Who can the Yankees trust in the wild-card game?  —  NEW YORK — For the first three months of the season, Luis Severino looked like an ace, the kind of consistently dominant pitcher a team would gladly start in a pivotal, must-win elimination game.  —  Several hiccups since the All-Star break made him look far different.

Tigers call up minor-leaguer Harold Castro to bolster infield  —  Detroit — The Tigers have been playing short-handed in the infield for a couple of weeks now.  —  Jose Iglesias is done for the season.  Niko Goodrum (quad bruise) and Jeimer Candelario (back) are close to returning from their injuries, but they aren't ready just yet.

Cubs' Russell placed on leave after domestic violence claims  —  CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell was placed on administrative leave Friday following fresh allegations of domestic violence from his ex-wife.  —  Last year, Melisa Reidy posted a photo on her Instagram account …

‘We go where he goes’: Rockies' DJ LeMahieu faces wild finish, free agency  —  DJ LeMahieu ranks down the list of recognizable Colorado Rockies players, behind Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon, Trevor Story, Carlos Gonzalez and Matt Holliday, to name a handful.  For the uninitiated, LeMahieu's given name is “David John.”

Jeff Banister fired as Texas Rangers manager  —  In the span of four years, Jeff Banister went from first to worst.  —  He will not get a chance to reverse the club's course again.  —  With the Rangers headed for a last-place finish and the team's second consecutive losing season …

For Markakis, this is what Braves' rebuild has been all about  —  This is what the Braves' rebuild has been all about.  —  Just ask Nick Markakis.  He's been here for much of it.  —  Markakis is in his fourth season with the Braves, after nine with the Orioles, after signing as a free agent in 2014.

Max Scherzer, Nationals see season slip away; Bryce Harper ejected in loss to Mets  —  The Washington Post  —  Even as the Washington Nationals' playoff hopes fade with the September crowds, even as the end settles in slowly like signs of autumn on the heels of a hot summer, possibility lives in Max Scherzer.

Red Sox fan electrocuted train surfing from Yankee Stadium  —  A Red Sox fan on his way home from Yankee Stadium died Wednesday when he tried to climb on top of a Metro-North train and was electrocuted by overhead wires, creating a chaotic situation where riders were trapped for more than two hours, MTA officials and riders said.

Diamondbacks' A.J. Pollock: Looming free agency not a factor in struggles  —  Center fielder A.J. Pollock realizes his days in the only organization he's known might be nearing an end, a possibility he has been reminded of recently by well-wishing fans and curious reporters.

Where Dominic Smith stands with Mets after lost season … WASHINGTON — Dominic Smith smiles to hide the frustration when his lost season is mentioned.  —  This was supposed to be the year the Mets discovered if their top pick in the 2013 draft was a viable major league player …

Diamondbacks' Patrick Kivlehan adds a chapter to his ‘cool story’  —  Triple threat?  Patrick Kivlehan hits two of them in Diamondbacks' victory over Cubs on Wednesday.  —  CONNECT  —  Patrick Kivlehan realizes he might end up being nothing more than a footnote in this Diamondbacks season …

Dodgers to honor Steve Garvey, Don Newcombe and Fernando Valenzuela  —  The Dodgers have not issued jersey No. 34 since Fernando Valenzuela retired two decades ago.  They have not retired his number, either.  —  The Dodgers' standard for retiring a number has been simple and unsparing.

Astros set to host Angels for weekend series  —  HOUSTON — The standard of expectation is so high for the Houston Astros, reigning World Series champions and possessors of the second-best record in baseball, that any unusually poor performance subsequently demands a lengthy explanation from all the involved parties.