Cubs counting on Javier Baez to keep them covered at shortstop  —  CHICAGO — If there wasn't enough riding on the shoulders of Chicago Cubs MVP candidate Javier Baez before, then there is now, as he'll take over the full-time shortstop duties while teammate Addison Russell is on administrative leave …

Why have the Red Sox won almost 20 games more than the Indians?  —  Going into the season, I thought the Cleveland Indians would be better than the Boston Red Sox.  Not a lot better, a little better.  But better.  —  EDITOR'S PICKS  —  My opinion on this matter was based on numbers …

Braves clinch 1st NL East crown since 2013, top Phillies 5-3  —  ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves capped a most surprising season by clinching their first NL East crown since 2013, with Mike Foltynewicz taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning Saturday in a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Inside Detroit Tigers' Victor Martinez's final game, start to finish  —  Victor Martinez, the 39-year-old designated hitter, is retiring after the 2018 season.  Free Press sports writer Ryan Ford takes a look at his career.  Wochit  —  CONNECT  —  The hardest part, Victor Martinez said, was the drive to the ballpark.

J.A. Happ could be AL wild card starter, but Yankees say they're still weighing options  —  Pete Caldera, Staff Writer, @pcaldera  —  NEW YORK — J.A. Happ just might be the Yankees' choice to start the AL wild card game, though it's hard for the veteran lefty to publicly campaign for that assignment.

Mets one-hit by Nats in meaningless loss between preseason NL-East favorites  —  The two teams originally favored to compete for an NL East title played meaningless baseball Saturday.  —  But the Nats got revenge on the Mets for playing a role in Washington's elimination from postseason contention …

Dodgers hit 3 home runs in 7-2 win over Padres  —  LOS ANGELES — Manny Machado caught his wife's first pitch before the game and hit a three-run homer to notch the first 100 RBI season of his career.  —  “It can't get any better than this,” Machado said.  —  Except maybe reaching the World Series and winning.

Astros rally for 9 runs in 8th, beats Angels 10-5  —  Justin Verlander reached double digits in strikeouts for the third straight outing and has 12 such games this season.  —  HOUSTON — Justin Verlander struck out 11 in six dominant innings, Jose Altuve capped a nine-run eighth with a two-run homer …

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen will be limited to 60-70 pitches in his 2nd start  —  Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati Enquirer  —  MIAMI - As Michael Lorenzen prepares to make his second start of the season Sunday against the Miami Marlins, he will throw again with another pitch count.

Last Slide  —  It was hot as hell the day Eddie Guardado's life changed, probably 90 degrees as he ran from foul pole to foul pole on a summer day in 1992, trying to sweat out the struggles that had the young right-hander questioning his baseball-playing future.

Sandy Leon gives Boston a new Tek solution behind the plate  —  CLEVELAND — Sandy Leon was raised by his parents to be respectful, to treat others the right way, to act the right way.  He could have fun and run around and play with his friends in Maracaibo, Venezuela, but at the Leon dinner table …