C Brian McCann snapped an 0-for-20 skid with his RBI double in the fifth inning on Friday night in Game 4 of the American League Championship against Houston, snapping the Astros' scoreless innings skid at 15 in the process. For McCann, it was his second career double in the postseason. He also had a double in Game 4 of the 2010 National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants. McCann finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

RF Josh Reddick extended his hitless streak to 21 at-bats in the American League Championship Series by finishing 0-for-4 on Friday night. That is the longest such streak in ALCS history. The longest hitless streak in one postseason series is held by Dal Maxvill of the St. Louis Cardinals, who was 0-for-22 in the 1968 World Series.

2B Jose Altuve produced his first RBIs of the series with a two-run single in the fifth inning of the American League Championship Series on Friday night before adding a leadoff homer in the eighth. It marked his sixth multi-hit game of this postseason, which ties him for the fourth most in franchise history. Altuve has hit four homers this postseason, second only to Carlos Beltran, who had postseason eight homers in 2004.

RHP Justin Verlander became the first pitcher in postseason history with three consecutive scoreless starts in potential elimination games on Friday night in the American League Championship Series. With eight strikeouts, Verlander bumped his total for the series to 21 and joined RHP Bob Gibson (31, 1964), RHP Curt Shilling (26, 2001), and RHP Sandy Koufax (23, 1963) as the only pitchers with 20-plus strikeouts against the Yankees in a postseason series.

RHP David Robertson allowed four runs and four hits without getting an out in the eighth inning of Friday night's American League Championship Series game, a sharp reversal from his earlier success this postseason. Entering Game 6, Robertson had allowed two earned runs in 11 innings and six appearances this postseason, with one of those against the Astros in Game 4.

RHP Dellin Betances made just his second scoreless appearance this postseason on Friday night in the American League Championship Series in which he had at least one out, allowing one hit in one inning while getting a strikeout. Betances had allowed one run in two of his three previous appearances and failed to get an out in the third, issuing two walks against the Indians in Game 4 of the ALDS. Betances allowed two walks and a run against the Astros in Game 3.

RF Aaron Judge ran his postseason total to 26 strikeouts with two against Astros RHP Justin Verlander on Friday night in Game 6 of the American Leaghe Championship Series. That moved Judge into a tie with Yankees 2B Alfonso Soriano for the most strikeouts in one postseason in franchise history. Soriano had his 26 strikeouts in 75 plate appearances; Judge reached that total in his 52nd. Judge later clubbed his third homer of the ALCS, tied with four others for the second most in an ALCS in franchise history.

2B Daniel Murphy underwent surgery to repair damage to the articular cartilage in his right knee, the team announced Friday. Murphy, 32, will begin the rehab process immediately and will progress throughout the offseason. He never revealed he was dealing with any injury.

RHP Anibal Sanchez will not have the $16 million club option picked up by the Tigers. Instead the Tigers will pay him a $5 million buyout. Sanchez, 34, had a difficult season. He was 3-7 with a 6.41 ERA in 28 appearances, including 17 starts. He allowed 26 home runs in 105 1/3 innings.

WASHINGTON --The Washington Nationals have won four National League East division titles since 2012 under three different managers.But the Nationals are still looking for a postseason series win and some stability in the dugout, as the club announced Friday that manager Dusty Baker will not return in 2018 after his two-year contract expired.Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said he called Baker on Friday morning and the former All-Star outfielder handled the news with professionalism. The previous manager, Matt Williams, also lasted just two seasons."It was one of the most difficult decisions the ownership group and I have had to make," Rizzo said on a conference call with reporters. "Dusty has been a great representative of the Washington Nationals for his tenure here -- a Hall of Fame-type manager."The Nationals won the National League East in both seasons under Baker in 2016 and 2017 and lost at home in Game 5 each year in the NLDS. Washington won 95 games in the first year unde... [More]

1B Anthony Rizzo finished 0-for-4 as the Cubs' season ended Thursday with an 11-1 loss to the Dodgers. The performance capped a miserable series for Rizzo, who hit .059 (1 of 17) with eight strikeouts. That was a far cry from last year's NLCS, when Rizzo hit .320 (8 of 25) with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs.

3B Kris Bryant clubbed his first home run of the postseason in the Cubs' season-ending loss to the Dodgers on Thursday night. The blast gave Bryant six career postseason home runs in 36 games.

LHP Jose Quintana drew the Cubs' season-ending loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. He allowed six runs on six hits in two-plus innings as his postseason ERA ballooned from 1.59 to 5.40. The southpaw expects to be a mainstay in the Cubs' rotation next season.

RHP John Lackey gave up two runs in two innings out of the bullpen in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. The appearance might have been the last of Lackey's storied career, although he has yet to make an announcement about his plans for 2018. Cubs manager Joe Maddon's eyes watered as he discussed Lackey, who will turn 39 years old later this month. "It's really special for me with John," he said. "Hopefully it's not (the end), but if it is, having that chance to be with him in that moment is pretty special for me."

SS Charlie Culberson was one of six Dodgers hitters to hit better than .300 for the NLCS. Culberson, who moved into a starting role after Corey Seager was forced to miss the series with a back injury, hit .455 in the five games with two doubles and a triple and finished 2-for-4 in Thursday night's 11-1 victory.

CF Chris Taylor shared the NLCS MVP with third baseman Justin Turner. Taylor went 2-for-4 with a walk in Thursday night's 11-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs with a double and single and a run scored. Taylor, who split his time between center field and shortstop, hit .316 in the NLCS with two home runs and three RBIs and scored five runs.

3B Justin Turner earned NLCS co-MVP honors along with center fielder Chris Taylor. Turner went 1-for-5 in Thursday night's 11-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs, but extended his streak of reaching safely in the postseason to eight games with his RBI single in the third inning. Turner has now reached safely in 23 of his last 24 postseason games dating back to Oct. 9, 2015.

LF Enrique Hernandez tied a league championship series record with seven RBIs in Thursday night's pennant-clinching victory over the Chicago Cubs. Hernandez homered three times, hitting a solo shot in the second inning, a grand slam in the third inning and a two-run homer in the ninth inning to cap his record-tying night.

OF Michael Brantley underwent surgery on his right ankle and will require four to five months of rehab, the Indians announced Thursday. Brantley, a two-time AL All-Star, missed 50 games over the final two months of the regular season due to the injury. Brantley was active for the AL Division Series against the Yankees but was just 1-for-11. The surgery was performed Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C., and was designed to strengthen damaged ligaments in Brantley's right ankle.

LHP Clayton Kershaw allowed just one run on three hits over six innings to earn his sixth postseason victory. The victory moved Kershaw into a tie with Burt Hooton for the most postseason victories in franchise history. Before Thursday's stellar showing, Kershaw already held the Dodgers' postseason records for starts, innings pitched, strikeouts and losses. Kershaw may be in line to start Game 1 of the World Series against either the New York Yankees or Houston Astros.