Baseball

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The cruel joke before the season was that someone would win the AL Central because someone had to win the AL Central.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — They were the sons of big league ballplayers, the lazy summer days of their youth spent listening to stories about baseball.

HOUSTON (AP) — For the first time since 2016, the Houston Astros failed to win a playoff game. And that’s not OK with general manager Dana Brown.

NEW YORK (AP) — Visiting teams had a 109-107 edge in extra-inning games this year in the second season starting extra innings with a runner on second base has been a permanent rule.

NEW YORK (AP) — Houston led the major leagues with 35 pitch clock violations and Washington's Kyle Finnegan topped individuals with 11. Violations by pitchers, batters and catchers totaled 602, down from 1,048 in 2023, the first season of the timer.

New York Mets (89-73, third in the NL East during the regular season) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (93-69, first in the NL Central during the regular season) Milwaukee; Thursday, 7:08 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Mets: Jose Quintana (10-10, 3.75 ERA, 1.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Kyle Higashioka's solo homer started a five-run rally against an ailing Max Fried with two outs in the second inning, and the San Diego Padres held on to sweep the Atlanta Braves with a 5-4 victory in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Ser

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Braves' best pitcher, NL Cy Young Award favorite Chris Sale, was back home in Atlanta with a back injury.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Atlanta Braves left-hander Max Fried and San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove exited early because of injuries Wednesday night in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourio tied the game in the eighth with his second homer of the night and Garrett Mitchell delivered a two-run shot later in the inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday that eve