The Cubs’ push for the postseason will be more difficult after right fielder Jorge Soler and reliever Jason Motte were both placed on the 15-day disabled list on Monday, Soler with a left oblique strain and Motte with a right shoulder strain.

The Angels need Andrew Heaney — a 24-year-old rookie, but also their most consistently effective pitcher since his callup June 24 — to play a prominent role down the stretch.

Marlon Byrd walked into the visitors’ clubhouse at PNC Park on Friday afternoon ready to take on a new role with a new team, the Giants, his fifth club in the past three seasons. But it all felt familiar.

When the Twins called up Miguel Sano from Double-A Chattanooga on July 2, they were hoping the 22-year-old could help spark the offense as the club’s everyday designated hitter. He has done just that and more in a historic start, as he became the fastest Twins rookie to reach 10 homers.

A three-game win streak in Detroit gave Texas a 1 1/2-game lead for the second American League Wild Card spot. A big part of this surge that has revived the once-flagging postseason hopes has been the club’s ability to use speed and aggressive baserunning to its advantage.

First it was Jose Altuve — the reigning American League batting champ — lacing a ninth-inning single to win a series. Then Marwin Gonzalez, a utility man not guaranteed to see his name on the lineup card each night, ending a game in the tenth on a full-count homer two days later.

In Major League Baseball, you’re never really out of it until the mathematics just don’t add up anymore. For the clubs in contention as The Week Ahead leads us to the tail end of August, that means there’s still plenty of time to make a statement that could last all the way into October.

Nathan Eovaldi has been trying to make his splitter become a part of his arsenal all year long. Thanks to a new grip, he’s added spin and velocity, and has seen his results improve greatly.

The Cardinals, the Pirates and the Cubs, in order of their current standing, have all been playing well and at this point, the only drawback would be that one of them will be eliminated, and thus short-changed, in the Wild Card playoff game.

The Saber Conference, as it’s known colloquially, was highlighted by a mix of baseball executives and six-time MLB All-Star right-hander Curt Schilling.

These players could provide difference-making stats for DraftKings participants today.

The Rangers jumped from 14 to 11, and they also jumped into a pretty stable spot in the Wild Card standings — they’re now second, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Angels and Twins. But the Wild Card isn’t the Rangers’ only option.

After a long stint on the disabled list, David Wright’s return to the NL East-leading Mets — who take on the Phillies — highlights an intriguing slate of games around Major League Baseball on Monday.

The Orioles and Royals faced off in the 2014 playoffs but have yet to meet in 2015. The upcoming postseason is certainly on the minds of both squads heading into a crucial four-game series that starts Monday night in Kansas City.

The Blue Jays’ lineup has been dominant all season, but the bats took things to an entirely new level during a three-game series against the Angels.

Michael Wacha allowed one run in six innings Sunday and Stephen Piscotty hit two home runs and knocked in five runs as the Cardinals snapped the Padres’ five-game winning streak with a 10-3 victory at Petco Park.

The Royals put together a bizarre four-run rally in the ninth inning off Red Sox closer Junichi Tazawa at a misty and foggy Fenway Park.