LOS ANGELES (AP) — Injured shortstop Dansby Swanson didn't make the Atlanta Braves' roster for the National League Division Series. His replacement is Charlie Culberson, someone familiar to the Los Angeles Dodgers.The Braves announced their roster Thursday, hours before the start of Game 1.Swanson tore a ligament in his left hand against the New York Mets in the next-to-last series of the regular season. He is one of Atlanta's top defensive players. At the plate, he was hitting .238, with 14 home runs and 59 RBIs in 136 games.Culberson is making his third straight playoff appearance. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series last year.The Braves' 25-man roster features 12 pitchers, including right-hander Julio Teheran, one of just two players who were with Atlanta for its last postseason appearance in 2013. The other is first baseman Freddie Freeman.The other pitchers are: Brad Brach, Game 1 starter Mike Foltynewicz, rookie Max Fried, Kevin Gausman, rookie A.J. Minter, Sean Newcomb, Game... [More]

Familiar faces in the American League, new blood in the National League.That's one way to describe this year's postseason. The two Division Series in the AL will include the same four teams as a year ago. Meanwhile, the NL welcomes the Braves, Brewers and Rockies to this stage. None of them have played in an NLDS since Atlanta in 2013.With four teams left in each league, there are 16 possible matchups for the World Series. Here's a list of them all — and what could make each of them noteworthy. The matchups are listed in descending order of likelihood, using probability figures from Fangraphs.com heading into Thursday's action.___INDIANS-DODGERS (14.6 percent)FanGraphs likes the Dodgers and Indians, although neither team was overwhelming during the regular season. If they meet in the World Series, managers Terry Francona and Dave Roberts could spend some time reminiscing about their title run with the 2004 Red Sox, but we know what the real question would be during a Cleveland-Los Angeles... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — These aren't the same Dodgers that won 104 games, ran away in the NL West, and fell one victory short of a World Series title last year.Example A: After a slow start, they won 92 games and needed Game 163 to earn their sixth straight division title.Example B: Clayton Kershaw won't be opening the postseason as the Game 1 starter for the first time in six consecutive playoff appearances.Example C: Kershaw told Hyun-Jin Ryu that the South Korean left-hander was going to take the mound on Thursday night against Mike Foltynewicz and the Atlanta Braves to begin the best-of-five Division Series."I'm obviously kind of nervous, but I think it's a good thing," Ryu said through a translator Wednesday.The Dodgers obviously think flip-flopping Kershaw and Ryu is the right move, with manager Dave Roberts saying it allows both pitchers to have five days' rest between starts. If Kershaw started Game 1, he would be on four days' rest, while Ryu would be on six days' rest.Kershaw starting... [More]

A look at the best-of-five National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers:___Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Thursday, at Los Angeles, 8:37 p.m. (MLB); Game 2, Friday, at Los Angeles, 9:37 p.m. (FS1); Game 3, Sunday, at Atlanta, 8:07 p.m. (FS1); x-Game 4, Monday, Oct. 8, at Atlanta, TBA; x-Game 5, Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Los Angeles, TBA.x-if necessary.___Season Series: Dodgers won 5-2.___Projected Lineups:Braves: LF Ronald Acuna Jr. (.293, 26 HRs, 64 RBIs, 16 SBs), CF Ender Inciarte (.265, 10, 61, 28 SBs), 1B Freddie Freeman (.309, 23, 98, 10 SBs), RF Nick Markakis (.297, 14, 93), 3B Johan Camargo (.272, 19, 76), C Tyler Flowers (.227, 8, 30), 2B Ozzie Albies (.261, 24, 72, 14 SBs), SS Dansby Swanson (.238, 14, 59, injured left hand) or Charlie Culberson (.270, 12, 45).Dodgers: LF Joc Pederson (.248, 25, 56) or Matt Kemp (.290, 21, 85, 115 Ks in 146 games), 3B Justin Turner (.312, 14, 52), 1B Max Muncy (.263, 35, 79, .958 OPS), SS Manny Machado (.315,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is opening October by blasting the game's so-called "unwritten rules."MLB released an advertisement ahead of Tuesday's postseason opener denouncing the anti-bat flip attitudes of many baseball traditionalists."Don't stop and stare. Don't flip your bat. Respect the jersey," says a narrator at the start. Meanwhile, the commercial shows Giancarlo Stanton admiring a lengthy home run, Carlos Correa tossing his bat, Mookie Betts flexing and Yasiel Puig wagging his tongue after a daring headfirst slide.It also includes Atlanta rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. celebrating a home run against the Marlins. Acuna was plunked by Miami's Jose Urena during his impressive five-game homer streak this season, an incident that put baseball's unwritten rules back under the microscope.After Acuna, the ad cuts to Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey sports a backward baseball cap, just like he did as the fresh face of baseball in the early 1990s."No more talk," Griffey says. "Let... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Shortstop Dansby Swanson did not participate in the Atlanta Braves' light workout Tuesday and appears to be a longshot to make the team's roster for its NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Swanson partially tore a ligament in his left hand on a swing against the Mets' Noah Syndergaard on Sept. 24. He had pain when he tried to swing a bat Saturday in Philadelphia and received more treatment Tuesday, remaining inside while his teammates were on the SunTrust Park field.Manager Brian Snitker paused when asked if Swanson still has a chance to play when the Braves open the NLDS on Thursday night in Los Angeles."A chance," Snitker said. "I don't know how great of one, really. But we've had guys in situations like this who have come in the next day and been a lot better, so we're just going to take it a day at a time."Braves players were not available to reporters on what was officially a day off.Charlie Culberson, who excelled for the Dodgers in the 2017 postseason... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is opening October by blasting the game's so-called "unwritten rules."MLB released an advertisement ahead of Tuesday's postseason opener denouncing the anti-bat flip attitudes of many baseball traditionalists."Don't stop and stare. Don't flip your bat. Respect the jersey," says a narrator at the start. Meanwhile, the commercial shows Giancarlo Stanton admiring a lengthy home run, Carlos Correa tossing his bat, Mookie Betts flexing and Yasiel Puig wagging his tongue after a daring headfirst slide.It also includes Atlanta rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. celebrating a home run against the Marlins. Acuna was plunked by Miami's Jose Urena during his impressive five-game homer streak this season, an incident that put baseball's unwritten rules back under the microscope.After Acuna, the ad cuts to Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey sports a backward baseball cap, just like he did as the fresh face of baseball in the early 1990s."No more talk," Griffey says. "Let... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Now that the regular season is finally in the books, time to bestow baseball's biggest individual prizes. It took one extra day to sort out the playoff bracket, but these debates have been underway for weeks.Christian Yelich seems a cinch for NL MVP, but is it Mookie Betts or Boston teammate J.D. Martinez in the American League?Jacob deGrom or Max Scherzer for the NL Cy Young Award?Shohei Ohtani or Miguel Andujar for AL Rookie of the Year?Martinez has been a monster at the plate in his first season with the Red Sox after signing a $110 million, five-year contract. He launched 43 home runs and led the majors with 130 RBIs. He compiled a 1.031 OPS and hit .330, finishing second to Betts (.346) in the batting race.All big reasons why Boston had the best record in baseball at 108-54.Hitting at the top of the order, Betts had 32 homers, 80 RBIs, 129 runs and a whopping 1.078 OPS.But on defense and the bases, it's no comparison. Martinez started 57 games in the outfield but 93... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Last year's World Series between the Astros and Dodgers was a thriller, ending in Houston's Game 7 victory for its first championship.Might they have an encore in store? Perhaps one with a Hollywood ending this time?Time to find out. After two tight NL division races stretched the regular season to a pair of Game 163s, the Rockies and Cubs are set to begin the playoffs Tuesday night with the NL wild-card game at Wrigley Field.Before they do, a look at the 2018 postseason, from A to Z:A: ACES OUT — Good news for NL hitters: Many of the league's top starting pitchers have already begun their offseasons. Cy Young Award favorites Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Aaron Nola won't throw a postseason pitch. Same for Patrick Corbin and 18-game winner Miles Mikolas. Of course, longtime rotation leaders like Clayton Kershaw and Jon Lester are still in play.B: BETTS IN SHOW — Mookie Betts enters his third postseason as the AL MVP favorite, though Boston's dynamic leadoff hitter has a... [More]

The Dodgers are about to play another end-of-season tiebreaker. It's a scenario that hasn't been kind to them over the years.Los Angeles will take on Colorado for the NL West title Monday, one of two one-game playoffs that day in the National League. The Cubs and Brewers also need to break a tie for the NL Central.These aren't elimination games — the losers will end up as the NL wild cards — but there will still be some pressure, since the division winners head straight to the Division Series. The tiebreakers are considered part of the regular season, and stats are counted accordingly.For the Dodgers, these not-quite-postseason games have been fraught with peril. When they were in Brooklyn, the Dodgers finished tied with the rival Giants for the 1951 NL pennant, and then famously lost a three-game series to New York on a home run by Bobby Thomson . The 1946 pennant was also decided by a best-of-three tiebreaker, with the Cardinals beating Brooklyn in two straight .After moving to Los Angeles,... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies remained one game ahead of Los Angeles as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown. The Dodgers won 3-1 in San Francisco.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies remained one game ahead of Los Angeles as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown. The Dodgers won 3-1 in San Francisco.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies remained one game ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown. The Dodgers won 3-1 in San Francisco.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies entered the night with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to finish the... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies entered the night with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to finish the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The most-heard sound at major league ballparks this year was "Strike three!"A whiff of offense would be nice rather than all those nights filled with nonstop whiffs.Strikeouts will exceed hits over a full season for the first time in major league history. The overall batting average has dropped to its lowest level since 1972, the year before the designated hitter. Lefty hitters — facing smothering defensive shifts — have fared even worse, with their lowest average since 1968, before the pitcher's mound was lowered.Starters throw fewer pitches and hard-throwing relievers are changed more frequently. The game has transformed at a dizzying pace."We need to thoughtfully review the trends," baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday.Manfred looks ahead to a postseason featuring 20-year-old Atlanta star Ronald Acuna Jr., Boston, the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs and possibly Los Angeles Dodgers, too.But much of the offseason will be spent analyzing historic changes.There... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The most-heard sound at major league ballparks this year was "Strike three!"A whiff of offense would be nice rather than all those nights filled with nonstop whiffs.Strikeouts are likely to exceed hits over a full season for the first time in major league history. The overall batting average has dropped to its lowest level since 1972, the year before the designated hitter. Lefty hitters — facing smothering defensive shifts — have fared even worse, with their lowest average since 1968, before the pitcher's mound was lowered.Starters throw fewer pitches and hard-throwing relievers are changed more frequently. The game has transformed at a dizzying pace."We need to thoughtfully review the trends," baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday.Manfred looks ahead to a postseason featuring 20-year-old Atlanta star Ronald Acuna Jr., Boston and the New York Yankees, and possibly the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, too.But much of the offseason will be spent analyzing historic... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Houston Astros clinched another AL West title and reached 100 wins for the second straight season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 Tuesday night behind Alex Bregman's two-run homer.Houston improved to 100-57 and was assured of first place hours later when second-place Oakland (95-63) lost at Seattle. The Astros will open the Division Series at home against Cleveland on Oct. 5.The Astros need three wins in their final five games to break the franchise record for victories in a season, set in 1998.Houston is 18-4 in September and 54-22 on the road, both best in the major leagues.Roberto Osuna needed just six pitches in the ninth for his 20th save in 21 chances. Earlier Tuesday, assault charges against Osuna were dropped because the complainant, who lives in Mexico, made clear she would not travel to Toronto to testify.Josh James (2-0) allowed one run and four hits in five innings in his third big league start.Bregman went 2 for 5 and extended his club-record streak of... [More]

DENVER (AP) — David Dahl homered for a second straight night, a three-run shot in the third, and the Colorado Rockies vaulted into the final NL wild-card spot by beating the Philadelphia Phillies 10-3 on Tuesday night.The Rockies' fifth straight win moved them a half-game in front of St. Louis for the second wild-card after the Cardinals lost 12-4 to Milwaukee. Colorado trailed the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by 1½ games entering the night and still has a chance to win its first division title. The Rockies have five games remaining.The game-changing hit was delivered by Dahl, who lined a fastball from Vince Velasquez (9-12) to left for his 12th homer — nearly to the same spot where Dahl hit a two-run homer the previous night. Dahl also added a run-scoring single as part of a 3-for-5, 4-RBI evening.The Rockies used seven relievers, with DJ Johnson (1-0) getting one out in the third to earn his first big league win.BREWERS 12, CARDINALS 4ST. LOUIS (AP) — Christian Yelich homered and... [More]

DENVER (AP) — David Dahl homered for a second straight night, a three-run shot in the third, and the Colorado Rockies vaulted into the final NL wild-card spot by beating the Philadelphia Phillies 10-3 on Tuesday night.The Rockies' fifth straight win moved them a half-game in front of St. Louis for the second wild-card after the Cardinals lost 12-4 to Milwaukee. Colorado trailed the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by 1½ games entering the night and still has a chance to win its first division title. The Rockies have five games remaining.The game-changing hit was delivered by Dahl, who lined a fastball from Vince Velasquez (9-12) to left for his 12th homer — nearly to the same spot where Dahl hit a two-run homer the previous night. Dahl also added a run-scoring single as part of a 3-for-5, 4-RBI evening.The Rockies used seven relievers, with DJ Johnson (1-0) getting one out in the third to earn his first big league win.BREWERS 12, CARDINALS 4ST. LOUIS (AP) — Christian Yelich homered and... [More]