Here are Saturday’s Top 5 GIFs, courtesy of @MLBGIFs.
Meet the best! Mets win first East title since ’06
Lucas Duda hit a grand slam in the first inning Saturday at Great American Ball Park and the Mets never looked back, winning a 10-2 game over the Reds to clinch their first NL East title and playoff berth since 2006. Matt Harvey pitched into the seventh, David Wright iced things with a late three-run homer and the bullpen did the rest, inciting a jubilee in the visiting clubhouse.
Postseason contenders’ remaining schedules
With the regular season coming to a close on Oct. 4, we’ve put together a bird’s-eye view of each contender’s matchups down the stretch and what they’re chasing.
Angels a half-game back in WC after win
The Angels’ offense exploded for four runs in the first inning and continued to add on against the Mariners on Friday night, while en route to an 8-4 win that put them a half-game out of the second Wild Card spot in the American League.
Statcast: Betts leaps to haul in Davis’ blast
It wasn’t hard to explain what happened in the ninth inning of the Red Sox’s 7-0 win over the Orioles on Friday night: Mookie Betts made an outstanding play, one of the best you’ll see all year, to rob Chris Davis of a home run. But thanks to Statcast™, we can dig deeper to see just how Betts pulled back Davis’ blast at Fenway Park.
Blue Jays top Rays, push closer to clinch
The Blue Jays swatted a trio of solo homers in support of R.A. Dickey’s 100th career win in a 5-3 victory over the Rays at Rogers Centre on Friday. Josh Donaldson, Kevin Pillar and Jose Bautista each went yard in the series opener as the Blue Jays increased their lead in the American League East to four games over the Yankees, who lost to the White Sox. The Blue Jays’ magic number to clinch a division title is now six. Toronto can also clinch its first postseason berth since 1993 with its next win or the Angels’ next loss.
Game of clinches: Cubs in; Jays, Mets on cusp
A look at how Friday’s slate of games impacted the postseason picture.
Epic staredown highlights top GIFs
Here are Friday’s Top 5 GIFs of the day, courtesy of @MLBGIFs.
With 4th straight win, Texas’ magic number 5
The Rangers continued their dominance of the Astros and moved another step closer to clinching the American League West with a 6-2 win on Friday night at Minute Maid Park, reducing their magic number to clinch the division to five.
Carrasco mighty ‘good’ in historic 1-hit gem
Carlos Carrasco was not feeling like himself. After only one inning of work on Friday night, the big right-hander felt sluggish and decided it was probably in the Indians’ best interest to inform manager Terry Francona right away.
Cubs stay up late, clinch spot in postseason
The Cubs are headed back to the postseason for the first time since 2008. Joe Maddon’s club — which lost to the National League Central-rival Pirates, 3-2, on Friday afternoon — gained entry when the Giants lost to the A’s, 5-4, late Friday night on the West Coast.
Fernandez sets MLB mark, but it wasn’t easy
Even without his best stuff, Jose Fernandez on Friday night still was able to carve himself a piece of MLB history. But it took a team effort.
Altherr goes in ‘n’ out against Nationals
Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr had never done that before. Of course, who has? Altherr hit an inside-the-park grand slam in the third inning of Friday night’s 8-2 win over the Nationals at Nationals Park.
Tight shoulder ends Martinez’s night in first inning
The Cardinals can only hope that a special season for first-year starter Carlos Martinez did not come to an abrupt and unfortunate end on Friday night, when he walked ever so slowly to the dugout, his glove over his face, seemingly as an attempt to hide the raw emotion.
Banister calmly steers Texas’ turnaround
In late July, Rangers manager Jeff Banister gathered his players in the clubhouse with the team 7 1/2 games out of first place in the AL West. Two months later, everything has changed for the Rangers.
East mode: Mets at postseason’s door
For the first time in nine years, the Mets will play beyond their 162nd game. They assured themselves that much Friday with a 12-5 thumping of the Reds at Great American Ball Park, fueled by Noah Syndergaard’s 7 2/3 dominant innings and Lucas Duda’s twin three-run homers.
Rajai delivers; Twins unable to pick up ground
The Tigers dealt the contending Twins a heartbreaking loss, as they rallied back late from a three-run deficit and Rajai Davis connected on a go-ahead two-run blast in the eighth inning in a 6-4 win on Friday night at Comerica Park.