What to watch for in today's games

What to watch for in today's games

Mark your calendars. Today's games will go a long way in determining divisional and Wild Card races as teams come down the home stretch of the regular season.

Here's a look at a few of the intriguing games on tap.

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Quinn Roberts is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

MLB.com Columnist

Alyson Footer

Power Rankings: Cubs making their move

Power Rankings: Cubs making their move

In terms of pure intrigue, the American League has an advantage over the National League as we check out the MLB Power Rankings heading into the final two weeks of the season.

The NL division races are not officially decided, but the picture is pretty clear in all three divisions. Barring collapses by the Cardinals, Dodgers and Mets, it's highly unlikely any of these three will not win its respective division. And the Wild Card teams have been all but decided, with only home-field advantage still in play for the Pirates and Cubs.

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Alyson Footer is a national correspondent for MLB.com. Follow her on Twitter @alysonfooter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Today's starting lineups: Sept. 21

Below are today's starting lineups that have been made public by Major League Baseball's clubs.

A lineup is not official until it is handed to the umpire.

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Week Ahead: October tickets to be punched

Week Ahead: October tickets to be punched

Magic numbers, matchup drama and a milestone a minute.

Not much more needs to be said about the state of Major League Baseball when The Week Ahead is the penultimate seven-day period in both the scintillating month of September and the season.

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Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @DougMillerMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Brewers pick Astros' Stearns to be GM

30-year-old was assistant general manager for Houston

Brewers pick Astros' Stearns to be GM

MILWAUKEE -- David Stearns hadn't been born when the Brewers went to the World Series in 1982. As the team's new general manager, his job is to get them back.

The Brewers hired the 30-year-old Astros assistant general manager to replace outgoing Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin. The choice, first reported on Sunday by FoxSports.com, was announced by the team on Monday.

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Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamMcCalvy, like him on Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Pirates one step closer to postseason

Pirates one step closer to postseason

Major League Baseball's division leaders and Wild Card shoo-ins are a day closer to clinching, but there's still plenty of intrigue in store when it comes to the standings.

Key races are tightening, and there's still room for a team to mount an improbable rally for October glory. Here's a look at some key developments from Sunday's action that helped shape the playoff picture.

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Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @DougMillerMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

MLB.com Columnist

Anthony Castrovince

Castrovince: Keep an eye on these storylines

Plenty of situations still to be sorted out in regular season's final two weeks

Castrovince: Keep an eye on these storylines

The season is long, and we're taught to respect its length with patience and perseverance and a steady heartbeat that prevents us from getting too swept up in the highs or lows. But all that goes out the window in the furious final stretch.

With just two weeks to play, we're now at the point in baseball's calendar where wins can feel like coronations, losses can feel like daggers to the heart and history is often on the line with a trip to the mound or to the plate.

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Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tigers' lucky bounce tops MLB's GIFs of Day

Tigers' lucky bounce tops MLB's GIFs of Day

Here are the Top 5 GIFs of the day, courtesy of @MLBGifs.

1. Score this wacky caught-stealing

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Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @DougMillerMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Yost: Lack of momentum not 'major concern'

Royals had 10-10 record down the stretch in 2014 before reaching World Series

Yost: Lack of momentum not 'major concern'

KANSAS CITY -- As the Royals stumble through September, having lost 11 of 16, manager Ned Yost was asked if he put value into the notion of momentum as Kansas City heads toward October and the postseason.

"I'd be stupid to say I didn't," Yost said. "You can't flip a switch. You want to be playing good baseball going into the playoffs and have everything settled.

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Jeffrey Flanagan is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @FlannyMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Game of Throws: Cards nab Cubs in Best Drama

Game of Throws: Cards nab Cubs in Best Drama

CHICAGO -- The first team to clinch a postseason berth, the Cardinals asserted themselves against the Cubs with a 4-3 victory Sunday in front of 40,962, and avoided being swept at Wrigley Field for the first time since 2006.

Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty both homered in the first inning against Jon Lester in the final regular-season meeting between the two National League Central rivals. On Saturday, the Cardinals lost to the Cubs but secured a playoff spot by virtue of the Giants' loss to the D-backs. It's the Cardinals' record fifth consecutive trip to the postseason.

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Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings. You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat and listen to her podcast. Jenifer Langosch is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, By Gosh, It's Langosch, follow her on Twitter @LangoschMLB, like her Facebook page Jenifer Langosch for Cardinals.com and listen to her podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Chisenhall following in footsteps of All-Star Gordon

Tribe right fielder finding success after move from third base, just like Royals' LF

Chisenhall following in footsteps of All-Star Gordon

CLEVELAND -- Two players from opposing teams crossed paths in front of the visiting dugout at Progressive Field during batting practice before an evening game in early September.

One of them was a former top prospect who was a left-handed-hitting third baseman who did not live up to expectations at the hot corner, despite several chances over a four-year period, prompting a demotion to Triple-A and a position switch to the outfield that revitalized his career.

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Augist Fagerstrom is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Celebrate Votto's wild, wonderful season

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Celebrate Votto's wild, wonderful season

With Canadian blood running through him, the most perfectly sculpted eyebrows in baseball and a batting eye more patient than a mother with quintuplet toddlers, you could be forgiven for not realizing that Joey Votto ever went away. 

But after struggling through injuries in 2014, playing in only 62 games and posting a career low .799 OPS (thanks to, once again, an amazing .390 OBP), Votto is back at it again this year. 

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2015 Postseason Schedule

Wild Card Games to begin playoffs on Oct. 6-7; World Series to start on Oct. 27

The 2015 postseason schedule will begin on Oct. 6, with the 111th Fall Classic to open on Oct. 27 in an American League ballpark, thanks to the AL's 6-3 victory in last month's All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile. The full postseason schedule can be found at MLB.com/postseason.

Following the scheduled regular-season finales on Sunday, Oct. 4, potentially necessary regular-season tiebreaker games would be telecast exclusively by ESPN the next day. Then the postseason will begin that Tuesday, with the AL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser on ESPN. The National League equivalent is scheduled for Oct. 7, televised exclusively by TBS.

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Mark Newman is enterprise editor of MLB.com. Read and join other baseball fans on his MLB.com community blog. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Yankees wait out Harvey, gain game on Jays

Yankees wait out Harvey, gain game on Jays

NEW YORK -- Billed as the most impactful regular-season Subway Series ever, this weekend's matchup between the Mets and Yankees proved as chaotic on the field as it was in the standings. Sunday's rubber game emerged from the pages of an almost unfathomable script: Dominant for five innings, Matt Harvey departed due to an innings limit and the Yankees jumped all over his relief corps in an 11-2 win at Citi Field.

The victory moved the Yankees within 2 1/2 games of the Blue Jays ahead of a three-game series in Toronto starting Monday. The Mets, meanwhile, had their National League East lead sliced to six over the Nationals, who defeated Miami on Sunday and will come to Citi Field in less than two weeks for the season's final three games.

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Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDiComo and Facebook, and listen to his podcast. Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch, on Facebook and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Bucs feeling super, dress as superheroes

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Bucs feeling super, dress as superheroes

After the Pirates defeated the Dodgers, 4-3, the team dressed up as superheroes before boarding their flight to Colorado -- like, for example, Superman with an expert hair curl hanging out with Bane that came complete with appropriate Zack Snyder lighting.

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Statcast: Cardinals cannons, heavy hitters

Statcast: Cardinals cannons, heavy hitters

After losing the first two games of their series against the rival Cubs at Wrigley Field, the Cardinals were desperately trying to hang on to a lead in Sunday afternoon's finale.

Fortunately for St. Louis, a pair of great throws saved the day and helped bring a 4-3 victory that maintained the club's four-game lead over Pittsburgh in the National League Central. Statcast™ was on the job for both, tracking Jason Heyward as he fired a strike to the plate to complete a double play in the eighth, and then Tony Cruz as he caught Quintin Berry stealing second in the ninth.

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Andrew Simon is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewSimonMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Brewers fan turns grill into mini Miller Park

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Brewers fan turns grill into mini Miller Park

There's been some debate around these parts as to whether or not hot dogs are a purely situational food. Should they only be eaten at ballparks, or can you get one wherever you want?

One Brewers fan has decided to completely do away with the debate by turning every hot dog he makes into ballpark food.

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Beltre, Prince proving to be dynamic duo for Texas

Veteran sluggers offering leadership, big hits for surprising AL West leaders

Beltre, Prince proving to be dynamic duo for Texas

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers really didn't know about Prince Fielder or Adrian Beltre when everybody showed up for Spring Training in Arizona.

Fielder had the biggest doubts surrounding him because he was coming back from a serious neck injury that required surgery and limited him to 42 games in 2014. But there were also questions about Beltre because of his advancing age, a contract that was coming down to the end and his own publicly-expressed desire to play his final years with a contending team rather than one that was going through a major rebuilding project.

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T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

MLB.com Columnist

Mike Bauman

7 offseason additions pay off for KC

Moore made moves that weren't flashy, but made sense

7 offseason additions pay off for KC

Sometimes the best offseason acquisitions are neither the most publicized nor the most expensive.

Last offseason's work by the Kansas City Royals will prove that point. Senior vice president of baseball operations and general manager Dayton Moore acquired seven players. But there wasn't much fanfare involved. In fact, there was some criticism that the Royals had not done enough to bolster their position as defending American League champions.

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Mike Bauman is a national columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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3-HR game part of turnaround '15 for Kendrys

Royals DH sets franchise record with 15 total bases against Tigers

3-HR game part of turnaround '15 for Kendrys

DETROIT -- Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales didn't hesitate when asked if Sunday was his best day as a professional baseball player.

"Yes, for sure," he said with a big smile as Pedro Grifol interpreted after the Royals' 10-3 win. "It's at the top."

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Jeffrey Flanagan is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @FlannyMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

MLB.com Columnist

Roger Schlueter

Stats of the Day: Three cheers for Morales

KC slugger equals homer feat achieved just eight times by a Royals player

Stats of the Day: Three cheers for Morales

Here are five interesting items from around the big leagues this weekend …

• In a 10-3 win over the Tigers on Sunday, Kendrys Morales homered in the third, fourth, and eighth and tripled in the sixth to have a historic day at the plate for the Royals. It marked the eighth time a Royals player has had a three-homer game, and the first since Danny Tartabull on July 6, 1991. The others: John Mayberry on July 1, 1975, and June 1, 1977; George Brett on July 22, 1979, and April 20, 1983; Tony Solaita on Sept. 7, 1975; and Bo Jackson on July 17, 1990. Morales' 15 total bases set a new franchise record, eclipsing the 14 collected by Brett on May 28, 1979. That day, Brett homered twice while hitting for the cycle.

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Roger Schlueter is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

MLB.com Columnist

Fred Zinkie

Blue Jays could rake vs. Warren, Yankees

Blue Jays could rake vs. Warren, Yankees

Welcome to DraftKings fantasy baseball, the Official Daily Fantasy Game of Major League Baseball.

The players listed below could provide difference-making stats for DraftKings participants on Monday.

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Fred Zinkie is the lead fantasy baseball writer for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @FredZinkieMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Felix has gift for Beltre after snagging liner

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Felix has gift for Beltre after snagging liner

Adrian "plunking nearby base coaches" Beltre and Felix "stellar King Tut impression" Hernandez are two of the game's foremost propietors of playful shenanigans. They also happen to be pretty great friends. So it should come as no surprise that, after King Felix snared a Beltre comebacker during Sunday's Mariners-Rangers game, the two would take the time to have a little fun -- until Hernandez went and dropped the mic.

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Yadi sprains left thumb, headed for MRI

Yadi sprains left thumb, headed for MRI

CHICAGO -- Yadier Molina finished a spectacular play by Jason Heyward in the eighth inning of Sunday's 4-3 win over the Cubs with a swipe tag to prevent the tying run from scoring. But the Cardinals will have to await the results of an MRI, scheduled for Monday, to learn whether the sequence could cost their veteran catcher additional time.

Sprinting home from third as Heyward's throw came in from right field on Addison Russell's fly ball, Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo slid into home and, as he did, clipped Molina's glove with his foot. Molina applied the tag for the second out of the inning but then immediately dropped his glove and winced in pain.

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Jenifer Langosch is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, By Gosh, It's Langosch, follow her on Twitter @LangoschMLB, like her Facebook page Jenifer Langosch for Cardinals.com and listen to her podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Rasmus' 2 HRs help Astros add to WC lead

Rasmus' 2 HRs help Astros add to WC lead

HOUSTON -- Collin McHugh won for the fourth time in five starts by holding the A's to one run and four hits in eight innings, and Colby Rasmus hit a pair of homers to send the Astros to a 5-1 win in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.

The win moved the Astros 2 1/2 games ahead of the Angels -- and Twins -- for the second Wild Card in the American League in advance of a three-game series against Los Angeles beginning Monday at Minute Maid Park. The Astros also moved to within 1 1/2 games of the first-place Rangers in the AL West after the Rangers lost to the Mariners in Seattle.

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Brian McTaggart is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Tag's Lines. Follow @brianmctaggart on Twitter and listen to his podcast. Chandler Rome is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Felix exits start early with stiff right elbow

Ace leaves Sunday's start early; becomes AL's 1st 18-game winner

Felix exits start early with stiff right elbow

ARLINGTON -- Despite being removed from Sunday's 9-2 win over the Rangers in the sixth inning due to a stiff right elbow, Mariners ace Felix Hernandez won his 18th game to retain a shot at his first 20-win season.

And, yeah, 20 wins is a significant goal for the 29-year-old right-hander, whose career high is 19. But he'll need to win his last two outings -- Friday in Anaheim and then a likely meeting with the A's in the final homestand -- to join Randy Johnson and Jamie Moyer as the only 20-game winners in Mariners history.

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Greg Johns is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB, read his Mariners Musings blog, and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Harvey throws 5 shutout IP before departure

Harvey throws 5 shutout IP before departure

NEW YORK -- Terry Collins called it "a perfect storm," and perhaps no other phrase could be more apt. Short of injury, the Mets' worst fears regarding Matt Harvey surfaced during a Sunday night, 11-2 blowout loss to the Yankees that millions watched on national television. Harvey pitched five dominant innings and held a one-run lead. Then he departed, leaving the perfect storm's initial thunderclaps in his wake.

Feasting on a carousel of middle relievers, the Yankees needed mere minutes to turn a one-run deficit into a four-run advantage, building it ever larger from there. Harvey watched first from the clubhouse, then from the dugout, as his win morphed into a no-decision. Later, he offered few answers in a brief postgame press conference, responding to every question with variations of the same few phrases.

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Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDiComo and Facebook, and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Pigeon travels to Citi Field to meet Greg Bird, probably saddened he's not an actual bird

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Pigeon travels to Citi Field to meet Greg Bird, probably saddened he's not an actual bird

Suspend your disbelief for a second and imagine you're a bird, but one who understands English and follows baseball news. When not hanging out by a park bench, you probably spend your days eating crumbs off the sidewalk and flipping through box scores. One day, while perusing the sports section, you notice that the Yankees have called up first baseman Greg Bird.  

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Return to health has Strasburg in peak form

Return to health has Strasburg in peak form

WASHINGTON -- Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg pounded the strike zone in a 13-3 victory over the Marlins on Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park.

Strasburg won his 10th game of the season by pitching seven strong innings and allowing two runs (one earned). The earned run was scored on a homer by Marcell Ozuna. Strasburg also struck out 10 batters. It marked the first time in his career he had fanned at least 10 batters in three consecutive games.

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Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the time. He can also be found on Twitter @WashingNats. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Twins top Angels; both 2 1/2 back in Wild Card

Twins top Angels; both 2 1/2 back in Wild Card

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins rookie Tyler Duffey threw seven scoreless innings and Torii Hunter, Eddie Rosario and Joe Mauer homered to lead the Twins to an 8-1 victory over the Angels. With the win, Minnesota pulled even with Los Angeles in the American League Wild Card race. Both teams trail the Astros -- who won Sunday -- by 2 1/2 games. The Angels remained four back in the AL West after the Rangers lost Sunday.

Duffey tossed his third straight quality start, striking out seven in the process. The Angels managed just three hits off him -- two from first baseman C.J. Cron. The victory snapped the Twins' five-game losing streak and helped them remain afloat in the postseason chase.

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Betsy Helfand is an associate reporter for MLB.com and Nate Sandell is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.