Willson Contreras hopes to get back into Red Sox lineup before the regular season ends  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Willson Contreras stood at his locker Saturday afternoon and showed reporters the spot where a pitch hit his right hand in Texas on Thursday.  —  It was on the knuckles between …

Justin Verlander to start Saturday for Tigers in final appearance  —  River Ryan, acquired by the Tigers in the Tarik Skubal trade with the Dodgers, will make his Tigers debut on Monday at home vs Nationals.  —  CHICAGO - Detroit Tigers legend Justin Verlander will pitch the final game …

Yankees Place Aaron Judge On IL With Calf Strain  —  SEPTEMBER 19: The Yankees have officially placed Judge on the IL and recalled Schuemann.  —  SEPTEMBER 18, 6:49pm: Max Schuemann will be recalled in a corresponding move, manager Aaron Boone tells reporters (relayed by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com).

Prosecutors identify 18 allegedly rigged pitches for Clase trial  —  Federal prosecutors have identified 18 pitches, including one from a 2024 playoff game, that will be the focus of their gambling case against Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, which is set for trial in November, according to court documents filed Friday.

Nats reward ace Cade Cavalli with 4-year contract through 2030  —  WASHINGTON — Pitcher Cade Cavalli and the Washington Nationals agreed Friday to a four-year contract through the 2030 season, a deal that includes a team option for 2031.  —  Cavalli and the team agreed in January …

Carson Benge breaks Pete Alonso's Mets' rookie hits record in win over Phillies  —  Carson Benge had three hits to break Pete Alonso's Mets season rookie record, homering along with Francisco Alvarez as the Mets again prevented the Phillies from gaining ground in the NL wild-card race with a 10-3 win Saturday at Citi Field.

Pavin Smith walks off Yankees, Diamondbacks stay in wild card race  —  Nick Piecoro José M. RomeroArizona Republic  —  The night was already packed with emotion, so it figured that the Diamondbacks-Yankees game on Saturday, Sept. 19, would be dramatic, too.

Reds claim versatile Oswaldo Cabrera from Yankees with eye on 2027 … The Cincinnati Reds have made their first roster addition for 2027.  —  Infielder/outfielder Oswaldo Cabrera, once considered a promising young part of the New York Yankees future, is now part of the Reds future …

Braves deploy regular cast of characters in series opener against Astros  —  This is an important weekend of games for the Atlanta Braves, who can clinch a playoff spot with a win (or Diamondbacks loss) on Friday night.  A win would also trim the magic number to clinch the National League East to four …

MLB playoff picture: Wild card standings, AL and NL postseason bracket  —  Jesse Yomtov Bob Nightengale Gabe LacquesUSA TODAY  —  Major League Baseball's 2026 regular season has two weekends to go, with contenders still jockeying for position and some postseason spots still very much up for grabs.

Royals All-Star Maikel Garcia sets offseason goal amid injury-riddled season  —  Key Takeaways  —  AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.  — Garcia's goal heading into 2027 is to stay healthy after missing 67 games.  — Garcia linked added weight to hamstring injuries that hindered his production.