Pro Sports

LEADING OFF: A day off before things get wild

Posted October 03, 2016 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Tommy Hunter is doused in the visitors' clubhouse after the Orioles defeated the New York Yankees 5-2 in a baseball game to get to the playoffs , Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek) The Associated Press

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

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QUICK BREATHER

Baseball fans get a one-day break before the postseason begins Tuesday with the AL wild-card game, when the Orioles will travel to Toronto to determine who gets to face the Rangers in an AL Division Series. Baltimore is expected to pitch ace Chris Tillman and the Blue Jays will likely throw Marcus Stroman, although both teams had yet to announce starting pitchers as of Sunday night.

EVEN ODDS

The San Francisco Giants' quest for a fourth-straight even-year World Series title hits the road in the morning, when the team flies to New York. Ace Madison Bumgarner gets the ball Wednesday in the NL wild-card game against the Mets' Noah Syndergaard. "Everybody knows what a good pitcher Bumgarner is, but we have a good pitcher, too," Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes said through an interpreter.

San Francisco started its run to the 2014 World Series title by beating Pittsburgh in the wild-card game, and also won championships in 2012 and 2010. The Mets, meanwhile, are the defending NL champs and finished second in the National League with 218 home runs this year.

TAKE A LOAD OFF

Division winners begin a stretch of days off while waiting for the wild-card games, and some needed the break more than others. David Ortiz and the Red Sox limped to the finish, losing five of their final six regular-season games, but now get three days off before opening an ALDS at Cleveland. The Dodgers also closed with five losses in six games - including a three-game sweep to San Francisco that let the Giants into the postseason. In particular, L.A. outfielder Joc Pederson may need a few days to recover after hurting his shoulder diving for a ball in the outfield Sunday. Pederson is expected to play Friday at Washington.

MOVING DAYS

The Braves have begun packing up at Turner Field, and home plate is already waiting for them at under-construction SunTrust Park. Right after Jim Johnson struck out Justin Upton to end Sunday's 1-0 win over Detroit, the grounds crew pried up home plate, and former home run king Hank Aaron and Braves chairman Terry McGuirk took it on a police-escorted trip to the new stadium.

Boston Red Sox's David Ortiz walks to home plate for his final at-bat of the regular season during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Boston, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. The Blue Jays won 2-1. Ortiz is retiring after this season. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) The Associated Press

The Toronto Blue Jays celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox 2-1 during a baseball game in Boston, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) The Associated Press

The Toronto Blue Jays Aaron Sanchez celebrates after the Blue Jays clinched a wild-card playoff spot by defeating the Boston Red Sox 2-1 during a baseball game in Boston, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) The Associated Press

San Francisco Giants players celebrate in the clubhouse after clinching the second place wild card spot following their 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) The Associated Press

Former Atlanta Braves player and home run record holder Hank Aaron and Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk, right, take home plate, which was taken up from Turner Field, to a van that will take it to SunTrust Park after the baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016, in Atlanta. The game is the Braves' last game at Turner Field. The franchise is planning on starting the 2017 season at SunTrust Park, which is under construction in Cobb County. Atlanta won the game 1-0. (AP Photo/John Amis) The Associated Press

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda, right, is taken out of a baseball game by manager Dave Roberts, second from left, during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) The Associated Press

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