Red Sox division title banner falls off truck; its return may cost them  —  The Red Sox know a thing or two about high-stakes negotiations — with marquee free agents, or sponsorship partners.  —  But now they have to contend with Louie Iacuzzi, a 44-year-old Malden resident who …

Mets, Phillies lineups for Wednesday night in season series finale  —  For the final time in the 2018 season, the Mets and Phillies will square off.  —  Noah Syndergaard will start for the Mets, who own a 11-7 record against the Phillies this season, as both teams announced their lineups.

A's send 2nd-round pick Logan Shore to Tigers to complete Fiers deal  —  Oakland's deal for Mike Fiers is complete, six weeks after the fact, with the A's sending a well-regarded pitching prospect, Logan Shore, to the Tigers.  —  The A's previously had sent minor-league reliever Nolan Blackwood to Detroit as part of the deal.

Braves snap 4-game losing streak behind Freeman, Toussaint  —  ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman spent the previous four seasons playing for an Atlanta team that averaged 90 losses a year.  —  Now that the Braves are back challenging for a division title, the All-Star first baseman knows his club can't afford any long losing streaks.

Cubs survive 30-day stretch just fine  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The Cubs' stretch of 30 consecutive days with a scheduled game wasn't so bad after all.  —  “There are worse things than showing up to the baseball field every single day,” Daniel Murphy said before the Cubs entered the final game …

Taylor HR in 10th, Dodgers top Rockies 3-2, pad NL West lead  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) - Chris Taylor hit a high-arching, solo home run to left field in the 10th inning, lifting the Dodgers to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies that extended Los Angeles' NL West lead to 1 ½ games on Tuesday night.

Last Slide  —  NEW YORK - If the situation arises, Aroldis Chapman will be ready to save tonight's game against the Red Sox.  —  The flame-throwing, left-handed Yankees' closer has been activated from the 10-day disabled list, on the heels of slugging right fielder Aaron Judge's return to the lineup on Tuesday.

Indians' Trevor Bauer will pitch a few innings Friday in return from DL  —  CLEVELAND — Trevor Bauer will start for the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Red Sox on Friday in his first appearance since breaking his right leg last month.  —  Indians manager Terry Francona says Bauer will pitch a …

White Sox slugger Jose Abreu out of hospital after infection  —  CLEVELAND — Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu has been released from a Cleveland hospital after undergoing treatment for an infection in his right thigh.  —  Abreu was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday and released Wednesday.

Zack Wheeler's emergence gives Mets loaded top three heading into offseason  —  Zack Wheeler on being shut down Matt Ehalt, Staff Writer, @MattEhalt  —  NEW YORK —Even as he battled injuries the past few years, Zack Wheeler never wavered in his belief that he could be a front-of-the-rotation starter.

Are these guys threatening to turn AL wild card into a race?  Just ask the Rays  —  ARLINGTON, Texas — The Rays still have got a long way to go and a short time to get there if they're gonna do what they say can't be done.  —  If the Smokey and the Bandit paraphrase doesn't work for you, then let's try another theatrical reference.

Is this Bryce Harper's last hurrah with the Nationals?  —  WASHINGTON - On a recent evening at Nationals Park, the home team sought cover in the dugout as yet another weather delay disrupted a game.  Most of the Washington Nationals scurried with dispatch to shelter, but Bryce Harper slowed to a walk.

It's all about October as Aaron Judge returns to the Yankees  —  NEW YORK — As he kicked the dirt in the Yankee Stadium batter's box, Aaron Judge looked down at his feet and paused.  —  An ovation still echoed around the park.  The slugger, absent for nearly eight weeks due to a wrist injury …