Yep, we’re ranking every single free agent on the market, taken from the official list sent out by the MLB Players Association on Monday night (plus, we added Greg Holland, who wasn’t on the list because he was injured and wasn’t in an organization in 2016, and Matt Holliday, who isn’t on that list because the Cardinals haven’t officially declined his 2017 option yet, but have indicated they will). Why?...

MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball's new posting system caps the fee for players at $20 million, less than half what Japanese teams received for pitchers Yu Darvish and Daisuke Matsuzaka. "I informed my team that I would like them to allow me to test my abilities in Major League Baseball next season," Tanaka said at a news conference on Tuesday after a meeting with Rakuten Eagles President Yozo Tachibana. Tanaka, a 25-year-old right-hander, went 24-0 with a 1....

The Blue Jays’ hot streak has finally cooled down. With a 4-3 win in 11 innings, the Mets spoiled Toronto’s hopes of pushing its win streak to 12 games, which would have set a franchise record. Rookie sensation Noah Syndergaard dominated the Blue Jays for six innings, striking out a career-high 11 batters, before Wilmer Flores capped a two-run rally in the bottom of the 11th with a single to give New York the win....

For the second time in a week, Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper and Washington manager Matt Williams were ejected for arguing. This time, they were tossed in the bottom of the third inning for arguing with home plate umpire Marvin Hudson over a strike call. According to The Washington Post, Nats officials are upset about the ejection. They believe Hudson purposefully seeks out confrontation. “He baits players,” one official told the Post....

Washington has beaten Pittsburgh in seven straight meetings dating back to last season, but the last six came at Nationals Park. When they met for a three-game series June 19-21, the Nationals crushed the Pirates by a combined score of 19-3. At the time, those losses came as somewhat of a surprise because Pittsburgh was riding an eight-game winning streak. MORE: National League Fleeting Four | Reds should be active at deadline...

The Pirates battled hard in last weekend’s series, but lost all three games in extra-innings by one run with all three games staying well UNDER the total. Pittsburgh’s quest for their first division title since 1992 has also been derailed the past two seasons by St. Louis sweeps in September. It’s only May, but for the Pirates own mental psyche, they have to step up this weekend and win the series; William Hill sports books have them a -120 favorite to do so....

And on Saturday, Cabrera joined the 3,000 hit club at home, grounding a single through the right side of the infield in the bottom of the first inning against Colorado’s Antonio Senzatela. Cabrera joined an even more exclusive subsection of the 3,000 hits club. With his Triple Crown in 2012, Cabrera became one of just three players to win a Triple Crown and get to 3,000 hits for his career....

The Angels, Rangers and the Astros, who beat the Diamondbacks 6-2 Saturday night, will all play on Sunday afternoon with postseason spots on the line. The Rangers, who have already clinched a playoff berth, and Houston are both in contention for the AL West, while the Angels still have a shot at the second wild-card spot. MORE: We pick a craft beer for every MLB team; you’re welcome! Here’s the simple breakdown: Texas wins the division with either a win or an Astros loss....

The Dodgers continued their undefeated streak in the postseason (six in a row now) and hold a commanding 3-0 lead over the Cubs in the best-of-seven series. They need just one more win against Chicago to secure a trip to the World Series. MLB PLAYOFFS: Cubs face lineup dilemma with offensive struggles of defensive wizards Yu Darvish pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing only one run (on Kyle Schwarber’s first-inning home run) and striking out seven....

Two rebuilds, two timetables, two paths — but now both teams have reached the same spot with a trip to the World Series on the line. It was four years ago that a 24-year-old George Springer, donning Houston’s iconic Tequila Sunrise duds, stirrups and all, graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. Above his helmet-crowned dome read the words “Baseball’s Great Experiment,” beside him the headline “Your 2017 World Series Champs....

Like, working-on-a-no-hitter brilliant. And then that dream ended, when Addison Russell laced a clean single up the middle to start the sixth. MORE: The 10 greatest Cardinals of all time | Postseason schedule Russell didn’t come around to score, though he did get to third base and was almost able to trot home. With two outs, Dexter Fowler hit a towering fly ball deep to right field, but Randal Grichuk hauled it in while standing at the wall....

This year, though, baseball has a new approach. Instead of those games being struck outright, they will be allowed to resume where they left off. So, a 3-1 score in the third inning would stay that way rather than be reset to 0-0 in the top of the first. Suspended games are not entirely new for the league. When official games beyond the fifth inning are tied or are still in an inning in which the visiting team took the lead, for example, they continue from that point whenever the matchup is rescheduled....

THE RUMOR: The Cardinals are in line to land the one of the biggest fish left in the free agent pool — right-hander James Shields. REPORTED BY: FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal LAST SEASON: Shields, 32, went 14-8 last season with the Royals posting a 3.21 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 227 innings, but failed to live up to his nickname, “Big-Game James,” in the postseason with a 6.12 ERA....

The Rangers are also looking to add Masterson. According to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com, Texas submitted an offer to the 2013 All-Star righty to add depth to a rotation that ranked last in quality starts last year. Masterson, 29, is coming off a poor season, in which he recorded a 5.88 ERA and 116/69 K/BB ratio in 128 2/3 innings with the Indians and Cardinals. 

Here’s a little-known fun fact: For years, “Opening Day” was capitalized in The Sporting News official stylebook, but when MLB started diluting what should have been a special celebrated occasion, we dropped the capitalization. If baseball didn’t see it as one special day, well, we didn’t, either. Now, all is right in the world again (well, that little part of the world). BERNSTEIN: MLB fans should appreciate Francisco Lindor a lot more...

Los Angeles made the tragic announcement of Skaggs’ death earlier in the day. Shortly after players and teams posted heartfelt messages on social media remembering the pitcher. He was 27 years old. Skaggs grew up in the LA area and was selected by the Angels out of Santa Monica HIgh School with the 40th overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft. He was traded to the Diamondbacks in 2010 and made his major league debut with Arizona two years later....

Beginning Saturday, MLB doubleheaders this season will consist of two seven-inning games instead of two nine-inning games, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Thursday. Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported MLB is expected to announce the change Friday. MORE: How coronavirus impacts Marlins’ season Passan reported that the MLB Players Association initiated the revision, with executive director Tony Clark suggesting it to MLB deputy commissioner Dan Halem as the first doubleheader of the season — a makeup twinbill between the White Sox and Cleveland — was being played Tuesday....

Now, they’re 3.5 games back of a wild card with Chris Archer heading to Steel City to don the gold and black. Ahoy, mateys! Thar she blows, take a gander at the grades of the booty! (I’m sorry.) MORE: MLB trade deadline — See who went where with comprehensive trade tracker Pittsburgh Pirates: A- Batten down the hatches! The Pirates’ fire sale is no more after sailing into the trade deadline with a clear plan....