LEADING OFF: Glasnow, Rays try to win AL East, Bieber ready

A look at what's happening around the majors on Wednesday:

RAYS THE BANNER

Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow (4-1, 4.21 ERA) gets his final tuneup for the postseason when he faces Robinson Canó and the New York Mets at Citi Field.

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher David Phelps walks toward the dugout after he was pulled during the third inning of the second baseball game of the team's doubleheader against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020, in Washington. This game is a makeup from Aug. 27. (AP PhotoNick Wass)

Glasnow and the playoff-bound Rays hope to make it a special night -- they can clinch their first AL East title with a win, or a loss by the Yankees to Toronto.

“I go into it with maybe a little bit more confidence than I did last year,” Glasnow said. “Just an exciting time.”

Glasnow is pegged to start the second game of Tampa Bay’s best-of-three, first-round playoff series next week, manager Kevin Cash said. Blake Snell is lined up for the opener, and Charlie Morton would pitch a potential Game 3. All three would have two extra days of rest.

Cleveland Indians pitcher Shane Bieber throws against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. (AP PhotoPaul Sancya)

“I feel good,” Glasnow said. “It definitely is starting to feel more like, in a rhythm.”

Glasnow is 4-0 in his last five starts.

TUNEUP TIME

Cleveland ace Shane Bieber (8-1, 1.74 ERA) had his start pushed back a day, lining him up to open the playoffs. The Indians clinched a postseason spot Tuesday night when José Ramírez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning to beat the White Sox.

Bieber faces AL Central-leading Chicago and Lucas Giolito (4-3, 3.53 ERA). The Indians star tops the majors in ERA and strikeouts and heads the race to win the AL Cy Young Award.

Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer (1.80) is third and starts at home against the Brewers in a matchup of NL playoff contenders. Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes (1.77) starts Thursday at St. Louis.

CLINCHING

The Braves and Cubs can start making some playoff plans after sealing their spots in the expanded postseason field.

Atlanta won its third straight NL East title with an 11-1 romp over the contending Marlins on Tuesday night. After losses in 10 straight postseason appearances, the Braves are desperate to end the drought.

“If you ask me, it’s World Series or nothing,” star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. said through a translator.

The Cubs, who have a comfortable lead in the NL Central, earned their spot under rookie manager David Ross. Chicago missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 2014.

“It’s very rewarding for that group in there that they’ve put in a lot of hard work in a unique atmosphere that has presented a lot of challenges,” said Ross, who took over for Joe Maddon this season. “Being away from their families, being tested, it would be really easy to get outside the rules, but they stayed accountable to one another. There’s so much to be proud of from my point of view.”

STUMBLING

The Phillies have lost in four, dropping them out of NL playoff position. After getting in a doubleheader in Washington, they’ll try to regain their winning touch when Zach Eflin (3-2, 4.28 ERA) starts against Erick Fedde (2-3, 4.36) at Nationals Park.

“We’ve dug ourselves a hole and we’ve done that before and we’ve been able to fight out of it,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. “Now we have to win games and rely on other (teams).”

Star catcher J.T. Realmuto returned for the first time since Sept. 12 after missing 11 games because of a hip problem.

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A look at what's happening around baseball Saturday:

CABRERA REIGNS

Miguel Cabrera should get to swing for his 3,000th career hit after his pursuit was delayed a day by a rainout.

The Tigers are set for a day-night doubleheader against Colorado at Comerica Park. The teams were washed out Friday.

Cabrera got to 2,999 hits on Wednesday night, then struck out in his final at-bat of the game. The 39-year-old went 0 for 3 with an intentional walk on Thursday.

Antonio Senzatela (0-1, 2.16 ERA) is ready to pitch the first game of the twinbill for Colorado. The Rockies right-hander and Cabrera are both from Venezuela.

“He’s going to go down as one of the best hitters of all time,” Hall of Famer and former Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell said Friday.

“He realizes that it’s getting toward the end, but he still has something left in the tank. When it’s all said and done this year, I think he’s going to have a heck of a year,” he said.

JAPANESE PERFECTION

The baseball world will be watching this weekend to see whether Roki Sasaki can do it again.

The 20-year-old Japanese pitcher with the 100 mph fastball and devastating splitter has thrown 17 straight perfect innings. He’ll start Sunday for the Chiba Lotte Marines against the Orix Buffaloes in Osaka.

Sasaki pitched a perfect game against Orix on April 10, the first in Japan in 28 years. He followed up with eight more perfect innings on April 17 before he was pulled by manager Tadahito Iguchi after 102 pitches. Sasaki struck out a combined 33 in those games.

Sasaki grew up in the northeastern Japanese prefecture of Iwate. His father was killed in the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent meltdown on three nuclear reactors that devastated that part of the country.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is appealing his second suspension this season after Major League Baseball banned him for one game Friday after he gave fans the middle finger two days earlier.

Anderson had three errors in the first two innings of Chicago’s 11-1 loss Wednesday in the opener of a doubleheader. The frustrated 28-year-old made the gesture toward a fan while out in the field. Anderson will remain with the White Sox until his appeal is heard.

Anderson also missed the firt two games of the season serving a two-game suspension for making contact with umpire Tim Timmons during the ninth inning of a game on Sept. 27. Anderson successfully appealed that suspension down from three games.

GIANT PAIN

San Francisco's injured list is getting crowded after right-hander Anthony DeSclafani and outfielder Steven Duggar hit the shelf Friday.

DeSclafani went on the 10-day IL with right ankle inflammation a day after allowing five runs in five innings during a loss to the Mets. Manager Gabe Kapler says DeSclafani will get an MRI on Monday.

Duggar was added to the 60-day IL with a left oblique strain. He was pulled from Thursday's loss in the second inning.

The pair joins starter Alex Cobb and hitters Evan Longoria, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Tommy La Stella on the IL.

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