ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Manny Machado tried to awaken a slumbering San Diego offense by screaming at his teammates after connecting for a homer against Clayton Kershaw. While it almost worked, the Padres fell into a 2-0 deficit in their best-of-five National League Division Series when Eric Hosmer stranded the bases loaded with a game-ending groundout off Joe Kelly in a 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night. Machado's solo shot in the sixth inning was followed immediately by another from Hosmer, closing the Padres to 4-3 in their first NLDS since 2006. Fernando Tatís Jr. hit a long drive off reliever Brusdar Graterol that would have put the Padres up by a run in the seventh, but Cody Bellinger robbed the 21-year-old phenom with a leaping grab at the wall in center field. Machado's outburst, starting when he threw his bat at his own dugout after lifting a low pitch from Kershaw to left, was aimed at a San Diego offense that had been mostly silent for the first 14 innings... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mike Clevinger was replaced on San Diego's playoff roster Wednesday because of his elbow injury, a move that would keep him from pitching again this postseason unless the Padres make it to the World Series. That would also depend on if his ailing right elbow is healthy enough to get back on the mound in October. The right-hander went only two pitches into the second inning of the NL Division Series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night. San Diego made the switch before Game 2 of the NLDS, adding Dan Altavilla to its 28-player roster. The right-hander was immediately available. Clevinger, who joined San Diego in a nine-player trade with Cleveland on Aug. 31, left his final regular-season start Sept. 23 after one inning because of an elbow impingement. He was left off the roster for the first round against St. Louis. The Padres didn't announce until Tuesday, hours before the start of the NLDS, that Clevinger was going to be on the 28-man roster and... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ KID’S GAME Prized rookie Deivi García is set to become the youngest Yankees pitcher to make a postseason start in Game 2 of the best-of-five AL Division Series against rival Tampa Bay. New York won the opener 9-3 on Monday. The 21-year-old García made his major league debut Aug. 30 and went 3-2 with a 4.98 ERA in six regular-season starts. He’ll surpass Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, who was nearly 22 when he started Game 4 of the 1950 World Series against the Phillies, as the youngest postseason starter for New York. The 5-foot-9 García also will become the youngest pitcher to start in the postseason for any team since Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Julio Urías was 20 in Game 4 of the 2016 NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs. Tyler Glasnow, 27, goes for the AL East champion Rays. The 6-foot-8 Glasnow (5-1, 4.08 ERA) had 91 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings this season. He's won six straight decisions and four consecutive starts, including... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday: ___ KID’S GAME Prized rookie Deivi García is set to become the youngest Yankees pitcher to make a postseason start in Game 2 of the AL Division Series against rival Tampa Bay. The 21-year-old García made his major league debut Aug. 30 and went 3-2 with a 4.98 ERA in six regular-season starts. He’ll surpass Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, who was nearly 22 when he started Game 4 of the 1950 World Series against the Phillies, as the youngest postseason starter for New York. García also will become the youngest pitcher to start in the postseason for any team since Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Julio Urías was 20 in Game 4 of the 2016 NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs. Tyler Glasnow, 27, goes for the AL East champion Rays. The 6-foot-8 Glasnow (5-1, 4.08 ERA) had 91 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings this season and has won six straight decisions and four consecutive starts, including six innings of two-run ball to win the first-round clincher... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-five playoff series between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in Arlington, Texas, beginning Tuesday: ___ Season Series: Dodgers won 6-4. ___ SAN DIEGO PADRES Record: 37-23. Playoff Entry: second place, NL West. Playoff Seed: No. 4. Manager: Jayce Tingler (first season). Projected Rotation: RHP Chris Paddack (4-5, 4.73 ERA, 58 Ks in 59 IP), RHP Zach Davies (7-4, 2.73), RHP Dinelson Lamet (3-1, 2.09), RHP Mike Clevinger (3-2, 3.02 with Indians and Padres; 2-1, 2.84 in 4 starts for San Diego after trade). Top Hitters: SS Fernando Tatis Jr. (.277, 17 HRs, 45 RBIs, 11 SBs), 3B Manny Machado (.304, 16, 47), RF Wil Myers (.288, 15, 40). Top Relievers: RHP Trevor Rosenthal (1-0, 1.90 ERA, 4 saves), LHP Drew Pomeranz (1-0, 1.45, 4 saves, 29 Ks, 10 BBs). Series Summary: The Padres are in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, and they overcame an old nemesis in the first round by rallying past St. Louis 2-1 in a best-of-three set to win a postseason... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: MENDING MEADOWS The Tampa Bay Rays may get All-Star outfielder Austin Meadows back in the lineup as they open a best-of-five series with the rival New York Yankees. Meadows has been out since Sept. 18 with a left oblique strain. Manager Kevin Cash said the 25-year-old is “in a pretty good spot” but wouldn’t say whether Meadows would be on the team’s ALDS roster. “We want to make sure that he’s running good and that the timing is as good as possible for us to make a decision,” Cash said. Meadows’ left-handed bat would be a welcome addition as Tampa Bay prepares to face right-handed ace Gerrit Cole in the opener. Cole allowed nine earned runs in 16 1/3 innings over three starts against the Rays this season, with Meadows out of the lineup for two of them. Blake Snell will get the ball in Game 1 for the Rays. He’s 4-6 with a 4.31 ERA in 18 career starts against New York, struggling especially at Yankee Stadium. ENEMY TERRITORY The Astros are... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Monday: MENDING MEADOWS The Tampa Bay Rays may get All-Star outfielder Austin Meadows back in the lineup as they open a best-of-five series with the rival New York Yankees. Meadows has been out since Sept. 18 with a left oblique strain. Manager Kevin Cash said the 25-year-old is “in a pretty good spot” but wouldn’t say whether Meadows would be on the team’s ALDS roster. “We want to make sure that he’s running good and that the timing is as good as possible for us to make a decision,” Cash said. Meadows’ left-handed bat would be a welcome addition as Tampa Bay prepares to face right-handed ace Gerrit Cole in the opener. Cole allowed nine earned runs in 16 1/3 innings over three starts against the Rays this season, with Meadows out of the lineup for two of them. Blake Snell will get the ball in Game 1 for the Rays. He’s 4-6 with a 4.31 ERA in 18 career starts against New York, struggling especially at Yankee Stadium. ENEMY TERRITORY The Astros... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Reliever Craig Stammen will start for the San Diego Padres in the decisive Game 3 of the NL wild-card series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. The Padres were forced to go with a bullpen game because starters Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet were left off the wild-card series roster with arm injuries that forced them out of their final regular-season starts. Tingler said the Padres tapped the 36-year-old Stammen because he wasn't one of the nine pitchers they used in a thrilling 11-9 win Thursday night. Stammen threw 26 pitches in a scoreless inning in the Padres' 7-4 loss in Game 1. Tingler said Zach Davies, who started Game 2, and Chris Paddack, who was roughed up in losing Game 1, will be available for Game 3. San Diego rallied Thursday night behind Fernando Tatis Jr. and Wil Myers, who each hit two home runs. They became the first teammates to hit multiple homers in the same postseason game since Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees did it in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, exactly 88 years ago Thursday night. That included Ruth's famed “called shot." Stammen had a seesaw regular season, going 4-2 with a 5.63 ERA in 24 appearances. He hasn't started since 2010, when 19 of his 35 appearances for the Washington Nationals were starts. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ GOING SHORT-HANDED? The Marlins are hoping center fielder Starling Marte can play through a broken bone in his left hand as they try to eliminate the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Marte was hit by a fastball in the ninth inning of Miami’s 5-1 win Wednesday, and X-rays revealed a non-displaced fracture in his fifth metacarpal -- the bone that leads into the pinkie finger. The team is optimistic and is still considering him day to day. Marte started in the opener of the best-of-three series after he was hit on the front of his helmet by a fastball during Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Yankees. “He’s been like a target almost,” manager Don Mattingly said. “But he’s been bouncing back from everything else so hopefully we get good results with everything and we’ll see where he’s at.” Yu Darvish starts for the NL Central champion Cubs, and rookie right-hander Sixto Sánchez get the ball for upstart Miami, which is in the playoffs for... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Thursday: ___ GOING SHORT-HANDED? The Marlins are hoping center fielder Starling Marte can play through a broken bone in his left hand as they try to eliminate the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Marte was hit by a fastball in the ninth inning of Miami’s 5-1 win Wednesday, and X-rays revealed a non-displaced fracture in his fifth metacarpal -- the bone that leads into the pinkie finger. The team is optimistic and is still considering him day to day. Marte started in the opener of the best-of-three series after he was hit on the front of his helmet by a fastball during Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Yankees. “He’s been like a target almost,” manager Don Mattingly said. “But he’s been bouncing back from everything else so hopefully we get good results with everything and we’ll see where he’s at.” Yu Darvish starts for the NL Central champion Cubs, and rookie right-hander Sixto Sánchez get the ball for upstart Miami, which is in the playoffs... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Starting pitchers Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet were left off the San Diego Padres’ 28-man roster for their wild card series against the St. Louis Cardinals due to injuries that forced them out of their final regular-season starts. The Padres hoped the two would be healthy enough to pitch in the series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Clevinger threw a bullpen session Tuesday and Lamet had thrown on Monday. Clevinger left after just one inning of his home start against the Angels on Sept. 23 with what was at first described as biceps tightness but later diagnosed as an elbow impingement. He had a cortisone shot on Friday. Lamet left his start at San Francisco on Friday with biceps tightness. General manager A.J. Preller said the Padres felt neither pitcher was capable of making an 80-pitch start. Right-hander Chris Paddack was scheduled to start the series opener Wednesday. Clevinger and Lamet were included on the taxi squad, as were left-handed prospects MacKenzie Gore and Ryan Weathers. Zach Davies is scheduled to start Game 2 on Thursday. If the series goes three games, it will be all hands on deck, general manager A.J. Preller said. More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A capsule look at the best-of-three playoff series between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres beginning Wednesday. All games in San Diego: ___ ST. LOUIS CARDINALS Record: 30-28. Playoff Entry: second place, NL Central. Playoff Seed: No. 5. Manager: Mike Shildt (third season). Projected Rotation: RHP Adam Wainwright (5-3, 3.15 ERA), RHP Jack Flaherty (4-3, 4.91), LHP Kwang Hyun Kim (3-0, 1.62). Top Hitters: 1B Paul Goldschmidt (.304, 6 HRs, 21 RBIs), C Yadier Molina (.262, 4, 16), 2B Kolten Wong (.265, 1, 16). Top Relievers: RHP Giovanny Gallegos (2-2, 3.60, 4 saves), LHP Andrew Miller (1-1, 2.77, 4 saves), LHP Austin Gomber (1-1, 1.86), RHP Alex Reyes (2-1, 3.20, 1 save, 27 Ks in 19 2/3 IP). Series Summary: The Cardinals are back in the playoffs after reaching the NL Championship Series last season. They overcame some long odds to do it, too. Injuries have robbed them of RHP Dakota Hudson, RHP Carlos Martinez and several other pieces in their bullpen. A COVID-19 outbreak early... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-three playoff series between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians in Cleveland beginning Tuesday night: ___ NEW YORK YANKEES Record: 33-27. Playoff Entry: second place, AL East. Playoff Seed: No. 5. Manager: Aaron Boone (third season). Projected Rotation: RHP Gerrit Cole (7-3, 2.84 ERA, 94 Ks), RHP Masahiro Tanaka (3-3, 3.56, 44 Ks), LHP J.A. Happ (2-2, 3.47, 42 Ks). Top Hitters: 1B Luke Voit (.277, major league-leading 22 HRs, 52 RBIs), 2B DJ LeMahieu (major league-leading .364, 10, 27, 41 runs, 10 doubles, 1.011 OPS). Top Relievers: LHP Aroldis Chapman (1-1, 3.09 ERA, 3 saves), LHP Zack Britton (1-2, 1.89, 8 saves). Series Summary: The Yankees are in the playoffs for the fourth straight year but still looking for their first pennant since winning the 2009 World Series. ... Favored to win the AL East, the Yankees alternated hot and cold spurts: a 16-6 start following by a 5-15 slide, a 10-game winning streak and six losses in their last eight games.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday: PLAYOFF CHASE After manager Don Mattingly’s Marlins clinched a most unlikely postseason spot, three NL playoff slots are still open with two days left in the regular season. St. Louis, Cincinnati and San Francisco are all at .500 or better, Philadelphia and Milwaukee are two games under. Cardinals star Adam Wainwright (5-2, 3.05) faces Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff (2-5, 3.43) at Busch Stadium. Wainwright has dropped lost two of his past three decisions after starting the season 4-0. His last win came against the Brewers on Sept. 16 when he went the distance in the opener of a seven-inning doubleheader. SLUGGER SITS White Sox outfielder Eloy Jiménez has a sprained right foot, likely sidelining him for this season-ending series against the crosstown Cubs. The White Sox have dropped a season-high six in a row, falling out of first place in the AL Central. They are hoping to get back on track heading into their playoff appearance since... [More]

San Diego pitcher Mike Clevinger got a cortisone shot for his ailing right elbow Friday and the Padres are hopeful he'll be OK for the playoffs. Clevinger, acquired last month in a big trade with Cleveland, left his start against the Angels on Wednesday after just one inning. The Padres have already clinched a postseason spot and the NL's No. 4 seed, and will open the playoffs next Wednesday at Petco Park. Before the early exit, Clevinger had been presumed as the Game 1 starter in the wild-card round. “We have not ruled out anything for next week and the first round of the playoffs,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller said. An MRI exam and other tests showed Clevinger had a right posterior elbow impingement. “I think we got really good news,” Preller said. If Clevinger can’t pitch the playoff opener, that role could go to Dinelson Lamet. Clevinger (3-2) is expected to rest for 48 hours and then attempt to play catch. He was obtained in a blockbuster trade with Cleveland on Aug. 31. “Hopefully, the injection does the trick,” Preller said. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Randy Arozarena homered twice and the Tampa Bay Rays clinched their first AL East title in 10 years Wednesday night with an 8-5 victory over the New York Mets. Joey Wendle and Brandon Lowe also went deep to help Tyler Glasnow (5-1) win his fifth straight decision. Tampa Bay will be home at quirky Tropicana Field for a best-of-three first-round playoff series beginning next Tuesday. It is the third division crown for the thrifty Rays, who also won the AL East in 2008 and 2010. Their inaugural season was 1998. After missing a chance to clinch Tuesday, the Rays went into Wednesday again needing just a win or a New York Yankees loss against Toronto to lock up the division championship. The Rays (37-20) broke a 2-all tie in the sixth on Arozarena’s two-run homer off Michael Wacha (1-4) and pulled away. As has become customary during this pandemic-shortened season, the celebration was muted. After Nick Anderson fanned Andres Gimenez for the final out, the closer exchanged a hug... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Thursday: PADRES PREDICAMENT Fresh off clinching their first playoff berth in 14 seasons, San Diego is hoping for good news concerning Mike Clevinger. Clevinger was suddenly pulled after only one inning of his start Wednesday and sent for an MRI on his right biceps. The Padres got him a big trade with Cleveland on Aug. 31 and he had been the presumed Game 1 starter in the wild-card round next Wednesday. If Clevinger can’t go, that role could go to Dinelson Lamet. Clevinger’s start had been pushed back from Saturday night because of tightness in his right biceps. He had thrown a bullpen session this week and seemed fine to go, but his biceps tightened up after he threw a curveball to the second batter of the game against the Angels. “We’re comfortable with our options, yeah, but like I said, we’re not going to flip out and freak out,” manager Jayce Tingler said. A NEW ERA No Brewers pitcher has won an ERA title -- Corbin Burnes could become... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Right-hander Mike Clevinger of the playoff-bound San Diego Padres lasted only one inning in his start against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. The team said the right-hander's departure was unplanned but didn't provide any other information. Clevinger's start had been pushed back from Saturday night because of tightness in his right biceps. Manager Jayce Tingler said on Tuesday that the right-hander threw a bullpen session on Monday and seemed good to go for Wednesday afternoon's start. A few days earlier, Tingler held out hope that Clevinger might even be able to make two more starts before the regular season ended, if even if the second one was brief. Clevinger, obtained in a blockbuster trade with Cleveland on Aug. 31, breezed through the first inning on 12 pitches, including striking out Mike Trout and David Fletcher. Rookie Adrian Morejon began warming up in the bullpen while the Padres batted in the bottom of the inning and came out to start the second. Morejon allowed a two-run home run to Shohei Ohtani and solo shots to Justin Upton and Anthony Bemboom that gave the Angels a 4-2 lead. The Padres have clinched their first playoff berth in 14 seasons and their magic number remains at two for clinching homefield advantage in the wild-card round next week. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres activated first baseman Eric Hosmer from the 10-day injured list on Saturday, just 12 days after he broke his left index finger while trying to bunt. Hosmer started and batted fifth against the Seattle Mariners. The Padres had the chance to clinch their first playoff berth in 14 seasons. The Padres also recalled right-hander Luis Patiño to start in place of Mike Clevinger, who will have his next start pushed back a few days due to right biceps tightness. To make room on the roster, catcher Francisco Mejía and right-hander Luis Perdomo were optioned to the alternate training site.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Alec Mills cruised through baseball’s second no-hitter this season in just the 15th start of his major league career, leading the Chicago Cubs over the Milwaukee Brewers 12-0 on Sunday.The former college walk-on at Tennessee-Martin retired Jace Peterson on a game-ending groundout. Peterson had replaced 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich on defense to start the eighth inning.Mills (5-3) threw 114 pitches and hardly had any close calls in Chicago’s 16th no-hitter. He struck out five, walked three and induced five swings and misses, tied with Oakland’s Dallas Braden during his perfect game in 2010 for fewest in a no-hitter since at least 1988, according to Stats.Chicago White Sox ace Lucas Giolito threw baseball’s other no-hitter this season against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 15.Jason Heyward’s RBI double put the Cubs ahead in a five-run fourth against Adrian Houser (1-5) that included Ian Happ’s two-run single. David Bote added a two-run homer in the fifth.ANGELS 5, ROCKIES... [More]