09/25/20 10:39:00
Printable Page
09/25 22:37 CDT LEADING OFF: 3 NL playoff spots still open with 2 days left
LEADING OFF: 3 NL playoff spots still open with 2 days left
By The Associated Press
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 Jimnez 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 2008, but the health of Jimnez is a concern.
Jimnez is batting .296 with 14 homers and 41 RBIs. The 23-year-old left
fielder was hurt sliding across the plate in a game Thursday. Manager Rick
Renteria says Jimnez needs "to be off his feet" for a few days.
WAIT AND SEE
The Padres hope Mike Clevinger will be able to pitch in the playoffs next week
after getting a cortisone shot for his ailing right elbow.
Acquired last month in a big trade with Cleveland, Clevinger 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.
If Clevinger can't pitch the playoff opener, Dinelson Lamet could start.
BEST FOOT FORWARD
Mets ace Jacob deGrom makes his final pitch for a third straight NL Cy Young
Award as New York plays a doubleheader against Washington.
DeGrom (4-2, 2.14) ranks among the NL leaders in ERA, strikeouts and Wins Above
Replacement, but he has tough competition in the Cubs' Yu Darvish, Reds' Trevor
Bauer, Padres' Dinelson Lamet and others.
DeGrom could join the late Tom Seaver as the only Mets pitchers to win a trio
of Cy Youngs, and the right-hander plans to honor Seaver with his footwear.
DeGrom will wear custom cleats including Seaver's image and No. 41, and the
shoes will be auctioned after the season to benefit out-of-work minor leaguers
via the More Than Baseball organization.
A ninth-round pick who spent five seasons in the minors, deGrom joins Pete
Alonso, Robinson Cano, Hunter Pence and Rhys Hoskins among players
participating in the program this season.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
|
