San Diego Padres take chance on Jake Arrieta with Yu Darvish on IL  —  The San Diego Padres, in need of pitching reinforcements as they try to hang on to their wild-card lead, have signed right-hander Jake Arrieta to a minor league contract.  —  San Diego manager Jayce Tingler said Arrieta …

The Honus Wagner T206 is the sports card GOAT, and it always will be  —  Nearly 100,000 people flooded onto the floor of the 2021 National Sports Collectors Convention in suburban Chicago, all jostling for space while peering into glass cases.  Some were there to buy, shelling out anywhere …

Dream on this: Cubs-Reds featured in planned Iowa sequel  —  CINCINNATI — It wasn't exactly heaven when the Cubs and Reds took the field Monday for the opener of a three-game series.  —  But maybe it was Iowa?  —  OK, maybe not even that.  Not yet.  —  But by this time next year …

2021 Midseason MLB Organization Talent Rankings  —  A lot has changed since we last rolled out Organization Talent Rankings before the 2021 season.  There's been another draft, a very busy trade deadline, a lot of graduations and most importantly, three months of minor league action …

Which contenders have the toughest path to the playoffs? 10 ways the MLB schedule could rock the races  —  The seven worst teams in baseball went 1-6 on Sunday and were outscored by a combined 17 runs.  This was no surprise.  Since Aug. 1, when all the players dealt at the trade deadline …

Mets fall to .500 with fourth straight loss as questionable choices abound  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The best team in baseball delivered one gut punch after another to the Mets, a crumbling club slipping quickly in the NL East standings.  —  Mets trade target Kris Bryant haunted them Monday night …

New York Yankees reliever Zack Britton to manager Aaron Boone: Remove me from closer role  —  CHICAGO — New York Yankees reliever Zack Britton told manager Aaron Boone to remove him from his current role as the team's closer after his latest blown save of the season.

MLB umpires are squeezing the strike zone, and it's hurting some teams more than others  —  There are few more enduring — some might even say charming — aspects of baseball than arguments over balls and strikes.  They're expressed in a pitcher's glare, a batter's eye-roll, an R-rated chirp from the dugout.

Mets drubbed 14-4 as Dodgers finish off series sweep  —  On the 56th anniversary of the Beatles' famous concert at Shea Stadium, it was the Mets who needed help.  —  They needed somebody to help them figure out Max Scherzer, the Dodgers' (72-46) recent acquisition who stifled the Mets (59-58) en route to a 14-4 Los Angeles victory.

Yankees name Gerrit Cole starter for Monday game vs. Angels  —  CHICAGO — Gerrit Cole will start for the Yankees on Monday against the Angels.  The right-hander has been on the COVID-19 injury list since Aug. 3, but rejoined the team on Thursday in Iowa and said he is ready to go.

Dodgers star Trevor Bauer, on leave amid assault probe, was subject of previous protection order  —  Trevor Bauer, the star Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher under investigation for alleged sexual assault in California, was the subject of a temporary order of protection sought by a different woman last year …

Diamondbacks' Tyler Gilbert throws no-hitter in first career start  —  The ball left Eric Hosmer's bat at 96 mph and appeared ticketed for center field when Diamondbacks left-hander Tyler Gilbert snatched it out of the air.  It was one of many balls the San Diego Padres scorched on Saturday night …