1B Paul Goldschmidt homered in the second game of the NL Division Series, his only hit in 11 at-bats in the series. He finished the regular season in an 0-for-17 skid before going 2-for-5 with a homer in the wild-card victory over Colorado on Wednesday. "I just think he was maybe trying too hard," manager Torey Lovullo said. "The swings were good, just didn't have great results. He had some big home runs in some big moments, but you expect so much from Paul because he is the face of the Arizona Diamondbacks."

1B Paul Goldschmidt is enjoying the opportunity to play in the playoffs again after a six-year drought. Goldschmidt made his major league debut late in the 2011 season and played in 48 games, then got a chance to play in the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers. He got into four games and had success, hitting .438 (7-for-16) with two homers and six RBIs. Now 30 years old, Goldschmidt is appreciating the opportunity to play in the postseason a little bit more. "I remember the first year, you don't know any better," he said. "It's just the first two months of the big leagues and all of a sudden you're in the playoffs. But I remember a lot of our veteran guys who had been in the big leagues eight, 10 years and they were like, 'Hey, realize how rare this is, how special this is, try to take it in. I did my best, but you can't really appreciate it until you've gone through the ups and downs like the last five, six years have been." Goldschmidt homered in the first inning Saturday in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Dodgers.

1B Paul Goldschmidt was 2-for-5 with a three-run homer on the seventh pitch of the first inning after entering the game in an 0-for-17 skid. He had been 0-for-11 against Rockies RHP Jon Gray. Asked if the plan was to attack Gray early in the count, "not any more than anyone else," he said. "We were just trying to score. We know how good he is. We didn't really have a different game plan. I was just trying to get the runs in or get on base."

There may not be two American League players who differ more standing side-by-side than the Houston Astros' Jose Altuve and the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge.Altuve is a diminutive 5-foot-6. Judge is a giant at 6-7. But when it comes to the AL Most Valuable Player Award, the difference could be measured in angstroms.The members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America are sending in their votes right now for all of the major 2017 awards. There are some that will be, or should be, unanimous picks.How do you not give Judge the AL Rookie of the Year? Same goes in the National League for Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both were by far at the top of their classes when all was said and done.Below is our take on the deserving winners in each race. AL MVP isn't the only white-knuckler. In the AL, the Cy Young Award race between Boston's Chris Sale and Cleveland's Corey Kluber is tight, too. In the National League, the MVP, Cy Young and Manager of the Year are all worthy of great... [More]

1B Paul Goldschmidt is not finishing the season strong. He batted .175 (14-for-80) with three home runs in September. The five-time National League All-Star's average has dipped to .299, although he has 36 home runs and 120 RBIs.

1B Paul Goldschmidt has hit safely in 21 of his last 25 games. Goldschmidt is 30-for-89 for a .337 average during the stretch.

1B Paul Goldschmidt provided all the Arizona scoring with a two-run home run in Saturday's 2-0 win over the San Francisco Giants. The homer came off Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner and was Goldschmidt's 18th career hit against the San Francisco ace. Only Colorado Rockies RF Carlos Gonzalez (19) has more career hits against Bumgarner.

1B Paul Goldschmidt was 1-for-4 with a homer on his 30th birthday Sunday, his second game back after missing five with right elbow soreness. "I felt like the extension, the follow through, everything he had been working on pre-injury, I saw the same type of swing," manager Torey Lovullo said. "When he barrels up a ball and hits it a long way like that, you know things are going right." Goldschmidt muscled an RBI single over shortstop in five at-bats in his first game back Saturday.

1B Paul Goldschmidt was 1-for-5 with an RBI single in his return to the lineup after missing five games because of right elbow soreness that required a cortisone shot. The Diamondbacks do not foresee any issues as they enter the stretch run. "Paul's been ready," manager Torey Lovullo said. "He passed all the functional texting that we wanted him to pass, so we feel confident knowing that he is going to be OK."

1B Paul Goldschmidt (right elbow) was held out of the lineup for the fifth straight game, although he went through extensive pregame work including batting practice. Manager Torey Lovullo said that after speaking to Goldschmidt before the game, the plan was to use him as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning if the situation arose. That decision was a positive indicator that Goldschmidt might return to the lineup Saturday. "Much improved," Lovullo said. "Today is the best day. Today is better than yesterday. Goldschmidt was given an MRI and a cortisone shot Monday. The MRI showed no structural damage. "Nobody knows how it happened," Lovullo said. "I just think it is the wear and tear of a long season."

1B Paul Goldschmidt did not play again Wednesday after reporting soreness in his right elbow. Goldschmidt had an MRI exam and a cortisone shot in the elbow Tuesday in Arizona, but no structural damage was found and he was diagnosed with inflammation. Manager Torey Lovullo is optimistic that Goldschmidt can play this weekend at home against San Diego.

1B Paul Goldschmidt had an MRI on his sore right elbow that showed no structural damage. Goldschmidt returned to Phoenix for the exam, but back in Los Angeles and with the club for Tuesday's game against the Dodgers. He was not available Tuesday because of soreness and will be re-evaluated Wednesday. His diagnosis is now elbow inflammation.

INF Paul Goldschmidt wasn't in the lineup Monday with a lingering right elbow issue. He returned to Arizona to have an MRI but as long as that is negative, he's expected to play Tuesday.

1B Paul Goldschmidt, who was 0-for-8 in the first two games of the series, was not in the lineup for the first time since July 22, snapping a 39-game streak. It was the fifth time he has been out of the lineup this season. Manager Torey Lovullo cited the long stretch of games Goldschmidt has played and said the effects of playing at mile-high altitude in Denver went into the decision to rest Goldschmidt and RF J.D. Martinez, who played 14 straight games since his last day off Aug. 18. "It's proven science that your body just doesn't recover as quickly," Lovullo said. "Coming in to Colorado we took several days off from (batting practice) to prepare for the three games in Colorado. I wanted to give some guys some time off, and then you're going to see some guys get some rest coming out of Colorado. It just makes a lot of sense to me to make sure that these guys are healthy and strong."

1B Paul Goldschmidt went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and didn't hit the ball out of the infield. In the first two games of the series, Goldschmidt is hitless in eight at-bats and has hit one ball out of the infield -- a deep drive to right-center on his first at-bat Friday.

1B Paul Goldschmidt became the first player in franchise history with three 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons with one swing Friday. His three-run homer in the fourth inning was his 30th, and it gave him 101 RBIs. "Honestly, my only focus is not on any numbers or individual stuff," Goldschmidt said. "We are here in the playoff race. Find a way to help us win tonight and do the same thing tomorrow. Of course they mean more when it is not like a blowout win. When I'm able to come through, it's nice." Luis Gonzalez had two 30/100 seasons. "Nothing against Arizona, but if (Goldschmidt) was on the East Coast he would be getting a lot of recognition for what he does," Arizona C Chris Iannetta said.

DH Paul Goldschmidt clubbed his first career home run at Minute Maid Park, a two-run shot to left field off Astros RHP Luke Gregerson. Goldschmidt is a native of Houston suburb The Woodlands. He homered prior to RF J.D. Martinez, marking the third time the pair of clubbed back-to-back home runs, with each occurence coming on the road.

1B Paul Goldschmidt and RF J.D. Martinez are candidates to serve as DH in the D-backs' two-game series at Houston when the teams switch venues Wednesday. "I like the idea of giving Paul Goldschmidt a half-day off," manager Torey Lovullo said. "It makes the most sense for me. To get Paul off his feet makes a lot of sense to me. I also am thinking about it with J.D." The D-backs also play a three-game interleague series in Minnesota this weekend and finish the regular season with three games in Kansas City.

1B Paul Goldschmidt had the 25th double of the season on Sunday in a 6-3 loss to San Francisco at AT&T Park. He went 1-for-4 and brought LF David Peralta home from third in the first inning with a double down the left field line off Giants RHP Jeff Samardzija. The RBI was Goldschmidt's 89th of the season.

NEW YORK -- Yu Darvish threw seven scoreless innings in his first start for Los Angeles and Chase Utley continued to torment the New York Mets by hitting a two-run homer in the seventh inning of the Dodgers' 6-0 win on Friday at Citi Field.The scorching Dodgers won for the 42nd time in their last 49 games dating back to June 7. The Mets lost for the fifth time in six games.Darvish, who was acquired from the Texas Rangers in exchange for three prospects seconds before the trade deadline Monday, allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out 10. The win was the first since June 12 for Darvish, who was 0-5 with a 5.81 ERA in his final eight starts for the Rangers.Darvish received the only support he'd need when Chris Taylor homered leading off the first against Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom (12-5). Yasiel Puig homered in the second and Justin Turner hit into a run-scoring play in the fifth.Tigers 5, Orioles 2BALTIMORE -- Justin Upton hit a grand slam off Mychal Givens in the top... [More]