ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Corey Seager bashed his way to NLCS MVP. Once the Los Angeles Dodgers finally finished off the Atlanta Braves, the choice was obvious. Seager helped power Los Angeles to its third World Series in four years, and another chance to win its first title since 1988. The sweet-swinging shortstop set NLCS records with five homers and 11 RBIs as the Dodgers eliminated the Braves in seven games. Even though he went 0 for 5 and left five runners on base in the Dodgers’ clinching 4-3 win Sunday night, Seager homered three times in the previous two games when they were also facing elimination. “It wasn’t me, it was this team,” Seager said after accepting the MVP trophy. The Dodgers matched an LCS record with their 16 homers, including clutch drives by Kiké Hernández and Cody Bellinger in Game 7. Seager, the 2016 NL Rookie of the Year, homered twice in a 7-3 win in Game 5 on Friday night. The next day, his solo homer ignited a a three-run first inning that was more than enough... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mookie Betts is leaping into the World Series, carrying to the Los Angeles Dodgers with his glove rather than with his bat. The star right fielder made his third terrific catch in three days, this time robbing Freddie Freeman of a home run and helping the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 Sunday night in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Los Angeles trailed 3-2 in the fifth inning, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts already had brought on his third pitcher when the Braves made a bid to widen their lead. Freeman drove a cutter deep to right field, and Betts sprinted to the wall and jumped, just to the side of a credit-card advertisement. His glove above the eight-foot top, he snatched the ball as it was headed over. Run saved! Another web gem, perhaps even more impressive than his robberies of Dansby Swanson in Game 5 with a shoestring grab and of Marcell Ozuna in Game 6 against the wall a little bit more toward center. “I feel like I did something good for the... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The World Series matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays is a rare meeting of baseball’s best for the title, and a matchup of organizations with Andrew Friedman’s imprint. Friedman was the Rays’ director of baseball operations from 2004-05 and then general manager from until he left in October 2014 to become the Dodgers president of baseball operations. Retired first baseman James Loney, a veteran of both organizations, describes the Rays as “feisty.” “We were always fighting. But we always did feel like we were the better team,” he said Sunday. “I don’t ever feel like we went out there overmatched. We didn’t care who was pitching. We didn’t care what kind of lineup they had. We were bringing that mentality and I think the Rays team this year has that.” “Both teams are really committed to winning and trying to find any kind of edge they could,” added Loney, who played for the Dodgers from 2006-11 and the Rays from 2013-15. “The Rays are really... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mookie Betts jumped high against the eight-foot wall in right field, landing against an advertisement with the word “Extreme.” His catch that robbed Marcell Ozuna to end the fifth inning with a runner on was extreme, just like the running, shoestring scoop the Dodgers star made a night earlier that started a double play and took an Atlanta run off the scoreboard. Betts knew what he had accomplished. Head raised and bobbing back and forth, the ball held at his midsection, he took a few gallops toward the plate before joyfully throwing the ball back in. Walker Buehler stood near the mound, his right hand forming a triumphant fist, arm held high. “That’s a huge spark. That’s an unbelievable play by an unbelievable player at a big moment,” shortstop Corey Seager said. Moments like this were what Los Angeles hoped for when it acquired the four-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner from the Boston Red Sox in February. Betts’ defense, Buehler’s pitching and consecutive... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Marcell Ozuna and the Atlanta Braves got a little ahead of themselves. Now they’ll have to wait at least another day for the franchise’s first World Series in 20 years. Ozuna left early on what would have been a sacrifice fly with his team leading in the third inning, and the game soon turned in Los Angeles’ favor as the Dodgers stayed alive in the NL Championship Series with a 7-3 victory in Game 5 on Friday night. The Braves still have a 3-2 series lead after a bullpen game that started well but went awry, with their top two starters lined up for the final two games. Left-hander Max Fried pitches for the NL East champions on Saturday. A night after hitting two homers in a 10-2 win, Ozuna started off the bag at third base when Dansby Swanson hit a liner to right field with Atlanta already off to a 2-0 lead. Realizing Mookie Betts had a chance to make the catch, Ozuna retreated to the base, but still pulled his foot off too soon as Betts made a running, lunging catch... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Baby Braves were the Battered Braves in their first loss of these playoffs. Now the young pitchers who had been so poised and effective in the postseason will have to try to get Atlanta back on track. Rookie starter Kyle Wright and the Braves gave up a postseason-record 11 runs in the first inning of a 15-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series on Wednesday night. The 15 runs allowed in the first three innings were more than the Braves permitted in their first seven postseason games combined. And those 13 previous runs included seven scored by Los Angeles in the final three innings of Atlanta's 8-7 win in Game 2. The Braves will have to remind themselves they still lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 on Thursday night in the first NLCS with no days off since 1978, and the first ever at a neutral site, the home of the Texas Rangers. Wright gave up seven runs while getting just two outs after Atlanta starters allowed only five runs... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Muncy hit a grand slam to cap an 11-run first inning for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series, the highest-scoring inning ever in an MLB postseason game. The 11 runs came against the Atlanta Braves, who were also on the wrong side of matching the previous mark. They allowed 10 runs in the first inning in the deciding Game 5 of the NL Division Series against St. Louis last season. The slam by Muncy off reliever Grant Dayton was the third homer in the inning, matching another LCS record. After Mookie Betts led off the game with an infield single on the first pitch, Corey Seager drove him home with a double on the next pitch. Joc Pederson and Edwin Rios later homered on consecutive pitches against Kyle Wright, who then walked the No. 9 batter before Dayton took over. Betts walked before Seager had an RBI single, Justin Turner was hit by a pitch and Muncy went deep. Will Smith, the 14th batter in the inning, struck out to end it. The Dodgers led 11-0 entering the second inning after center fielder Cody Bellinger robbed the Braves' Ozzie Albies with a leaping catch at the wall that stranded two runners in the bottom of the first. Bellinger then led off the second with a homer. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Former ace Clayton Kershaw is having more back issues, Kenley Jansen hasn't seen the mound yet with his closing role unclear and baseball's highest-scoring offense stayed silent until it was too late. It's no wonder the Los Angeles Dodgers are down 2-0 in the NL Championship Series to the Atlanta Braves, a deficit the previous 14 NL teams to face in the best-of-seven format couldn't overcome. The Dodgers, who won their first five playoff games before dropping their second straight 8-7 on Tuesday night, can't get in gear in the first neutral-site NLCS and could be headed to 32 years and counting since their last championship. Kershaw was scratched because of back spasms not long before the left-hander was to make his second appearance — both in the playoffs the past week — a few miles from the three-time Cy Young Award winner's hometown of Dallas. Tony Gonsolin filled in, pitching three perfect innings in his postseason debut before allowing five runs while getting... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have added left-hander Alex Wood as an extra pitcher for the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves, while also bringing back infielder Edwin Rios after he missed the last round with a groin injury. Wood missed a month of the shortened season because of a shoulder injury in his first start, though he returned in September when seven of his eight appearances were in relief. Los Angeles is going with 15 pitchers, after having 14 on its roster in the three-game NL Division Series sweep of San Diego, and 13 in the wild-card round against Milwaukee. Terrance Gore was left off the NLCS roster after the speedy outfielder didn't appear in either series. Rios replaced Gavin Lux, who got only one at-bat against the Padres. The Dodgers' 28-player roster for the best-of-seven NLCS against the Braves that starts Monday night: LOS ANGELES Pitchers (15): RH Pedro Baéz, RH Walker Buehler, RH Dylan Floro, RH Tony Gonsolin, LH Victor... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-seven NL Championship Series between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers in Arlington, Texas, beginning Monday night: ___ Season Series: Did not play. ___ ATLANTA BRAVES Record: 35-25. Playoff Entry: NL East champions. Playoff Seed: No. 2. Manager: Brian Snitker (fifth season). Projected Rotation: LHP Max Fried (7-0, 2.25 ERA, 50 Ks), RHP Ian Anderson (3-2, 1.95, 41 Ks, 32 1/3 IP, 6 starts), RHP Kyle Wright (2-4, 5.21, 30 Ks), RHP Josh Tomlin (2-2, 4.76), RHP Bryse Wilson (1-0, 4.02, 1 save in 15 2/3 IP) or RHP Huascar Ynoa (0-0, 5.82). Top Hitters: 1B Freddie Freeman (.341, 13 HRs, 53 RBIs, 51 runs, 1.102 OPS), DH Marcell Ozuna (.338, 18, 56, 77 hits, 1.067 OPS), OF Ronald Acu�a Jr. (.250, 14, 29), C Travis d'Arnaud (.321, 9, 34). Top Relievers: RHP Mark Melancon (2-1, 2.78 ERA, 11 saves), LHP Will Smith (2-2, 4.50), LHP Tyler Matzek (4-3, 2.79, 43 Ks in 29 IP), RHP Chris Martin (1-1, 1.00, 1 save), RHP Shane Greene (1-0, 2.60). Series Summary: Winners... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-five playoff series between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in Arlington, Texas, beginning Tuesday: ___ Season Series: Dodgers won 6-4. ___ SAN DIEGO PADRES Record: 37-23. Playoff Entry: second place, NL West. Playoff Seed: No. 4. Manager: Jayce Tingler (first season). Projected Rotation: RHP Chris Paddack (4-5, 4.73 ERA, 58 Ks in 59 IP), RHP Zach Davies (7-4, 2.73), RHP Dinelson Lamet (3-1, 2.09), RHP Mike Clevinger (3-2, 3.02 with Indians and Padres; 2-1, 2.84 in 4 starts for San Diego after trade). Top Hitters: SS Fernando Tatis Jr. (.277, 17 HRs, 45 RBIs, 11 SBs), 3B Manny Machado (.304, 16, 47), RF Wil Myers (.288, 15, 40). Top Relievers: RHP Trevor Rosenthal (1-0, 1.90 ERA, 4 saves), LHP Drew Pomeranz (1-0, 1.45, 4 saves, 29 Ks, 10 BBs). Series Summary: The Padres are in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, and they overcame an old nemesis in the first round by rallying past St. Louis 2-1 in a best-of-three set to win a postseason... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — As Francisco Lindor played in the longest nine-inning game in history, a nearly five-hour endurance test that ended in an empty stadium on October's first morning, he considered it may have been his last game with Cleveland. “It crossed my mind,” he said. He wasn't alone. And it may have also been the team's final game with the Indians name, which it's used for more than a century. A strange, shortened regular season filled with face coverings, coronavirus protocols and adversity was followed by a swift playoff exit — again. Lindor and the Indians are finished in 2020, but any lingering pain from the club's eighth straight postseason loss or failure to end a World Series title drought dating to 1948, quickly shifted to Lindor's unsettled future on Thursday. The four-time All-Star shortstop is under contractual control for next season, but the Indians can't afford to pay him $300 million and it's expected they'll trade the 26-year-old this winter before he walks as a free... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-three playoff series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers beginning Wednesday. All games in Los Angeles: ___ MILWAUKEE BREWERS Record: 29-31. Playoff Entry: NL wild card. Playoff Seed: No. 8. Manager: Craig Counsell (sixth season). Projected Rotation: LHP Brent Suter (2-0, 3.13 ERA), RHP Brandon Woodruff (3-5, 3.05), LHP Brett Anderson (4-4, 4.21) Top Hitters: LF Christian Yelich (.205, 12 HRs, 22 RBIs, .356 OBP), 2B Keston Hiura (.212, 13, 32), OF/DH Ryan Braun (.233, 8, 26), 1B Jedd Gyorko (.248, 9, 17, .838 OPS). Top Relievers: RHP Devin Williams (4-1, 0.33 ERA, 53 Ks in 27 IP), LHP Josh Hader (1-2, 3.79, 13 saves, 31 Ks in 19 IP), RHP Eric Yardley (2-0, 1.54). Series Summary: The Brewers are making their third straight playoff appearance, something they’d never accomplished before since the franchise launched as the Seattle Pilots in 1969. … This series is a rematch of the 2018 NLCS won by the Dodgers in seven games, the only other time... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Mookie Betts, meet Devin Williams and his devastating changeup. Aaron Judge, take a closer look at a much improved Shane Bieber. Fernando Tatis Jr., say hello to Jack Flaherty. Welcome to the first round of the 2020 playoffs, a class with an unusual amount of homework — and precious little room for error. After the pandemic-shortened regular season was limited to regional play, seven of the eight wild-card series involve teams that haven't played any meaningful games against each other since last year. The one exception is Blake Snell and Tampa Bay taking on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Toronto in an all-AL East matchup. “It’s like the old days, man, when you played a team you’ve never played before. It’s exactly what it is,” said Sandy Alomar Jr., the acting manager for the Indians. “It’s very strange." That means a lot of video and scouting work before the AL playoffs begin Tuesday and the NL postseason starts Wednesday. And the advance reports might be a tick or two off after... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The manager won’t be back, and there could be more changes for the Boston Red Sox after their last-place finish in the pandemic-shortened season. J.D. Martinez is eligible to opt out of his contract, Jackie Bradley Jr. is a free agent, and the pitching rotation and bullpen were revealed by the unusual year to be in shambles. The team also needs to replace Ron Roenicke, who was told before the season finale that he's not in their plans. Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom will need to deal with these issues; he hopes to have a more normal offseason to do it (Last year, he landed in the middle of a cheating investigation that cost the team manager Alex Cora, and a mandate to cut salary that cost the Red Sox Mookie Betts and David Price -- even before the coronavirus shut down spring training). Here is a look at some of the items on Bloom’s to-do list: MANAGER With Cora tainted by the Astros cheating investigation and spring training less than a month away, Bloom’s options were... [More]

Christian Yelich and the Milwaukee Brewers got off to a ragged start this year. They never got above .500. And they dropped their last game to finish with a losing record. Guess what? They’re going to the playoffs. “Weird. I guess that’s the only way to describe it. It’s fitting for 2020,” Yelich said Sunday. A pandemic-altered, 60-game regular season that many believed would never get completed and saw games postponed because of virus outbreaks, racial injustice protests and a hurricane went into the final day without a single playoff matchup set. Then, in a flurry and fury, the entire, expanded 16-team postseason field was full. Not a bad way to start, either: Gerrit Cole vs. Shane Bieber in a mega-watt duel as the New York Yankees face the Cleveland Indians in the best-of-three wild-card round Tuesday. On Wednesday, the NL gets going. That’s when the Brewers, at 29-31, open their series against Los Angeles ace Walker Buehler at Dodger Stadium. In a win-and-you’re-in game, St. Louis clinched... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Ron Roenicke was told Sunday he will not return as manager of the Boston Red Sox, ending a one-year, shotgun stopgap on the final day of a pandemic-shortened season that resulted in a last-place finish in the AL East. Hired on the eve of spring training to replace the suspended Alex Cora, Roenicke took over a roster that would soon shed 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts, who was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with 2012 AL Cy Young winner David Price. Ace Chris Sale never threw a pitch for the team this year. With the Red Sox 23-36 entering their final game, the team announced its decision.. “Throughout this difficult season, Ron’s consistency and professionalism kept the environment in our clubhouse productive and gave all of our players room to grow and develop,” Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom said in a statement. “While we believe that, moving forward, we will benefit from new leadership and new energy, that does not diminish how strongly we feel about Ron. He is a... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ LET'S GET IT SETTLED St. Louis, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Philadelphia enter the last day of the regular season competing for two postseason spots, and the biggest game of the day pits Christian Yelich's Brewers against Yadier Molina's Cardinals. A team-by-team breakdown of what each club needs to clinch: Cardinals (29-28) — Qualify with a victory over Milwaukee or a loss by the Giants. If St. Louis loses and San Francisco wins, the Cardinals would make up two games against Detroit on Monday that were postponed this season due to St. Louis' coronavirus outbreak. Brewers (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over St. Louis, or with losses by the Giants and Phillies. Giants (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over San Diego and a Brewers loss. If the Giants and Brewers win, San Francisco needs St. Louis to lose both games against the Tigers on Monday. Phillies (28-31) — Qualify with a win over Tampa Bay and losses by the Brewers and Giants.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Sunday: ___ LET'S GET IT SETTLED St. Louis, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Philadelphia enter the last day of the regular season competing for two postseason spots, and the biggest game of the day pits Christian Yelich's Brewers against Yadier Molina's Cardinals. A team-by-team breakdown of what each club needs to clinch: Cardinals (29-28) — Qualify with a victory over Milwaukee or a loss by the Giants. If St. Louis loses and San Francisco wins, the Cardinals would make up two games against Detroit on Monday that were postponed this season due to St. Louis' coronavirus outbreak. Brewers (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over St. Louis, or with losses by the Giants and Phillies. Giants (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over San Diego and a Brewers loss. If the Giants and Cardinals win, San Francisco needs St. Louis to lose both games against the Tigers on Monday. Phillies (28-31) — Qualify with a win over Tampa Bay and losses by the Brewers and Giants.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts left Saturday night's game after being hit by a pitch. Betts was plunked in the left hip by Angels right-hander Julio Teheran leading off the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Betts stayed in and scored the first run after being forced in with the bases loaded on a walk by Teheran. Betts was limping in the dugout. He was replaced by Kiké Hernández in right field to start the second. Betts leads the Dodgers in home runs (16), runs (46) and stolen bases (10). The Dodgers have won their eighth straight NL West title and clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports