Edwin Encarnacion out of Indians' Game 4 lineup with ankle injury  —  NEW YORK — Edwin Encarnacion remained out of the Cleveland Indians' lineup Monday night in Game 4 of their American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.  —  The slugger has been sidelined since leaving Game 2 on Friday with a sprained right ankle.

Justin Verlander gives up 2-run HR to first batter in first career relief appearance  —  BOSTON — Desperate to avoid a winner-take-all Game 5 in this American League Division Series, the Houston Astros asked ace Justin Verlander to do something Monday that he hadn't done as a professional or in college.

Derek Jeter swoops in and poaches longtime Yankees exec … Yankees VP of Player Development Gary Denbo is leaving the organization to work with Derek Jeter and the Marlins, according to a person close to the situation.  —  Denbo, who managed Jeter in the low minors and was the Yankees' hitting coach …

Cubs' Jon Jay starts, Javier Baez on bench for NLDS Game 3  —  Chicago Cubs outfielder Jon Jay.  —  Jon Jay will make his first start of the postseason Monday and Javier Baez will sit as the Chicago Cubs face Max Scherzer and the Washington Nationals in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Wrigley Field.

Roberts' return to L.A. “was meant to be”  —  “All men are created equal”, in one sense, but all men have different characteristics and qualities.  The good leader knows how to handle each individual player.  — The Dodger Way To Play Baseball, 1954, by Al Campanis.

Aaron Judge's strikeouts forcing him to walk fine line of arguing umpires' calls  —  Aaron Judge hasn't been able to mash against the Tribe.  —  Judge was 0-for-10 with eight strikeouts in the ALDS heading into Game 4 on Monday night in the Bronx.  —  The 25-year-old rookie has taken …

Brad Ausmus on Mets radar to replace Collins  —  NEW YORK - Brad Ausmus, who was let go by the Detroit Tigers following their last-place finish, is on the radar of the New York Mets and is in fact said to be a candidate to replace Terry Collins.  The Mets have reached out to Ausmus and they've had one conversation to date.

Bryce Harper: Washington Nationals star crushed a game-tying HR vs. Chicago Cubs  —  Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper came through in the clutch Sunday, hitting a game-tying home run against the Chicago Cubs.  —  And he crushed it.  —  The Nationals trailed the Cubs 3-1 in the top …

Breaking down the Detroit Tigers' arbitration-eligible players  —  The Detroit Tigers have nine arbitration-eligible players this off-season: rightfielder Nick Castellanos, right-handed relievers Shane Greene, Bruce Rondon and Alex Wilson, left-handed reliever Blaine Hardy, shortstop Jose Iglesias …

New York Mets will buy Syracuse Chiefs, bring its Triple-A team to Syracuse  —  The New York Mets have reached an agreement to buy the Syracuse Chiefs and make the International League baseball team its top minor league affiliate, according to two sources briefed about the deal.

Minnesota Twins sign manager Paul Molitor through 2020 season after historic turnaround  —  The Minnesota Twins signed manager Paul Molitor to a three-year contract extension, the team announced Monday.  —  Molitor, who was named as the Twins' manager in November 2014, will remain with the club through the 2020 season.