Greinke hasn’t pitched for Houston since late September when he started Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Minnesota Twins. The 36-year-old former Cy Young winner experienced “some soreness in his arm” at the time and wasn’t able to contribute to the Astros’ postseason run since then.

However, according to the team’s manager Dusty Baker, Greinke isn’t lost for the playoffs, and he is expected to make a contribution soon. His arm is “structurally sound” but he still needs a bit more time to get into a rhythm.

Zack Greinke played 12 games in the regular season, posting a 3-3 record with a 4.03 ERA and 67 strikeouts. Greinke, who is a six-time All-Star, had a 2.25 ERA and had one strikeout before leaving the game against the Twins.

Despite missing Greinke, Houston Astros had a dominant run in the 2020 MLB season so far, winning four of their first four playoff games. Astros’ only loss came on Wednesday night when Athletics’ cut into their 2-1 series lead with a 7-9 win.

The post Astros Hope to Have Zack Greinke Back at Some Point in the Postseason appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Dodgers entered the top of the ninth inning with 3 outs left to go and a 6-3 lead. Roberts, as he has so many times over the past several seasons, went to the Curacaoan closer out of the bullpen to secure the game and take a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Things didn’t quite go to plan, however.

Jansen struck out the first batter, but then gave up a single to Jake Cronenworth, who scored immediately after reaching base on a Mitch Moreland double. After forcing catcher Austin Nola to pop out in foul territory, Jansen then gave up another RBI single to Trent Grisham to draw the score to 6-5, forcing Roberts to take out his closer.

Joe Kelly recorded the final out to earn the save and prevent the Dodgers from blowing a crucial Game 2, but Jansen’s recent performances have Roberts thinking about using alternative options in the ninth inning. He recorded a 3.33 ERA in the regular season, far above his career mark of 2.39.

When asked about if he’s going to make a change at the position, Roberts said, “I’m gonna keep thinking through it.”

The Dodgers could opt to go to a closer-by-committee format with Joe Kelly, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, and Victor Gonzalez all potential options in the ninth inning.

The post Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Considering a Change at Closer appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The league, which did not allow fans inside of the ballpark for any of the regular season games played, is set to sell 11,500 tickets per game for these matchups, which equates to a 25% capacity of the Texas Rangers’ new stadium.

Globe Life Park, which has yet to see any paying fans enter the stadium in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced games to be played behind closed doors, will be used as a sort of experiment for baseball as they look to safely allow at least some fans inside of stadiums.

The ALCS, which will be played at Petco Park in San Diego, will not allow fans in the stadium due to more restrictive COVID-19 regulations in the state of California.

Fans will reportedly be seated in a socially-distanced “checkerboard” pattern which will allow for sufficient safety precautions to be taken. The tickets will be available for a mixed group of people, including Rangers season ticket holders, players’ family members, and the general public.

The NLCS is set to kick off on on Monday, October 12th and the World Series will start on Tuesday, October 20th.

The post MLB to Allow a Limited Number of Fans for NLCS, World Series Games appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The last matchday of the regular season saw plenty of excitement, especially in the National League where St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers managed to lock up the remaining two playoff spots.

Cardinals got the 5-2 win in a head-to-head duel against the Brewers, leaving Milwaukee to hope for help from other teams. San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies needed wins to clinch the final postseason ticket, but neither team managed to get the job done, allowing the Brewers to get in with a 29-31 record.

Cardinals will now face San Diego Padres in the wild-card game, while Brewers meet the first-seeded LA Dodgers. Check out the rest of the NL playoff picture below.

In American League, Minnesota Twins clinched the AL Central title for the second straight year despite losing 5-3 to Cincinnati Reds. This was thanks to Chicago Cubs and their 10-8 win over Chicago White Sox.

The Twins will now play against Houston Astros, while White Sox fell in the lower part of the seeding pool and play against Oakland Athletics. Take a look at AL matchups below.

The post MLB Wraps Up 2020 Regular Season, Sets Playoff Bracket appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Francona, who is still slated to miss the rest of the regular season, has still not made a final decision when it comes to managing in the playoffs, but his presence in the team’s bubble will at least open the door to that possibility. Even if he doesn’t return to manage on the field in October, his presence still could be useful for a team that will look to advance deep into the postseason.

“It gives (Francona) an opportunity to be around the team, even if it’s not in the dugout,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti explained before the team’s Wednesday night game against the White Sox.

The 61-year-old manager has missed 42 games this season due to gastrointestinal issues and a surgery as well as a blood-clotting condition.

Francona, a two-time World Series champion and a two-time AL Manager of the Year, has managed in 9 different MLB postseasons in his 19-year managerial career and could provide a real boost for his team whether it’s on or off the field.

The post Indians Manager Terry Francona to Re-Join Team in Playoff Bubble appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Dodgers, who have consistently been one of baseball’s strongest teams for the past decade, will put up a NL West pennant in Dodger Stadium for the eighth consecutive season after their 2020 triumph, the third-best streak of all time. Only the Atlanta Braves (14) and the New York Yankees (9) have taken first place in their division in more consecutive seasons than the Dodgers.

Los Angeles, whose record currently sits at 39-16, which will almost certainly end up being the best regular season mark in MLB, has gotten standout performances from its pitching staff and most of its lineup staples to establish themselves as one of the favorites to bring home the World Series crown.

The Dodgers’ 121 wRC+ means that they have had baseball’s second-best offense this season, behind only the Atlanta Braves, while its pitching staff has combined to post an excellent 3.04 ERA, the best mark in all of baseball.

The Dodgers will now wait to see which team will be the last to qualify for the NL playoffs, as the #8 seed will be their first round playoff opponent.

The post Dodgers Clinch NL West and #1 Seed in NL Playoffs appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Braves got their spot by clinching the NL East title for the third straight year, beating Miami Marlins 11-1 to get there. Atlanta was fueled by Bryse Wilson, who pitched five scoreless innings, while Marcell Ozuna added two home runs.

Cleveland, on the other hand, secured a 5-3 win over Chicago White Sox that pushed them to a 31-24 record and a wild-card berth in American League. Indians’ win was highlighted by third baseman Jose Ramirez’s three-run homer in the 10th inning.

“Once I hit it, I knew it was a home run because I got it right on the barrel,” said Ramirez after the game. “There was a lot less champagne than usual, but it was still a good celebration.”

Finally, Chicago Cubs suffered a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh Pirates but still managed to book their ticket to the postseason. Cubs squeezed in thanks to the Washington Nationals’ sweep of Philadelphia Phillies.

Indians joined Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, NY Yankees, and Minnesota Twins as the playoff teams from American League. Braves and Cubs, on the other hand, will represent the National League alongside Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

The post Braves, Indians, and Cubs All Secure Playoffs appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The A’s, despite not playing on Monday, were mathematically ensured of the division crown after the second-place Houston Astros fell 6-1 at home to the Seattle Mariners. Houston’s loss dropped them to the .500 mark and 6.5 games behind Oakland, making the Athletics the first team to clinch first place in a division in the Majors.

Oakland has been a team that has surprised many by displacing the Astros from the top of the division, as the 2017 World Series champions were the favorite heading into the season after winning the division in each of the past three seasons.

The Athletics have been led by one of baseball’s best pitching staffs which has combined to post an excellent 3.64 ERA on the season and prop up the team’s relatively average offensive output. With baseball’s best bullpen by ERA, Oakland will be a threat to advance in the playoffs if their bats can produce enough offense to keep their heads above water.

The A’s will either be the league’s 2nd or 3rd seed in the upcoming playoffs, which are set to begin next week.

The post Athletics Clinch First AL West Title in 7 Years appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Major League Baseball, which opted for a non-bubble format for its 60-game regular season in July, August, and September, has reportedly come to the decision that in order for its expanded postseason to go off without a hitch, the bubble format will be necessary.

While the three-game Wild Card rounds would be played in the home cities of the top-seeded teams in each matchup, beginning with the Division Series, teams would be concentrated in Texas and Southern California for the most important rounds of the playoffs.

Minute Maid Park and Dodger Stadium would be used alongside Petco Park and Globe Life Field to host the Division Series games. After that, the NLCS would be held in Texas at the Rangers’ home stadium while the ALCS would take place in San Diego at the Padres’ home.

Finally, the World Series would take place at the Rangers’ new home stadium of Globe Life Park to wrap up the playoffs.

The league is expected to approve its plan next week, just two weeks before the playoffs are set to get underway.

The post MLB Reportedly Will Opt for a Postseason Bubble Format appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Greinke hasn’t pitched for Houston since late September when he started Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Minnesota Twins. The 36-year-old former Cy Young winner experienced “some soreness in his arm” at the time and wasn’t able to contribute to the Astros’ postseason run since then.

However, according to the team’s manager Dusty Baker, Greinke isn’t lost for the playoffs, and he is expected to make a contribution soon. His arm is “structurally sound” but he still needs a bit more time to get into a rhythm.

Zack Greinke played 12 games in the regular season, posting a 3-3 record with a 4.03 ERA and 67 strikeouts. Greinke, who is a six-time All-Star, had a 2.25 ERA and had one strikeout before leaving the game against the Twins.

Despite missing Greinke, Houston Astros had a dominant run in the 2020 MLB season so far, winning four of their first four playoff games. Astros’ only loss came on Wednesday night when Athletics’ cut into their 2-1 series lead with a 7-9 win.

The post Astros Hope to Have Zack Greinke Back at Some Point in the Postseason appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Dodgers entered the top of the ninth inning with 3 outs left to go and a 6-3 lead. Roberts, as he has so many times over the past several seasons, went to the Curacaoan closer out of the bullpen to secure the game and take a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Things didn’t quite go to plan, however.

Jansen struck out the first batter, but then gave up a single to Jake Cronenworth, who scored immediately after reaching base on a Mitch Moreland double. After forcing catcher Austin Nola to pop out in foul territory, Jansen then gave up another RBI single to Trent Grisham to draw the score to 6-5, forcing Roberts to take out his closer.

Joe Kelly recorded the final out to earn the save and prevent the Dodgers from blowing a crucial Game 2, but Jansen’s recent performances have Roberts thinking about using alternative options in the ninth inning. He recorded a 3.33 ERA in the regular season, far above his career mark of 2.39.

When asked about if he’s going to make a change at the position, Roberts said, “I’m gonna keep thinking through it.”

The Dodgers could opt to go to a closer-by-committee format with Joe Kelly, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, and Victor Gonzalez all potential options in the ninth inning.

The post Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Considering a Change at Closer appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The league, which did not allow fans inside of the ballpark for any of the regular season games played, is set to sell 11,500 tickets per game for these matchups, which equates to a 25% capacity of the Texas Rangers’ new stadium.

Globe Life Park, which has yet to see any paying fans enter the stadium in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced games to be played behind closed doors, will be used as a sort of experiment for baseball as they look to safely allow at least some fans inside of stadiums.

The ALCS, which will be played at Petco Park in San Diego, will not allow fans in the stadium due to more restrictive COVID-19 regulations in the state of California.

Fans will reportedly be seated in a socially-distanced “checkerboard” pattern which will allow for sufficient safety precautions to be taken. The tickets will be available for a mixed group of people, including Rangers season ticket holders, players’ family members, and the general public.

The NLCS is set to kick off on on Monday, October 12th and the World Series will start on Tuesday, October 20th.

The post MLB to Allow a Limited Number of Fans for NLCS, World Series Games appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The last matchday of the regular season saw plenty of excitement, especially in the National League where St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers managed to lock up the remaining two playoff spots.

Cardinals got the 5-2 win in a head-to-head duel against the Brewers, leaving Milwaukee to hope for help from other teams. San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies needed wins to clinch the final postseason ticket, but neither team managed to get the job done, allowing the Brewers to get in with a 29-31 record.

Cardinals will now face San Diego Padres in the wild-card game, while Brewers meet the first-seeded LA Dodgers. Check out the rest of the NL playoff picture below.

In American League, Minnesota Twins clinched the AL Central title for the second straight year despite losing 5-3 to Cincinnati Reds. This was thanks to Chicago Cubs and their 10-8 win over Chicago White Sox.

The Twins will now play against Houston Astros, while White Sox fell in the lower part of the seeding pool and play against Oakland Athletics. Take a look at AL matchups below.

The post MLB Wraps Up 2020 Regular Season, Sets Playoff Bracket appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Francona, who is still slated to miss the rest of the regular season, has still not made a final decision when it comes to managing in the playoffs, but his presence in the team’s bubble will at least open the door to that possibility. Even if he doesn’t return to manage on the field in October, his presence still could be useful for a team that will look to advance deep into the postseason.

“It gives (Francona) an opportunity to be around the team, even if it’s not in the dugout,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti explained before the team’s Wednesday night game against the White Sox.

The 61-year-old manager has missed 42 games this season due to gastrointestinal issues and a surgery as well as a blood-clotting condition.

Francona, a two-time World Series champion and a two-time AL Manager of the Year, has managed in 9 different MLB postseasons in his 19-year managerial career and could provide a real boost for his team whether it’s on or off the field.

The post Indians Manager Terry Francona to Re-Join Team in Playoff Bubble appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Dodgers, who have consistently been one of baseball’s strongest teams for the past decade, will put up a NL West pennant in Dodger Stadium for the eighth consecutive season after their 2020 triumph, the third-best streak of all time. Only the Atlanta Braves (14) and the New York Yankees (9) have taken first place in their division in more consecutive seasons than the Dodgers.

Los Angeles, whose record currently sits at 39-16, which will almost certainly end up being the best regular season mark in MLB, has gotten standout performances from its pitching staff and most of its lineup staples to establish themselves as one of the favorites to bring home the World Series crown.

The Dodgers’ 121 wRC+ means that they have had baseball’s second-best offense this season, behind only the Atlanta Braves, while its pitching staff has combined to post an excellent 3.04 ERA, the best mark in all of baseball.

The Dodgers will now wait to see which team will be the last to qualify for the NL playoffs, as the #8 seed will be their first round playoff opponent.

The post Dodgers Clinch NL West and #1 Seed in NL Playoffs appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Braves got their spot by clinching the NL East title for the third straight year, beating Miami Marlins 11-1 to get there. Atlanta was fueled by Bryse Wilson, who pitched five scoreless innings, while Marcell Ozuna added two home runs.

Cleveland, on the other hand, secured a 5-3 win over Chicago White Sox that pushed them to a 31-24 record and a wild-card berth in American League. Indians’ win was highlighted by third baseman Jose Ramirez’s three-run homer in the 10th inning.

“Once I hit it, I knew it was a home run because I got it right on the barrel,” said Ramirez after the game. “There was a lot less champagne than usual, but it was still a good celebration.”

Finally, Chicago Cubs suffered a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh Pirates but still managed to book their ticket to the postseason. Cubs squeezed in thanks to the Washington Nationals’ sweep of Philadelphia Phillies.

Indians joined Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, NY Yankees, and Minnesota Twins as the playoff teams from American League. Braves and Cubs, on the other hand, will represent the National League alongside Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

The post Braves, Indians, and Cubs All Secure Playoffs appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The A’s, despite not playing on Monday, were mathematically ensured of the division crown after the second-place Houston Astros fell 6-1 at home to the Seattle Mariners. Houston’s loss dropped them to the .500 mark and 6.5 games behind Oakland, making the Athletics the first team to clinch first place in a division in the Majors.

Oakland has been a team that has surprised many by displacing the Astros from the top of the division, as the 2017 World Series champions were the favorite heading into the season after winning the division in each of the past three seasons.

The Athletics have been led by one of baseball’s best pitching staffs which has combined to post an excellent 3.64 ERA on the season and prop up the team’s relatively average offensive output. With baseball’s best bullpen by ERA, Oakland will be a threat to advance in the playoffs if their bats can produce enough offense to keep their heads above water.

The A’s will either be the league’s 2nd or 3rd seed in the upcoming playoffs, which are set to begin next week.

The post Athletics Clinch First AL West Title in 7 Years appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Major League Baseball, which opted for a non-bubble format for its 60-game regular season in July, August, and September, has reportedly come to the decision that in order for its expanded postseason to go off without a hitch, the bubble format will be necessary.

While the three-game Wild Card rounds would be played in the home cities of the top-seeded teams in each matchup, beginning with the Division Series, teams would be concentrated in Texas and Southern California for the most important rounds of the playoffs.

Minute Maid Park and Dodger Stadium would be used alongside Petco Park and Globe Life Field to host the Division Series games. After that, the NLCS would be held in Texas at the Rangers’ home stadium while the ALCS would take place in San Diego at the Padres’ home.

Finally, the World Series would take place at the Rangers’ new home stadium of Globe Life Park to wrap up the playoffs.

The league is expected to approve its plan next week, just two weeks before the playoffs are set to get underway.

The post MLB Reportedly Will Opt for a Postseason Bubble Format appeared first on yoursportspot.com.