CLEVELAND — The Chicago White Sox entered 2021 with high expectations.

And the team accomplished its first goal Thursday, clinching the American League Central title for the first time since 2008 with a 7-2 victory in Game 1 of a doubleheader with the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.

The Sox are headed to the playoffs in consecutive ...Read more

Selecting a Padres MVP between Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado is like choosing a flavor of ice cream. You can't go wrong. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, butter pecan and mint chocolate chip are the top-5 ice cream flavors, per Americans surveyed last year by YouGuv. Scoop me any of those five, I'm happy.

You say Jake Cronenworth deserves...Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. — They’ve been in must-win mode since embarking on this final road trip. If their improbable dream of the postseason is to be realized, the Mariners' best way to overcome the long odds against them is to win every game and then let the rest sort itself out.

When they walked on the pristine playing surface of the Oakland ...Read more

DENVER — The expectation was the Dodgers, when Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin came off the injured list earlier this month to make their rotation finally whole again, would benefit from quality starts almost every day as they chased the San Francisco Giants down the stretch.

Kershaw and Gonsolin’s health were questions but Max Scherzer, ...Read more

It was another typical Elieser Hernandez start, one where he showed enough command and knowledge of sequencing to rack up strikeouts but also showed a tendency to get hit hard.

Hernandez struck out a season-high seven batters but also gave up three home runs in the Miami Marlins’ 7-5 loss to the Washington Nationals that allowed the Nationals...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper seemed almost surprised Wednesday night when he fielded the ball in right field and noticed that the potential tying run was headed home. The ball was not hit particularly hard toward Harper with two outs in the eighth inning of a 4-3 win, but the Orioles still decided to test the outfielder’s arm.

Challenge ...Read more

BOSTON — There are some ball clubs in late September that have already clinched a postseason berth. Those teams are gearing up to compete in the Fall Classic, with the most meaningful baseball they will play this year yet to be showcased.

The Mets are not one of those teams. They haven’t been one of those teams in half a decade. When ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier said before Wednesday’s game he didn’t think picking up a Toronto pitching data card after a play at the plate and bringing it to the Rays dugout Monday was wrong and definitely not as big a deal as being portrayed. He said he didn’t care what the Blue Jays or others thought and ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays have much more significant goals — and wilder celebrations — in mind.

But Wednesday was a good start, as they clinched a third consecutive playoff berth with a 7-1 win over the Blue Jays.

This is the seventh time in the last 14 seasons the Rays have reached the postseason, and the first time they have done...Read more

DETROIT — The Tigers and White Sox will have to wait a few days to finish off this three-game series.

The finale Wednesday was postponed because of unrelenting rain. The makeup will be at 1:10 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 27, which was initially an off-day for both teams.

Paid tickets for Wednesday can be exchanged at the Comerica Par box office ...Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. — Back in mid-January, almost a month before they even reported to Arizona for 2021 spring training, Marco Gonzales and J.P. Crawford held steadfast to their beliefs even as those around them and above tried to lower or temper their expectations for the upcoming season.

It was during the “Mariners’ Baseball Bash,” an ...Read more