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He enjoyed watching his teammates rattle off win after win, of course, but he didn’t contribute much. Soler spent half of the month on the disabled list with a strained oblique, then hit just .217 and started just six games after he returned. MORE: Best photos from NL Division Series games | Stephen Colbert picks Cubs to win World Series He didn’t play in the wild-card game and walked in his only appearance in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cardinals....

Given the postseason history between Boston and Cleveland — especially the come-from-behind victories in the 1999 ALDS and 2007 ALCS — we’re contractually obligated to write that. MORE: Top 50 players in the playoffs Yet by the time Lonnie Chisenhall’s three-run homer in the second inning smacked the Plexiglas above the Discount Drug Mart sign in right field at Progressive Field, it became clear what we can say with confidence: Boston doesn’t have it right now....

Entering Spring Training, MLB teams can carry up to 60 players on their rosters. This includes all players on the 40-man roster, as well as any non-roster invitees. Teams will have until the end of Spring Training to finalize their MLB rosters, which consist of 26 players. Teams are required to have a minimum of 25 players on their 26-man roster. From Opening Day until the remainder of the season, teams are allowed 26 men on their rosters....

The Tigers have become famous over the past decade for making a litany of moves either via trade or splashing in free agency. And even though Detroit fired its dealer, Dave Dombrowski, new general manager Al Avila has picked up where he left off. MORE: Eight AL stars primed for off-season moves | NL stars who could be on the move The Tigers have already traded for closer Francisco Rodriguez and outfielder Cameron Maybin, but there are still holes on a team trying to win a World Series now....

But the big-money deals that go south aren’t the only types of contract situations that create big problems. Sometimes, lack of years is as big of an issue as number of years on a deal, and we’re going to look at all of those things with this series. These are the contract situations that keep general managers and team presidents — or whatever the official title happens to be for the decision makers — up at night....

The trade deadline is always good for big, World Series-impacting moves each season, so here’s everything to know about one of the biggest days in baseball. MORE: The greatest pitching performance you’ve never heard of When is the 2018 MLB trade deadline? As usual, the trade deadline is set for July 31 at 4 p.m. ET. After that, teams hoping to move a player would have to put him on waivers first....

REPORTED BY: CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine. MORE: Seven best destinations for Jonathan Papelbon | Reds need to expand sell-off THE DETAILS: Price, 30, is set to become a free agent this fall and the Tigers need to rebuild their farm system, which has been depleted by the deals that helped take the Tigers to the top of the AL Central over the past five seasons. Levine reports that at least eight clubs will try to complete a deal with Detroit for Price, but a strong Cubs farm system may create the best match....

“Both” is not the correct answer. It’s the Cubs, at least for now, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Nightengale reported the teams discussed a swap of the high-salary, low-production players before the July non-waiver deadline. Atlanta would have pay a lot of Upton’s money to make up for the $24 million difference in contracts. The teams are expected to re-engage in the offseason, Nightengale reports.

"Mr. Stanton is not available," general manager Dan Jennings said Sunday on SiriusXM's "The Front Office" radio show. "He is going to be in right field at Marlins Park, and [we're] looking forward to having a big year with him. We're excited. We think it's going to be a lot of fun building around him, and what he can mean to this ballclub and that city." That will disappoint teams looking for a young slugger with power in his bat....

The Padres have put together a package that includes multiple MLB players for the big right-hander also known as “Thor,” according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Despite that, there is no indication a deal is close between the two organizations. It has been repeatedly reported New York is not going to trade players at the expense of competing in 2020. In turn, the Mets have been asking teams for other MLB players that would help fill out the roster after Syndergaard’s departure....

Fifty years ago, Emmett Ashford became the first African-American to umpire a regular-season game, making his debut April 11, 1966, as the third base umpire in the Senators-Indians season opener in Washington. All MLB umpires will wear a patch bearing the initials “EA” on Monday as a tribute. MORE: 42 classic images of Jackie Robinson Ashford was born in Los Angeles in 1914 and began umpiring on the side while working a day job at the post office in the 1930s, according to a biography by the Society for American Baseball Research....

The Los Angeles Times cited a source with “direct knowledge of the situation” when the information leaked, while CBS Sports and the New York Daily News also cited anonymous sources. The only sources that would have information from Hamilton’s confession would be the commissioner’s office, the Angels, Hamilton and his agents and lawyers. MORE: MLB issues pace-of-play warnings | LA sluggers make history | Capellan dies at 34 The Angels caught most of the blame for leaking the information to the media in hopes of a way out from the $25 million Hamilton is owed this season, but commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB will not investigate the club for any indiscretions against the Joint Drug Agreement....

St. Louis dropped the Pirates 14-8 on Wednesday to win its fourth game in a row and seven of its last eight. All of that is great, but it’s not nearly as impressive as what the team did in the second inning. During that frame, the Cardinals scored nine runs while collecting eight extra-base hits (three home runs, five doubles) tying an MLB record. Only five teams have ever tallied eight extra-base hits in a single frame, according to ESPN Stats and Info....

The Brewers trailed down the stretch but jumped into the lead after Ryan Braun notched a ninth-inning grand slam. Braun’s home run was the most important hit in the game, but Milwaukee also got a home run from Cory Spangenberg in the seventh inning. The Brewers totaled 12 hits to the Cardinals’ five. Two of St. Louis’ five hits came from Harrison Bader, who had two home runs and two RBIs....

Out of the Park Baseball is all about team building and management. Gamers get total control over a franchise with an impressive slate of features and unparalleled depth. Free agency, trades, drafts, minor leagues, international scouting and a whole lot more is involved in that. Of course there are the actual in-game management decisions to take on during the season as well. Since its inception however “OOTP” has lacked the official licensing of Major League Baseball....

Led by former Barcelona and Argentina coach Gerardo Martino, in-form Atlanta made sure of a postseason berth with four regular-season fixtures remaining via a 3-0 victory on Wednesday. Julian Gressel, red-hot Venezuela international Josef Martinez and Jacob Peterson were on target as Atlanta — which became the first expansion side since 2009 to reach the playoffs — extended its unbeaten streak to seven games, a run that has resulted in five clean sheets and 24 goals scored....

Back on the pitch following a hamstring injury suffered on the opening weekend of the season, Kaka made an immediate impact as high-flying Orlando accounted for the Colorado Rapids 2-0 on Saturday. Portland stays potent without Valeri After Carlos Rivas broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, former AC Milan and Real Madrid star Kaka came off the bench to seal Orlando’s fifth successive home victory in the first minute of stoppage time....

When a player and a team go to arbitration, both parties are given the opportunity to present their cases about what the contract value should be. Generally, teams and players prefer to avoid this route, because there is a high chance of the situation becoming shaky between the two. From a team perspective, the club will have to prove to a panel of independent arbiters why the player is worth less than the player believes he is....

According to the Baltimore Sun, O’Day is deciding between the Orioles, Braves and Nationals. He went 6-2 with a 1.52 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 82 strikeouts in just 65 1/3 innings last season with Baltimore. MORE: Top 10 highest-paid MLB players None of these teams are obvious playoff contenders, but Washington has the most talent on its roster as Baltimore is set to lose key components this offseason in a division where teams are adding pieces quickly....

More MLB: Today’s lines from Las Vegas | World Series odds Yankees (80-65) at Mets (83-63) Masahiro Tanaka (12-6, 3.40 ERA) vs. Steven Matz (3-0, 1.88 ERA) Line: Yankees -110Total: 7 (-110)Time: 7:10 p.m. ET (MLBN) Masahiro Tanaka (12-6, 3.40 ERA) has been masterful in his last two starts, both on the road, allowing one run on 10 hits in 15 innings of work. Manager Joe Girardi will send the former All Star to the hill on four days’ rest, bumping Ivan Nova out of the rotation, so Tanaka is in line to face the Blue Jays next week in Toronto....