally with a two-run homer in the seventh inning off Phillies starter Zack Wheeler, who didn't allow a hit until the sixth as Philadelphia built a 4-0 lead.

The Braves also got a sensational defensive play in the ninth from center fielder Michael Harris II, who made a leaping catch to rob Nick Castellanos of extra bases to start a game-ending double play that caught Phillies star Bryce Harper attempting to score from first base.

Riley stepped up with two outs in the eighth and Ronald Acuna Jr. aboard with the Braves down 4-3. The All-Star third baseman worked the count full against Jeff Hoffman before taking a slider over the left-field wall to put the NL East champs ahead for the first time in the series.

The Phillies put the tying run aboard in the ninth, however, when Harper drew a leadoff walk. Two batters later, Castellanos sent a deep drive off Braves closer Raisel Iglesias that Harris snared just before hitting the outfield wall before quickly throwing the ball to the infield, where Riley grabbed it and fired to first base to double off Harper after the two-time NL MVP was frantically trying to get back to the bag after rounding second base.

Wheeler allowed just one baserunner, who reached on an error by shortstop Trea Turner, before walking Acuna with two outs in the sixth. Ozzie Albies then broke up the no-hit bid with a single to right that led to Atlanta's first run when Acuna raced home as Turner misplayed the relay throw. 

D'Arnaud cut the lead to 4-3 by homering off Wheeler's final pitch with Matt Olson on base in the seventh.

Wheeler struck out 10 over 6 1/3 innings and was charged with three runs - two earned - while yielding only three hits.

The Phillies built their 4-0 lead on J.T. Realmuto's two-run homer off Max Fried in the third inning, Alec Bohm's RBI single in the first and Bryson Stott's sac fly in the fith. 

Fried lasted just four innings and allowed three runs while walking four. 

 

Mitch Garver's grand slam in the third inning provided a big early lead that the Texas Rangers held on to in Sunday's 11-8 victory over the Baltimore Orioles that put the American League's top playoff seed a game away from elimination.

Garver also had an RBI single to help Texas take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Division Series and remain unbeaten in four games this postseason. The Rangers advanced to the ALDS with a two-game sweep on the road over the Tampa Bay Rays earlier in the week.

The Rangers can wrap up this series when it shifts to Texas on Tuesday.

Texas pounded out 11 hits in Game 2 and took advantage of a season-high 11 walks from Baltimore pitchers, including four from starter Grayson Rodriguez in a short postseason debut for the heralded rookie.

Rodriguez got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, but walked Nathaniel Lowe to begin the second with the Orioles holding a 2-0 lead. Josh Jung followed with a single and Leody Tavares doubled in both runners to tie the contest.

Texas would score three more times in the second to move in front. After Corey Seager drew one of five walks on the day to load the bases, Garver, Adolis Garcia and Jonah Heim each delivered RBI singles to give the Rangers a 5-2 advantage.

Reliever Bryan Baker walked the bases loaded in the third before Garver blasted a 3-1 pitch into the left-field seats to extend the margin to 9-2.

The Orioles scored twice in the fourth before the Rangers got a run back in the top of the fifth, but Gunnar Henderson's solo homer off Texas starter Jordan Montgomery in the bottom of the inning pulled the AL East champions within 10-5.

Baltimore moved closer when Aaron Hicks' three-run homer off Jose Leclerc in the ninth made the score 11-8, but the Rangers' closer retired the next two hitters to end the comeback attempt and the game.

Garcia, Jung and Marcus Semien each had two hits for Texas, while Cody Bradford earned the win with 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Montgomery.

Hicks also had a two-run single that drove in the Orioles' first runs, while Jorge Mateo finished 4 for 4 with an RBI and Austin Hays had three hits in the loss.

Rodriguez was pulled with two outs in the second and was charged with five runs on six hits.

 

Lopez, Correa help Twins even series with Astros

Pablo Lopez threw seven scoreless innings, Carlos Correa went 3 for 3 with three RBIs against his former team, and the Minnesota Twins drew even in their AL Division Series with the Houston Astros with Sunday's 6-2 win.

Kyle Farmer contributed a two-run homer as the Twins bounced back from Saturday's 6-4 loss in Game 1 of this best-of-five series, which shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Tuesday. 

Correa, who spent his first seven seasons with the Astros before signing with the Twins in 2022, quickly staked Minnesota to a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI double off Framber Valdez in the first inning. Farmer extended the margin to 3-0 an inning later when he followed Willi Castro's leadoff single with his first career postseason home run.

That was more than enough support for Lopez, who scattered six hits and a walk while striking out seven in his second straight playoff gem. The right-hander held the Toronto Blue Jays to one run over 5 2/3 innings in Minnesota's Game 1 win in the Wild Card round. 

Correa hurt his ex-team again when he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the fifth and delivered a two-run single for a 5-0 lead.

Houston's only scoring came on Yordan Alvarez's third homer of the series, a two-run shot off Brock Stewart in the eighth.

Valdez, who went 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA during the Astros' run to last year's World Series title, struggled before being removed with one out in the fifth. The left-hander was charged with five runs on seven hits and issued three walks.

 

Gabriel Moreno highlighted a six-run first against Clayton Kershaw with a three-run homer and the Arizona Diamondbacks rolled to a stunning 11-2 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NL Division Series.

Tommy Pham had four hits with a homer and Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas also went deep for Arizona, which is 3-0 in these playoffs – all on the road.

Arizona wasted no time jumping on Kershaw, who gave up a leadoff double to Ketel Marte and an RBI single to Carroll before Christian Walker’s double made it 2-0.

Moreno followed with a blast over the wall in left field to extend the lead to 5-0 and after a groundout and Thomas’ walk, Evan Longoria doubled home another run.

Kershaw – a three-time Cy Young Award winner - was relieved by Emmet Sheehan after he was tagged for six runs and six hits while recording just one out.

He had never made a start where he pitched less than one inning.

Carroll led off the second with a home run and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added an RBI double before Longoria’s sacrifice fly upped the advantage to 9-0.

Merrill Kelly didn’t need all the offensive support, as he allowed three hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings for his first win against the Dodgers.

He entered 0-11 with a 5.49 ERA in 16 starts against them.

Thomas homered in the seventh and Pham’s blast in the eighth made it 11-0.

Will Smith had a two-run triple in the eighth to get Los Angeles on the board.

 

Harper homers, Phillies shut out Braves

Bryce Harper’s home run backed a stellar pitching performance, and the Philadelphia Phillies stifled the MLB-best Atlanta Braves 3-0 in Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Saturday night.

Wild-card series hero Bryson Stott broke a scoreless tie with a run-scoring single off Spencer Strider in the fourth.

Harper took Strider deep in the sixth to make it 2-0 and the Phillies tacked on another run in the eighth when catcher’s interference was called against Sean Murphy.

After the call was reviewed and upheld, there was a brief delay when a handful of fans threw rubbish on the field.

The Phillies took a 1-0 lead over the Braves in the NLDS for the second consecutive season after they upset Atlanta 3-1 on an improbable run to the 2022 World Series.

Ranger Suarez limited the 104-win Braves to one hit in 3 2/3 innings and Jeff Hoffman escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth.

Seranthony Dominguez struck out the side in the fifth and Jose Alvarado, rookie Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm and Craig Kimbrel shut down Atlanta the rest of the way.

Strider, the majors’ only 20-game winner this season, allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings with two walks and eight strikeouts.

 

Alvarez hits 2 home runs as Astros beat Twins

Yordan Alvarez homered twice, and Justin Verlander pitched six scoreless innings to lead the defending World Series champion Houston Astros to a 6-4 win over the Minnesota Twins in an AL Division Series opener.

Jose Altuve led off the bottom of the first with a home run and Alvarez finished with three RBIs to help Houston win its 10th straight in Game 1 of a Division Series.

The 40-year-old Verlander allowed four hits with three walks and six strikeouts for his 17th career playoff win, most among active pitchers.

Minnesota rallied against Hector Neris in the seventh, with Jorge Polanco providing the big hit with a three-run homer. Two pitches later, Royce Lewis belted his third home run in three playoff games to get the Twins within 5-4.

Alvarez connected off Caleb Thielbar in the bottom half to extend Houston’s lead.

The Houston slugger took starter Bailey Ober deep in the third for a two-run shot for a 3-0 advantage.

 

Rangers’ bullpen holds off Orioles

Five Texas relievers kept the Baltimore Orioles in check and the Rangers held on for a 3-2 victory in their AL Division Series opener.

Third baseman Josh Jung homered and came up with a key defensive play as the Rangers improved to 3-0 in these playoffs – all on the road.

After Dane Dunning gave up Anthony Santander’s solo home run in the sixth to cut Texas’ lead to 3-2, Will Smith, Josh Sborz, Aroldis Chapman and Jose Leclerc combined for the final 10 outs.

Chapman walked the first two batters in the eighth before Jung ranged to his left and snagged Santander’s bouncer on a short hop to start a 5-4-3 double play.

Chapman then struck out Ryan Mountcastle with a runner on third to end the inning.

Sonny Gray and five relievers combined on a shutout and the Minnesota Twins advanced in the postseason for the first time in 21 years with a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Minnesota, which ended an 18-game playoff losing streak with a 3-1 win in Game 1, completed the sweep and moved on to face the defending World Series champion Astros in the best-of-five AL Division Series, starting Saturday in Houston.

The Twins snapped a nine-round losing streak that started with an ALCS defeat to the Angels in 2002. The Atlanta Braves (2001-2019) and Chicago Cubs (1910-1998) share the all-time mark with 10 consecutive series lost.

The Blue Jays lost their seventh straight playoff game, leaving nine runners on base in each game.

All the game’s offense came in the bottom of the fourth.

Royce Lewis drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on Max Kepler’s infield single against reliever Yusei Kikuchi.

After pinch-hitter Donovan Solano walked to load the bases, Carlos Correa singled home a run. Willi Castro then hit into a double play to make it 2-0.

Gray allowed five hits over five innings with two walks and six strikeouts.

Brock Stewart and Griffin Jax each worked one inning and Jhoan Duran struck out the side in the ninth to trigger the celebration.

 

Gallen, Diamondbacks complete sweep of Brewers

Ketel Marte highlighted a four-run sixth with a two-run single and the Arizona Diamondbacks finished a sweep of the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers with a 5-2 victory.

Two years after losing 110 games, the Diamondbacks advanced to the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Zac Gallen allowed two first-inning runs but settled down to toss six solid innings before Arizona’s bullpen finished with three scoreless frames, the final three outs coming from Paul Sewald.

Milwaukee has lost nine of its last 10 playoff games, a stretch that started with a Game 7 home loss to the Dodgers in the 2018 NLCS.

Freddy Peralta held Arizona hitless for 4 2/3 innings before Alek Thomas homered to make it 2-1.

The Diamondbacks knocked out Peralta and grabbed a 5-2 lead with four runs in the sixth.

After Marte singled home a pair of runs, the Diamondbacks got another run on Abner Uribe’s wild pitch and extended the advantage on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s RBI single.

 

Stott hits slam as Phillies sweep

Bryson Stott hit the second grand slam in Phillies postseason history and Aaron Nola was masterful on the mound as Philadelphia rolled to a 7-1 win over the Miami Marlins for a two-game sweep.

J.T. Realmuto also went deep, and the Phillies will face the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS for the second straight season after last year’s series win in four games.

Nola limited Miami to three hits over seven scoreless innings, getting an inning-ending double play in the fifth.

Already leading 3-0, Stott’s blast off Andrew Nardi in the sixth all but assured the Phillies of advancing.

 

Rangers finish sweep of punchless Rays

Adolis Garcia and rookie Evan Carter homered to back Nathan Eovaldi’s stellar start as the Texas Rangers secured a spot in the AL Division Series with a 7-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rangers outscored the Rays 11-1 in a pair of wins and won a postseason series for the first time since 2011, when they reached the World Series.

Texas will open the ALDS on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles.

Eovaldi gave up six hits over 6 2/3 innings while walking none with eight strikeouts to beat Tampa Bay for the third time this season.

The Rays’ postseason losing streak reached seven straight, as they were bounced in the Wild Card Series for the second consecutive year.

Garcia led off the fourth with a home run against Zach Eflin, igniting a four-run inning.

Leody Tavares singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Josh Jung’s triple. The 20-year-old Carter followed with a home run to right for a 4-0 lead.

Rookie Royce Lewis hit two home runs in his return from injury, Pablo Lopez pitched effectively into the sixth inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Tuesday in their wild card series opener.

The win snapped Minnesota’s 18-game postseason losing streak, the longest in MLB history, as the Twins won their first playoff game since 2004.  

Lewis, who had been sidelined for the last two weeks with a strained left hamstring, went deep off Toronto starter Kevin Gausman in each of his first two career postseason at-bats and was responsible for all three of Minnesota’s runs.

Lopez scattered five hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings to earn the victory in his second career playoff start.

Three relievers worked 2 1/3 innings before Jhoan Duran got the final three outs to secure Minnesota’s first home postseason win since Game 1 of the 2002 ALCS at the Metrodome.

Kevin Kiermaier drove in Bo Bichette with a sixth-inning single for Toronto’s only run.

The Twins will look to win their first postseason series since 2002 on Wednesday when they send veteran Sonny Gray to the mound. Former Twin Jose Berrios is slated to start Game 2 for Toronto.

 

Diamondbacks chase Burnes, rally by Brewers

Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte and Gabriel Moreno each hit home runs off Corbin Burnes, and the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied to take Game 1 of their wild card series against the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-3.

Carlos Santana singled in Christian Yelich in the first inning, and Tyrone Taylor hit a two-run homer in the second to give Milwaukee a 3-0 lead.

The D-backs responded with home runs by Carroll and Marte in the third to tie the game, then took the lead on Moreno’s solo shot in the fourth. Christian Walker’s two-run double in the ninth provided insurance for Paul Sewald, who earned his first career postseason save.

Burnes needed 92 pitches to get through four innings, allowing four runs, five hits and two walks.

Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt was chased in the third inning, but six pitchers from the Diamondbacks’ bullpen combined to close the game with 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

 

Wheeler stifles Marlins in Phillies’ win

Zack Wheeler turned in a stellar start and Jose Alvarado preserved the lead with a key strikeout to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-1 victory over the Miami Marlins in their wild-card opener.

Wheeler limited Miami to one run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings without a walk and eight strikeouts.

Alvarado fanned Yuli Gurriel with two runners on in the seventh to end Miami’s threat. He retired two batters in the eighth before Jeff Hoffman got the third out.

Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth to seal the win.

Alec Bohm’s RBI double in the third opened the scoring and Bryson Stott delivered an RBI single in the fourth for a 2-0 lead.

Cristian Pache’s single later in the inning extended the lead and Nick Castellanos doubled home Philadelphia’s fourth run in the eighth.

The Phillies will try to book a return trip to the NLDS with a win in Game 2 on Wednesday.

 

Rangers blank sloppy Rays behind Montgomery

Jordan Montgomery scattered six hits over seven innings and the Texas Rangers extended the Tampa Bay Rays’ playoff woes with a 4-0 win in Game 1.

Montgomery retired 14 of his last 16 batters and fanned pinch-hitter Junior Caminero to end his outing with five strikeouts and no walks.

The left-hander also made the defensive playoff game, diving to make a catch on Jose Siri’s bunt along the first-base line with runners at the corners in the second.

Tampa Bay lost its sixth straight postseason game dating to Game 2 of the 2021 AL Division Series against Boston.

Corey Seager and Josh Jung drove in runs and Texas benefited from four errors by the Rays, who are hitting .133 while scoring just one run in their last three playoff defeats.

Tyler Glasnow allowed four runs and six hits in five-plus innings with eight strikeouts and five walks.

Phil Nevin will not return as manager of the Los Angeles Angels in 2024 after a second straight losing season.

The Angels declined Nevin’s contract option for next season, announcing they would find a new clubhouse leader in a statement Monday.

This winter, Los Angeles will hire their fourth manager in six seasons since Mike Scioscia’s 19-year tenure ended after the 2018 season.

Nevin, who took over for Joe Maddon during last season, went 119-149 as the Halos’ manager and missed the playoffs in both seasons.

The Angels flirted with a play-off spot and were five games over .500 at the end of July but went 17-38 down the stretch as stars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout missed time due to injury.

ESPN reported Monday that general manager Perry Minasian will keep his job.

Los Angeles defeated the Oakland Athletics 7-3 Sunday to end the season.

“I know it didn't go the way we wanted, but I'm proud of the way that room held together,” Nevin said Sunday. “It wasn't fun. It's not fun ending the way we did, but it's a great group in there. There's a lot of great things that are on the horizon here with the young players and the guys coming back. Good future.”

The Angels are at a crossroads as an organisation with Ohtani set to hit free agency this winter and after Trout has missed significant time in two of the last three seasons.

Despite having two of baseball's most iconic stars, the Angels haven’t won a play-off game since 2009.

Cristian Javier threw six scoreless innings as the Houston Astros clinched a third consecutive American League East title with Sunday's 8-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The defending World Series champions also secured the AL's No. 2 seed and a first-round playoff bye with a win in Sunday's regular-season finale, coupled with the Texas Rangers' 1-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Both the Astros and Rangers finished the season at 90-72, with Houston winning the tiebreaker by virtue of taking the season series from Texas.

The Diamondbacks will also be headed to the playoffs but will be the National League's No. 6 seed due to the loss. Arizona ended with an identical record as Miami, with the Marlins getting the NL's second wild card by also winning the season series between the teams. 

Arizona, which is making its first postseason trip since 2017, will face Milwaukee in the opening round. The NL Central champion Brewers will host Game 1 of the series Tuesday.

Houston started fast by scoring four times in the first inning, highlighted by Alex Bregman's two-run homer off Kyle Nelson. Bregman tripled and scored in the second for a 5-0 lead, and Jose Abreu later added a two-run homer in the seventh after Kyle Tucker tripled and scored in the fifth. 

Bregman, Abreu and Tucker all finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored.

Javier earned his 10th win of the season by holding the Diamondbacks to three hits and two walks. Arizona didn't score until Jake McCarthy singled in the eighth and scored on Lourdes Gurriel's double.

 

Kirby dominant as Mariners deny Rangers AL West title

The Seattle Mariners prevented the Texas Rangers from capturing the AL West with Sunday's 1-0 win behind six stellar innings from George Kirby.

Kirby yielded just three hits while striking out seven to drop the Rangers to the AL's No. 5 seed and send them into an opening-round series against Tampa Bay. The Rays will host Game 1 on Tuesday.

Seattle, which was eliminated from playoff consideration with Saturday's 6-1 loss to Texas, scored the game's only run in the fourth. After Eugenio Suarez and Jarred Kelenic singled and Ty France drew a walk from Rangers starter Dane Dunning to load the bases, Dominic Canzone plated Suarez with a groundout.

Kirby made the lead stand before three relievers finished off the Mariners' MLB-leading 18th shutout. Isaiah Campbell worked the ninth to earn his first career save.

Dunning, working on three days' rest, was charged with the lone run while pitching 3 1/3 innings. Martin Perez threw 3 2/3 hitless innings in relief.

 

Braves tie MLB season record with Ozuna's two homers

Marcell Ozuna went deep twice to give the Atlanta Braves a share of MLB's record for home runs in a season, though the Washington Nationals rallied with three runs in the ninth inning to hand the NL's No. 1 overall seed a 10-9 loss in the regular-season finale. 

Washington trailed 8-7 entering the ninth before loading the bases off Michael Tonkin, who walked Drew Millas to force in the tying run before surrendering Jacob Young's go-ahead two-run single. 

Ozuna got Atlanta back within one by blasting his 40th homer of the season in the bottom of the ninth, which put the Braves at 307 for the campaign to match the mark set by the 2019 Minnesota Twins.

Young and Kelbert Ruiz each drove in three runs for the Nationals, who pounded out 15 hits on the afternoon. Lane Thomas went 4 for 6 with two runs scored and Ruiz finished with three hits. 

Ozuna's first homer, a three-run shot in the third, tied the game at 5-5. Matt Olson and Michael Harris each knocked in two runs for the NL East champs. 

Buck Showalter will not return as the New York Mets' manager in 2024, an expected outcome after the team that began this season with the highest payroll in Major League Baseball history failed to reach the playoffs.

Showalter told reporters of the team's decision prior to Sunday's season finale, a 9-1 home loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets released a statement following Showalter's announcement confirming their plans.

“We are heading in a new direction, with a new President of Baseball Operations and we let Buck know we’ll be parting ways. We will begin the search for a new manager immediately,” Mets owner Steve Cohen said in the statement. 

The move was widely expected after the Mets fell out of playoff contention before the All-Star break and finished with a 74-87 record, a steep decline from the 101 wins the team achieved in Showalter's first season in 2022.

New York entered this season among the National League favourites after Cohen increased the payroll to a record $355 million as the Mets brought in three-time American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander and star Japanese picher Kodai Senga, as well as re-signing center fielder Brandon Nimmo and closer Edwin Diaz to big contracts.

The Mets hovered around .500 for the first two months, however, before losing 19 of 26 games in June to drop further in the standings. That led to management's decision to become sellers at the Aug. 1 trade deadline and jettison off several prominent players, most notably Verlander and fellow ace Max Scherzer.

Showalter's fate was further sealed when the Mets hired former Milwaukee Brewers general manager David Stearns as vice president of baseball operations in September.

“I was honored to get a chance to manage a second New York team," said Showalter, whose 22-year tenure as a major league manager began with the crosstown rival Yankees in 1992. "I’m proud of what the Mets did. We won close to 180 games in two years. Especially last year, as much fun as I’ve ever had in the game. It reminded me why I’ve always loved this kind of work."

Cohen also praised Showalter's work in the statement announcing the change.

“Buck is a generational manager, and we value what he has done for our team, including leading us to a 101 win season and postseason berth last year." he said.  "The commitment and heart that Buck brings to the game will be felt by our organization for years to come. We wish Buck all the best in the next chapter of his career.”

The Mets were the fifth team the 67-year-old Showalter managed during his lengthy career, which also included stops with the Yankees (1992-95), Arizona Diamondbacks (1998-2000), Texas Rangers (2003-06) and Baltimore Orioles (2010-18).

Four of those teams reached the playoffs, though Showalter never guided one to a World Series despite making six total trips to the postseason and winning four Manager of the Year awards. 

Showalter's overall managerial record stands at 1,726-1,665, ranking him 19th in MLB history in wins. 

For just the fourth time in franchise history the Miami Marlins will play in the postseason.

The Marlins punched their ticket to the playoffs with a 7-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Jazz Chisholm hit his 19th homer and Josh Bell drove in three runs as the Marlins secured their first trip to the playoffs since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

It's the club's first time making the playoffs after a full season since the 2003 team won the franchise's second World Series. The postseason berth completes an improbable turnaround after Miami went 69-93 last season.

The Marlins have won 18 of their last 27 games to vault past the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants and into the playoffs. They have also taken a half-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the National League's second wild card. 

In their postseason clinching-win, Chisholm, Jorge Soler and Jon Berti each scored twice, while Tanner Scott struck out the side in the ninth to notch his 12th save as the final of eight pitchers used by Miami.

 

 

Rangers beat Mariners to return to playoffs for first time since 2016

The Texas Rangers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2016 with a 6-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.

The Rangers plated four runs in the third inning en route to their 90th victory of the season - a 22-win improvement from 2022.

One more win over the Mariners in Sunday's regular-season finale and Texas will claim the AL West title and the No. 2 seed in the AL playoffs. The Rangers, who are scheduled to start 12-game winner Dane Dunning in the finale, can also wrap up the division should the Houston Astros lose to the Diamondbacks.

Jonah Heim had a two-run single and finished with three RBIs to lead the Texas offence, while Andrew Heaney threw 4 1/3 shutout innings in a spot start.

The Mariners were eliminated from the postseason with the wins by the Rangers and Astros. Their loss also allowed the Toronto Blue Jays to secure a wild-card berth

Luis Castillo struggled mightily, yielding four runs and throwing 86 pitches before being pulled after just 2 2/3 innings - tied for the second-shortest start of his career.

 

 

Verlander helps Astros beat Diamondbacks, yet both teams clinch postseason spots

The Houston Astros defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0, but both teams got the desired result.

The Astros clinched a playoff berth with the victory and the Diamondbacks secured a wild-card spot with the Cincinnati Reds' 15-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

While Arizona is battling with Miami for the NL's second wild card, Houston can win the AL West with a victory over the Diamondbacks in Sunday's finale, coupled with a Rangers loss to the Mariners.

Justin Verlander struck out five and allowed two hits over five innings and Jose Abreu put the Astros ahead with a run-scoring double in the fourth inning.

Merrill Kelly threw seven innings of one-run ball for Arizona, which is just two years removed from a 110-loss season and is in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

 

Jose Abreu hit a two-run double that was nearly a three-run homer and Jose Urquidy delivered as an emergency starter to lift the Houston Astros to a 2-1 win over Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.

The game remained scoreless until the sixth when Alex Bregman hit a one-out infield single, and Kyle Tucker singled one out later.

Abreu drilled a pitch from Zac Gallen deep to center that was initially called a three-run home run before video replay showed the ball hitting the line on the wall, resulting in a 2-0 Houston lead.

The hero for the Astros turned out to be Urquidy, who was called on to start in place of scheduled starter J.P. France, scratched due to a family emergency.

Urquidy, who has been used out of the bullpen since his last start on Aug 23, limited Arizona to two hits over six innings with three walks and two strikeouts.

Phil Maton and Hector Neris each worked one scoreless inning and Ryan Pressly gave up Gabriel Moreno’s RBI double in the ninth before getting Jace Peterson on a game-ending groundout.

The Astros pulled within one game of AL West-leading Texas and remained one game ahead of Seattle in the race for the final wild card.

Arizona still holds the second NL wild card but had its lead over Miami cut to one-half game with Cincinnati and the Cubs both two games behind.

Gallen failed in a bid to become the majors’ second 18-game winner, allowing two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings with one walk and seven strikeouts.

 

Crawford hits slam as Mariners keep playoff hopes alive

J.P. Crawford hit a grand slam and Ty France and Josh Rojas also homered as the Seattle Mariners stayed in the thick of the playoff race with an 8-0 rout of the Texas Rangers.

Seattle has won three or four following a four-game skid to remain one game behind Houston in the race for the final AL wild card.

The Mariners are still alive in the AL West, sitting two games behind Texas and one behind Houston with two games remaining.

The Rangers remained a victory away or Astros loss away from securing a playoff berth. There also remains the possibility of a three-way tie for the division title.

Bryan Woo pitched out of trouble to keep Texas scoreless through 3 2/3 innings and five relievers finished up with the final four keeping the Rangers hitless.

 

Blue Jays on brink of playoff spot

Alejandro Kirk homered and drove in three runs and Bo Bichette had four hits as the Toronto Blue Jays moved a step closer to the postseason with an 11-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Brandon Belt and Matt Chapman also went deep for the Blue Jays, who maintained a one-game lead over Houston.

Toronto can clinch a wild card with a win or a loss by Seattle over the next two days.

The Blue Jays took control with three runs in the third – two scoring on Kirk’s single – and extended to a 6-1 lead with three more runs in the fourth.

Belt led off with a home run and Bichette and Cavan Biggio singled and scored when center fielder Manuel Margot let the ball roll under his glove all the way to the wall.

The San Francisco Giants have fired manager Gabe Kapler after missing the playoffs for the third time in his four-year tenure, the organisation announced Friday.

The move is a full reversal from the public vote of confidence given last month by chairman Greg Johnson and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, making Kapler appear to be a lock in the dugout in 2024.

At the time, the Giants were in position for a wild card spot in the NL playoffs but have since been eliminated from post-season consideration and are in danger of finishing below .500 unless they sweep their final series of the season. 

Zaidi appeared on local radio station KNBR Thursday, and his comments signalled a change of heart.

“I just think we have to look at everything," Zaidi said during the interview. “There's a time and place for everything. One hundred sixty-two games is a grind. We want our players to be comfortable being able to wash off those tough losses.

“But when you’re in do-or-die games, like we were in Arizona, you want them to feel different. I think we’re really going to have to ask ourselves if we were prepared to sort of elevate our level of focus in play for those games that really matter down the stretch.”

Entering play Friday, the Giants have lost 10 of their last 13 games, including a pair against division rival and fellow wild-card hopeful Arizona on Sept. 19-20. The combined score of those games was 15-5.

The Giants are 29-40 since the All-Star break.

Kapler, 48, was 456-411 as manager in San Francisco and helped the team win a franchise-record 107 games in 2021. The Giants’ reward for a historic season was facing the 106-win Los Angeles Dodgers in the Divisional round, and Kapler’s squad was eliminated in a Game 5 nail-biter.

“Gabe led our team through an unprecedented pandemic in 2020 and a franchise-record 107 wins and post-season berth in 2021,” Zaidi said in a statement Friday. “He has been dedicated and passionate in his efforts to improve the on-field performance of the San Francisco Giants and I have tremendous respect for him as a colleague and friend.”

Before arriving in San Francisco, Kapler managed the Philadelphia Phillies for two seasons with a 161-163 combined record and no play-off appearances.

A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.

Two days after the death of all-time great third baseman Brooks Robinson, the Baltimore Orioles have cause to smile.

The Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 Thursday to set off a raucous celebration at Camden Yards as Baltimore clinched its first AL East title since 2014, guaranteed themselves home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs.

Baltimore, which lost 110 games in 2021, completed a stunning turnaround with its 100th win, accomplished for the first time since 1980.

Dean Kremer pitched 5 1/3 sterling innings and DL Hall, Yennier Cano, Cionel Perez and Tyler Wells pitched well out of the bullpen as the O’s held the Red Sox to just three hits – all singles.

Anthony Santander went deep off Chris Sale in the first inning, and Heston Kjerstad added some late insurance with a pinch-hit double in the eighth that plated Adam Frazier.

There was even more excitement at Camden Yards during the game when the team announced on the scoreboard that it had reached agreement with the state to keep the Orioles in Baltimore for at least the next 30 years.

The team’s lease at Camden Yards was set to expire at the end of 2023.

 

Crawford’s clutch hit gives Mariners vital win

J.P. Crawford singled home the tying and winning runs with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Seattle Mariners to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers entered the bottom of the ninth with a 2-1 run lead, but Aroldis Chapman gave up singles to Cal Raleigh and Dylan Moore.

Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Ty France walked to load the bases before Chapman was replaced by Jonathan Hernandez. After Mike Ford popped out and Josh Rojas fouled out, Crawford lined a 1-1 pitch to the wall in left to give Seattle a much-needed win.

The Mariners pulled within one game of Houston for the final AL wild card.

Adolis Garcia and Leody Taveras homered for Texas, which could’ve clinched a playoff berth with a win.

 

Olson hits 54th homer as Braves win again

Matt Olson extended his major league lead with his 54th home run and the Atlanta Braves clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason with a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Austin Riley had three hits and scored twice as Atlanta won for the sixth time in seven games and secured the best record in baseball.

Olson’s two-run blast gave him a team-record 136 RBIs, surpassing the 135 for Eddie Matthews in 1953.

The Cubs have lost three straight and 13 of 19 to fall one-half game behind Miami for the final NL wild card.

Mauricio Dubon hit a tiebreaking three-run homer and Michael Brantley had four hits to lead the Houston Astros to an 8-3 win over the Seattle Mariners in a testy game featuring teams battling for a wild card.

Yordan Alvarez and Martin Maldonado also went deep for the Astros, who took two of three in the series and pulled within one-half game of Toronto for the second wild card in the AL.

They also moved one game ahead of Seattle and remained 2 ½ games behind West-leading Texas, which defeated the Angels 5-0.

It was the fifth loss in six games for the Mariners, who host Texas for the final four games of the season starting Thursday.

Tensions flared at the end of the sixth inning after Astros reliever Hector Neris struck out Julio Rodriguez.

Neris charged at Rodriguez while yelling and that caused both benches and bullpens to clear, though no punches were thrown.

Alvarez led off the fourth inning with his 31st home run to make it 1-1, and after Jose Abreu and Brantley singled, Dubon took Bryce Miller over the wall in left for a 4-1 lead.

Seattle made it a one-run game in the bottom half on Eugenio Suarez’s two-run single, but Houston struck for three runs in the seventh on Kyle Tucker’s run-scoring double and RBI singles by Abreu and Brantley.

 

Orioles win to trim magic number to one

Adley Rutschman homered and drove in three runs to back Grayson Rodriguez’s strong start and the Baltimore Orioles took another step toward the AL East title with a 5-1 win over the Washington Nationals.

Baltimore’s fourth straight win and 99th of the season means it can clinch its first division title since 2014 with a win or a loss by Tampa Bay.

The Orioles haven’t won 100 games since going 100-62 in 1980.

Rutschman opened the scoring in the third with a two-run blast – his 20th – off Patrick Corbin and added an RBI single in the fifth.

Rodriguez allowed a run and six hits over 5 2/3 innings before Baltimore’s bullpen finished with 3 1/3 perfect innings.

 

Marlins split doubleheader, tie for final NL wild card

The Miami Marlins scored twice in the ninth inning with the help of an error and defeated the New York Mets 4-2 in the nightcap for a doubleheader split.

After losing the opener 11-2, the Marlins were tied 2-2 entering the ninth inning of the second game and loaded the bases on two singles and an intentional walk.

Xavier Edwards scored the go-ahead run when third baseman Brett Baty flubbed a grounder by pinch-hitter Yuli Gurriel Jr. One out later, Bryan De La Cruz’s single made it 4-2.

Jon Berti and Jesus Sanchez homered in the second game for Miami, which is tied for the third wild card with the Cubs, who lost 6-5 in 10 innings to Atlanta.

New York’s Francisco Lindor had three home runs and six RBIs in the doubleheader.

The Philadelphia Phillies clinched a return trip to the postseason in thrilling style, as rookie Johan Rojas delivered an RBI single in the 10th inning for a walk-off 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.

The defending National League champion Phillies lost the World Series to the Houston Astros last season and now will have a chance to take it one step further.

After Jeff Hoffman worked a scoreless top of the 10th, Rojas’ single up the middle off David Bednar easily scored pinch-runner Cristian Pache and sent the crowd of more than 30,000 fans into a frenzy.

The Phillies celebrated their first clinch of a postseason spot at Citizens Bank Park since Sept. 18, 2011, when they won their fifth straight NL East title.

Brandon Marsh homered for Philadelphia, which is poised to earn the No. 1 wild card and host all games next week in the second year of the wild-card series.

Bryce Harper’s sacrifice fly in the sixth gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead but Bryan Reynolds homered in the seventh and Henry Davis took Craig Kimbrel deep in the eighth to forge a 2-2 tie.

Aaron Nola limited the Pirates to one run and four hits over 6 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts.

Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller took a no-hitter into the sixth before Marsh’s 11th home run opened the scoring.

 

Suzuki commits costly error, Cubs blow 6-run lead in loss

Seiya Suzuki dropped a fly ball in the eighth inning to allow the tying and go-ahead runs to score as the Chicago Cubs squandered a six-run lead in a disheartening 7-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

The loss gave Milwaukee the NL Central title and dropped the Cubs a game behind Arizona for the second of three NL wild cards.

Chicago is one-half game ahead of fourth-place Miami, which was rained out at the Mets.

Ronald Acuna Jr hit his 41st home run – a two-run shot - in the seventh to pull Atlanta within 6-5 after the Braves scored three in the sixth on Kevin Pillar’s homer, Matt Olson’s RBI single and Marcell Ozuna’s double.

Pilllar’s drive made the Braves the third team in major league history (2019 Twins, 2019 Yankees) with 300 home runs in a season.

 

Kirby stifles Astros in Mariners’ win

George Kirby pitched six scoreless innings and the Seattle Mariners took advantage of three Houston errors to snap a four-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Astros.

Kirby allowed five hits with one walk and four strikeouts to win his second straight start.

Cal Raleigh had two hits and one RBI and Ty France homered to help Seattle pull within one-half game of Houston in the race for the final AL wild card.

Jose Altuve had three hits for the Astros, who tied a season high with three errors and dropped to 9-14 this month.

 

 

 

Hall of Fame third baseman and Baltimore Orioles icon Brooks Robinson has died, the team announced in a statement Tuesday. He was 86 years old.

The smooth-fielding third baseman was so iconic to the Baltimore franchise that he was nicknamed “Mr. Oriole.”

An 18-time All-Star selection, Robinson won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves, the most ever by a position player, and was voted the AL’s Most Valuable Player in 1964. He was named the World Series MVP in 1970 after the Orioles defeated the “Big Red Machine” Cincinnati Reds.

The Robinson family and Orioles released a joint statement reading, “We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson. An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball.”

An 18-year-old Robinson made his MLB debut for the Orioles in 1955 but continued to spend some of his time in the minor leagues until July 1959. He won his first Gold Glove in 1960.

Robinson played his entire career in Baltimore until 1977, when he retired mid-season after hitting .149 in 24 games. The Orioles retired his iconic No. 5 jersey later that year.

On Sept. 29, 2012, the Orioles unveiled a statue of Robinson outside of Camden Yards.

“Brooks Robinson truly was Mr. Oriole,” the club said in a statement. “He played the game for 23 years with a childlike spirit, earning MVP awards in the American League, All-Star Game and World Series. Third basemen from all levels of the game will forever look to Brooks for inspiration.

“Off the field, there was not a kinder, more giving person who embraced the Baltimore community and gave his time and energy to support causes large and small. He embodied everything great not only about the Orioles, but the game of baseball and the city of Baltimore.

“The Orioles were blessed to have Brooks as a player and broadcaster for 39 years and, for the past five years, as a Special Advisor and Community Liaison.”

Robinson’s case as a Hall of Fame player was cemented in the 1970 World Series, during which he dazzled spectators and his Cincinnati opponents alike with remarkable defensive plays and delivered timely hits as the Orioles avenged their loss in the 1969 Series to the Mets.

“I’m beginning to see Brooks in my sleep,” Reds manager Sparky Anderson said during the Series. “If I dropped this paper plate, he’d pick it up on one hop and throw me out at first.”

Anderson later added, “He can throw his glove out there, and it will start 10 double plays by itself.”

Robinson crucially hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning of Game 1 and finished the 1970 Series batting .429 with two home runs, two doubles and six RBIs, making him an obvious choice for World Series MVP.

Robinson played in four World Series and helped the Orioles win two of the franchise’s three championships.

He accumulated 2,848 hits in his 23-year career while batting .267, adding 268 home runs and 1,357 RBIs.

Robinson was at his best when the stakes were highest, batting .303 in 39 career playoff games.

After hearing of Robinson’s passing, the baseball community was effusive in its praise of an all-time great.

“Today is an incredibly sad day for Baltimore and baseball fans everywhere,” fellow O’s Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. said on social media. “Brooks was Mr. Oriole. He was beloved and rightfully so. His historical career on the field pales to the impact he's made on so many of us.”

Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer, who was Robinson’s teammate for 13 years, commented on MASN before the Orioles’ game on Tuesday. “I think as a young player you make a decision early in your life – who do I want to emulate? Who do I want to be like? Brooks was that guy.”

Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr. was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on May 18, 1937. He is survived by his wife Constance, their children Brooks David, Christopher, Michael and Diana, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

 

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