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NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson has a partially torn ligament in his left hand and it’s unclear if he will be available in the postseason for the NL East champions.Swanson traveled from New York to Atlanta on Wednesday to get his wrist and hand examined by team doctors. He will undergo treatment while missing the rest of the regular season http://www.rockiesfanproshop.com/authentic-antonio-senzatela-jersey , which ends Sunday.The Braves said Swanson will be re-evaluated next week before they open the best-of-five NL Division Series on Oct. 4.Swanson exited Tuesday night’s 7-3 win over the New York Mets for tests.“He swung the bat and something didn’t feel right,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “Which is why he’d alarmed me a little bit. He’d been feeling fine, hadn’t been complaining about it.”“A lot of times the player gets checked out and is reassured it’s nothing really bad,” Snitker said. “That relieves a lot of their worries also. But it’s your hand. That’s a big deal in this game. We’ll just have to wait and see.”Swanson was on the disabled list in May and missed 13 games with left wrist inflammation.The 24-year-old Swanson is batting .238 with 14 home runs and 59 RBIs in 136 games this season. He is considered a candidate to be a Gold Glove finalist.Swanson was mired in an 8-for-53 (.171) slump over his last 17 games since Sept. 5.Utilityman Charlie Culberson replaced Swanson on Tuesday and started at shortstop Wednesday against the Mets.Swanson left New York on Wednesday morning, but his departure was delayed because of congestion near Atlanta’s Manhattan hotel due to the United Nations General Assembly.Swanson was the overall No. 1 draft pick by Arizona in 2015. CHICAGO (AP) — Trevor Bauer was sailing along in another dominant start right until he got struck in the right ankle by a line drive.Another bruising blow couldn’t derail the Cleveland Indians.Bauer pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning and Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs to lift the Indians to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.Bauer (12-6) won his fourth straight start. He gave up one run and struck out eight before Jose Abreu’s leadoff liner hit him in the seventh.The ball appeared headed toward the upper portion of his leg before sinking a bit and striking the ankle with his foot in the air. It ricocheted toward first baseman Yonder Alonso, who stepped on the bag for the out.Bauer was slow to rise to his feet and walked around gingerly as manager Terry Francona and an assistant trainer came out to check on him. The Indians brought in Brad Hand Chris Rusin Jersey , ending another dominant start. Bauer is 5-0 with a 1.72 ERA in his past eight outings.The Indians think he just has a bruise, though he did undergo precautionary X-rays after the game.“He got hit pretty hard, but then again just to cover everything, we’ll get an x-ray,” Francona said.Losing Bauer for an extended time obviously would be a big blow for a team that has been banged up. The Indians are also putting slugger Edwin Encarnacion on the disabled list because of swelling in his left biceps, Francona said.“We’ve got nothing but prayers and hopes that everyone will be back soon http://www.rockiesfanproshop.com/authentic-wade-davis-jersey ,” Brantley said. “But at the same time we’ve got to step up as a unit, as a team, go out there and still get our jobs done to the best of our abilities.”GOING DEEPThe game was tied at 1 before Brantley and Ramirez hit consecutive homers against James Shields in the sixth. Brantley also singled and doubled.Cody Allen worked the ninth for his 22nd save in 25 chances. He gave up a leadoff single to Yolmer Sanchez but struck out Avisail Garcia to end the game after Daniel Palka — who homered in the ninth in Friday’s 1-0 victory — flied to deep center.Shields (4-14) allowed two earned runs and seven hits in seven innings. Yoan Moncada homered in the third , but the White Sox committed three errors.“Yeah, it’s been a frustrating season, no doubt about it Jon Gray Jersey ,” Shields said. “I’m just going to go out there and try and throw some quality starts and go as deep as I can in the game and give us a chance to win. Flip side, Bauer has been pitching very well this year, he’s a tough one to beat. You can’t really give up two home runs in one inning and expect to win the ballgame like that.”TRAINER’S ROOMIndians: Francona said the swelling in Encarnacion’s bicep is “not bad at all,” and X-rays on his right hand “came back actually really good, really clean.” Encarnacion has struggled since being hit on the right hand by Yankees reliever Chad Green before the All-Star break. He has often been swinging with one hand, putting more stress on his upper arms. … RHP Corey Kluber left the ballpark feeling ill prior to the game Adam Ottavino Jersey , though Francona said he should be ready to make his scheduled start against Cincinnati on Tuesday.White Sox: Manager Rick Renteria said OF Leury Garcia (strained left hamstring) continues to ramp up his activity, though the White Sox are “probably three or four days away” from deciding if he will go on a minor league rehab assignment. Garcia was injured on Sunday at Tampa Bay.UP NEXTIndians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (13-6, 3.69 ERA) looks to bounce back from a loss to Minnesota on Tuesday. He was 5-0 in his previous six starts.White Sox: RHP Dylan Covey (4-8, 5.58 ERA) — 1-7 with an 8.24 ERA in his past nine starts — tries to break his slump. He was charged with four runs in 4 1/3 innings in loss to the New York Yankees on Monday.

Pool/Getty ImagesSplashy free-agent signings make headlines http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-greg-maddux-jersey , and this offseason will be no different with Bryce Harper and Manny Machado likely to dominate the rumor mill until they ink a new deal.However, an under-the-radar signing can sometimes be as fruitful as a headline-grabbing addition.No one batted an eye when the Los Angeles Dodgers signed a non-tendered utility infielder by the name of Justin Turner to a minor league contract prior to the 2014 season. Now, he's one of the best hitters in baseball and a key cog for the NL champs.Ahead is a quick look at some of the latest notable rumors surrounding some of the underrated options on this year's free-agent market.Nick Hundley to re-sign with the San Francisco Giants?Lachlan Cunningham/Getty ImagesVeteran catcher Nick Hundley has made quite an impression on the San Francisco Giants in his two seasons with the team."Hundley is one of the most popular players in the clubhouse and some in the organization think he鈥檒l one day be a strong candidate to manage the Giants," wrote Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area.That's high praise for a backup catcher, though Hundley has seen more action than most second-string backstops during his time with the Giants:2017:101 G, 303 PA, .244/.272/.418, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 0.5 WAR2018:96 G, 305 PA, .241/.298/.408, 10 HR, 31 RBI, 0.0 WARBuster Posey underwent hip surgeryat the end of August, and while rookie Aramis Garcia showed some potential in September, it's a stretch to think he's ready for the starting gig with just 19 big league games under his belt.With that in mind, Pavlovic provided this sweeping overview of the team's catching situation:"The Giants hope their franchise catcher is 100 percent by Opening Day Carlos Zambrano Jersey , but there are no guarantees, and the safe plan would be to have Hundley ready as the backup, with Garcia set to play every day in Triple-A, or serve as Hundley's backup early in the season. Long term, the Giants have Garcia ready and Joey Bart looking like he might be up as soon as next September, but for 2019, it seems a pretty good bet that Hundley is back on another one-year deal."It only cost a one-year, $2.5 million deal to bring him back last winter, and a similar contract should get the job done again this winter.Tampa Bay Rays now the favorite to sign Sandy Gaston?With the Miami Marlins officially signing Victor Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa Jr. to a combined $6.25 million worth of bonus money, it appears they're now out on fellow Cuban standout Sandy Gaston.Gaston, 16, was the No. 16 international prospect in this year's class, according to MLB.com, who wrote the following:"Gaston is an especially hard thrower. His fastball has been clocked as 97 mph and it's not uncommon for him to sit at 94-95. That type of velocity is rare in any market and not surprisingly, some scouts wonder if he will be able to command the high velocity on a consistent basis. But his skill is extraordinary, and Gaston is the type of pitcher any club would like to put it in its system"Who then has emerged as the favorite to sign the hard-throwing teenager?At least one MLB insider likes the Tampa Bay Rays.Joe Frisaro JoeFrisaroMy sense is Sandy Gaston will wind up with the #RaysThe Rays are said to have roughly $3.6 million in remaining bonus money, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. That was third to the Orioles ($6.7 million) and Marlins at the time, and the Rays have much stronger ties to the international pipelines than an Orioles team that is just starting to wade into those waters.Tampa Bay already has a stacked farm system鈥攔anked No. 5 in B/R's final update of the season鈥攁nd Gaston would be another excellent addition.Wade Miley a candidate to be re-signed by the Milwaukee Brewers?Pool/Getty ImagesWade Miley began last offseason by having his $12 million club option declined by the Baltimore Orioles http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-mark-grace-jersey , as he was instead bought out for $500,000 and sent into free agency.After struggling to a 5.61 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in 157.1 innings in 2017, he was forced to settle for a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, and that proved to be one of the best bargains of the year.While the 31-year-old was slowed by injury in the first half鈥攈e made just two starts over the first three months of the season鈥攈e returned full bore on July 12 and went 4-2 with a 2.66 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 14 starts to close out the season.His success stemmed in part from the Brewers' unique pitching philosophy, as he was rarely asked to face opposing lineups for a third time and averaged just 5.1 innings per start during that span.Now, he looks like a candidate to be re-signed."[The]Brewers may seek to re-sign him, or he鈥檒l end up with a National League team," wrote Nick Cafardo of theBoston Globe.More than anything, he fits the Brewers roster well, so a bidding war on the open market seems unlikely. It may not cost much more than the $2.5 million he wound up making this season to bring him back, and he may welcome a chance to return to a comfortable situation where he's enjoyed success and has a chance to win.All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted. ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mark Trumbo could have looked around the diamond at his Orioles teammates and wondered, “Who are these guys?”With veterans Adam Jones and Chris Davis out of the starting lineup, Trumbo alone represented experience on a young, struggling team.The slugger homered twice and drove in five runs, and Baltimore beat the Texas Rangers 9-6 in a back-and-forth game Sunday to avoid a four-game sweep.“There’s a few of us guys that have been around a little longer than most,” Trumbo said. “The production comes and goes Javier Baez Jersey , but the mindset is the big thing, and I think these guys are doing a good job.”Entering the series, Trumbo hadn’t gone deep since July 9. He completed the four games 7 for 16 with three homers and nine RBIs as Baltimore totaled 21 runs.Austin Wynns and Jonathan Villar also homered for the Orioles.Trumbo singled home a run in the first inning. His two-run homer in the third put Baltimore ahead to stay at 6-5 against starter Drew Hutchison (1-2), who was making his Rangers debut.“Just pitch execution, poor command, too many balls up in the zone,” Hutchison said. “When you do things like that, those are the results that you’re going to have.”Both of Trumbo’s homers came with two strikes.“I’ve been getting to two strikes a lot lately and still getting some hits,” he said. “I hit a changeup (from Hutchison), and I put some good wood on it.”The teams had scored in every half-inning before that, with the lead changing hands in four of those.Trumbo left the game after his two-run homer against Matt Moore in the seventh.“(Trumbo) almost didn’t play today,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter. “His knee’s been a little sore. I noticed running around the bases on the second home run.”Another difference was Baltimore’s beleaguered bullpen, which allowed only one run and one hit in 7 1/3 innings.Tanner Scott (2-2), the second of six Orioles pitchers, shut out Texas for 2 1/3 innings, which tied his longest major league outing. He relieved starter Yefry Ramirez with the bases loaded and two outs in the second and struck out Ronald Guzman.Mychal Givens retired the final four batters for his second save.Jace Peterson led off the game with a single and scored on Trumbo’s single for a short-lived 1-0 lead.Ramirez retired the first two Rangers hitters but gave up a triple to Elvis Andrus. After two walks loaded the bases, Robinson Chirinos singled home two runs.The Orioles regained the lead at 4-2 in the second on a three-run homer by Wynns, the No. 9 batter.The Rangers scored three runs in the bottom half on Shin-Soo Choo’s sacrifice fly Kyle Schwarber Jersey , Andrus’ groundout and a broken-bat single by Joey Gallo for a 5-4 advantage.Gallo and Rougned Odor homered in each of the first three games of the series, but their streaks were stopped on Sunday.TRAINER’S ROOMOrioles: Davis didn’t play for a second straight game. Showalter said, “He’s banged up a little bit. We’re going to give him the benefit of another day and the off day Monday.” … Showalter said it’s likely that OF Craig Gentry, who has missed six weeks because of a fractured rib, will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday at Double-A Bowie. … INF Steve Wilkerson (strained left oblique), who hasn’t played since July 1, could go on a rehab assignment Thursday.UP AND DOWN AGAINTo make room for Hutchison on the roster, the Rangers optioned RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx to Triple-A Round Rock for the third time this season.JUST KEEP HITTINGAndrus extended his hitting streak to 16 games, equaling a career best. It’s also the longest current run in the majors.UP NEXTOrioles: Begin a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Alex Cobb (3-14, 5.83 ERA) will start against Rays newcomer Tyler Glasnow (1-2, 4.27).Rangers: LHP Martin Perez (2-4, 6.50) pitches Monday as Texas hosts Seattle and LHP Wade LeBlanc (6-2, 3.95) to begin a three-game series.

Dylan Buell/Getty ImagesTwo weeks after ESPN analyst Alex Rodriguez ripped Chicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish during a broadcast Hyun-Jin Ryu Jersey , he and Cubs manager Joe Maddon cleared the air."Alex and I had a really nice discussion," Maddon said before his team's Sunday night game against the Washington Nationals, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com."I felt good about it. Hopefully he felt equally the same.""We had a brief, very positive conversation," Rodriguez added.The controversy began on July 29, when the Cubs faced the St. Louis Cardinals onSunday Night Baseball. During the broadcast, Rodriguez claimed Darvishwas creating a rift in the clubhouse with his slow return from a triceps injury that has sidelined him since May."I totally disagree with that," Maddon said at the time, perMark Gonzalesof theChicago Tribune. "Everyone knows what's going on. We know there is an injury there. We support his recovery. Everybody in there knows and everyone in the coaches' room knows also, throughout the organization."Darvish's agent Jose Fernandez Jersey , Joel Wolfe, called Rodriguez's comments "classless" and said they "bordered on unprofessional," perPatrick Mooneyof The Athletic.Rodriguez didn't take back his comments, but he at least acknowledged the complaints from the Cubs' perspective."We don't always have to agree on everything," the 22-year MLB veteran said, "But I do have a lot of respect for Joe and the Cubs organization...and that hasn't changed." MILWAUKEE (AP) — It sounds, at first, like a long, drawn out “Booooo!”But look at the name on the scoreboard and it becomes apparent what fans at Miller Park are really chanting.“Mooooose!”Mike Moustakas has been a hit with fans and teammates with the Milwaukee Brewers since being acquired from the Kansas City Royals two-plus months ago. They appreciate his solid third base defense, and his left-handed power stroke was key in getting Milwaukee through the NL Division Series. In the clubhouse http://www.marlinsfanproshop.com/authentic-martin-prado-jersey , his focused demeanor and extensive postseason experience have made him a source of steadiness for a club playing in the postseason for the first time since 2011.“Amazing, amazing. He’s a great teammate,” said utility man Hernan Perez, who has a locker near Moustakas. “He’s been in this situation.”Moustakas and current Brewers center fielder Lorenzo Cain helped Kansas City reach the World Series twice, including their championship run in 2015. Moustakas is one step away from a Series return with Milwaukee. Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers is Friday night at Miller Park.Moustakas hit .364 in a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies in the NLDS with two RBIs. He had a game-ending, two-out RBI single in the 10th inning in Game 1 and an RBI single in eighth inning of Game 2 to help break open what had been a 1-0 game.A cool hand in tense moments. Exactly what Milwaukee had in mind for its midseason acquisition.“The more experience that you can gain, the better off you’re going to be,” Moustakas said before a team workout on Wednesday.Overall, Moustakas is hitting .234 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 34 games over eight postseason series.“But his experience, it’s important. It really is Andre Dawson Jersey ,” manager Craig Counsell said last week. “Making sure we don’t put the result ahead of the process in our at-bats, and I think Moose is doing a heck of a job of that.”His good friend Cain helped ease the transition to Milwaukee, but the Brewers also had to get creative to add Moustakas to the lineup, with Travis Shaw already on the team as the regular third baseman.Someone had to move.Shaw accepted a switch to second base, a new position and potentially awkward fit for the 230-pound slugger. The rationale was that the Brewers employ so many infield shifts, lining up at second wouldn’t be a hard transition. Moustakas also volunteered to move over.Shaw stuck at second and has played fairly well, allowing the Brewers to have three lefty bats in the lineup to go with MVP front-runner Christian Yelich.“It says volumes of the kind of player that he is and the kind of person he is,” Moustakas said about Shaw. “I think the unselfishness of him and this team is why I’m a good fit, because they let me come in here, play third. Just be myself and that’s huge.”The playoff run in Milwaukee winds down an eventful year for Moustakas that started with a disappointing offseason.After setting the Royals’ single-season home run record with 38 in 2017 Wei-Yin Chen Jersey , Moustakas filed for free agency. He rejected a $17.4 million qualifying offer in November.Moustakas never received the multiyear, mega-million dollar contract he and his agent Scott Boras had anticipated. The Royals signed Moustakas to a one-year, $6.5 million contract in March with a mutual option for 2019.“It’s definitely been an interesting year, but I’m very happy with the way everything turned out,” Moustakas said last week. “I was able to sign back with Kansas City, I got traded here and now I’m in the postseason again. Everything happens for a reason. … I’m just really happy to be here.”NOTE: Counsell said Wednesday he had yet to decide on the makeup of the starting rotation or pitching staff against the Dodgers. The Brewers used a bullpen game in the Game 1 win over Colorado in the NLDS. “We have to think about this series differently and covering the number of innings we have to cover,” he said.

Greg Fiume/Getty ImagesThe Cleveland Indians http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-rusney-castillo-jersey , Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants are reportedly showing interest in Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones ahead of the July 31 MLB non-waiver trade deadline.On Thursday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the list of teams keeping tabs on Jones' availability and noted the veteran "likely will waive no-trade rights to a contender."Jones is the latest O's star to land in the rumor mill ahead of the deadline. Baltimore already traded shortstop Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers and closer Zach Britton to the New York Yankees in exchange for packages headlined by prospects.The 32-year-old slugger has put together a mediocre campaign at the plate in 2018. He's posted a .277/.303/.421 triple-slash line with 10 home runs through 97 appearances. It puts him on pace to fall short of 20 homers for the first season since 2010.Jones has spent the past decade with Baltimore after arriving in a 2008 trade with the Seattle Mariners. He's earned five All-Star Game selections, four Gold Glove Awards and a Silver Slugger Award with the organization.Moving the longtime face of the franchise would be a clear sign the Orioles are moving toward a complete rebuild after struggling to remain competitive in the AL East.Jones comes with a high price tag鈥?17 million this season, per Spotrac鈥攂ut he's set to become a free agent at season's end, so it's a short-term, prorated financial investment for a contending club willing to give up a prospect or two for a likely rental acquisition.The Indians have the most pressing need in center field among the trio of interested teams.Cleveland ranks 29th in OPS from center fielders (.567) and has received just four homers from players occupying the position, perESPN.com.That said Chris Sale Jersey , the Tribe are third in runs scored this season, while Philly is 19th and San Francisco is 23rd, so all three teams are logical landing spots, albeit for different reasons. PHOENIX (AP) — Evan Longoria’s last hit was the biggest one — a tiebreaking homer in the eighth.Longoria’s solo shot in the eighth led the San Francisco Giants to a 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.He drilled Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley’s 2-2, 97 mile-per-hour fastball with one out into the outcropping of seats in left-center field. It was Longoria’s 12th home run of the season.“You just try to get the barrel on the ball. I thought it might go,” Longoria said. “The wall is pretty high out there so you have to hit it pretty high. I’m glad it just scraped over.”The Diamondbacks’ loss and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ win Sunday created a tie for first place atop the NL West between the two teams.Bradley (3-3) entered the game leading the NL in holds with 30. He had not allowed a run to the Giants in 12 straight games against them.“Archie just made a mistake to a really good hitter,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “I thought he threw the ball well outside of that.”Right-hander Ray Black (1-0) earned his first major league win with a scoreless seventh inning. The Diamondbacks loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth with two outs against Giants relievers Tony Watson and Sam Dyson Steven Wright Jersey , but Dyson got Ketel Marte to fly out to end the inning.Will Smith retired the Diamondbacks in order with two strikeouts in the ninth for his seventh save.“The pitching was there and we needed it,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.Giants All-Star catcher Buster Posey returned to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game for concussion testing. Posey played first base and reached base twice.Both starters lasted 5 1/3 innings in no-decision efforts. The Giants’ Derek Holland allowed two runs on three hits and struck out six with two walks. The Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray walked four and struck out eight, giving up two runs on seven hits.Steven Souza Jr.’s third home run of the season sailed into the left field seats and gave Arizona a 1-0 lead in the second inning. But the Giants tied the game in the third.Longoria, who had three hits on the day, beat the defensive shift with a two-out single to drive in Andrew McCutchen. He has reached base in eight of his last nine plate appearances.Marte bounced a single to right field to drive in Eduardo Escobar from second base for a 2-1 Diamondbacks lead in the fourth.The Giants had a chance for a big inning in the sixth. Longoria led off with a double and scored on Nick Hundley’s single, but Hundley was thrown out by left fielder David Peralta trying to reach second base on the hit. Austin Slater followed with a single and reached third base before the inning ended with Yoshihisa Hirano striking out Gorkys Hernandez.PREGAME ACCIDENTRay said he was thinking about a little boy he accidentally hit with an errant throw during pregame long toss. The boy, whom Ray believed to be 4 or 5 years old Tyler Thornburg Jersey , was fine and did not have to leave the stadium.“If he wouldn’t have been all right, I don’t know how I would have went out there and pitched today,” Ray said.Ray and catcher John Ryan Murphy spoke to the boy and the two players signed autographs for him. “Him staying there and watching the game, that was big for me from a mental standpoint,” Ray said.WINNING AWAYThe Giants finished a six-game road trip to San Diego and Arizona with a 4-2 record after earning a series split against the Diamondbacks. It’s their first winning road trip this season and the first since going 4-2 at Pittsburgh and Detroit last year from June 30 to July 6.“It has been a while for us,” Bochy said. “It’s good to have a little success on the road.”TRAINER’S ROOMGiants: Posey, who left Friday’s game in the third inning after he took a foul ball to his mask http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-jackie-bradley-jr-jersey , could catch in Monday’s game if he continues to feel OK, Bochy said.Diamondbacks: IF Deven Marrero (strained oblique) played nine innings of a rehab assignment game with Triple-A Reno Saturday and was scheduled to play again Sunday. … OF Jarrod Dyson (groin strain) is hitting and throwing, but not doing serious running yet.UP NEXTGiants: RHP Dereck Rodriguez (5-1) is scheduled to pitch the opener of a two-game series against the Houston Astros Monday in San Francisco.Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Godley (12-6) pitches the series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies Monday at Chase Field.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Chicago White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Tuesday and will miss the 2019 season.Kopech Marcus Stroman Jersey , the top pitching prospect in the organization, is expected to be ready for spring training in 2020. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.Kopech, 22, was 1-1 with a 5.02 ERA in four starts this season. He was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a torn elbow ligament Sept 8.“Michael understands intellectually what it’s going to require to come back,” manager Rick Renteria said. “We’re confident that he’ll be able to do that and become the kind of pitcher we know he can be.”Kopech was acquired in the trade that sent star pitcher Chris Sale to Boston following the 2016 season. He was drafted by Boston in the first round in 2014. Sean M. Haffey/Getty ImagesThe Los Angeles Dodgers probably won't return to the World Series if they again commit four errors and surrender a home run to an opposing pitcher in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series.Those improbable outcomes likely won't carry over into Saturday's showing. Yet they nearly overcame these obstacles, as the Milwaukee Brewers' revered bullpen barely salvaged a dramatic 6-5 victory Friday.For the second day in a row, each squad willcommence the game with a left-handed starter on the mound. Both of them kept the opposition scoreless in National League Division Series sightings.After horrid defense and a Brandon Woodruff homer undid Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers will turn to Hyun-Jin Ryu http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-devon-travis-jersey , an unheralded ace over the past two months. The Brewers will counter with Wade Miley, an innings-eater who has transformed his career by overhaulinghis pitch arsenal. Dodgers vs. Brewers: Game 2 ScheduleWhen: Saturday, Oct. 13 at 4:09 p.m. ETTV: FoxLive Stream: Fox Live TVTickets: StubHubSurging SouthpawsWade Miley will look to continue his career revival in the NLCS.Dylan Buell/Getty ImagesAt first glance, Ryuvs. Miley doesn't represent a superb pitching duel befitting the grand stage. After all, Chris Sale and Justin Verlander clash later in the evening.While Ryu can't match the pedigree of his superstar rotation teammate, the 31-year-old quietly registered a 1.97 ERA and career-high 27.5 strikeout percentage in 15 superb regular-season starts. He then opened the NLDS by scattering eight strikeouts and no walks over seven shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves:ESPN Stats amp; Info ESPNStatsInfoThis is Hyun-Jin Ryus 2nd career postseason start of 7 scoreless innings (2013 NLCS).The only other Dodgers to do it multiple times are Sandy Koufax, Jerry Reuss and Orel Hershiser. l9GV2AopwdDominating in a Game 1 nod received over Kershaw marks quite a turnaround for someone left off last year's postseason roster. Havingundergoneshoulder labrum surgery in 2015, he hadn't made a playoff appearance since 2014 despite the Dodgers' winning the NL West in each of the past six years.Following his latest gem http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-roy-halladay-jersey , Ryu has relinquished one run in his past four starts. He has also not given up more than three earned runs in a single turn this year, so the Dodgers can at least count on a competitive outing.He's somehow not even this matchup's most improbable Game 2 starter. Playing for his fifth team in as many years, Miley posted an ERA north of 5.00 in each of the past two seasons. That makes this season's 2.57 clip extra shocking when paired with a mediocre 50 strikeouts and 27 walks in 80.2 innings.A 37.1 hard-hit percentage and 4.66 skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) foreshadow a vengeful regression. Yet perhaps those predictive measures don't appreciate the journeyman's adjustments.Miley sidelined his fastball for a previously seldom-used cutter. The pitch's usage skyrocketed from 11.5 to 41.8 percent, and opponents are hitting .190/.258/.303 against the offering.Buoyed by his new weapon, Miley accomplished exactly what the Brewers needed in the NLDS by holding the Colorado Rockies scoreless for 4.2 innings at Coors Field. Their extraordinary bullpen yielded one hit the rest of the way.Brewers manager Craig Counsell will hope to execute the same plan on Saturday. He won't, however, have Josh Hader at his disposal after the shutdown reliever recorded nine outs over46 pitches鈥攁 longer appearance than starter Gio Gonzalez鈥攖o secure Game 1's victory:ESPN Stats amp; Info ESPNStatsInfoJosh Hader made it difficult on the Dodgers in Game 1.He induced 15 swings and misses, tied for his most in a game in 94 career outings (regular season amp;amp; postseason).Haders 15 swings and misses are 2 more than any other reliever in a postseason game in the last 10 seasons. qQxrzxaoyLBy using another starting southpaw Dalton Pompey Jersey , Counsell is daring Dodgers counterpart Dave Roberts toagain sit Max Muncy鈥攈ardly a necessary move since he managed an .891 OPS against fellow lefties鈥攁nd Yasiel Puig. Their weighted runs created plus (wRC+) dropped from 117 against righties to a slightly above-average 101 versus leftiesduring the season."There's going to be some kind of chess played this series, and that's part of the fun," Roberts said prior to Game 1, per The Ringer's Michael Baumann.Yet they have plenty of depth to deal with any adversary, especially after adding right-handed infielders Brian Dozier and David Freese during the summer.Travis Shaw is the only Milwaukee regular who's a major liability (66 wRC+) with a lefty on the mound, but Counsell replaced the out-of-position second baseman for Hernan Perez on Friday.Pick: Dodgers 5, Brewers 3The Dodgers can again field a nearly all-righty lineup鈥攚ith exception to Cody Bellinger鈥攖hat saves Muncy, Puig and Joc Pederson for big spots against Milwaukee's premier bullpen. With Woodruff and Hader almost certainly unavailable http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-roberto-osuna-jersey , Counsell may think twice before again turning to a righty so early.Yet Miley tallied the sixth-lowest strikeout percentage (14.8) of any starter with at least 80 innings pitched, so the Dodgers could force an early hook by jumping to a significant lead.Propelled by major league-caliber defense and a strong performance from Ryu, look for the Dodgers send the series back to Los Angeles even. It's impossible, however, to feel overly confident about any prediction in a series wherein a reliever who was batting from the left side took Kershaw deep.All advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels got good news ahead of the second half of the 2018 MLB season.The team announced on Thursday that Ohtani has been cleared to resume pitching activities after being re-evaluated:Angels AngelsMEDICAL UPDATE on Shohei Ohtani: mHQPcVzYNHThe two-way phenom had been limited to just hitting since being placed on the disabled list back in early June after being diagnosed with aGrade 2 UCL sprain. Theinjury threatened to keep him off the mound for the rest of this season鈥攁nd possibly until 2020.Ohtani has hit .333/.458/.792 with one home run Albert Almora Jr Jersey , two doubles and two RBI in 11 appearances since being activated after missing nearly a month of action. He is hitting .283 with seven home runs, 10 doubles and 22 RBI overall at the plate this season.As solid as he has been at designated hitter, though, Los Angeles misses his arm in the rotation. He is 4-1 with a 3.10 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in nine starts Kyle Hendricks Jersey , striking out 61 batters in 49.1 innings this season.The right-hander has not pitched in a game since June 6.If Ohtani can indeed make his way back to the mound this season and avoid Tommy John surgery, it would be a major relief for the Angels. Not only does the organization have high hopes for him for the future, but it has also been hit hard by the injury bug this season. The rotation has already lost Garrett Richards, John Lamb and J.C. Ramirez to Tommy John surgery http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-mike-montgomery-jersey , with relieverKeynan Middleton also going under the knife.Southpaws Andrew Heaney andTyler Skaggs have both put together solid seasons, but with how injury-riddled the pitching staff has been this year, getting Ohtani back would provide a huge boost. After 12 seasons, Andre Ethier's career in Major League Baseball has come to an end.The Dodgers announcedthey will honor Ethier with apregame retirement ceremony before their Aug. 3 game against the Houston Astros.The 36-year-old was barely able to play over the past two seasons because of injuries Ian Happ Jersey , only appearing in 38 games since 2016. He spent the bulk of the 2017 season on the disabled list with aherniated diskin his back.The Dodgers tried to move Ethier before the 2015 season, withJon Heyman, then of CBSSports.com, reporting Los Angeles was telling interested teams it would be willing to pay "about half" of the $56 million he was still owed.After no one chose to take Ethier Jose Quintana Jersey , he mainly served as a bench option when he was healthy enough to get on the field. The outfielder only appeared in 22 games during the 2017 season, hitting .235/.316/.441 with two homers in 34 at-bats.Last NovemberLos Angeles declined Ethier's option of $17.5 million for 2018, making him a free agent for the first time in his career.Ethier denied reports that he was considering retirement, but a market for his services never developed. The regular season began without him receiving a contract offer from any team.Despite the unceremonious end to Ethier's career http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-yu-darvish-jersey , he carved out an excellent run with the Dodgers from 2006 to 2017. He was a two-time All-Star, won a Gold Glove Award in 2011 and finished sixth in NL MVP voting in 2009 after hitting a career-high 31 homers and driving in 106 runs.

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:BLUE BIRTHDAYMike Trout is likely to sit out the Angels‘ game against Detroit because of a sore right wrist Ervin Santana Jersey , depriving Los Angeles‘ fans of what’s become an annual treat: Seeing Trout do incredible things on his birthday. Trout will turn 27 on Tuesday, and he has a history of throwing celebrations for himself. He has homered on his birthday four times in his first six full big-league seasons. He did it at the Big A last season, homering and also getting his 1,000th career hit. Trout received a cortisone injection on his wrist Monday, and the Angels are hopeful he can return to the lineup on the weekend. He missed his fifth straight game Monday.PITCHING PALSPittsburgh’s Jameson Taillon and Colorado’s Chad Bettis will pitch in a game featuring two starters bouncing back from testicular cancer. Bettis underwent surgery in November 2016 for testicular cancer and continued cancer treatments through that spring and into last season. So when Taillon had surgery to treat testicular cancer on May 8, 2017, he had an instant line of support. Taillon spoke a few times with Bettis during his treatment http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-miguel-sano-jersey , calling their exchanges “comforting.”“I just felt like if I needed anything or had a question, I was very comfortable going to ask him about any part of the process,” Taillon said.DOUBLE UPThe Braves and Nationals open a four-game series with a doubleheader. Atlanta is right on Philadelphia’s heals in the NL East race, while Washington is five games back of the Braves. Atlanta’s Max Fried (1-4, 3.38 ERA) faces Jefry Rodriguez (0-1, 6.86) in the opener, and Nationals ace Max Scherzer (15-5 Jason Castro Jersey , 2.33) opposes Sean Newcomb (10-5, 3.23) in the nightcap.HAPP HEALINGThe sputtering Yankees got some good news Monday when left-hander J.A. Happ moved a little closer to returning from hand, foot and mouth disease. Manager Aaron Boone said Happ is no longer contagious. Assuming everything goes well over the next couple of days, Happ is on track to start Thursday against Texas in the opener of an 11-game homestand. “He’s out of the woods, virus-wise,” Boone said.FAR FROM CY YEARSStruggling former AL Cy Young Award winners Bartolo Colon and Felix Hernandez will be on the mound when the Rangers host the Mariners in the middle game of their three-game series. The last victory for both hefty right-handers came on June 30. Colon (5-10, 5.18 ERA) http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-phil-hughes-jersey , the 45-year-old hurler who was the 2005 Cy Young winner while with the Angels, has lost five consecutive starts for Texas since his 246th career win that matched Dennis Martinez for the most by a player born in Latin America. The 32-year-old Hernandez (8-9, 5.49), who won the Cy Young with the Mariners in 2010, is 0-3 with a 7.64 ERA his last four starts.ROBINSON GETTING READYRobinson Cano has begun his minor league rehab assignment ahead of his return from an 80-game suspension for violating baseball’s joint drug agreement. Cano played Monday for Triple-A Tacoma and is scheduled to play there again Tuesday. After that, he may play some games for Class A Everett later in the week. Cano is eligible to rejoin Seattle on Aug. 14. When he does, he’s expected to play first Jose Berrios Jersey , second and third base. Jamie Sabau/Getty ImagesCincinnati Reds pitcher Matt Harvey has already been traded once this season and could be on the move again given the latest report.According to Robert Murray of The Athletic, an unknown team claimed Harvey on revocable waivers, which opens up the possibility Cincinnati could trade him even though the non-waiver trade deadline has passed.Andrew Simon of MLB.com provided a rundown of what can happen after a player is claimed on waivers:"Once a player is claimed, his team faces three options. It can pull the player back and keep him, negotiate a trade with the claiming team or let the player go. In the last scenario, the claiming team takes full responsibility for the player's remaining salary. If the two sides decide to work out a trade, they have two days to do so."The New York Mets traded Harvey to the Reds in May in exchange for catcher Devin Mesoraco after the right-handed pitcher posted an ugly 7.00 ERA in eight appearances in New York this season.However http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-erick-aybar-jersey , he has shown improvement for the Reds and has a 4.28 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 17 starts, making him a more valuable trade piece. It makes sense for Cincinnati to move him since it is in last place and could acquire a young asset to bolster its rebuild in a deal before Harvey potentially leaves in free agency this offseason.While there was a time when Harvey was one of the best pitchers in baseball, he posted a 4.86 ERA in 2016 and 6.70 ERA in 2017 before this up-and-down year. The Mets also shut him down in 2016 to undergo surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.Still, he is just 29 years old, was a 2013 All-Star and won the 2015 National League Comeback Player of the Year Award while helping lead the Mets to the World Series. He is a low-risk option for potential contenders at this point and likely wouldn't command a significant return package in a trade.Harvey has October experience and has proved himself in the past, and at least one unknown team took a step toward landing him for the stretch run.

NEW YORK (AP) — Mariano Rivera http://www.nationalsfanproshop.com/authentic-shawn-kelley-jersey , Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada returned to the Bronx on Saturday for the New York Yankees‘ celebration of their 1998 World Series championship team.Darryl Strawberry and former manager Joe Torre also attended the ceremony before New York’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Derek Jeter did not make the trip because of his daughter Bella’s first birthday, but sent a video message for the fans.Jeter, a one-time fixture at Yankee Stadium ceremonies, hasn’t made a public appearance at his longtime home since becoming the chief executive officer of the Miami Marlins.The 1998 Yankees finished with a then-AL record 114 wins and added 11 more in the postseason to set a major league record with 125 victories. New York swept San Diego to win the World Series.The 1906 Chicago Cubs hold the National League record with 116 wins, but they lost to the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. The Seattle Mariners broke New York’s record just three seasons later, matching the Cubs’ total, but they were eliminated by the Yankees in the AL Championship Series in five games.Of the top 11 teams on baseball’s single-season wins list, Seattle is the only one to fall short of the World Series.The impressive 1998 season for the Yankees “wasn’t the big thing for me,” Rivera said. “The next 11 wins was the thing to wrap up everything. Seattle won 116, but they didn’t win the championship. The season is there but is erased.”So that is the challenge for Boston as it threatens the wins record this year. Members of the 1998 Yankees say it doesn’t mean very much without a title.“At the end of the day, if you don’t win, you don’t remember.” Posada said.The major league-leading Red Sox began the day with an 87-36 record. They need 30 wins over their last 39 games to break the record.“They’re a great team. They’ve been playing really well Trea Turner Jersey ,” said Torre, who managed the Yankees for 12 seasons, winning four championships. “But I tell you what, when you get to postseason, there is a whole lot of pressure on you. As proven by Seattle in ’01, you have to remind people that they did that because they didn’t go anywhere. They won the division, but they didn’t beat us.” NEW YORK (AP) — One of the few teams to have much success against Jacob deGrom all year has been the last-place Miami Marlins.Go figure.In his latest hard-luck loss during a record-setting season, deGrom was outpitched by Jose Urena as the Marlins beat the New York Mets 5-3 on Tuesday night.“These guys, they want to score for him so bad, you can see it,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “Unfortunately, we just haven’t done that very much.”Locked in a compelling race for the NL Cy Young Award despite his pedestrian record http://www.nationalsfanproshop.com/authentic-matt-wieters-jersey , deGrom (8-9) gave up only Lewis Brinson’s two-run double in seven stellar innings. The right-hander allowed three hits and struck out nine , his major league-low ERA climbing just a tick from 1.68 to 1.71.Even still, he fell to 0-2 in four starts against Miami (57-86), which has won three of those games.“You just have to scrap for your hits,” manager Don Mattingly said. “We just hang in there. I think the games we’ve been able to beat him, I think our starters have been good.”Urena (6-12) permitted one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Marlins, who were rained out the previous two days. He is 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his last four starts, and 3-0 with a 0.98 ERA in three career starts at Citi Field.After his outing was pushed back two days because of rain, deGrom held his opponent under four runs for the 26th straight start — breaking a big league single-season mark set by King Cole in 1910 with the Chicago Cubs.“I wasn’t as comfortable as I normally am. What was I at, eight days or so?” deGrom said. “To go that long without being on the mound, I felt a little off. But I was able to kind of correct myself as the game went on.”In a recurring theme, however Joe Blanton Jersey , the Mets didn’t provide much help. All they could muster at the plate was Michael Conforto’s solo homer off Urena and Kevin Plawecki’s two-run shot against Drew Steckenrider with two outs in the ninth.Conforto has homered in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.JT Riddle came off the bench and homered into the second deck in right field in his first at-bat for Miami since returning from a sore left wrist.“Those two rainouts really helped. Got me two extra days to rest,” he said. “It felt really good, especially being off a week now.”After missing five games, Riddle connected in the eighth against reliever Anthony Swarzak, who made his first major league appearance since Aug. 3. The right-hander was recently activated from the disabled list after missing time with shoulder inflammation.Miami got three straight hits off Robert Gsellman to start the ninth, including an RBI triple by Brian Anderson and Derek Dietrich’s run-scoring double.A resurgent Brinson doubled off the center-field fence with two outs in the fourth. After that, deGrom set down his final 10 batters and finished the night with 239 strikeouts, equaling the career high he set last season.“I think you kind of understand that you’re only going to have a couple opportunities off a guy like him,” Anderson said. “Usually it’s one or two a game. And he’s really good at shutting down those opportunities. I think with runners in scoring position, guys are hitting under .100 off of him. Having a guy like Lewis come in there and get that hit against him, and with two strikes, really helped our morale and really got us going there.”Mets third baseman Todd Frazier was ejected after the sixth by plate umpire Dan Bellino.MAKING STRIDESBrinson is batting .400 (12 for 30) with a homer Howie Kendrick Jersey , three doubles and six RBIs since coming off the disabled list Sept. 1. He has upped his season average to .206.TRAINER’S ROOMMarlins: RHP Dan Straily (strained left oblique) felt discomfort while throwing for the first time since leaving his last start. He could miss the rest of the season, Mattingly said.Mets: 3B David Wright took live batting practice on the field as the Mets’ captain tries to complete his comeback from a string of debilitating injuries.UP NEXTA single-admission doubleheader Wednesday to make up Monday’s rainout. RHP Trevor Richards (3-8, 4.73 ERA) and RHP Jeff Brigham (0-1, 9.00) are the scheduled Miami starters, with RHP Zack Wheeler (10-7, 3.39) and LHP Jason Vargas (5-9, 6.75) set to go for the Mets.

PHOENIX — For the second time in a month http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-babe-herman-jersey , Arizona right-hander Zack Godley did not appear comfortable fielding his position in a loss to Seattle on Friday, the one blip in what is shaping up as a career year.Godley made a wild throw past third base when Mariners center fielder Dee Gordon attempted a delayed steal of third, and enabling Gordon to score the first run of a four-run third inning in a 6-3 victory.Godley, who has a career-high 13 victories and is on target to set a handful of other personal records this season, threw past first base on a come-backer against Colorado last month and later that game opted not to attempt a pickoff throw when a runner broke for second.Article continues below ...It has caught the Diamondbacks‘ attention as the stretch drive begins.“These are a couple of situations that have popped up on him,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo acknowledged. “What happens now, this is a smart league.“Teams are going to start to lock in on what happened in Arizona here tonight and perhaps take another poke at it. We have to figure out a way to make that not happen. There are a lot of things we can do to help. If it is a limitation, and it is certainly pointing in that direction, or it could be, we can’t ignore it. We are going to figure out the best solution.”The Diamondbacks lost to Seattle 4-2 in 10 innings in the second game of the series between playoff contenders Saturday and fell into a tie with Colorado for first place in the NL West.They will send right-hander Zack Greinke (12-8, 3.06) to oppose Mariners right-hander Mike Leake (8-7, 3.90) in the rubber final game Sunday.The Mariners won their first series since sweeping four in Houston from Aug. 9-12 Mike Piazza Jersey , helped by another homer from Mitch Haniger, who has two in the series and a career-high 22 this season.“I think it is going to be a fight,” Haniger said of the AL West race. “We have a really good team here, and I think we are getting hot at the right time.”Greinke is 0-3 in his last four starts, breaking a seven-game winning streak, although the Diamondbacks offensive support has been complicit in the recent slump. Three of his last four starts were quality starts, but the offense scored only seven runs in those four when he was on the mound.Still, Greinke is one of three double-digit winners on the D-backs’ staff (only Colorado has as many) and ranks seventh in the league in ERA. He is fifth in the NL with 165 strikeouts and sixth with a 1.05 WHIP.“I know Patrick (Corbin) has had a great year as well, but Zack has been the main guy for all of us to jump on board with him,” Lovullo said. “It starts with fastball command. It starts with a game plan, attacking zones. Preparation. Any time he starts a game, we know we are in the game.”Greinke’s strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5.1:1 is third in the league behind Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. Greinke has made 16 quality starts http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-andre-ethier-jersey , tied for fifth in the league.Leake, who was courted by the Diamondbacks in the same offseason they signed Greinke to a six-year, $206.5 million contract, missed his last scheduled start because of an illness.He has not pitched since his best and perhaps most important outing to date, a no-decision in a 2-0, 12-inning victory at Oakland on Aug. 15 in which he gave up two hits and struck out six.“He’s been one of most consistent guys, going out there and doing his thing,” Servais said. “He does it a little bit different every time out. When he is right, he has a good sinker and the ball is on the ground the lot. He throws a ton of strikes.“We missed him with the illness. Not having him in there hurt, but glad to have him back. It’s been a really good season for him.”Leake, who helped nearby Arizona State to the College World Series in 2009, leads the AL with 164 hits allowed but his ERA is the lowest it has been since mid-April. He is 5-3 with a 4.96 ERA in 11 career starts against the Diamondbacks Chase Utley Jersey , one in each of the last two seasons while with St. Louis. Wednesday night was that rare game for the St. Louis Cardinals where things didn’t fall into place. Where they didn’t come up with the key strikeout or clutch hit that they’ve produced with frequency the last six weeks.And where they took another injury hit, in addition to an illness that chased MVP candidate Matt Carpenter off the field in the fourth inning.The Cardinals’ 2-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates also puts their streak of series victories on the line in Thursday night’s final game of the three-game set at Busch Stadium. Nine consecutive series wins have brought St. Louis (74-59) from mediocrity to the National League’s first wild-card spot.Article continues below ...But a wave of injuries has suddenly left the Cardinals scrambling just before they can expand their roster on Saturday. Before Wednesday night’s game, they disabled infielder Jedd Gyorko (groin), making him the third player in the last week to hit the 10-day DL.After Gyorko joined left fielder Marcell Ozuna (shoulder) and second baseman Kolten Wong (hamstring) on the shelf, Carpenter hurried off the field in the fourth inning. He tried to play through what manager Mike Shildt termed a 24-hour bug, only to vomit near first base.“Looks like Carp will be just fine,” Shildt said. “He was trying to power through it.”It was that type of night for St. Louis, which missed on a golden opportunity to punish Trevor Williams in the first inning when it got runners to second and third with no outs and couldn’t even manage a run. Williams went on to fire six shutout innings for his 11th win of the year, extending a dominant stretch which has seen him allow just four runs in his last 48 innings over eight starts.“We had an opportunity in the first to make a mark and didn’t get on the board,” Shildt said. “Guys kept taking tough at-bats, but we came up short.”The Cardinals will try to capture another series behind right-hander John Gant (5-5, 3.56 ERA) Kirk Gibson Jersey , who has pitched the best baseball of his career over his last four starts. In that span Gant has ceded only five runs in his last 22 2/3 innings, and he tied a career high Saturday by lasting seven innings in Colorado while permitting only one run.Gant’s last poor start took place on Aug. 3 in Pittsburgh, when he was pounded for six runs on eight hits over four innings in a no-decision. Gant is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in five career games, three of them starts, against the Pirates. In two starts against Pittsburgh this season, Gant is 0-1 with an 8.68 ERA.Pittsburgh (65-68) will try to play spoiler for the second straight game behind hard-throwing right-hander Joe Musgrove (5-7, 3.56), who is coming off a short start Friday night at Milwaukee. He gave up six hits and four runs in four innings of a 7-6, 15-inning loss, walking none and fanning four.Musgrove fired seven shutout innings against St. Louis on May 25 in his first start of the season, allowing just five hits and whiffing seven with no walks in an 8-1 victory. That was his only career appearance against the Cardinals.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — David Freese is hitting third for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Billy Williams Jersey , returning to a city where he enjoyed postseason success in 2011.Freese was the 2011 NLCS MVP after hitting .545 with three homers and nine RBIs for St. Louis in the Cardinals’ six-game series victory over the Brewers.The Dodgers acquired Freese this season in August from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He hit .385 in 19 games in the regular season with Los Angeles.The right-handed hitting Freese is in the lineup at first base against Brewers left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez. Lefty slugger Max Muncy, who leads the Dodgers with 35 homers, will come off the bench.Chris Taylor and Justin Turner hit ahead of Freese, who is followed by cleanup hitter Manny Machado, Matt Kemp and Kike Hernandez.Cody Bellinger, the only left-handed hitter in the lineup, is seventh. Switch-hitter Yasmani Grandal hits eight, followed by starter Clayton Kershaw.The Brewers are going with right handed-hitting Hernan Perez at second and shortstop Orlando Arcia at shortstop against the Dodgers’ ace left-hander. Lefty-swinging infielder Travis Shaw is on the bench.Lorenzo Cain leads off for Milwaukee, followed by MVP candidate Christian Yelich, one of two lefties in the lineup.They’re followed by Ryan Braun, Jesus Aguilar and Perez, while the left handed-hitting Mike Moustakas bats sixth. Manny Pina, Arcia and Gonzalez round out the lineup. Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard are two of MLB's biggest potential trade-deadline prizes, and they probably aren't going anywhere.The New York Mets right-handers are 30 and 25 years old, respectively. DeGrom is under club control through 2020; Syndergaard won't hit free agency until after the 2021 season at the soonest. DeGrom is in the midst of a Cy Young Award-caliber season http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-jon-lester-jersey , and Syndergaard, injury issues aside, owns one of baseball's most electric arms.The Mets are buried in last place in the National League East. But those are the type of assets you build around, not the kind you ship away.What if New York could loan out its co-aces, however, with the assurance they'd return to Queens after the season?It's nothing more than a thought exercise, obviously. League officials won't rewrite the trade rules in the middle of summer.There is a precedent, however. Professional soccer players in the English Premier League can be "loaned" out for limited periods before returning to their club of origin. Sometimes, they make a significant difference for their new squads.What if the same standard were applied to MLB?To give credit where it's due, NBC Sports' Christopher Crawford recently floated the notion:Christopher Crawford Crawford_MILBA thought:Lets say that MLB had a rule where a team could quot;borrowquot; an MLB player starting July 31. It would be like any other trade, only the player -- if hes under contract -- returns to the team in November.What would a player like Mike Trout get in that situation?That's a fascinating hypothetical. What wouldan offense-hungry contender pay for a few months of Mike Trout's services? At least one top-level prospect, probably, plus ancillary pieces.The Los Angeles Dodgers surrendered power-hitting prospect Yusniel Diaz to the Baltimore Orioles to rent Manny Machado in June. Diazbecame the Orioles' No. 2 prospect, perMLB.com, and the O's also nettedbat-missing right-hander Dean Kremer and third baseman Rylan Bannon Fergie Jenkins Jersey , who'd hit 20 homers at High-A, as well as right-hander Zach Pop and infielder Breyvic Valera.Renting out Trout would help the Los Angeles Angels to rebuild their farm system and set them up for future contention. And it would put the game's best player in a position to perform on the postseason stage, where he's logged a scant 15 plate appearances in seven-plus big league seasons.Picture Trout temporarily in the middle of the Chicago Cubs' or New York Yankees' lineups. Are you not intrigued?Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesThe same could be said for any number of star players who are toiling for teams on the fringe of or essentially eliminated from contention: the Miami Marlins' J.T. Realmuto, the San Francisco Giants' Madison Bumgarner, the Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto. They'd tip the balance of power wherever they landed while adding exponential excitement to October.This proposal will engender hired-gun cynicism. It's the antithesis of loyalty. If your loyalty lies with the guy donning the laundry of your choice above all else, surely you're fuming.But as MLB wrestles with declining attendance and waning enthusiasm, it needs to get creative. It needs to find ways to put the best players in the spotlight and crank up the drama.Plus, free agency has already decimated the concept of franchise fealty. Whatever lip service they pay to the fans and cities they temporarily call home, most players follow the money. As they should.Let's cast aside the charade, then, and admit it's about entertainment. Many in the NBA have embraced the superteam, where contenders load up on superstars intent on winning a title. Why shouldn't baseball follow suit?"I'd give up everything I have, all of the individual awards I've ever won, for a World Series," Trout said in June http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-greg-maddux-jersey , per USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "It would be so sick to win the World Series, ride around with that trophy, and see everyone so happy. That's something you dream about."Jae C. Hong/Associated PressUnfortunately for Trout, the Angels entered play Sunday 13 games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West and eight games off the wild-card pace. The odds that he'll realize his dream with the Halos in 2018 hover somewhere in the vicinity of zero.Would it be as sweet if he did it in another uniform? That's an open question. But it would be sweeter than watching the postseason from his couch.Trout, deGrom, Syndergaard et al. will likely remain with their current clubs in 2018. If you root for the Angels and Mets, then you're probably happy about that.If you're a fan of the game, on the other hand, it's an unfortunate reality鈥攚ith a possible, if drastic, fix.