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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks left Saturday’s National League Division Series game against the San Francisco Giants after taking a line drive off his arm.

Continue for updates.

Latest Details on Hendricks’ Injury

Saturday, Oct. 8

X-rays on Hendricks’ arm were negative, per Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune.

Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times reported the pitcher has a bruised arm.

Hendricks Tried to Stay in Game

Saturday, Oct. 8

Per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, Cubs manager Joe Maddon removed Hendricks after the right-hander tried to talk his manager into leaving him in.

Former Cubs outfielder Angel Pagan hit the liner off an 80 mph changeup from Hendricks, and it appeared to strike his forearm. Hendricks threw a few warm-up pitches, hoping to remain in the game, before Maddon made the decision to bring Travis Wood in from the bullpen.

Hendricks’ Surprise Breakout Season Gives Cubs Dominant Rotation

Hendricks is enjoying a breakout season for Chicago that’s left him among the league leaders in every major pitching category, including ERA (2.13) and ERA+ (188), per Baseball-Reference.com. It makes the prospect of an injury setback even more concerning as the team gears up for a potentially deep postseason run.

The 26-year-old has remained durable during the early stages of his major league career. He made 32 starts last season, his first full year in the big leagues, and has been a constant cog in Chicago’s rotation throughout 2016.

The Cubs still boast depth in their starting rotation for the postseason with Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey. Hendricks is a clear difference-maker after his breakout season, and it would be a huge loss if he has to miss extended time.

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The Toronto Blue Jays moved within one victory of reaching the American League Championship Series with a 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers in Game 2 of the division series on Friday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run homer in the second inning, and the Jays never relinquished the lead, though there was plenty of drama over the final three innings. J.A. Happ, who went 20-4 in the regular season, picked up the win after giving up just one run over five innings of work.

Toronto, which captured Game 1 of the series by a 10-1 score on Thursday, is starting to pick up a lot of steam after surviving an 11-inning wild-card battle with the Baltimore Orioles. The Jays now return home to Rogers Centre with an eye on closing out the series in Sunday’s Game 3.

The Blue Jays jumped out in front in the second inning, which started with an always dangerous leadoff walk to Jose Bautista. Sure enough, the visitors took full advantage two batters later when Tulowitzki crushed a homer to left to grab the early lead.

Statcast provided further details about the supercharged blast from the five-time All-Star:

A two-out rally allowed the Rangers to get back within one in the fourth.

They belted out three consecutive singles courtesy of Nomar Mazara, Carlos Gomez and Ian Desmond, who brought home Mazara with his base knock to center. A weak groundout by Carlos Beltran brought an end to the threat, though.

Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News noted Happ’s struggles the third time through an order, which is when the Rangers got on the scoreboard:

Not being able to generate more runs in the fourth inning was a turning point because the Jays responded with three runs in the fifth.

Kevin Pillar, Ezequiel Carrera and Edwin Encarnacion all connected on solo homers in a five-batter span to give the Blue Jays a 5-1 lead. The explosion of power against Yu Darvish is rare, as he gave up just 12 long balls in 17 starts during the regular season. 

Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News pointed out the Texas starter tied the wrong kind of record: 

ESPN Stats & Info passed along another interesting stat concerning the fifth-inning meltdown:

The Rangers missed an opportunity to trim the lead in the seventh. Desmond started the frame with a double and advanced to third on a groundout. He tried to score on another grounder, this one by Adrian Beltre, but a slight hesitation allowed Josh Donaldson to throw him out on a bang-bang play.

Ari Shapiro of Jays Journal commented on a tough start to the series for the center fielder:

There was still a chance to rally after a walk to Rougned Odor put two runners on base. But Jason Grilli got Jonathan Lucroy to pop out in foul territory to end the inning.

Texas got two runs back in the eighth, which featured a scary moment involving Toronto reliever Francisco Liriano. Carlos Gomez hit a line drive right back through the box that struck Liriano hard before ricocheting into center for an RBI single.

Barry Davis of Sportsnet discussed the chilling moment, which even made Gomez cringe as he ran toward first base:

The Rangers added another run on a groundout by Desmond, but closer Roberto Osuna struck out Beltran to prevent any further damage and preserve the lead into the ninth.

After a scoreless top of the ninth, Beltre gave the Rangers a glimmer of hope by leading off the bottom of the inning with a double. Osuna responded by getting the next three hitters out in order to secure the victory, inducing Mitch Moreland to fly out to end it.

SportsCenter spotlighted the key stat coming out of the Jays’ two wins in Texas:

Looking ahead, along with being in a favorable position in the series, the Jays’ outlook for the entire postseason has become far more optimistic since Tuesday. They struggled during the final month of the season, but that extra-inning triumph over Baltimore seems to have provided the spark they needed.

Now the focus is on closing out the Rangers as quickly as possible, both to avoid a potential comeback and to get some extra rest for the pitching staff. Aaron Sanchez gives Toronto an advantage on the mound in Game 3 with Colby Lewis being his expected counterpart for Texas.

On the flip side, the Rangers need to start coming up with more hits in clutch situations if they want to climb out of the 2-0 hole. They had a couple of chances for big innings Friday and just couldn’t capitalize, and that’s always problematic against a club with as many power bats as the Blue Jays have.

Postgame Reaction

Steve Argintaru of TSN passed along an update on Liriano from Blue Jays manager John Gibbons:

Meanwhile, Rangers manager Jeff Banister lamented the fact a handful of bad pitches is all it took to turn the game in Toronto’s favor, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com.

“Four unexecuted pitches is what it boils down to,” he said.

Andy Newberry of the Times Record News noted the Texas bench boss quickly turned the focus to the rest of the series.

“We have to win three in a row; it starts with one,” Banister said.

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Clayton Kershaw, David Price and Jon Lester are scheduled to headline a star-studded day of pitching Friday as the two American League Division Series roll on and both National League Division Series get underway after an entertaining first few days of playoff action.

Runs will likely be hard to come by throughout Friday’s action, with Max Scherzer, Corey Kluber and Yu Darvish among the other starting pitchers slated to take the mound. Expect to see plenty of tactics from managers with an eye toward scratching out two or three runs, knowing that could be enough.

Let’s check out the important information for all of the day’s contests. That’s followed by a quick preview and prediction for each game on tap.

Friday’s MLB Playoff Schedule

Game Predictions

Toronto Blue Jays at Texas Rangers

If the Texas Rangers are going to make a World Series run, Darvish must be the X-factor. While he made only 17 starts during the regular season, he finished with a flurry when healthy, giving up just one run with 21 strikeouts over 13 innings in his final two starts.

The 30-year-old is also one of the few pitchers to tame the high-powered Blue Jays offense over the past three years. He’s racked up a microscopic 1.88 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 28.2 innings against Toronto during that span.

That’s not a promising sign for a Blue Jays offense that sputtered down the stretch. The typically reliable lineup generated just 100 runs in September, which ranked 29th in MLB. A major resurgence is necessary to turn Toronto back into contenders.

Prediction: Rangers win, 6-2.

Boston Red Sox at Cleveland Indians

Earlier this year, Peyton Manning capped a Hall of Fame career by winning the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos. Now, Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz is trying to complete a similar storybook ending after a remarkable final regular season in which he posted 38 homers and 127 RBI.

Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe noted the Red Sox are doing everything possible, including embracing superstitions, to send Big Papi out as a champion:

Although the designated hitter is crucial to the team’s success, the Red Sox also need Price to pitch like an ace during their playoff run. They signed him to a massive contract in the offseason, but he hasn’t lived up to the hype, finishing with a 3.99 ERA in the regular season, the second-highest mark of his career.

Friday’s start is not only important for the series, but it could also say a lot about how dangerous he will be in the playoffs. Shutting down a Cleveland Indians offense that ranked fifth in runs during the regular season would be a major statement.

Prediction: Red Sox win, 3-2.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals are best equipped to challenge the Chicago Cubs in the NL. They ranked second in starters’ ERA during the regular season and scored the fourth-most runs in the NL. Surviving a five-game series in which they likely have to face Kershaw twice won’t be easy, though.

The 28-year-old left-hander made only 21 starts, but he was as dominant as ever when healthy. It’s almost hard to comprehend his 1.69 ERA and 0.72 WHIP, especially in a year with a historically high home run rate.

Washington can still win its series against the Los Angeles Dodgers without beating Kershaw, but the margin for error in that scenario is razor-thin. The Nats will have to hope Scherzer can match him frame for frame long enough to steal at least one of his starts.

Prediction: Dodgers win, 4-1.

San Francisco Giants at Chicago Cubs

This is one of those “if not now, when?” situations for the Cubs. The team, which is attempting to break a World Series drought dating back to 1908, won 103 games during the regular season, eight more than any other club, and accumulated a tremendous plus-252 run differential.

Chicago’s rotation is stacked, its bullpen is reliable and its offense ranked third in runs during the regular season. Despite the seemingly large advantages all over the field, manager Joe Maddon stressed the importance of overcoming adversity, per Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago.

“You have to be able to maintain your focus,” Maddon said. “When things are going well, it’s easy. We all can do that. I just want to remind them to be able to maintain our focus, maintain our methods, even if something goes awry.”

On the flip side, there’s something about the San Francisco Giants and even-numbered years. They won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014 while missing the playoffs in 2011, 2013 and 2015. There’s no direct correlation, but any mental edge can help at this time of the year.

It’s going to take a special effort to upset the Cubs, though. Chicago has taken a steady approach to rebuilding the organization under president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, and it’s starting to pay off in a massive way.

Prediction: Cubs win, 3-0.

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The Miami Marlins officially picked up the contract option on outfielder Ichiro Suzuki on Wednesday to keep him with the organization for the 2017 season. 

The Marlins announced the decision on their official Twitter feed. Ichiro is scheduled to make $2 million during the final year of the current deal, per Spotrac.

One year ago, it appeared the 42-year-old legend was finally starting to fade. The Japanese superstar posted a career-low .282 on-base percentage and finished with a negative WAR (-0.7) for the first time, according to FanGraphs.

Ichiro bounced back in a significant way during the 2016 campaign, though. While he didn’t make the type of daily impact he did during his prime with the Seattle Mariners, his .354 OBP was back in line with his career average while he filled various voids for the club.

The 10-time All-Star also reached a couple of milestones during the season.

In June, he passed longtime Cincinnati Reds star Pete Rose with his 4,257th career hit between his time in MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The outfielder told Joe Frisaro of MLB.com through an interpreter he wasn’t interested in the debate about being the true hit king.

“I don’t think you can compare,” Ichiro said. “Obviously, it’s a combined record. So I always just say, ‘What people think about that record, if they recognize it, I’ll be happy.’ But obviously, 3,000, it’s a no-doubter. Obviously, it’s a record here. So that is a goal I want to achieve.”

He accomplished the latter task in August with a triple against the Colorado Rockies. He expressed concerns about how he had achieved the mark, but his resurgent play alleviated them, per David Waldstein of the New York Times.

“Are you at the end and can barely play and are just chasing this number and can barely get there?” Ichiro said. “Or are you part of a team trying to win ballgames, going about your business properly as you go past that number? I think that is what I want to experience, and that is what is important for me.”

Looking ahead, Ichiro figures to play the role of fourth outfielder again next season behind the triumvirate of Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna.

He can still play all three outfield spots at age 42, which will lead to a few starts per week. Per FanGraphs, he posted a plus-six defensive runs saved figure this season, and that also allows him to serve as a defensive replacement in the late innings off the bench.

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The wild-card chase represented the only real drama during the stretch run of the MLB regular season with all six divisions getting wrapped up early. Now the four teams that survived the crowded battles are set for an immediate must-win game to keep their World Series hopes alive.

In the American League, the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays face off after a highly competitive season series that Toronto won 10-9. In the National League, the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets could be in for one of the postseason’s best pitchers’ duels.

So let’s check out all of the important viewing information for the playoff openers. That’s followed by a closer look at each game and a prediction for which teams will advance to the Division Series.

Wild Card Round Schedule

AL: Orioles at Blue Jays

The Blue Jays need a spark. They started September with a 76-57 record and a two-game lead in the AL East. They finished the regular season 89-73—a 13-16 mark over the final month and two days—and didn’t clinch a playoff berth until the last weekend.

So, while the team would have liked to win the division, playing in the Wild Card Game could end up being a blessing in disguise. A chance to play in front of a raucous crowd with a high-energy starter like Marcus Stroman, who feeds off that energy, could help the Jays break out of their funk.

The 25-year-old right-hander endured an up-and-down campaign that resulted in a mundane 4.37 ERA across 32 starts. Yet, Rosie DiManno of the Toronto Star noted the starter feels the postseason is exactly the type of environment where he can thrive.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Stroman said. “It’s my personality. It’s the type of individual I am. I pitch with a lot of emotion, a lot of energy. My teammates and everyone in the organization love it as well. They tell me to go out there and be myself.”

Another positive sign for Toronto is the recent play of Jose Bautista. The slugger battled injuries during the middle of the season, which limited him to six home runs from June through August, but he hit five homers and posted a .413 on-base percentage in September.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are a club that rely heavily on the long ball. They led baseball with 253 homers during the regular season, 28 more than the next-closest team, but they ranked just 12th in runs scored.

So if they aren’t hitting it out of the park, they struggle to score, and that’s a dangerous game to play in a one-game playoff situation. Being unable to manufacture single runs on a consistent basis will be a problem, even if Baltimore does survive Tuesday’s game.

Chris Tillman will start for the O’s. He bounced back from a dreadful August (6.60 ERA) with a solid September (3.79 ERA), which was right in line with his full-season performance (3.77 ERA).

ESPN Stats & Info noted he’s struggled in road games against the Blue Jays, though:

Ultimately, this game is about Stroman keeping the ball in the yard and the Jays finding the spark to ignite the proverbial flame. They have enough talent on the roster to make a serious run toward a championship, but there have been a lot of indifferent moments over the past month.

The Orioles must try to take advantage of Toronto’s recent struggles by jumping ahead early. A couple quick home runs could send the home team into a tailspin. But that homer-or-bust mentality at the plate may come back to haunt them in the end.

Prediction: 6-3 Toronto

NL: Giants at Mets

Madison Bumgarner against Noah Syndergaard in a must-win game is the best argument for the current playoff structure. Getting a chance to see two of the best pitchers in the league with that amount of pressure on their shoulders is a rare treat for baseball fans.

James Wagner of the New York Times further highlighted the marquee pitching matchup:

So it’s safe to assume runs will come at a premium Wednesday night. The managers will be doing everything they can to grind out a quick run or two, knowing that might be enough.

Both teams have separate reasons for optimism heading into the postseason, too.

The Giants have made a habit of winning the World Series in even-numbered years. They won the title in 2010, 2012 and 2014, while missing the playoffs in 2011, 2013 and 2015. It’s a trend they would love to continue by matching their run two years ago, when they won the Wild Card Game in Pittsburgh to start the run.

On the flip side, the Mets are the reigning champions in the NL after making the playoffs last year for the first time since 2006. Though they haven’t generated quite as much hype this year, their 87 wins were just three less than their 2015 total.

Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News pointed out last year’s success is one reason star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes opted against celebrating after the team clinched a playoff berth.

“Yes, Wednesday will be a big day when we keep going forward,” Cespedes said.

All told, given the strength of both clubs on the mound, the game will likely get decided by whichever offense is able to come up with the one or two clutch hits.

The recent play of both sides suggests New York should have the edge if that’s the case. The Mets ranked fifth in baseball in runs scored in September. The Giants were a distant 22rd.

Prediction: 3-1 New York

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The Arizona Diamondbacks fired manager Chip Hale and general manager Dave Stewart on Monday after the team failed to reach expectations following an offseason of high-profile moves. 

Fox Sports Arizona’s Jody Jackson shared a statement from the Diamondbacks:

ESPN.com’s Dan Szymborski thought Stewart deserved more blame for Arizona’s disappointing 69-93 record:

Hardball Talk’s Craig Calcaterra wrote more changes are needed in order for the Diamondbacks to turn things around:

Hale is a victim of circumstance more than anything else. He took over the Diamondbacks ahead of the 2015 season and led them to a 15-win improvement during his first year in charge, which gave the organization hope of contending this season.

In turn, the Arizona front office made a couple of blockbuster moves. It signed prized free-agent starting pitcher Zack Greinke to a monster long-term contract (six years, $206.5 million) and acquired fellow starter Shelby Miller from the Atlanta Braves as part of a trade in which it gave up 2015 first overall pick Dansby Swanson.

The Miller trade by itself was a fireable offense. In 38 games with the Braves this past season, Swanson batted .302 with three home runs and 17 RBI. The 22-year-old looks like a franchise cornerstone for Atlanta. 

Miller, meanwhile, was demoted to the minors in the middle of the year because he was badly struggling. He finished the year 3-12 in 20 starts with a 6.15 ERA.

The arrivals of Greinke and Miller, paired with some minor roster tweaking, considerably raised expectations heading into this season. As it became clear the D-Backs weren’t going to compete for a playoff berth, frustration began to mount in the desert.

One could sense the letdown in comments from Hale passed along by Michael Wagaman of the Associated Press after the team traded closer Brad Ziegler to the Boston Red Sox in July.

“I don’t [have] really any words to say about it, it’s just something that has to happen,” he said. “It’s partially [because] we haven’t played well enough to keep him. We should have played better and these things wouldn’t be happening.”

Ultimately, somebody had to take the fall for Arizona’s failure to contend, and ownership identified Hale and Stewart.

It’s difficult to pin most of the blame on Hale. Greinke (13-7, 4.37 ERA) didn’t pitch like an ace and spent time on the disabled list after suffering an oblique injury, and Miller was downright terrible. Meanwhile, losing outfielder A.J. Pollock to a broken elbow for most of the year was a huge blow to the offense.

Stewart, on the other hand, was the engineer of his own demise, and his replacement will have a difficult time undoing the damage he did to the roster.

The Diamondbacks couldn’t stand pat given the hype they entered the season with, so a complete overhaul is necessary this offseason.

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All six division titles have already been celebrated around baseball, which leaves just the two wild-card spots in both leagues up for grabs during the final days of the regular season. There are a total of seven teams still battling for those remaining postseason berths.

The close race should lead to ample drama on Sunday afternoon. The league has scheduled every game to start shortly after 3 p.m. ET in order to create a level playing field for all of the teams still in contention, and that increases the entertainment value tenfold.

Let’s check out all of the important dates for the upcoming playoff slate. That’s followed by a look at how the standings shape up with just a few days for those final spots to get claimed.

2016 MLB Postseason Schedule

All playoff games on Fox, Fox Sports 1, MLB Network, ESPN or TBS. Exact TV schedule TBA.

Current Playoff Picture

The Chicago Cubs are going to enter the playoffs as the clear favorite (+220 moneyline, via Odds Shark), regardless of which teams earn the remaining berths over the next couple of days. The NL Central champions are the only team to reach 100 wins and own a ridiculous plus-252 run differential.

As always, however, the age-old debate about rest vs. rust has come into play once again. Managers are tasked with doing their best to ensure no major injuries occur after clinching the division, but too many days of rest can hurt a rhythm that’s allowed the team to have success all season.

Cubs skipper Joe Maddon explained his thought process to Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago when asked about starters like Jake Arrieta and John Lackey going almost two weeks between outings by the time the postseason arrives:

That’s always been the major complaint I’ve heard. It’s just up to us to handle it properly. Now, of course, it may be difficult or rusty or whatever you want to call it. I don’t know. And then again, the rest might just do somebody really good. It just depends on the individual. These are the kind of things that are kind of outside of your control.

It’s one of those intangible factors all of the division winners are dealing with over the final days, and it could play a major role early in the postseason.

That said, the main focus right now is on the wild-card chase.

In the American League, the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners are all riding three-game winning streaks (as of Friday) while the Toronto Blue Jays are on a three-game skid. It’s pushed Toronto to the brink after looking pretty safe coming into the final week.

The schedule is favorable to Detroit, which may be forced to play an additional make-up game Monday against the Cleveland Indians. The Tigers are facing the Atlanta Braves, who have played better lately but still own the league’s third-worst record and are now focused on getting young players some at-bats.

Baltimore is also in promising shape. It owns a one-game advantage for the top wild-card spot, meaning a 1-1 finish should be enough to get in. The Orioles have Kevin Gausman on the mound against the New York Yankees’ Luis Cessa on Sunday, a clear edge just in case they lose Saturday.

The biggest question really surrounds the Blue Jays. They still control their own destiny despite the struggles over the past few days, but it can be tough to break out of a funk as the pressure continues to mount, particularly when playing on the road against the division-winning Boston Red Sox.

Seattle is still a threat, too. It owns a clear pitching advantage in both weekend games against the Oakland Athletics. Winning both would force either Toronto or Detroit to win out to finish above the Mariners’ potential 88 victories.

All told, the Orioles and Tigers feel like the teams in the best position, but there will probably be some chaos before the dust settles Sunday and possibly beyond. Lisa Kerney of ESPN summed it up well:

The National League race is a bit less crowded with just three teams battling for the two spots, but all of them are legitimate World Series threats if they do sneak in.

It’s hard to see the reigning NL champion New York Mets missing out. They need one win over the final two days with Bartolo Colon and Noah Syndergaard slated to start against a Philadelphia Phillies squad that’s lost five straight.

Assuming New York gets in, that leaves the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to fight for one berth with the Giants currently holding a one-game edge.

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ decision not to rest their starting pitchers quite as aggressively as the aforementioned Cubs could hurt San Francisco, though. Clayton Kershaw and Kenta Maeda are slated to start the final two games against the Giants’ 19th-ranked offense.

That leaves the door open for St. Louis. The Cardinals have been a model of consistency for almost two decades, highlighted by a pair of World Series titles. Two wins should at least force a playoff, and they hold a pitching edge in both remaining games against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ultimately, the close races paired with the Tigers’ potential need for a make-up game Monday could make for a scheduling nightmare for MLB. It’s still possible there could be a four-way tie in the AL and a three-way tie in the NL to get sorted out next week.

These races tend to figure themselves out before those types of extreme scenarios come into play, though. That said, it’s a good thing the wild-card fight is as close as it is, because the competition within the divisions this season was over early.

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The Atlanta Braves have reportedly begun the process of interviewing in-house candidates for their vacant managerial position, but they still plan to speak with other options from outside the organization.

Continue for updates.

Braves Talk About Job With Three Coaches

Saturday, Oct. 1

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Saturday the Braves discussed the opening with third base coach Bo Porter, first base coach Eddie Perez and bench coach Terry Pendleton on Friday. Brian Snitker has filled in on an interim basis since Fredi Gonzalez was fired in May.

It’s no surprise Atlanta is planning to take its time to consider every alternative, including coaches from both inside and outside the club. The Braves are looking to take their first major step forward in 2017 after an often painful rebuilding process.

In addition to the arrival of some top prospects, led by shortstop Dansby Swanson, the team is also preparing to open its new home—SunTrust Park—next year.

Although the job could attract interest with the Braves ready to start climbing the standings, Snitker has emerged as a strong candidate to transition from an interim role into the full-time manager.

Jesse Spector of the Sporting News commented on how well the team, which looked destined to finish at the bottom of the standings by a significant margin early in the season, has played since the managerial change:

The 60-year-old coaching veteran, who’s managed all around the Braves’ minor-league system, told Mark Bowman of MLB.com this week he’d “love” to keep the job into 2017 and beyond, but general manager John Coppolella didn’t commit to anything.

“[Snitiker] has been outstanding on the field and off the field,” Coppolella said. “He’s been exactly what we’ve needed right now. We’ll continue to evaluate it and see which direction we go.”

Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reported in May that Los Angeles Angels special assistant Bud Black and Boston Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo were potential outside candidates for the position.

Ultimately, it would be tough for the Braves to go away from Snitker given how well the team, which remains short on talent as it awaits more highly rated prospects to arrive in the big leagues, has performed under his guidance in recent months.

Atlanta can afford to give the interim manager a couple of years to prove himself while the team makes the transition back into a legitimate contender in the National League.

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The Boston Red Sox clinched their eighth American League East division title on Wednesday thanks to the Baltimore Orioles‘ 3-2 win over the second-place Toronto Blue Jays. 

However, the celebrations were muted when the New York Yankees overcame a 3-0 ninth-inning deficit, which was capped off by a Mark Teixeira grand slam, to beat Boston 5-3. 

The Red Sox still took to Twitter to confirm that they clinched their spot atop the only division in baseball featuring four teams with a record above .500:

Even though the new division champions were still playing, that didn’t mean the party wasn’t getting started early as Ryan Hannable of WEEI showed the Red Sox’s ownership group celebrating in the box seats of Yankee Stadium:

Only In Boston was just waiting for the team to join the party:

But Lil Wayne couldn’t wait:

However, SportsCenter‘s Jade McCarthy pointed out that it might have been hard to celebrate after Teixeira’s homer:

MLB Network’s Chris Rose didn’t know what to do:

It looked like the Red Sox didn’t know what to do either, as WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford caught a glimpse of the team’s dugout:

Regardless, there were new digs waiting in the visitors’ locker room, via the MLB:

And it didn’t do much to rain on the parade of the Red Sox’s Twitter page or NESN’s Emerson Lotzia Jr.:

Once they got into the locker room, the loss was shrugged off, and Boston was able to do some celebrating in the Bronx, via the Red Sox:

There was no holding back either, per NBC’s Jack Korte:

Especially when it came to Chris Young and his dance moves, via the Red Sox:

The Red Sox came into the regular season with two major storylines: the impending retirement of David Ortiz and the arrival of presumed ace David Price, who signed a seven-year, $217 million contact with the organization in December.

Big Papi looked far more like a slugger in his prime than one ready to start life after baseball. The 40-year-old designated hitter remained a force in the middle of the Sox lineup, racking up more than 30 home runs for the 10th time as he put together one of the best seasons in his Hall of Fame career.

Although his continued success at the plate raised questions about whether he’d reconsider retiring, he’s stayed steadfast in his plan to call it quits after the team’s season comes to a close. He told Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated in July that he could still hit, but his body can’t handle the 162-game grind anymore.

“Because I don’t care,” Ortiz said. “My mind is free. There is no doubt in my mind that I can hit for the next couple of years at this highest level.”

Knowing Ortiz is on the brink of playing his last game in a Red Sox uniform adds an extra layer of intrigue and pressure heading into the playoffs. Few athletes in the rich history of Boston sports have made such a major impact both on the field and in the community.

If Boston is going to capture its fourth championship since 2004, Price will likely need to elevate his level of performance after a mundane first season with the franchise.

While the 31-year-old left-hander sports a strong record, his ERA is the second-highest of his career, in part due to a new career high in homers allowed. He’s pitched better during the second half, however, which provides a silver lining heading into the playoffs.

The strength of the Red Sox is their offense, though. Along with Ortiz, Mookie Betts, Hanley Ramirez, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Dustin Pedroia have all enjoyed great years at the plate. That’s why the club leads the AL in runs by a massive margin.

That said, rarely can a team merely mash its way to a World Series crown. The Red Sox are going to need their pitching staff to carry its fair share of the burden.

The back end of the bullpen is strong with Craig Kimbrel closing out games alongside the setup tandem of Koji Uehara and Brad Ziegler. There are some questions in the middle innings, however, which puts pressure on the starters to go six strong frames.

Ultimately, the success of Price’s entire first season will be determined by how he performs during the playoffs. But there’s just as much urgency for the likes of Rick Porcello and Drew Pomeranz to help push the city of Boston toward yet another title celebration.

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The Atlanta Braves are reportedly considering signing former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow to a minor league contract after meeting with him following his workout for MLB teams earlier this week.

Pedro Gomez of ESPN reported Saturday that sources confirmed the Braves have “definite interest” in the outfielder, who last played organized baseball in 2005. Tebow put his baseball skills on display for 27 of the league’s 30 teams Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Josh Peter of USA Today said there were mixed reviews after the session, with one American League scout saying: “It was a complete waste of time. It was like watching an actor trying to portray a baseball player. He tried. He tried. That’s the best I can say. He is crazy strong, and could run well in one direction, but that’s it. He only had one good throw of all his throws.”

Another scout, this one from the National League, provided a more favorable assessment: “Better than I expected, to be honest. … That’s a big dude, for as fast as he can run. The power was impressive, but I wish he could have translated it maybe a little better [against live pitching].”

According to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network, Tebow had one hit in six plate appearances against former MLB reliever Chad Smith in the workout.

The 6’3″, 260-pounder has always had a unique blend of size, power and athletic ability, but it didn’t translate to consistent on-field success in the NFL. Now he’s 29 and trying to make the transition to baseball at a time when most players are already enjoying their peak seasons.

Even the most optimistic outlook would suggest he needs at least one full season in the minor leagues to adjust to live pitching. It’s unlikely he’ll ever make a significant impact in the majors, even if he’s signed.

That said, the Braves would be a nice landing spot. They already own one of the league’s top five farm systems, according to Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter. It also helps that Atlanta has a big following throughout the Southeast, where the Florida Gators QB rose to superstardom.

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