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7:35 AM ET, October 13, 2017

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 Top News: 
Bill Madden / New York Daily News:
Yankees are not the best team left in the playoffs, but they are the most lovable  —  Ah, the innocence of youth.  —  The Yankees are not the best team in this baseball postseason.  Not even close to it.  In fact, you can make the case the Dodgers, Cubs, Nationals, Astros and Indians …
RELATED:
ESPN:
Masahiro Tanaka to take mound for Yankees in ALCS opener vs. Astros  —  Masahiro Tanaka will take the mound Friday night when the New York Yankees open their American League Championship Series against the Astros in Houston.  —  Luis Severino will start Game 2 on Saturday in Houston.
Joe Belock / New York Daily News:
All-time Yankees-Astros team composed of players who played for both franchises  —  There's not much history between the Yankees and Astros but enough players have spent time with both teams, so here is the Daily News' all-time Yankees-Astros team as we await ALCS Game 1:  —  FIRST BASEMAN
George A. King III / New York Post:
How ‘Siamese twin’ helped transform Gregorius into fearsome hitter … HOUSTON — During Didi Gregorius' first spring training with the Yankees in 2015, general manager Brian Cashman had a question for hitting coach Jeff Pentland.  —  “He asked me, ‘When is he going to hit?’ ”
Discussion: baseballmusings.com and Deadspin
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Why the Houston Astros will win the AL Championship Series  —  HOUSTON — Breaking down the American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and Houston Astros.  —  For starters: Game 1, Friday - Masahiro Tanaka (13-12, 4.74 ERA during the season) vs. Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90), 8 p.m. ET.
Pedro Moura / Los Angeles Times:
Astros ace Dallas Keuchel, Yankees have a history  —  Dallas Keuchel was 14-5 as a starter in the regular season for the Astros with a 2.90 earned-run average.  He's got a career record of 3-0 in the postseason.  (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)  —  Two years ago, Houston Astros left …
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Dallas Keuchel's history against the Yankees made him easy pick to start ALCS Game 1  —  HOUSTON — Dallas Keuchel could not hide his disappointment.  Or maybe the 2015 Cy Young winner just would not hide it.  The righthander came right out and said he was disappointed the Astros front office …
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Decision to go with the inconsistent Masahiro Tanaka for Game 1 is risky, but makes sense  —  HOUSTON — Masahiro Tanaka had his worst performance of the season against the Astros on Derek Jeter Night in the Bronx, when he allowed four homers while failing to get out of the second inning.
Associated Press:
Astros veteran duo, traded by Yankees, happy for young stars on former club  —  HOUSTON — Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann spent most of the previous three seasons as teammates with the New York Yankees, and while there got to see the birth of those baby Bronx Bombers they will now face in the American League Championship Series.
Peter Botte / New York Daily News:
AL MVP candidates Aaron Judge, Jose Altuve, couldn't be more different  —  HOUSTON - Baseball stars and competing most valuable player candidates occasionally come in vastly dissimilar shapes and sizes.  —  There rarely has been a truer or more glaring example than pending AL Championship Series foes Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve.
Christian Red / New York Daily News:
Yankees vs. Astros: Breaking down the matchups between the two teams  —  Two years ago, the Yankees faced the Astros in a do-or-die, American League wild-card game at Yankee Stadium, the only other time the two clubs have met in the postseason before Friday's start of the ALCS.
Associated Press:
Gary Cederstrom, Mike Winters to be umpire crew chiefs in LCS
Discussion: ESPN
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:   Yankees name Masahiro Tanaka Game 1 starter for ALCS vs. Astros
UPI:   ALCS Game 1: Masahiro Tanaka to start for New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros
Matt Snyder / CBSSports.com:   Yankees, Astros set ALCS rotations: Tanaka squares off against Keuchel in Game 1
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
5 keys for the Yankees to take care of the Astros in Houston to start the ALCS
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Rotation, roster decisions await Cubs vs. Dodgers in NLCS rematch  —  Perhaps somewhere over the Midwest, the celebration has subsided and Chicago Cubs officials have started preparations for the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
RELATED:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Cubs can laugh at their good fortune: On to the NLCS after absurd 9-8 win over Nationals  —  WASHINGTON — It was 2 in the morning, and the Chicago Cubs were sitting half-dressed, drenched in champagne, eating cake, washing it down with beer, and looking at one another in sheer disbelief.
Discussion: The Week
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Cubs beat the Nationals 9-8 to set up an NLCS rematch with the Dodgers  —  Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo tags out Nationals catcher Jose Lobaton for the final out of the eighth inning on a pick-off throw from reliever Wade Davis.  —  The cigars were ablaze in the clubhouse of the victors.
Discussion: MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Steve Gardner / USA Today:
End of an era for Jayson Werth in Washington  —  WASHINGTON — In the Washington Nationals' clubhouse following yet another painful exit in the first round of the playoffs, outfielder Jayson Werth struggled to find the right words.  —  “It's crazy to think we didn't win that game,” …
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
All defeats are not created equal.  For Nats, this one is a special kind of painful.  —  If you can win baseball fans in the process of suffering a brutally bitter season-ending loss, perhaps the Washington Nationals did it in their exhilarating, exhausting, 9-8 donnybrook …
ESPN:
Cubs weigh in on overturned call: No reason not to challenge there  —  WASHINGTON — Even Anthony Rizzo wasn't sure he had gotten the tag.  —  With two outs and two on in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Washington Nationals trailing 9-8 to the Chicago Cubs in Game 5 …
Chicago Tribune:
NLDS Game 5: Cubs-Nationals recap, social media reaction  — Baseball- Chicago Cubs- National League Championship Series- Willson Contreras- Daniel Murphy- Matt Wieters- Chicago White Sox  —  Goodbye Nationals, hello Dodgers.  —  In a game for the ages, one that lasted 4 hours and 37 minutes …
Chicago Tribune:
Fans at Wrigley watch party endure gut-wrenching twists, turns as Cubs advance  —  Robin Cordero, 24, center, covers her eyes Oct. 12, 2017, while watching the Chicago Cubs play the Washington Nationals during the first inning of Game 5 of the National League Division Series.  (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs pull out all stops to win ‘nutty’ National League Division Series  —  Photos from Game 5 of the National League Division Series between the Cubs and Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The sight of Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez bear-hugging …
Discussion: Chicago Tribune
Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune:
Game 5 turning point: Addison Russell's 2-run double fuels Cubs' 4-run 5th  —  Photos from Game 5 of the National League Division Series between the Cubs and Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The situation: Trailing 4-3 entering the fifth inning …
Discussion: Chicago Tribune
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers manager search: Cubs' Dave Martinez must be considered  —  WASHINGTON — Dave Martinez has the experience.  —  For the past 10 seasons, he has served as Joe Maddon's right-hand man, as a bench coach in both Tampa Bay and Chicago.  He has been interviewed …
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Cubs-Nats: Must-win G5 tonight, 8 ET (TBS)
Discussion: Bleed Cubbie Blue
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:   Nationals-Cubs NLDS Game 5: Which team has edge in winner-take-all clash?
ESPN:   Your guide to Thursday's Game 5: Winner gets the Dodgers!
ESPN:
Report: Rockies' Greg Holland won't exercise player option, will become free agent  —  Greg Holland, an All-Star closer for the Rockies this season, will not exercise a $15 million player option in his contract and instead will become a free agent this offseason, FanRag Sports reported Thursday.
RELATED:
Jon Heyman / FanRag Sports:
Greg Holland will opt out and aim high
ESPN:
Max Scherzer's unbelievable, impossible, unprecedented loss  —  Max Scherzer didn't deserve the loss.  This is often true of pitchers who get the loss, but this one goes in the Didn't Deserve The Loss Hall of Fame.  I mean, mathematically speaking, he really didn't deserve the loss.  —  Just look at this:
Discussion: CBSSports.com
Ari Gilberg / New York Daily News:
Thumbs Down Guy, who is a devoted Mets fan, now hopes Yankees keep winning  —  Gary Dunaier may be a Mets fan but he doesn't want his 15 minutes of fame to end just yet.  —  Dunaier, 54, became an internet sensation after cameras caught him giving a thumbs down sign following Todd Frazier's home run against the Rays at Citi Field.
Doug Mittler / ESPN:
Rumor Central: Jorge Velandia in contention for Phillies' managerial job?  —  Jorge Velandia, currently a special assistant to general manager Matt Klentak, has emerged as a “strong candidate” for the managerial vacancy of the Philadelphia Phillies, reports Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
RELATED:
Matt Gelb / Philly.com:   Phillies interview Dusty Wathan, Jorge Velandia as two more internal candidates for manager
Dave Clark / Cincinnati.com:
Todd Frazier celebrates New York Yankees' ALDS win vs. Cleveland Indians  —  Todd Frazier discusses playing in a playoff game with the Yankees Matt Ehalt/NorthJersey.com  —  Todd Frazier celebrated the New York Yankees' ALDS win against the Cleveland Indians - the first postseason series win of his career …
Joe Belock / New York Daily News:
Yankees, Astros playoff history is just a one-game affair Bomber fans want to forget  —  Yankees and Astros have met just once before in the postseason — the Bombers' lifeless 3-0 loss in the 2015 AL wild card game at the Stadium.  —  Dallas Keuchel, Houston's Game 1 starter for Friday …
 
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