MLB

4:49 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Major League Baseball drew 45.3 million fans this year as fans gradually were allowed to return, down from 68.5 million over 2019 in the last season before the coronavirus pandemic. The Dodgers led the major leagues in home attendance at 2.8 million. They did not start selling

5:40 PM ET Bradford Doolittle Close ESPN Staff Writer Sports reporter, Kansas City Star, 2002-09 Writer, Baseball, Baseball Prospectus Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus Member, Baseball Writers Association of America Member, Professional Basketball Writers Association David Schoenfield Close ESPN Senior Writer Covers MLB for ESPN.com Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been with ESPN.com since 1995

7:00 AM ET The MLB playoffs are upon us. How ready are you for the postseason action? After a sprint to the finish that saw the final American League wild-card spot decided on the final day of the regular season, the 10 teams chasing World Series glory this October are set with the San Francisco

7:36 PM ET It wasn’t quite as chaotic of an ending as it could have been, but the 2021 MLB regular season is finally in the books. Now, playoff baseball is finally in store. In the AL, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees renew their historic rivalry in what promises to be an

3:10 PM ET ESPN News Services The New York Mets will not pick up manager Luis Rojas’ option for next season, ending his tenure with the team at two seasons. Rojas drew praise this year as New York led the NL East for three months, but the team began a collapse in early August without

6:26 PM ET CHICAGO — The St. Louis Cardinals broke a tie with the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics for the longest win streak of the season by virtue of a doubleheader sweep of the Chicago Cubs on Friday. The 14 consecutive wins is the longest for the Cardinals since they joined the National

12:34 AM ET ESPN News Services DENVER — Mike Yastrzemski hit a three-run homer, one of four long balls by San Francisco, to help the NL West-leading Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 7-2 Friday night and become the season’s first 100-win team. 154 games is the fastest the Giants have reached 100 wins in the

12:52 AM ET ESPN News Services CLEVELAND — Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease left after being struck on the right arm by a comebacker in the sixth inning of a 1-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night. The playoff-bound White Sox said Cease has a right triceps contusion and that X-rays were

5:42 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians have activated right-hander Shane Bieber from the 60-day injured list for a start Friday night against the Chicago White Sox. Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young Award last season, hasn’t pitched since June 13 because of a strained right shoulder. Bieber is 7-4 with

11:09 PM ET Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — Houston Astros right-hander Zack Greinke was scratched from his scheduled start Friday night and placed on the 10-day injured list with neck soreness. Greinke, who missed 12 games earlier this month while on the COVID-19 list, is 11-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 29 starts for Houston.

3:33 PM ET CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are committing to the MLB free-agent market this winter after trading away about half their roster this season. “We plan to be really active in free agency,” team president Jed Hoyer said Friday afternoon. “We plan to spend money intelligently. We’re scouting that market heavily. We’re going

1:03 AM ET ESPN News Services MINNEAPOLIS — Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was forced from Thursday night’s 7-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning after a freak play in the outfield resulted in a bloody injury. On a double by Mitch Garver — who was 3 for 4

7:00 AM ET With one week left until the calendar turns to October, the 2021 MLB playoffs are just around the corner. But there is still much to be decided in the final days of the regular season, with everything from division titles and final postseason berths to the No. 1 pick in the 2022

11:49 PM ET Brianna Williams Did Halloween come early for the Los Angeles Dodgers? Judging by the team’s social media account, it certainly seems like a possibility. Hours after defeating the Colorado Rockies 7-5 in 10 innings, the team posted festive photos on Twitter. As a continuation of their annual dress-up day tradition, which was

7:00 AM ET There are just two weeks to go in the 2021 MLB regular season and we are pumped. There’s a thrilling National League West race raging between baseball’s two best teams, the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The wild-card races are crowded in both leagues, with three American League East

4:47 PM ET Associated Press CINCINNATI — Clayton Kershaw pitched five sharp innings for his first win since June 27, Gavin Lux and Corey Seager each hit two-run homers and the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers beat the sliding Cincinnati Reds 8-5 Sunday. Will Smith also homered as the Dodgers won for the eighth time in

11:05 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Manny Pina homered twice, Eduardo Escobar and Jace Peterson also connected, and the Milwaukee Brewers clinched their fourth straight postseason berth with a 6-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night. The Brewers won for the seventh time in nine games to ensure themselves at least a

11:09 PM ET Associated Press ST. LOUIS — Manny Machado screamed at All-Star teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. in the dugout during the fifth inning of the San Diego Padres’ crucial game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night. Machado shouted and cursed at Tatis, telling him “it’s not about you” and “you go play