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Chris Sale had himself quite a night. In his 100th career start, Sale joined Pedro Martinez as the only pitchers in MLB history to record 10-plus strikeouts in eight straight starts. Sale pitched eight innings of one-run baseball Tuesday, striking out 12 Cardinals. Unfortunately, the ace exited with a no-decision, as the White Sox didn’t win until a Tyler Flowers home run in the 11th inning. Sale also smacked his first career hit, in the third inning off Lance Lynn....

It’s exactly five months since the Boston Red Sox won Game 5 of the World Series to claim their ninth title. After a slow start to baseball’s offseason, the drama ramped up in recent weeks with several of the biggest deals in MLB history taking place with some of the game’s most recognizable names. Watch ChangeUp, a new MLB live whiparound show on DAZN, on Opening Day Bryce Harper and Manny Machado held the sport hostage for months, negotiating record-breaking contracts with each landing in a new city....

Check The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for current baseball lines from Las Vegas. St. Louis Cardinals -105 (@ Pittsburgh Pirates)Vance Worley vs Carlos Martinez The Cardinals took the first game of the series last night 8-5, and we expect more of the same tonight. AccuScore simulations give the Cardinals a 59.1 percent chance to win the game, which indicates odds of -144. The momentum is on the visitors’ side, and so is the value....

Check The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for current baseball lines from Las Vegas.Seattle Mariners +112 (@ Boston Red Sox) San Francisco Giants +150 (at Pittsburgh Pirates) Gerrit Cole (14-7, 2.61 ERA) vs Mike Leake (0-1, 2.84) The Pirates have upper hand here, but the value is with the visiting Giants. Bucs starting pitcher Gerrit Cole has been solid all season and boasts an excellent ERA as well as other stats, while Giants send Mike Leake to the mound right after his return from the DL....

No, some of them are more than mad. Some of them are downright furious. Few players have opened up about their feelings on the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal before the start of spring training, but as players start trickling into camp, a lot more have given their opinions about baseball’s biggest controversy since steroids. Here’s what they have to say: Cody Bellinger: ‘Everyone knows they stole the ring from us.’ One of the latest players to add fuel to the fire, the Los Angeles’ Dodgers’ MVP outfielder had some choice words for MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Friday....

The 2020 MLB playoffs are here, with the World Series heading to Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. But before two teams vie for a world championship, 16 will take the field in an expanded playoff picture that kicks off on Tuesday, Sept. 29. MORE: SN’s predictions for pennant winners, World Series champ In a normal year, only 10 teams would enter in their chance to win the commissioner’s trophy, but the Players’ Association and the league agreed to expand the playoff picture on Opening Day, putting another six teams on the field come Tuesday....

MORE: Postseason schedule leading to the World Series The Dodgers won the NLCS and will face the Astros, who beat the Yankees in seven games in the ALCS, in the 2017 World Series, which will open in L.A. Sporting News takes a look at the full MLB playoff bracket. 2017 MLB playoff bracket Here is the MLB playoff picture (all times Eastern): AL wild-card game Oct. 3: Yankees 8, Twins 4...

The players, coaches and managers weren’t too happy. That much was obvious by watching the games on TV, from the looks batters flashed before walking back to the bench, or the chirping from the dugout or some of the comments after the game. MORE: Blue Jays, Rangers players that must step up | Overcoming an 0-2 hole Blue Jays fans were incensed at home-plate ump Vic Carapazza. Cubs fans wondered which game Phil Cuzzi was watching....

It has worked out, though, and as a result, Toronto has a chance to do something that seemed unthinkable near the end of July, when the Blue Jays were 50-51 — unthinkable to everyone but general manager Alex Anthopoulos, perhaps — win the World Series. MORE: Top ALDS photos | Key moments of Game 5 | 53 minutes of crazy John Gibbons’ gamble to keep David Price out of the picture in Game 5, even though he did not have to paint himself into a corner the way he did, paid off with Price being able to start Game 1 of the ALCS fully rested....

The Nationals have never been to the NLCS, unless you count the 1981 Expos, which you absolutely should not because you don’t talk about the Washington Senators that way when it comes to the Twins or Rangers, and you don’t talk about the St. Louis Browns in relation to the Baltimore Orioles. So knock that off right now. MORE: Each team’s worst postseason memory Anyway, Baker has an interesting theory about a city’s mental energy and its sports teams: the power of positive thinking....

Sports Illustrated reported Monday night that Astros assistant GM Brandon Taubman taunted female reporters in the clubhouse after the team reached the World Series, repeatedly yelling “Thank god we got (Roberto) Osuna” in their direction. Osuna, a relief pitcher, came to the club last year amid abuse allegations. Other outlets corroborated Sports Illustrated’s account, and NPR has since reported that Taubman was triggered by a female reporter’s purple bracelet meant to support victims of domestic violence, as well as previous tweets that shared phone numbers for domestic violence hotlines when Osuna took the mound....

“We have communicated (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations to our clubs and MLB employees and have provided factual information, including symptom identification and best practices on prevention,” an MLB spokesman told Washington, D.C., radio station WTOP. MORE: USOC consults with specialists There have been nine confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne virus in Florida. The Aedes aegypti mosquito, or Yellow Fever mosquito, is not indigenous to the United States, but has migrated north and adapted to harsher climates....

“Chances are pretty high” New York moves the 29-year-old starter before the July 31 trade deadline, according to a report from Yahoo Sports, which cites an unidentified team source. Wheeler is on the injured list with shoulder fatigue. But, he threw a simulated game Tuesday and is expected to be activated later this week. New York believes it can “still get a solid return” for Wheeler despite the injury, according to an earlier report from the New York Post....

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Athletics have asked about trading for one of the Mets Aces. Oakland already acquired left-hander Jake Diekman this week and also asked the Tigers about Shane Greene. The Athletics have been trying to bolster their bullpen before the July 31 trade deadline and now are trying to appeal to the Mets, who may, or may not, be trying to move Syndergaard. Oakland’s addition of Diekman solidifies the bullpen, which allows the A’s more wiggle room to solidify their starting rotation....

The face of the Pirates franchise struggled through a frustrating 2016 season and his slow start to the 2017 campaign probably tanked any shot he had at getting to Miami. By the time the game was played at Marlins Park, though, his numbers were worthy of inclusion. Seems the reports of his demise had been greatly exaggerated. MORE: MLB trade tracker: Latest news, deals An 0-for-15 stretch had dropped his average to an even ....

Per the Toronto Star, manager Charlie Montoyo said Monday that he didn’t expect the inflammation to be major and that Giles was “working through it,” but, the Star noted, the timing is anything but no big deal for the sell-mode Blue Jays with the trade deadline looming at 4 p.m. Wednesday. It’s also the third time since the start of June that Giles’ elbow has been an issue. “If he’s not 100 percent, we’re not going to pitch him,” Montoyo said (via ESPN....

THE RUMOR: The Pirates are listening to trade offers for second baseman Neil Walker and have engaged in discussions with the Orioles. MORE: Top five free-agent second basemen | Mets talking with Ben ZobristREPORTED BY: Triblive.com and The Baltimore Sun.THE DETAILS: The Orioles’ current second baseman is 24-year-old Jonathan Schoop, so Baltimore views Walker as a potential replacement at first base should free agent Chris Davis leave. Walker could also serve as the team’s designated hitter and fill in at second or third base....

CATCHER Best trade candidate: Miguel Montero, DiamondbacksBest fit: Dodgers Montero, who turned 31 last month, is hitting .257/.341/.396 with 11 home runs, decent numbers but not ones fitting the profile of someone who should be making $10 million for a team with the Diamondbacks’ budget, with $40 million due over the next three seasons – he should get through waivers. In Los Angeles, A.J. Ellis is hitting .197/.340/.243 in 189 plate appearances during an injury-plagued season, and his backup is Drew Butera, a career ....

The agreement implemented after the MLB lockout had a few notable rule changes to be put into play for 2022, including the long-sought-after universal designated hitter. National League pitchers will no longer hit moving forward, which is going to change roster construction. Now, NL teams will have to consider the DH spot in their lineup for the first time outside interleague games. While some National League teams are ready for the change, others are going to have a bit of an adjustment period....