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The Red Sox return to the playoffs for the first time since 2021

This is it.

For the first time since the 2021 season and only the second time since the 2018 World Series, the Boston Red Sox are finally back in the playoffs.

Yesterday, the Red Sox had to either win or make sure the Astros lost to qualify for the playoffs. They didn’t wait to see what Houston would do, though: they just won against Detroit, at home.

Ceddanne Rafaela hit a game-winning home run to qualify his club. Must be a crazy feeling.

This means that now, four teams are officially qualified in the American: the Blue Jays, the Yankees, the Red Sox and the Mariners. We’re talking about three clubs from the East… and none from the Central.

Here are the standings, as of this morning.

MLB

The Mariners lost, which means they’re guaranteed a worse record than the Blue Jays and Yankees. So no matter who wins the East, Seattle is sure to finish second in the American League.

It’s set in stone: in a week’s time, they’ll face the winner of the wild card series between positions 3 and 6.

The Blue Jays and Yankees both won yesterday. The tie still stands, with two games to play, between the division rivals. The Blue Jays have the tiebreaker, meaning the Yankees must win one more game than the Blue Jays to finish atop the division.

If the Blue Jays (Rays) win today and the Yankees (Orioles) lose, the division title will belong to the Blue Jays.

The club that loses the East Division is guaranteed to finish fourth and face either the Tigers or Red Sox in the Wild Card Series. Odds are good it’ll be the Red Sox… and the winner will face the East Division champion in the division series. That would be a good show.

For the Red Sox to finish sixth instead of fifth, the Guardians and Tigers (who face the Red Sox this weekend) must win their next two games. That way, Detroit would catch Boston in the standings, but without winning the division.

Because no, the division title in the Central is not up for grabs. In fact, Cleveland and Detroit haven’t even qualified yet.

The Guardians could win the division title today by beating Texas and seeing the Tigers escape Boston, but nothing is official. The Cleveland club has the edge in the tie-breaker.

What about the Astros? By losing yesterday to the… Angels, they shot themselves in the foot. They have to finish the season 2-0 and hope that a club like Cleveland or Detroit finishes 0-2 in order to sneak into the playoffs as the sixth team.

Their long streak of eight consecutive years of qualifying is more in jeopardy than ever. A single loss (or a win for the Guardians and Tigers) would eliminate them. But who’s going to cry for them?

PMLB
  • 476th save for Kenley Jansen.

  • Two circuits for Mike Trout yesterday.

  • Aaron Judge is the MVP, according to his manager.

  • 30th stolen goal for Josh Naylor this season.

  • Javier Baez has to stand up.

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MLB in brief: Trea Turner on the right track | Kyle Tucker back in the game

Trea Turner on the right track

He should be able to play next Saturday.

The importance of Jose Ramirez

He’s changing everything in Cleveland.

Bob Melvin on his way out?

How beloved is he in the locker room?

Kyle Tucker is back

This is going to feel good.

Yankees in “win now” mode

Will they win the division title?

The impact of the dial

This season, there have been three nine-inning games longer than 3:30.

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Alek Manoah called for waivers by the Braves (and Alex Anthopoulos)

This week, the Blue Jays activated Anthony Santander. The slugger, who was on the 60-day injured list, needed a spot on the 40-man roster.

So the Jays had to get someone out… and in the end, to everyone’s surprise, it was Alek Manoah who got the axe: he was designated for assignment.

The former Cy Young finalist, who has been on a downward spiral over the last few years, was put on waivers. And we wondered if any team would claim him…

And in the end, that’s what happened: the Atlanta Braves acquired him.

Alex Anthopoulos, who picked up a lot of pitchers in this year’s waivers, picked up one in his old backyard.

https://twitter.com/Braves/status/1971646027901149430

To make room for Manoah, Ozzie Albies was placed on the 60-day injured list. His season was already over, anyway: the club loses absolutely nothing.

Remember that Manoah is still eligible for salary arbitration this winter, so he won’t cost the Braves too much. The club needs depth on the mound, and they obviously want to see if Manoah can be part of the solution.

He’ll have a normal practice winter this time, which could help. But on the other hand, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen him dominate in the Majors.

In addition to Manoah, another former Blue Jays has found work in the Nationals East: Orelvis Martinez has signed a minor league contract in Washington.

Remember that the Jays had let him go to activate Manoah… who was submitted to the waivers just a few days later.

https://twitter.com/andrewcgolden/status/1971616117283287329

So we’ll see if the two guys, who have long been seen as big pieces of Toronto’s future, can revive their careers in the Nationals.

But in any case, their Toronto adventure is officially over.

PMLB
  • Jose Berrios: it would take a long playoff run to see him again.

  • Bo Bichette: running is still a challenge.

  • Roman Anthony makes progress.

  • 30/30 season for PCA.

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Nolan Arenado is more open than ever to leaving St. Louis

For a little under a year now, we’ve been hearing about the possibility of Nolan Arenado being sent away from St. Louis.

The Red Birds almost reached an agreement with the Houston Astros, but Arenado himself vetoed the deal, despite the fact that the Texas outfit was on the list of teams the third baseman wanted to play for.

Arenado had given the Cardinals a list of five teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Astros, and he seems to have stuck to the list ever since.

But things could change this winter. According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, Arenado is open to expanding this list.

I think I have to be open. It’s something I’ll discuss with my agent and my family. I think the discussion I’ll have with my agent is that the list will be different. Still, it hurts to know that he probably won’t get another chance with this organization.

Arenado’s willingness to expand his horizons will certainly help the Cards finally complete a trade, but the Cards’ owners will certainly have to reconsider their position on Arenado’s contract.

To give John Mozeliak’s successor as the team’s president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom, the best chance of closing a deal, the ownership group will have to be willing to pay a lot more of the remaining portion of Arenado’s contract, which is around $40 million over the next two years.

It remains to be seen which Major League Baseball teams will be on Arenado’s shortlist. A matter to be followed closely in the coming months.

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Guardians and Tigers in the playoffs: Astros eliminated

It’s the end of a long sequence in MLB.

For the first time since 2016, Major League Baseball’s playoffs will begin without the Astros – and that’s going to make the Yankees happy. The Texas club saw the Tigers and Guardians win last night, effectively eliminating the Astros before their game was even over.

The Tigers won against the Red Sox and the Guardians won against the Rangers.

I don’t know if you saw, but the Guardians won yesterday via a hit-by-pitch. The bases were loaded and the winning run was scored that way. Nasty way to enter the playoffs.

So, the Guardians (who’ve been on the comeback trail lately) and the Tigers (who’ve fallen apart, but not to the point of missing the playoffs) are headed for the October dance. But who will win the Central Division?

It’s still up for grabs.

MLB

Both teams have an 87-74 record, but Cleveland has the edge in the tiebreaker. So for Detroit to win the division, it’ll take a Tigers win and a Guardians loss today.

Here are the possible scenarios for Cleveland and Detroit, who will face the Red Sox tomorrow.

  • Guardians win and Tigers win: Guardians 3rd, Tigers 5th and Red Sox 6th
  • Guardians win and Tigers lose: Guardians 3rd, Red Sox 5th and Tigers 6th
  • Guardians loss and Tigers loss: Guardians 3rd, Red Sox 5th and Tigers 6th
  • Guardians loss and Tigers win: Tigers 3rd, Red Sox 5th and Guardians 6th

Remember that the club finishing fifth will face the team between the Blue Jays and the Yankees in the Wild Card Series that doesn’t win the East Division. Barring a Yankees win and a Blue Jays loss today, the #4 club will be the Yankees.

The sixth-place club will face the Central Division champion, either Cleveland or Detroit.

Sportsnet

In reality, of the six teams qualified in the American, the only team that can’t move today is Seattle. The Mariners are guaranteed to finish in second place and avoid the wild card matches .

Have a good Sunday.

PMLB
  • Will Cal Raleigh hit a home run today?

  • Oliver Marmol doesn’t manage to please the fans. The Cards’ manager gave Michael Busch an intentional walk when he was a single away from a carousel.

  • Bruce Bochy will provide an update on his future shortly.

  • Trea Turner: back in action today.

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Trey Yesavage: Blue Jays and Yankees still have the same record

Fighting for 161 games to make the 162nd and final duel count: that’s the beauty of sport.

This morning, the Blue Jays and Yankees had the same record (92-68) with two games to go. The Blue Jays could be crowned Eastern champions by winning and watching the Yankees lose.

That said, the Yankees won (6-1 over Baltimore, thanks in no small part to Cam Schlittler) in the afternoon, which ensured that the Bombers would have the division title on Sunday.

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, also struck back with a 5-1 victory over the Rays. Trey Yesavage was good (five scoreless innings to pick up his first career win) and the depth players did their job, both at bat and in the bullpen.

In other words, it’s all to play for tomorrow. The club that wins the division will finish first in the American series, while the club that isn’t lucky enough to finish first in the East will host a wild card series against the Red Sox or Tigers as the #4 team in the American series.

There are four possible scenarios tomorrow, and only one would allow the Yankees to win the division. That’s because the Blue Jays, as you no doubt know, hold the tiebreaker against the Bombers.

  • Blue Jays win and Yankees win: Toronto wins the division
  • Blue Jays win and Yankees lose: Toronto wins division
  • Blue Jays lose and Yankees lose: Toronto wins division
  • Blue Jays lose and Yankees win: New York wins division

The Blue Jays haven’t won the East Division in 10 years. Will this be the year? We should have the answer in less than 24 hours, at this point.

Note that tomorrow, all 15 games will be played at 3pm.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Tigers, who beat the Red Sox, can no longer be outdone by the Astros. If Houston wants to make the playoffs, the club will have to be 2-0 and hope the Guardians are 0-2.

The result? Despite September’s tumble, the Tigers are officially in the playoffs and can save Tarik Skubal for Tuesday’s game. And the division title is still up for grabs.

PMLB
  • Cubs vs Padres: it’s going to be Chicago.

  • Big win for the Mets. Will the Reds win tonight?

  • Wow.

  • Jazz Chisholm Jr. injured, but nothing too serious.

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MLB in brief: Yankees win | George Springer’s impact

Yankee victory

So we won’t know until tomorrow who will win the American Eastern Division.

The greatest champion hitter of all time

It’ll be Aaron Judge, who stands 6’7… and it comes with a big strike zone.

Speaking of records: 50 home runs for a champion hitter, that doesn’t happen very often.

Brett Baty on the injured list

No surprise there.

George Springer’s impact

Without him, the Blue Jays aren’t as good.

Kyle Hendriks, back in 2026?

Who knows.

Willson Contreras open to leaving St. Louis

Will he release his no-trade clause?

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Cubs lose Cade Horton as playoffs loom

Tuesday is the official start of the MLB playoffs. Over the next 30 hours, the final picture will become clearer… because at the moment, there are still several unconfirmed elements.

However, one first-round duel has already been decided, as the Cubs and Padres face off in a 2-of-3 series over the next few days. The two teams are still battling it out to see who gets home field advantage, but we know they’re going to play each other.

That said, the Cubs got some very bad news today: the club will be deprived of a very big piece for this series.

We’re talking about Cade Horton, the club’s rookie starter who’s having quite a season.

The pitcher has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a fractured rib. As a result, he won’t be able to return until game #5 of a potential Division Series involving the Cubs.

It’s a particularly tough blow for the Cubs in light of the fact that Horton has really emerged as one of the best pitchers in the Majors since the All-Star break. His 1.03 ERA since then is the best in the majors.

There’s a reason he’s on track to be named National Rookie of the Year, you know.

The Cubs will therefore have to bet big on Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon for the first round. And if the club holds the fort, Horton could come on as a backup later in the playoffs.

Putting him on the injured list means he can’t come back for a while… but it also allows the club to bring in reinforcements to finish the regular schedule. If Horton won’t be back for another 15 days anyway, we might as well get an extra arm to try and give ourselves home advantage.

So it’s a blow to Chicago, and we’ll have to see if Horton gets a chance to come back in the playoffs. But for that to happen, he’ll need his teammates to step up in his absence.

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Blue Jays and Yankees: rookies on the mound for an important game

Today’s game is important for both the Blue Jays and the Yankees. The Rays and Orioles are in Canada and the Bronx, respectively.

The Blue Jays want to win to maintain their lead (both clubs have the same record, but the tiebreaker belongs to the Blue Jays) over the Yankees. They don’t want to lose so as not to give the Bombardiers the chance to control their destiny.

If the Blue Jays win today and the Yankees lose, the Blue Jays can decide to shorten Kevin Gausman’s outing tomorrow without too much remorse. Gausman will pitch tomorrow, but there’s no telling how much he’ll throw.

The Blue Jays and Yankees, logically, should be in “the Red Sox section” in the playoff picture. It could also be the Tigers, but chances are better it’ll be the Red Sox.

Think Toronto and New York, under the circumstances, don’t want the division title?

But in an attempt to win today, the fact remains that both clubs will be sending rookies to the mound. Trey Yesavage (Toronto) and Cam Schlittler (New York) will be in action.

MLB

I’m not saying this to disparage the two youngsters, who are excellent. I’m just saying that they’ll be under a lot of pressure – especially Schlittler, since the Yankees can’t afford to lose.

But he’s good, the little curse.

Yesavage will be making only his third start in the majors, and it would be nice to see the Blue Jays give him some offensive support. I’m looking your way, Vladimir Guerrero Jr…

Note that the Yankees will play at 1pm and the Blue Jays will be in action at 3pm. And unlike yesterday, the game won’t just be on Apple…

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Luke Weaver wants to be a starter next year

When the New York Yankees claimed Luke Weaver in the waivers at the end of the 2023 campaign, they used him as a starting pitcher.

Lucky Luke made several starts that season, impressing his bosses enough that he was back in the starting rotation the following year, before switching roles and finding himself in the relief bullpen and eventually becoming the team’s closer on their journey to the World Series in 2024.

And this winter, Weaver will probably be looking for a team that could give him back the starting role, as he will become a free agent at the end of the current campaign

Indeed, in an interview with Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman on their podcast “The Show” for the New York Post, Weaver mentioned the possibility, alluding to the journey of former teammate Clay Holmes.

The door is open. I’m never going to just say, “Absolutely not.” When the time comes, we’ll talk about it. Clay has done an excellent job this year in this transition. I’ve watched him from afar and I’m proud of him. I think it’s a really cool thing he’s done.

There are similarities between Holmes and Weaver in terms of their time with the Yankees. Both dominated for a while. Both took over from a hard-charging closer . And both had their share of troubles in their independent years.

In fact, since his return from the injured list, Weaver has posted an earned-run average of 5.80 in his last 35 innings and two-thirds of work. During this stretch, he has allowed eight home runs. He had conceded just ten in 2024.

However, the 32-year-old has seemed to be in better spirits in his last three outings after a nightmare appearance in which he allowed five earned runs in one-third of an inning on the mound, allowing no runs in his last three appearances and striking out three batters on strikes against one walk.

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