A look at what's happening around the majors Thursday:OPENER FOR THE OPENERThe Brewers will begin their NL Division Series against the Rockies with a bullpen game at Miller Park. Manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday he had not decided on the order of his relievers. The group will almost certainly include All-Star left-hander Josh Hader, though Colorado will have a tough test start to finish — Milwaukee led the majors with a 1.98 bullpen ERA in September.Colorado counters with Antonio Senzatela, a right-hander who is 6-6 with a 4.38 ERA in 23 games, including 13 starts. It will be the postseason debut for the 23-year-old.THE ACE AWAITSThe Braves and Dodgers open their NLDS in Los Angeles, and Atlanta has a chance to jump ahead before facing Clayton Kershaw in Game 2. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts decided to hold back his ace left-hander and will instead start Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game 1. The left-handed Ryu was 7-3 with a 1.97 ERA in 15 starts this season.Mike Foltynewicz is up for the Braves.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — These aren't the same Dodgers that won 104 games, ran away in the NL West, and fell one victory short of a World Series title last year.Example A: After a slow start, they won 92 games and needed Game 163 to earn their sixth straight division title.Example B: Clayton Kershaw won't be opening the postseason as the Game 1 starter for the first time in six consecutive playoff appearances.Example C: Kershaw told Hyun-Jin Ryu that the South Korean left-hander was going to take the mound on Thursday night against Mike Foltynewicz and the Atlanta Braves to begin the best-of-five Division Series."I'm obviously kind of nervous, but I think it's a good thing," Ryu said through a translator Wednesday.The Dodgers obviously think flip-flopping Kershaw and Ryu is the right move, with manager Dave Roberts saying it allows both pitchers to have five days' rest between starts. If Kershaw started Game 1, he would be on four days' rest, while Ryu would be on six days' rest.Kershaw starting... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The price of qualifying offers for Major League Baseball free agents will be $17.9 million this year.That figure is up from $17.2 million last year and $15.8 million the year before. It was determined by the average of the top 125 major league contracts this year by average annual value.This year's anticipated free agent class could include Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, Brian Dozier, Daniel Murphy, Michael Brantley, Adam Jones, Andrew McCutchen, A.J. Pollock, Nelson Cruz, Patrick Corbin, Dallas Keuchel, Charlie Morton and Craig Kimbrel. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw could also decide to opt out of the remaining two years on his contract.A qualifying offer can be made through the fifth day after the World Series, and a player has a week after that to accept. If a team makes a qualifying offer to a player who signs a major league contract with another club before the June amateur draft, his former club would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The price of qualifying offers for Major League Baseball free agents will be $17.9 million this year.That figure is up from $17.2 million last year and $15.8 million the year before. It was determined by the average of the top 125 major league contracts this year by average annual value.This year's anticipated free agent class could include Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, Brian Dozier, Daniel Murphy, Michael Brantley, Adam Jones, Andrew McCutchen, A.J. Pollock, Nelson Cruz, Patrick Corbin, Dallas Keuchel, Charlie Morton and Craig Kimbrel. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw could also decide to opt out of the remaining two years on his contract.A qualifying offer can be made through the fifth day after the World Series, and a player has a week after that to accept. If a team makes a qualifying offer to a player who signs a major league contract with another club before the June amateur draft, his former club would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at the best-of-five National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers:___Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Thursday, at Los Angeles, 8:37 p.m. (MLB); Game 2, Friday, at Los Angeles, 9:37 p.m. (FS1); Game 3, Sunday, at Atlanta, 8:07 p.m. (FS1); x-Game 4, Monday, Oct. 8, at Atlanta, TBA; x-Game 5, Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Los Angeles, TBA.x-if necessary.___Season Series: Dodgers won 5-2.___Projected Lineups:Braves: LF Ronald Acuna Jr. (.293, 26 HRs, 64 RBIs, 16 SBs), CF Ender Inciarte (.265, 10, 61, 28 SBs), 1B Freddie Freeman (.309, 23, 98, 10 SBs), RF Nick Markakis (.297, 14, 93), 3B Johan Camargo (.272, 19, 76), C Tyler Flowers (.227, 8, 30), 2B Ozzie Albies (.261, 24, 72, 14 SBs), SS Dansby Swanson (.238, 14, 59, injured left hand) or Charlie Culberson (.270, 12, 45).Dodgers: LF Joc Pederson (.248, 25, 56) or Matt Kemp (.290, 21, 85, 115 Ks in 146 games), 3B Justin Turner (.312, 14, 52), 1B Max Muncy (.263, 35, 79, .958 OPS), SS Manny Machado (.315,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hyun-Jin Ryu will start for the Los Angeles Dodgers at home in Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.The defending National League champions said ace Clayton Kershaw will take the ball Friday in Game 2.Mike Foltynewicz (13-10, 2.85 ERA) is scheduled to pitch the opener for the NL East champion Braves.Ryu missed extensive time with a groin injury this season but went 7-3 with a 1.97 ERA in 15 starts. He had a 1.50 ERA in five outings last month and will be working on normal rest in the best-of-five series opener.The left-hander from South Korea compiled a 1.15 ERA in nine regular-season starts at home for the NL West champions.Kershaw (9-5, 2.73 ERA) will be making his 25th career postseason appearance and his 20th start.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hyun-Jin Ryu will start for the Los Angeles Dodgers at home in Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.The defending National League champions said ace Clayton Kershaw will take the ball Friday in Game 2.Mike Foltynewicz (13-10, 2.85 ERA) is scheduled to pitch the opener for the NL East champion Braves.Ryu missed extensive time with a groin injury this season but went 7-3 with a 1.97 ERA in 15 starts. He had a 1.50 ERA in five outings last month and will be working on normal rest in the best-of-five series opener.The left-hander from South Korea compiled a 1.15 ERA in nine regular-season starts at home for the NL West champions.Kershaw (9-5, 2.73 ERA) will be making his 25th career postseason appearance and his 20th start.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Last year's World Series between the Astros and Dodgers was a thriller, ending in Houston's Game 7 victory for its first championship.Might they have an encore in store? Perhaps one with a Hollywood ending this time?Time to find out. After two tight NL division races stretched the regular season to a pair of Game 163s, the Rockies and Cubs are set to begin the playoffs Tuesday night with the NL wild-card game at Wrigley Field.Before they do, a look at the 2018 postseason, from A to Z:A: ACES OUT — Good news for NL hitters: Many of the league's top starting pitchers have already begun their offseasons. Cy Young Award favorites Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Aaron Nola won't throw a postseason pitch. Same for Patrick Corbin and 18-game winner Miles Mikolas. Of course, longtime rotation leaders like Clayton Kershaw and Jon Lester are still in play.B: BETTS IN SHOW — Mookie Betts enters his third postseason as the AL MVP favorite, though Boston's dynamic leadoff hitter has a... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies remained one game ahead of Los Angeles as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown. The Dodgers won 3-1 in San Francisco.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies remained one game ahead of Los Angeles as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown. The Dodgers won 3-1 in San Francisco.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies remained one game ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown. The Dodgers won 3-1 in San Francisco.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge again has baseball's most popular jersey.MLB says the Yankee slugger's No. 99 was the top seller for the second straight season. Judge beat out 2017 AL MVP Jose Altuve, who will be trying to repeat as a World Series champion with the Houston Astros next month.Judge and the Yankees will face Oakland in the AL wild-card game Wednesday. Teammate Giancarlo Stanton was ninth in jersey sales in his first season with New York.MVP candidates Javier Baez and Mookie Betts each jumped seven spots into the top five. Baez, an electrifying infielder with the Chicago Cubs, ranked third. Betts, the AL MVP favorite with the Boston Red Sox, was fifth.Clayton Kershaw was fourth on the list in what could be his final season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kershaw can opt out of the final two years of his deal at the end of the season. Bryce Harper ranked 13th in the last season of his contract with the Washington Nationals.Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani ranked eighth. The Japanese rookie also had the most visited player page on the league's website.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge again has baseball's most popular jersey.MLB says the Yankee slugger's No. 99 was the top seller for the second straight season. Judge beat out 2017 AL MVP Jose Altuve, who will be trying to repeat as a World Series champion with the Houston Astros next month.Judge and the Yankees will face Oakland in the AL wild-card game Wednesday. Teammate Giancarlo Stanton was ninth in jersey sales in his first season with New York.MVP candidates Javier Baez and Mookie Betts each jumped seven spots into the top five. Baez, an electrifying infielder with the Chicago Cubs, ranked third. Betts, the AL MVP favorite with the Boston Red Sox, was fifth.Clayton Kershaw was fourth on the list in what could be his final season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kershaw can opt out of the final two years of his deal at the end of the season. Bryce Harper ranked 13th in the last season of his contract with the Washington Nationals.Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani ranked eighth. The Japanese rookie also had the most visited player page on the league's website.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SEATTLE (AP) — The Oakland Athletics clinched their first playoff berth in four years, then beat the Seattle Mariners 7-3 Monday night behind Khris Davis' major league-leading 46th home run.Jonathan Lucroy, Jed Lowrie and Matt Chapman also homered for the A's, assured no worse than an AL wild card.Oakland was one out into the game when Tampa Bay was eliminated with a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees. The A's went on to win after Chapman broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run drive in the seventh off Shawn Armstrong (0-1).Coming off three straight last-place finishes in the AL West, the A's (95-62) are 4½ games behind AL West-leading Houston. They trail the Yankees by 1½ games for home-field advantage should they meet in a wild-card matchup.Robinson Cano and Dee Gordon homered for the Mariners.The Athletics will be making their fourth playoff appearance in the last seven seasons, all under manager Bob Melvin, and their 27th overall. The A's lost at Kansas City 9-8 in 12 innings in the 2014 wild-card... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — The Oakland Athletics clinched their first playoff berth since 2014, then beat the Seattle Mariners 7-3 Monday night behind Khris Davis' major league-leading 46th home run.Jonathan Lucroy, Jed Lowrie and Matt Chapman also homered for the A's, assured no worse than a wild-card berth.Oakland was one out into the game when Tampa Bay was eliminated with a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees. The A's went on to win after Chapman broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run drive in the seventh off Shawn Armstrong (0-1).Coming off three straight last-place finishes in the AL West, the A's (95-62) are 4½ games behind AL West-leading Houston. They trail the Yankees by 1½ games for home-field advantage should they meet in a wild-card matchup.Robinson Cano and Dee Gordon homered for the Mariners.The Athletics will be making their fourth playoff appearance in the last seven seasons, all under manager Bob Melvin, and their 27th overall. The A's lost at Kansas City 9-8 in 12 innings in the 2014 wild-card... [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]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:BOSOX BUBBLY?The Red Sox can clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium with a single win during their three-game series — in 2016, Boston locked up the division while playing on the home field of its archrival. Ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi pitches against J.A. Happ in a matchup of veterans traded this summer. Rain is in the forecast for the 1:05 p.m. start, with the teams scheduled to begin early ahead of Yom Kippur observances.The Bosox will see how star outfielder Mookie Betts is feeling. He exited their last game after hurting his side making a throw home. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge moved closer to returning from a broken wrist when had 11 at-bats in a simulated game Monday.DODGEBALLThe showdown for first place in the NL West continues when Kyle Freeland (15-7, 2.96 ERA) starts for Colorado against Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw (8-5, 2.51) at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw beat the Rockies at Coors Field on Sept. 7; the next day, Freeland downed... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:BOSOX BUBBLY?The Red Sox can clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium with a single win during their three-game series — in 2016, Boston locked up the division while playing on the home field of its archrival. Ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi pitches against J.A. Happ in a matchup of veterans traded this summer. Rain is in the forecast for the 1:05 p.m. start, with the teams scheduled to begin early ahead of Yom Kippur observances.The Bosox will see how star outfielder Mookie Betts is feeling. He exited their last game after hurting his side making a throw home. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge moved closer to returning from a broken wrist when had 11 at-bats in a simulated game Monday.DODGEBALLThe showdown for first place in the NL West continues when Kyle Freeland (15-7, 2.96 ERA) starts for Colorado against Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw (8-5, 2.51) at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw beat the Rockies at Coors Field on Sept. 7; the next day, Freeland downed... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:BOSOX BUBBLY?The Red Sox can clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium with a single win during their three-game series — in 2016, Boston locked up the division while playing on the home field of its archrival. Ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi pitches against J.A. Happ in a matchup of veterans traded this summer. Rain is in the forecast for the 1:05 p.m. start, with the teams scheduled to begin early ahead of Yom Kippur observances.The Bosox will see how star outfielder Mookie Betts is feeling. He exited their last game after hurting his side making a throw home. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge moved closer to returning from a broken wrist when had 11 at-bats in a simulated game Monday.DODGEBALLThe showdown for the NL West continues when Kyle Freeland (15-7, 2.96 ERA) starts for Colorado against Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw (8-5, 2.51) at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw beat the Rockies at Coors Field on Sept. 7; the next day, Freeland downed the Dodgers.THE... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:BOSOX BUBBLY?The Red Sox can clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium with a single win during their three-game series — in 2016, Boston locked up the division while playing on the home field of its archrival. Ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi pitches against J.A. Happ in a matchup of veterans traded this summer. Rain is in the forecast for the 1:05 p.m. start, with the teams scheduled to begin early ahead of Yom Kippur observances.The Bosox will see how star outfielder Mookie Betts is feeling. He exited their last game after hurting his side making a throw home. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge moved closer to returning from a broken wrist when had 11 at-bats in a simulated game Monday.DODGEBALLThe showdown for the NL West continues when Kyle Freeland (15-7, 2.96 ERA) starts for Colorado against Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw (8-5, 2.51) at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw beat the Rockies at Coors Field on Sept. 7; the next day, Freeland downed the Dodgers.THE... [More]