Brad Ausmus out after 1 season with Los Angeles Angels  —  The Los Angeles Angels have fired Brad Ausmus after only one season as their manager, increasing rampant speculation that Joe Maddon could soon replace him.  —  The decision was formalized on Monday, one day after the team concluded …

Rising sons give rebuilding Blue Jays reason for optimism  —  Toronto Blue Jays feel good about four rising sons who made big strides in 2019 and figure to become lineup fixtures moving forward.  —  The pitching, however, remains a work in progress.  —  The Blue Jays went 67-95, six games worse than last year.

Padres co-owner on 70-92 season: ‘It was embarrassing for me.  We sucked’  —  After a ninth consecutive losing season, San Diego Padres executive chairman and co-owner Ron Fowler said he has had enough.  —  Fowler said at the team's annual Social Summit on Monday that “heads will roll …

Nationals offer Anthony Rendon seven-year deal worth $210 million-$215 million  —  The Washington Nationals have offered third baseman Anthony Rendon a seven-year contract in the range of $210 million to $215 million, according to multiple people with knowledge of the proposal.

Strengths and weaknesses for all 10 playoff teams  —  As the calendar turns to October, postseason baseball will begin.  The playoffs will begin on Tuesday with the Nationals hosting the Brewers for the NL Wild Card game.  That will be followed by the AL Wild Card game between the Rays and Athletics in Oakland on Wednesday.

Red Sox president: Keeping Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez ‘difficult,’ but there is a way  —  Boston Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said Monday there is a way for the team to keep stars Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez and stay below Major League Baseball's competitive balance tax, but it will be tough.

Post-Dispatch's Goold helps save man's life at Busch Stadium  —  Before he chronicled the Cardinals' first division title clinching since 2015, Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold helped save a man's life Sunday at Busch Stadium.  —  St. Louis-based videographer Mike Flanary, 64 …

Switching them up: Detroit Tigers coaches returning, but in different roles  —  All but one member of the Detroit Tigers' coaching staff will return for the 2020 season.  —  The lone departure is bench coach Steve Liddle, who is retiring.  —  Liddle, 60, has been a fixture on manager Ron Gardenhire's staff with the Tigers and Twins.

In the diary of a season, here are five moments that mattered for Rays  —  A pair of reinforcements helped Tampa Bay overcome injuries and a wobbly bullpen to go 36-18 down the stretch and return to the postseason.  —  Published Earlier today  —  TORONTO - The Rays completed …

Orioles Notes: Anderson, Mancini, Hays  —  Brady Anderson, who formerly served as the Orioles' vice president of baseball operations, is “stepping aside” and leaving the organization, MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko reports (via Twitter).  Anderson, Gary Rajsich and Brian Graham were entrusted …

EARLY HOMERS GIVE CARDS BIG CUSHION  —  Dexter Fowler, one for his past 26, set a career high Sunday with his 19th homer, a 430-foot blast to center field, in the second inning at Busch Stadium.  —  That gave the Cardinals a four-run edge over the Chicago Cubs and the Cardinals continued to pile on.