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The hunt for October continues to develop as many playoff spots remain up for grabs as September comes to a close.

All three American League divisional races are far from over as teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics continue to scale the mountain to close the gap between their respective division leaders.

In the National League, the race for the NL West and the final wild-card spot have stolen the show, as teams continue to fight hard to snag the remaining spots and a chance at a World Series berth.

Here’s a look at today’s slate of games as team’s make a final playoff push. Keep checking back for updated scores and recaps throughout the evening as the games go final.

American League

Toronto Blue Jays 3, New York Yankees 2: F

The Yankees dropped an important one in Toronto as they would have had an opportunity to clinch a spot with a win and a Los Angeles Angels loss. However, the Yankees struggled to produce runs and the Blue Jays bullpen combined to blank the Yankees from the fourth inning on.

New York now holds the slimmest of leads in the East, as the Orioles are only a half-game back. The Yankees will need to start producing some offense if they want to secure their position. They now have two runs in two games against the Blue Jays.

Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers: Rain Delay

The Los Angeles Angels get a key opportunity to keep their divisional hopes alive while gaining ground on the AL Wild card chase when they take on the division leading Rangers. This game is currently in rain delay.

Detroit Tigers 6, Minnesota Twins 4: F

Justin Verlander made another strong case for a Cy Young Award, notching his 17th win on the year to help the Tigers take another step toward clinching the AL Central title.

The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead early and added to that lead with a four-run eighth inning that was promptly matched by the Twins before Jose Valverde effectively closed out the Minnesota rally in the ninth. The Tigers appeared to be running on all cylinders as October approaches.

Oakland Athletics 7, Seattle Mariners 4: F/10

It took extra innings, but the A’s showed that they have the poise to make some noise in the playoffs. It’s these types of games that makes September baseball so exciting. The Athletics were battling a deficit nearly the entire game before tying the game up 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, and eventually scoring three runs in the 10th on a walkoff homer from Brandon Moss.

The Athletics are now only 2.5 games ahead of the Angels for the second wild-card spot.

Tampa Bay Rays 10, Chicago White Sox 4: F

In a true do-or-die game, the Tampa Bay Rays came up big in keeping their wild-card hopes alive while effectively eliminating Chicago from the running for the second wild card.

The Rays’ offensive explosion was spearheaded by Matt Joyce, as he drove in four runs as a pinch hitter for Ben Francisco on two hits. Tampa now moves within three games of the Athletics for the second wild-card spot.

Baltimore Orioles 4, Boston Red Sox 3: F

The Orioles came up huge against the Boston Red Sox with a one-run victory at home that officially has the Orioles tied with the New York Yankees atop the AL East.

The Sox got a great effort from starting pitcher Felix Doubront as he threw seven innings and fanned 10 Baltimore batters while allowing only three earned runs. However, Baltimore was able to show the resolve that will serve them well as they fight for the playoffs, coming up with two clutch home runs from Chris Davis and Manny Machado that propelled the offense.

American League Standings

AL West

AL Central

AL East

AL Wild Card

National League

Milwaukee Brewers 9, Houston Astros 5: F

The Brewers absolutely needed to win this game and they kept their chances alive and they did just that with an offensive barrage that gave them a nine-run cushion heading into the final frame.

Turns out the Brewers would need that cushion as the Astros offense came alive—Houston generated five runs in the final frame before the Brewers were able to retire the side and secure the victory. The Brewers are now 4.5 games away from a wild-card spot.

Atlanta Braves 2, New York Mets 0: F

The Braves tightened their vice grip atop the NL wild card race with a 2-0 shutout of a New York Mets team that is now 6-4 in their last ten games.

The Braves got an exceptional start from Mike Minor who went 6.1 innings while only giving up three hits and no walks. If the Braves can get those kind of numbers from deep in their rotation, they’ll be a very legitimate threat in the playoffs.

Washington Nationals 6, St. Louis Cardinals 4: F/10

The Cardinals were unable to pull out a game that would have been a huge boon to their playoff chances, dropping a 6-4 game to the Nationals in extra innings.

The Nationals broke open an early 4-0 lead in the first frame but the Cardinals didn’t give up as they slowly chipped away at the lead before scoring a tying run in the bottom of the ninth. However, it was the Nationals that came through when it mattered most, taking a 6-4 lead in the tenth off of a Kurt Suzuki double.

The Cardinals failed to answer in the home half as they leave the door open for the Dodgers to take the final spot in the wild card race.

Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Colorado Rockies 0: F

The Dodgers successfully seized the opportunity to put some more pressure on the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL wild card race as posted a shut out over the Rockies 3-0. The Dodgers rode a huge start from starting pitches Joe Blanton who gave them six innings of scoreless baseball before turning it over to the bullpen who continued the shutout effort.

With the win the Dodgers are now just two games away from the Cardinals and appear poised to make a run as they extend their record in the last ten games to 7-3.

National League Standings

NL East

NL Wild Card

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The Boston Red Sox are in for a complete overhaul of the roster in the wake of the blockbuster trade that sends Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Nick Punto to the Los Angeles Dodgers for four minor league prospects, a ton of luxury tax relief and first baseman James Loney.

While Rubby de la Rosa doesn’t have the same name recognition or impressive résumé as the players the Red Sox gave up in the trade, de la Rosa will prove to be an extremely valuable asset as Boston tries to put together a roster that can contend again.

In de la Rosa, the Red Sox acquired a pitcher who has proven that he can be effective at the major league level but still has an incredible ceiling. 

The Dominican pitcher pitched well during his call-up with the Dodgers this season despite the fact that he is sill recovering from Tommy John surgery. In 13 appearances with the Dodgers, he went 4-5 while posting a respectable ERA of 3.71.

While those numbers aren’t unbelievable, they show promise for a 23-year-old who isn’t capable of throwing his best stuff at this point.

Brandon Lennox of TrueBlueLA.com ranked de la Rosa as the No. 5 prospect in the entire Dodgers farm system, stating that de la Rosa has the ability to dial his fastball up to triple digits when healthy. When explaining why he ranked de la Rosa so high, he had this to say:

…at just 22 years old his youth is just one of his many valuable assets.  With three potential plus pitches Rubby’s ceiling could be as high as a #2 starter in the big leagues, although I still have this feeling that could end up in the bullpen where he would also be very good, just not quite as valuable. 

Picking up a player like de la Rosa is always a risk—the injury concern is definitely there, but if the injuries continue to be an issue it would appear that de la Rosa could at least become a force in the bullpen where his pitch count could be monitored.

For a team in rebuilding mode, de la Rosa is a great developmental addition to the roster.

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One thing is for sure—the Dodgers will look to add one more quality starting pitcher to their rotation before the MLB trade deadline. 

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, the Dodgers’ quest for another arm to add to the rotation will come down to the Chicago Cubs‘ Ryan Dempster, Miami Marlins‘ Josh Johnson or Tampa Bay Rays‘ James Shields.

Given that the Dodgers will need to sacrifice a nice bundle of minor-league prospects to acquire any of their targets, there will be risk involved with any one that they bring in. That being said, these three are not created equally, and each has their own positives and drawbacks that they bring to the table.

Here’s the breakdown on all three and how they fit into the Dodgers plans.

Ryan Dempster

Dempster appears to be target No. 1 for the Dodgers, as Heyman points out that the Dodgers and Cubs have already been engaged in trade talks.

2012 Stats: 5-5 2.25 ERA 1.04 WHIP 83 K’s

Positives: Obviously, Dempster has been pitching at a very high level all season, Dempster would provide the Dodgers with a veteran presence and has been consistent throughout the season.

Dempster can’t overpower batters and his 83 strikeouts this season is very modest, but he keeps the ball in the park and allows his defense to make outs.

With the additional run support he would see with the Dodgers, his 5-5 record would improve as his other stats indicate a much better record.

Drawbacks: With talks between the Cubs and Dodgers coming to a standstill, it would seem that bringing Dempster into the fold may ultimately cost too much. Dempster has pitched the best of the three targets, but he’s in a position to have the highest price.

Josh Johnson

Johnson is rumored to be a backup plan if the Dodgers aren’t able to land Dempster. At 28 years old, Johnson provides a much better option than Dempster if the Dodgers are looking to add a pitcher they could keep in the long-term.

2012 Stats: 6-7 4.14 ERA 1.34 WHIP 105 K’s

Positives: The physically imposing 6’7″ Johnson is a powerhouse pitcher that can rack up the strikeouts. When healthy, Johnson is the kind of pitcher that can take every start deep into the game and has the ability to lead a pitching staff.

At seven years younger than Dempster, the Dodgers would be adding a pitcher that could be a force on their staff for years to come if they can get him to commit long-term.

Drawbacks: Firstly, his numbers are not close to Dempster’s. Johnson’s ERA is almost a whole run higher than Dempster’s and his whip is .3 points higher. He may be able to pitch more innings for the Dodgers, but his injury-shortened 2011 season still has to be a bit of concern as the pennant chase gets closer. 

According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, the Marlins have publicly shopped Johnson but that they are also asking for elite prospects in return. With the Dodgers reluctant to give up their top prospects for Dempster, it’s hard to imagine they give up much more for a pitcher who is pitching significantly less effectively.

James Shields

Shields is another backup plan if the Dempster trade doesn’t work out, according to Heyman, Shields is 30 years old and has pitched for the Rays for all seven years of his major-league career.

2012 Stats: 8-7 4.52 ERA 1.46 WHIP 134 K’s

Positives: Shields may not be as physically imposing as Johnson, but he is still a workhorse of a starter that will eat innings and keep the Dodger bullpen fresh as the season wears on. Shields has pitched 200+ innings each of the last five seasons while posting consistently serviceable numbers.

If Shields can reclaim the success that he had last season, he is capable of putting up ace numbers, he posted a 2.82 ERA in 249.1 innings.

Drawbacks: While Shields durability is one of his strong suits, he has yet to notch a complete game in 2012. After posting his best season last year, his numbers have largely returned to the mediocrity that he has been known for so there’s no guarantee that he will be able to post his 2011 stats again.

Shields may ultimately be the most lackluster of the options but he would be a serviceable innings eater for the Dodgers, and he could be had at a relatively low cost in terms of what the Dodgers give up in a trade.

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If the Atlanta Braves want to gain the advantage over the Washington Nationals in the National League East, they need to part ways with pitching prospect Julio Teheran.

According to Jayson Stark of ESPN, after missing out on Zach Greinke and Ryan Dempster, the Braves seem content to seek out bullpen and bench help while holding on to Teheran:

The Braves might not have announced on anybody’s radio show that they’ve moved on with Zack Greinke, the way they did for Ryan Dempster, but they are telling teams that they’re turning their focus away from the rotation and are shopping more for bullpen and bench pieces. That would be an indication they have no interest in dealing Julio Teheran for a rental player. It’s also an indication that they will have a tough time convincing themselves they can re-sign Greinke in the wake of the Cole Hamels contract.

While the Braves haven’t officially said that they would not trade Teheran, the club certainly wouldn’t look to trade him for a “bullpen or bench piece” as Stark writes. 

However, the Braves should still be actively shopping Teheran if they can get the right player. 

Teheran is a great prospect. According to Baseballamerica.com, he was the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball after the 2011 season, and many expected him to be called up and contribute this season for the Braves.

That hasn’t been the case, as Teheran has seen his production dip this season and his lone start didn’t yield the kind of results that Braves fans had been hoping for.

Teheran still holds his value for teams that are looking to sell, he just hasn’t shown that he is ready to help the Braves as they close in on a playoff bid.

All indications point towards the Braves settling with adding a minor piece, but taking Teheran off the table could wind up being a move that is detrimental to their hopes of claiming a very winnable division.

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The Texas Rangers are already one of the top teams in baseball, but if they can find a way to add Cliff Lee to their rotation before the trade deadline, they will officially become the favorite to win the World Series.

With the Rangers in the market to add another quality starter before the deadline, Lee makes a lot of sense as an addition. And as Jim Salisbury of CSN reported, the Rangers had a scout in attendance for Lee’s last start with the Phillies in Los Angeles.

Top Rangers scout in attendance for Phils-Dodgers (Lee vs. Kershaw) today. Interesting.

— Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyCSN) July 18, 2012

The Rangers traded for Lee back in 2010, a move that led to a World Series appearance before Lee chose to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies the next season. However, the Phillies have surprisingly tanked this season and should be sellers as the trade deadline approaches. 

Lee has a 1-6 record this season, but that is more of a reflection on the poor run support that he has received from the struggling Phillies offense. Ranger fans would like to see the team go after Lee’s teammate, Cole Hamels, but according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com the Phillies are prepared to offer Hamels a six-year deal worth $130 million.

With Hamels presumably off the market, Lee would make for a great backup plan.

Lee’s 1.16 WHIP and 106 K’s in 111 innings pitched shows that Lee is still capable of putting together great starts. With a much better team surrounding him in Texas, his numbers have no place to go but up.

The Rangers explosive offense has made them one of the best teams in baseball and they should continue to pile up the runs as the season wears on. However, if they want to make a return trip to the World Series they will need proven pitching that can get them there.

Lee may not be the trade target that fans and the front office had in mind, but Lee would undoubtedly give the Rangers the boost they need to make a serious run at winning a championship. 

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The MLB draft may not hold the allure of the NFL or NBA drafts, but teams still shell out millions of dollars in hopes of getting a good return on their investments.

The 2012 draft signing deadline came and went, and all of the draft’s first-round picks elected to sign with their teams with the notable exception of the No. 8 selection in the draft, Mark Appel, who elected to return to Stanford for another year rather than sign a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

While most teams will do whatever it takes to sign their high-profile selections, there still remains a huge risk of signing players who won’t contribute at the major league level for years, if ever. Here are a few prospects who will prove to be worthy of their contracts.

Andrew Heaney, LHP, Miami Marlins

Heaney nearly joined Appel as a first-round pick who elected to not sign with his team. Heaney signed a $2.6 million deal (h/t Baseball America) extremely close to the July 13, 5 p.m. E.D.T deadline.

In Heaney, the Marlins pick up a left-handed pitching prospect who dominated the college baseball scene at Oklahoma State. Heaney was lights-out in college and earned All-American honors for his stellar season. Heaney was second in the country in WHIP with .81 over 118.2 innings pitched.

Heaney is a great prospect who was selected in the 24th round of the 2009 draft, but elected to pitch at Oklahoma State instead. His fastball has been clocked as fast as 95 mph and he featured a solid curveball in college.

While Heaney may not fast-track to the majors like Stephen Strasburg, he should be a prospect to keep an eye on in the future and will, at the very least, be a major trade chip for the Marlins going forward.

Mike Zunino, C, Seattle Mariners

The Mariners got a steal at No. 4 with one of the draft’s most mature prospects, inking the draft’s top catcher to a contract reportedly worth $4 million (h/t Seattle Times).

Zunino was the draft’s second-best overall prospect according to Baseball America. Zunino was a great two-way player in his time with the University of Florida, hitting for both average (.322) and power (19 HRs and 67 RBIs).

Zunino displayed a patience at the plate that will serve him well in the majors, as he drew 31 walks and sported an on-base percentage of .394.

Zunino should be a great value for the Mariners, as a two-way catcher like him is difficult to find. With positional scarcity taken into consideration, $4 million is good value for a catcher that could be a cog in the Mariner lineup for years to come.

Corey Seager, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers signed high school product Corey Seager to a $2.35 million deal (h/t Los Angeles Times) despite other picks surrounding Seager getting signed for significantly less money.

While granting that much money to a kid straight out of high school may seem unwarranted, the move should pay dividends for the Dodgers, as the position is in dire need of an upgrade throughout the organization.

With Jerry Hairston Jr. manning the hot corner at the major league level, Seager will be a blue-chip prospect who will shore up the position eventually.

Seager’s brother is Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, so he does have a major league pedigree. If Seager proves to be the third baseman of the future for the franchise, then he will be well worth the extra cash the Dodgers paid.

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