OMG, Grimace and a playoff pumpkin: Close-knit Mets ride camaraderie and good-luck charms into NLCS  —  NEW YORK (AP) — OMG!  Look who's headed to the National League Championship Series.  —  From their playoff pumpkin to the purple Grimace seat and that catchy pop song by infielder Jose Iglesias …

Thomas' slam off Skubal helps Guardians by Tigers, into ALCS  —  CLEVELAND — Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas understands moments like the one presented to him in Game 5 of the AL Division Series on Saturday don't happen often when an ace like Tarik Skubal of the Tigers is on the mound.

Qualifying offer climbs to record $21.05M, sources say  —  Major League Baseball's qualifying offer for this offseason will be the highest ever at $21.05 million, sources told ESPN on Thursday.  —  The qualifying offer is a one-year contract that teams can offer qualified free agents.

Sources: Mariners' Jorge Polanco undergoes knee surgery  —  Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco underwent surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his left knee and expects to be ready for the beginning of spring training, sources told ESPN.  —  Polanco, 31, a switch-hitter acquired …

Three key questions facing Phillies in critical offseason that will bring change  —  NEW YORK — Before the Phillies carried their deepest roster into this October, Dave Dombrowski talked about windows.  They have always opened and closed — that is the law of physics.

Yankees get past Royals to reach ALCS, seeking first World Series since 2009  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Gerrit Cole's assignment was to help carry his team a little deeper into October, and the Yankees' ace delivered.  —  Shaking off a rough Game 1 outing, Cole tossed seven strong innings …

Hurricane Milton Destroys Roof of Tropicana Field Stadium  —  The St. Petersburg stadium, home to M.L.B.'s Tampa Bay Rays, was being used to house emergency workers.  Video showed parts of the fiberglass roof blowing in the wind.  —  Strong winds from Hurricane Milton tore through the roof …

Red Sox parting ways with six coaches, including first base coach Andy Fox, sources say  —  The Red Sox will make several changes to their big league support staff after a third straight season missing the playoffs, a major league source told the Globe's Alex Speier.

Facing elimination, Dodgers impose their will on Padres in Game 4 of NLDS  —  And now they have a chance to banish the ghosts of the past two years when they host their regional rivals in a winner-take-all Game 5 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium  —  SAN DIEGO — Consider, for a moment, what the possibilities might have been.