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Several teams’ seasons are hinging on the outcomes of this weekend’s matches, and while some are trying to cap dream seasons with one final victory before the playoffs, some traditional powers are facing the prospect of missing out on the postseason altogether. MORE: Best photos from USA-Mexico | Sizing up USMNT player pool ahead of World Cup qualifying Consider: The Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City have both been among the league’s best teams in recent years, but each could wind up missing the playoffs if things don’t go their way on Sunday....

Below, you will find two of the best value bets for tonight’s slate of MLB games. Bet #1: Chicago White Sox -1.5 (-110) vs. the Detroit Tigers After last night’s victory over the Detroit Tigers, the Chicago White Sox will try to do it again. This is a great matchup for the White Sox as they send their best pitcher so far to the mound, Dylan Cease. Cease has been the victim of misfortune over the last three starts, where he has allowed eight runs....

There’s certainly a lot at stake with getting the top pick. Next year’s draft class features a trio of outstanding collegiate players who already have separated themselves from the pack and made early cases to go at the top of the draft. Of course, a lot can change between December and July. There are always players who emerge with strong springs or others who disappoint in their final chances to make a case to go early, and that certainly could happen again in 2023....

Beltran remains an object of desire for teams seeking a proven and productive hitter on the free-agent market. The Royals have company in their pursuit, with playoff contenders among the hunters. And this is not an unrequited affair. Beltran started his career with the Royals and reportedly sounds willing to finish it there. For the right price. That includes a deal of at least three years, according to multiple media reports, and likely somewhere in the neighborhood of $18 million per season....

It’s the longest MLB ban for a game-related incident in 15 years and particularly notable for being assessed to an assistant rather than a player or manager. Cintron goaded A’s outfielder Ramon Laureano into charging the Astros’ dugout after Laureano was hit by a pitch for the second time in Sunday’s game. He motioned with his finger for Laureano to fight him, and Laureano said Cintron made a comment about his mother, which Cintron denies....

Funny how that works. Isn’t leverage great? MORE: The 40 most important people in baseball, ranked ESPN.com, citing sources on both sides, reported negotiations took place Tuesday and lasted into the night. One source said there is now “a path to a deal.” Both sides considered the prospect of a lockout a “hard deadline,” according to ESPN’s sources. According to the report, negotiations will resume early next week after the Thanksgiving holiday....

MLB betting lines: Live odds from Las Vegas The Dodgers ended a three-game losing streak with a 10-7 win against the A’s on Wednesday, a game Kershaw was supposed to start but got scratched due to a sore hip. They maintain a half-game lead over the Giants in the NL West. The Angels just got swept three games at Houston and have lost six of seven, dropping two games behind the Astros in the AL West....

The AL Wild Card Series saw the Blue Jays hosting the Mariners and the Rays traveling to Cleveland to play the Guardians. In the NL, the Cardinals hosted the Phillies while the Mets welcomed the Padres. Looming beyond the wild-card round were the Dodgers and Braves in the National League and Astros and Yankees in the American League. The Braves won the NL East after storming back to overtake the division from the Mets....

With the Dodgers leading Chicago 4-2 in the seventh inning, Los Angeles shortstop Charlie Culberson reached second on a double and three batters later, he attempted to score on a single by Justin Turner. MORE: Dodgers’ postseason first-timers hope to spark success Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber picked up the hit. He then threw a one-hop strike to home that was corralled by catcher Willson Contreras, who quickly dropped his shin guard in front of the plate, preventing Culberson from reaching home, before tagging him out....

Much like boxers who hit the mat and pick themselves up at a count of nine, the Yankees have done it time after time in 2017. From being down 0-2 in the ALDS, to playing .500 baseball in July and August, to any one of their come-from-behind wins during the season, the team is not one to let up. MORE: Astros-Yankees Game 4 complete recap In ALCS Game 4 on Tuesday, that was exemplified by Chase Headley’s stumble around the bag in the eighth inning that almost spelled doom for a potential Yankees rally....

Despite that, Kansas City fans aren’t, well, fans of Bautista’s. The Toronto slugger heard his fair share of boos Friday during Game 1 of the ALCS, for reasons that probably included his recent bat flip against the Rangers in the ALDS and whatever lingering resentments remain from the incident between the Royals and Blue Jays in Toronto on Aug. 2 (though Bautista wasn’t front-and-center in that one). MORE: Best photos from Blue Jays-Royals...

Beginning this year, a league representative is watching while clubhouse assistants deliver game balls to the umpires’ room, according to AP. MORE: Brady undervalued by oddsmakers? | Blame Brady’s suspension on Pats’ shady past Since the shelf life of an official baseball is estimated to be eight pitches, it’s the duty of an MLB security person to retrieve more from the umps’ room. The report said MLB was aware of the Patriots’ situation as it put the new procedures in effect and sent a memo to all 30 teams before the season detailing security procedures, including specific chain of custody....

Regardless of what you feel about the 16-team field, or the face that two teams qualified for the postseason with records two games under .500 — the first two sub-.500 playoff teams in MLB history, by the way — you have to admit that Wednesday was pretty thrilling (unless your team lost, of course). Eight playoff baseball games — four of them elimination contests — starting at noon ET, with first pitches following at hour intervals for the next five hours and two more in the evening....

The popular Major League Baseball sim has been exclusive to PlayStation consoles since its inception in 2014. However, in a surprising move, Sony is bringing its exclusive game to Microsoft systems, as MLB The Show 21 will be available on Xbox in just a few month’s time. RELATED: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Has MLB Player Cameo The MLB The Show 21 trailer, posted to YouTube, begins with a jarring visual of seeing the Xbox and PlayStation logos back-to-back, a topic dominating the video’s comments....

1. He wants the official scorers at Fenway Park to be homers. He’s good at complaining. That second part earned him a strongly worded memo from Major League Baseball on Friday. MLB vice president Joe Torre didn’t care much for Big Papi staring down and yelling toward scorer Bob Ellis, flashing the thumbs-down signal and barking to the media after Ellis ruled an error on a ball Ortiz hit Wednesday....

Baseball is a marathon and not a sprint. Here are the top 10 MLB team’s entering the 2018 regular season: Los Angeles Angels: The Angels got a lot better during the offseason by signing Zack Cozart, Ian Kinsler, and Shohei Ohtani. They have one of the best baseball players in the world in Mike Trout. Albert Pujols will continue to produce this season at the age of 38. The Angels will be one of the most improved teams in the MLB in 2018 and they will contend for a playoff spot....

One thing to note is that Cincinnati’s Nick Senzel has played mostly third as a pro, but he’s blocked with the big club by Eugenio Suarez. However, he’s now battling for the starting center field job this spring. He’ll retain 3B eligibility in many fantasy leagues, at least for this year, but we’re not going to focus on him here. DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2019 cheat sheet MLB Top Prospects: 3B Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr....

Oakland’s famous general manager is determined to rework his roster after the horrible ending to the season — his A’s blew a four-run lead in the eighth inning of the AL wild-card game — and he’s thrown away his chisel in favor of his preferred agent of change, the sledgehammer. After he traded away franchise cornerstone Josh Donaldson, the third baseman who has hit 53 homers with an .840 OPS and a pair of top-10 finishes in the AL MVP voting the past two seasons, he explained his motivation to reporters on Friday night....

According to a report from Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com, the Dodgers and Rays are discussing a possible trade, and Longoria may be a part of those talks. There’s a connection between the two teams, as Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, had a strong 11-year run in the Rays front office. MORE: SN ranks baseball’s 50 best players Longoria is in the midst one of his best seasons at the age of 30, after a couple of sub-par years for his standards....

CBSSports.com reports the Tigers are “open to trading” Scherzer or fellow right-handed starter Rick Porcello. Rumors have circulated for weeks that Detroit might be willing to part with the 29-year-old Scherzer, who put up career numbers in 2013 (21-3, 2.90 ERA, 0.970 WHIP, 240 strikeouts). The Tigers may decide to move Scherzer while his value is at his highest, much like the New York Mets did last offseason with R....