A look at what's happening around the majors Thursday:BUBBLY ON ICEFor the third night in a row, the Red Sox attempt to clinch the AL East championship at Yankee Stadium. Boston entered the three-game set needing one victory over rival New York to secure its third consecutive division crown. But the Yankees have put the party on hold with two wins, including a 10-1 rout Wednesday night. Eduardo Rodriguez (12-4, 3.53 ERA) pitches the series finale for the Red Sox against Masahiro Tanaka (12-5, 3.47), who has a 2.09 ERA in 10 starts since the All-Star break. Rodriguez has allowed one run or fewer in five of his past six starts. New York has 245 home runs this season, matching the franchise record set in 2012.NOW OR NEVERTrailing the first-place Braves by 5½ games in the NL East, the Philadelphia Phillies begin a four-game series at Atlanta. In fact, seven of Philadelphia's final 11 games are against the Braves, so the Phillies still feel they have a realistic chance to catch up. "We're in... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Voit hit two homers off David Price, Miguel Andujar popped another one barely into the right-field seats and the New York Yankees stalled Boston's division-clinching celebration by beating the Red Sox 10-1 on Wednesday night.Luis Severino (18-8) pitched seven innings of one-run ball, and the Yankees had no need for All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman on the day they activated him from the disabled list. Chapman had been out since Aug. 21 with left knee tendinitis.Mookie Betts had two strikeouts and no hits in his return to Boston's lineup. He pulled a possible grand slam just foul in the ninth before grounding into a game-ending double play. The AL MVP contender sat out Tuesday after injuring his left side two days earlier, but came back to bat leadoff as the designated hitter.The Yankees will try to send Boston packing Thursday with the AL East still undecided. The Red Sox lead the division by 9 1/2 games and entered this three-game series needing one victory to lock up... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Voit hit two homers off David Price, Miguel Andujar popped another one barely into the right-field seats and the New York Yankees stalled Boston's division-clinching celebration by beating the Red Sox 10-1 on Wednesday night.Luis Severino (18-8) pitched seven innings of one-run ball, and the Yankees had no need for All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman on the day they activated him from the disabled list. Chapman had been out since Aug. 21 with left knee tendinitis.Mookie Betts had two strikeouts and no hits in his return to Boston's lineup. He pulled a possible grand slam just foul in the ninth before grounding into a game-ending double play. The AL MVP contender sat out Tuesday after injuring his left side two days earlier, but came back to bat leadoff as the designated hitter.The Yankees will try to send Boston packing Thursday with the AL East still undecided. The Red Sox lead the division by 9 1/2 games and entered this three-game series needing one victory to lock up... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Voit hit two homers off David Price, Miguel Andujar popped another one barely into the right-field seats and the New York Yankees stalled Boston's division-clinching celebration by beating the Red Sox 10-1 on Wednesday night.Luis Severino (18-8) pitched seven innings of one-run ball, and the Yankees had no need for All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman on the day they activated him from the disabled list. Chapman had been out since Aug. 21 with left knee tendinitis.Mookie Betts had two strikeouts and no hits in his return to Boston's lineup. He pulled a possible grand slam just foul in the ninth before grounding into a game-ending double play. The AL MVP contender sat out Tuesday after injuring his left side two days earlier, but came back to bat leadoff as the designated hitter.The Yankees will try to send Boston packing Thursday with the AL East still undecided. The Red Sox lead the division by 9 1/2 games and entered this three-game series needing one victory to lock up... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Rhys Hoskins became the seventh-fastest player to hit 50 career home runs and the Philadelphia Phillies kept pace in the NL East with a 4-0 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night.Zach Eflin and five relievers combined on a six-hitter and Odubel Herrera added two-run homer for the Phillies. They won consecutive series for the first time since July 25 and stayed 5 1/2 games behind division-leading Atlanta.Seven of Philadelphia's final 11 games are against the Braves, including a four-game series beginning Thursday night in Atlanta.Hoskins' opposite-field solo shot against Noah Syndergaard (12-4) in the first inning was his 32nd homer of the season and 50th in 192 career games. Only Rudy York (153), Mark McGwire (161), Gary Sanchez (161), Ryan Braun (171), Aaron Judge (174) and former Phillies slugger Ryan Howard (182) reached 50 quicker, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.The 25-year-old Hoskins later added his 35th double, and Jose Bautista had a pinch-hit... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Rhys Hoskins became the seventh-fastest player to hit 50 career home runs and the Philadelphia Phillies kept pace in the NL East with a 4-0 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night.Zach Eflin and five relievers combined on a six-hitter and Odubel Herrera added two-run homer for the Phillies. They won consecutive series for the first time since July 25 and stayed 5 1/2 games behind division-leading Atlanta.Seven of Philadelphia's final 11 games are against the Braves, including a four-game series beginning Thursday night in Atlanta.Hoskins' opposite-field solo shot against Noah Syndergaard (12-4) in the first inning was his 32nd homer of the season and 50th in 192 career games. Only Rudy York (153), Mark McGwire (161), Gary Sanchez (161), Ryan Braun (171), Aaron Judge (174) and former Phillies slugger Ryan Howard (182) reached 50 quicker, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.The 25-year-old Hoskins later added his 35th double, and Jose Bautista had a pinch-hit... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Colorado slugger Trevor Story is receiving treatment for right elbow inflammation in Arizona, and the Rockies remain encouraged that he will return soon.Manager Bud Black says Story was feeling better Wednesday. The All-Star shortstop may participate in some baseball activities at the team's spring training facility in Phoenix on Thursday.Black said the team would check on Story on Friday. He is listed as day-to-day and no timetable has been set for his return.Story tweaked his elbow on a throw in the first inning of an 8-2 loss to the Dodgers on Monday night and aggravated it on a swing in the fourth.Colorado began Wednesday 1 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Dodgers.Story this year became the first shortstop in major league history with at least 40 doubles, 30 home runs and 25 steals in a season.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Chicago White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Tuesday and will miss the 2019 season.Kopech, 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.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians want Trevor Bauer in their postseason rotation.The next step will come Friday night against the Boston Red Sox in his first appearance since breaking his right leg last month.Indians manager Terry Francona said Bauer will pitch a "couple of innings" and then throw in the bullpen to increase his pitch count.Francona wants Bauer to make two additional starts during the regular season. The right-hander is expected to start Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox and will likely pitch again the last weekend of the season in Kansas City."To give him a chance to start, we felt like he needed to have three outings," Francona said. "So this was the way to do it. Getting him back is great. His goal and ours is to see if he can start."The Indians hope Bauer can build up his pitch count by the time the Division Series begins Oct. 5. Using him as a reliever is another option."Having him in the bullpen is still really positive," Francona said. "We asked him for his... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu has been released from a Cleveland hospital after undergoing treatment for an infection in his right thigh.Abreu was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday and released Wednesday. White Sox manager Rick Renteria says Abreu is resting at the team's hotel. He won't play in the series against the Indians.The 31-year-old first baseman spent three weeks on the disabled list (Aug. 22-Sept. 9) after undergoing surgery to repair a testicular torsion. He was activated on Sept. 10 and is hitless in his last 20 at-bats.Abreu was selected to his second All-Star team this season and is batting .265 with 22 homers and 78 RBIs in 128 games.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, Touki Toussaint pitched into the sixth inning and the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves snapped a four-game skid with a 7-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.Atlanta began the day with a 5 1/2-game lead over Philadelphia and opens a four-game home series against the Phillies on Thursday. The Braves need any combination of six victories or Philadelphia losses to win their first division title since 2013.St. Louis began the day leading Colorado by 1 1/2 games for the second wild-card spot.Closer A.J. Minter, working in a non-save situation in the ninth, walked two to load the bases, but he struck out Jose Martinez and got Paul DeJong to pop up.Freeman's 23rd homer, an opposite-field shot to left-center, put the Braves up 2-0 in the fourth against Jack Flaherty (8-8). Toussaint (2-1) allowed five hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings.RAYS 9, RANGERS 3ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tommy Pham homered twice and extended... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The New York Mets are shutting down right-hander Zack Wheeler for the rest of the season as a precaution, ending a career-best year in which he logged nearly 100 more innings than 2017.Manager Mickey Callaway said before Wednesday night's game at Philadelphia that they'd be "probably taking the best care of him" by holding him out of his final two starts."I feel like I had a good season," Wheeler said. "I would have liked to have finished it out, but getting 100 more innings than last season without doing that much the past 2½ years, I think it makes sense to kind of shut it down and not really push it."Wheeler missed two full seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015. He returned last season and was 3-7 with a 5.21 ERA in 17 starts. After beginning this season in Triple-A following a difficult spring training, Wheeler was called up in April and went 12-7 with a 3.31 ERA in 29 starts while throwing 182 1/3 innings."He always knew he could be this guy. But when... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Trevor Bauer will start for the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Red Sox on Friday in his first appearance since breaking his right leg last month.Indians manager Terry Francona says Bauer will pitch a "couple of innings" and then throw in the bullpen to increase his pitch count.Francona wants Bauer to make two additional starts during the regular season and be in Cleveland's rotation for the playoffs. The right-hander is expected to start Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox.Bauer has been sidelined since he was struck on the lower leg by a line drive off the bat of Chicago's Jose Abreu on Aug. 11. He was diagnosed with a stress fracture of his right fibula.Bauer is 12-6 with a 2.22 ERA in 25 starts and was named to his first All-Star team.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Mookie Betts is back in Boston's lineup, hitting leadoff as the designated hitter while the Red Sox try to clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night.Betts was pulled from a game Sunday with a left side injury. After the team's day off Monday, Betts was held out of the lineup Tuesday night against New York.Manager Alex Cora originally had Betts slated to play center field Tuesday, but when rain pushed back the scheduled first pitch about six hours, Cora sat the AL MVP candidate to keep him away from the soggy conditions.Boston can lock up the division with a victory. It would mark the second time in three years the Red Sox celebrated a division title in the Bronx.Betts leads the majors with a .337 average and also has 29 homers, 28 steals and 72 RBIs as Boston's leadoff man.___Follow Jake Seiner: https://twitter.com/jake_seiner___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The New York Mets are shutting down right-hander Zack Wheeler for the rest of the season as a precaution, ending a career-best year in which he logged nearly 100 more innings than 2017.Manager Mickey Callaway said before Wednesday night's game at Philadelphia that they'd be "probably taking the best care of him" by holding him out of his final two starts."I feel like I had a good season," Wheeler said. "I would have liked to have finished it out, but getting 100 more innings than last season without doing that much the past 2½ years, I think it makes sense to kind of shut it down and not really push it."Wheeler missed two full seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015. He returned last season and was 3-7 with a 5.21 ERA in 17 starts. After beginning this season in Triple-A following a difficult spring training, Wheeler was called up in April and went 12-7 with a 3.31 ERA in 29 starts while throwing 182 1/3 innings."He always knew he could be this guy. But when... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rangers hard-throwing reliever Matt Bush has had surgery to repair a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament that will keep him out the first half of the 2019 season.Assistant general manager Mike Daly says Bush did not have Tommy John surgery. Instead, he had a procedure to repair and reinforce the ligament in his right elbow. Bush hasn't pitched since June 13. He had a 4.70 ERA in 23 innings over 21 appearances.Bush had tried stem cell treatment and was throwing again at one point before the surgery.The surgery was done by Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister, who also repaired torn cartilage in the right knee of reliever Austin Bibens-Dirkx in another surgery performed Wednesday. Bibens-Dirkx is expected to be ready for spring training.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The New York Mets are shutting down right-hander Zack Wheeler for the rest of the season as a precaution, ending a successful year in which he logged nearly 100 more innings than 2017.Manager Mickey Callaway said before Wednesday night's game at Philadelphia that they'd be "probably taking the best care of him" by holding him out of his final two starts.Wheeler missed two full seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015. He returned last season and was 3-7 with a 5.21 ERA in 17 starts. This season, Wheeler went 12-7 with a 3.31 ERA in 29 starts while throwing 182 1/3 innings.The 28-year-old Wheeler was dominant after the All-Star break, going 9-1 with a 1.68 ERA and solidifying his hold as the No. 3 starter behind Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.Callaway said Corey Oswalt will start in Wheeler's place on Saturday at Washington.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman has been activated from the disabled list.New York announced the move Wednesday before the second game of a three-game series against the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox.Chapman has been out since Aug. 21 with left knee tendinitis. The All-Star left-hander threw a simulated game Monday and said Tuesday that he had recovered well.He will be available out of the bullpen Wednesday night. New York is trying to prevent Boston from clinching the division at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three years. The Red Sox can clinch with one victory.The hard-throwing Chapman has 31 saves and a 2.11 ERA in 50 appearances this season.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today:LAST CHAPTERLocked in a tight race for the NL West title, the Rockies and Dodgers meet for the final time in the regular season. Los Angeles leads by 1½ games and will go for a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium when rookie Walker Buehler (7-5, 2.88 ERA) pitches against Tyler Anderson (6-9, 4.82). Colorado could be without slugger Trevor Story again after the All-Star shortstop hurt his right elbow Monday night. Tests showed inflammation but no structural damage, and the Rockies hope Story can return to the lineup in a few days. Story this year became the first shortstop in major league history with at least 40 doubles, 30 home runs and 25 steals in a season.END GAMEAs they pursue a third consecutive NL Central crown, the ninth inning is getting more and more complicated for the Chicago Cubs. The team announced Tuesday that closer Brandon Morrow will be shut down for the rest of the year because of an injured right elbow that's been slow... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Neil Walker hit a three-run homer, Zach Britton started a game-ending double play on New York's third try in the ninth inning and the Yankees kept the Boston Red Sox from a bubbly celebration in the Bronx for at least another night with a 3-2 victory Tuesday.Batting from the left side, Walker launched a no-doubter in the seventh inning off Ryan Brasier for the Yankees' third hit of the game and a 3-1 lead.Aaron Judge returned to New York's lineup for the first time since breaking his right wrist July 26, while AL MVP candidate Mookie Betts got a day off for Boston after injuring his left side Sunday. Judge hit a pop fly to the warning track but finished 0 for 4.New York moved 2½ games ahead of Oakland for the top AL wild card. The A's lost at home to the Angels.Boston is trying to clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three years. The Red Sox lead the Yankees by 10 1/2 games and entered the night with a magic number of four over the Astros to lock up... [More]