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The figures are for team rosters as of the start of MLB’s transaction freeze on March 28 and include salaries, prorated signing bonuses and other guaranteed money, per the AP. The bulk of the spending total is locked in even though many roster moves will be made before the season begins (the AP mentioned nonroster players added to active rosters as an example). Note also that these are not the luxury tax totals, which are generally higher and include extra elements, including player benefits....

Check The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for current baseball lines from Las Vegas. Milwaukee Brewers -102 (vs Chicago White Sox)Wily Peralta vs Jeff Samardzija We have been rather harsh with the Brewers this season, who are tied with the Phillies for the worst record in baseball and forecast close to the bottom of the league when the season is over. However, they’ve proved to have some good qualities and shown improvement lately, winning six of their last nine games....

The playoff field is set with several familiar faces that have reached the playoffs. Both the pennant winners from a year ago are back in the Rays and the 2020 World Series champion Dodgers, while the Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Yankees and White Sox make their return. MORE: Sporting News’ MLB postseason predictions The format returns to single-game eliminations for the wild card matchups, with the winner moving to face the top seeds in each league in the best-of-five divisional rounds....

Forget momentum, forget psychological advantage, and forget proclamations that this year feels different. This story is well on its way to the usual perplexing conclusion. Just two days after the Nationals appeared to shake their postseason reputation and wrest control of the NLDS with a dramatic comeback win against the Cubs, the same ol’ October Nationals showed up Monday at Wrigley Field for Game 3. So, naturally, they lost....

Beltre left Thursday’s AL Division Series opener in Toronto with a stiff back, and based on the pain he appeared to be in before departing the game, it’s no surprise he won’t be ready for the 12:37 p.m. ET start. SN’s POSTSEASON PICKS: Jesse Spector | Ryan Fagan | MLB 15: The Show Texas obviously will lose quite a bit with the seasoned Beltre out of the lineup, but the Rangers can at least take solace in having a game in hand on the road....

Toronto jumped out to a huge 8-1 lead through 6 1/2 innings, but there were some nervy moments in the later innings when David Price came on in relief for starter R.A. Dickey and served up three runs in three innings of work. MORE: Best photos from AL Division Series games But Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna closed out the game, forcing a decisive Game 5 back in Toronto on Wednesday....

With modern technology at the tips of our fingers, we can all relive this moment for as long as we want from wherever, whenever. MORE: Get to know your Blue Jay visuals | When will MLB embrace Latino culture? | The joys and pain of Game 5 But one fan, perhaps fearful of technology, or just perhaps a devout Blue Jays fan, wants to keep the moment close to his/her heart....

The question is: Will a team bite and sign him now that he’s free to go anywhere? Evidently, there is interest. According to FanSided’s Robert Murray, three or four teams are “in” on Pujols. It would make sense that Pujols would be of interest to some clubs. Though his batting average was just .198 before his release, he did have five home runs, which brought his career total to 667....

CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman later reported the Mariners may be prepared to offer Cano $225 million over nine years. The All-Star second baseman flew to Seattle on Thursday to meet with team executives, the ESPNDeportes.com says. — SN selects Public Enemy No. 1 for every MLB team A Mariners source later confirmed to The Seattle Times that Cano and Jay Z, whose Roc Nation agency represents Cano, are headed west to meet with team officials....

The Baltimore Orioles are closing in on a deal with outfielder Nelson Cruz, CBSsports.com reported Saturday morning. MORE: Young pitcher takeover | PHOTOS: Fantasy mock draft Other reporters have confirmed the deal with added details. Cruz had a qualifying offer, which attaches a draft pick to his signing. He hit .266 with 27 home runs and 76 RBI last season around his 50-game Biogenesis suspension. He'd been linked to the Mariners every few weeks during the offseason....

Twenty future Hall of Famers graced the rosters of that inaugural midsummer classic, including first baseman Lou Gehrig of the Yankees. In the summer of 1933, Gehrig found himself just short of what was then the record for consecutive games played — 1,307, held by Everett Scott. MORE: Rare Lou Gehrig photos | 2015 All-Star Game starting lineups Gehrig’s Yankees were scheduled to play the Senators in Washington the day before the All-Star game, July 5....

Teagarden was linked to steroids in an Al Jazeera documentary that also mentioned Peyton Manning, Ryan Howard and Ryan Zimmerman, among other professional athletes. MORE: Highlights from the documentary | Manning hired private investigators to vet documentary In the documentary, Teagarden admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. “I used it last year, I was very … I was scared to be honest with you," he said in the footage, via CBS Sports....

To that end, the deadline was actually pretty, surprisingly busy: Mike Clevinger went early in the day to the Padres, and it turns out he was the biggest name to move in a flurry of depth moves and bullpen realignments across the sport. MORE: 15 worst MLB trade deadline deals in history, ranked The Cubs and Mets were pretty busy, as they both reworked their rosters in search of depth moves....

Getting that help, though, won’t be easy. Costs are high. Supplies are low. Think of the trade market like trying to find a cheap rental car or baseball/basketball cards are a retail store. Probably ain’t happening. MORE: MLB mock draft roundup: 23 players likely to go in the first round Cardinals president of operations John Mozeliak was looking for help on the market a few weeks ago, after ace Jack Flaherty landed on the IL, and talked with reporters about that experience on Monday: “We didn’t really see a whole lot out there that we thought was going to make a difference....

Here's a look at some of the latest, and how seriously they can be taken ... BOSTON RED SOX Ben Cherington, the Sporting News Executive of the Year, told reporters in Orlando, Fla., that his team would like to bring back free agent shortstop Stephen Drew. He was quoted in a Boston Globe report that also included word that Jacoby Ellsbury staying with the world champions is a "long shot....

The first place to look for potential midseason trade acquisitions is at the list of potential after-the-season free agents. Well, that list is pretty bare. Front offices will have to get creative. MORE: Track games live | Meet Nats’ Trea Turner | Prospect ranking But the needs will be there. Teams have playoff pushes to make. On Wednesday, we looked at five AL teams that will be buyers at the non-waiver trade deadline (it’s Aug....

The Yankees are interested in dealing for the 29-year-old starter and the Mets will “have no issues” sending him to their crosstown rivals, according to a report from SNY. The two New York teams have, at times, been hesitant to complete trades in the past. Wheeler holds a 6-5 record with a 4.42 ERA in 18 starts so far in 2019. He has spent his entire MLB career with the Mets....

The 28-year-old outfielder is “a particularly strong candidate to be moved” by the Reds before the July 31 trade deadline, according to a report from The Athletic, which cited unidentified league sources. Puig is slashing .262/.311/.496 with 22 home runs and 59 RBIs in 94 games with Cincinnati this season. He has also scored 49 runs and stolen 13 bases. “When I’m going into each AB, (I’m) looking for something I can hit, something in the zone that I can make contact (with),” Puig said about his success this season, via Cincinnati....

The first year of eMLS will involve these 19 MLS clubs recruiting their own representative to play the game in the competitive league: Chicago Fire Colorado Rapids Columbus Crew SC FC Dallas Houston Dynamo LA Galaxy Minnesota United FC Montreal Impact New England Revolution New York City FC New York Red Bulls Orlando City SC Philadelphia Union Portland Timbers San Jose Earthquakes Seattle Sounders FC Sporting Kansas City Toronto FC Vancouver Whitecaps FC....

It’s an unprecedented event for more reasons than one. First off, it’s happening in November and December, far later than it has in years past. Secondly, all three North American sides — the United States, Canada and Mexico — are participating, something that has never happened before. Those three sides have gone from strength to strength over the past few years, overcoming sloppy displays at the World Cup (or missing out on the tournament entirely) to put themselves in position for optimism....