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Jeffrey Springs played an important role in the Rays‘ record-tying start to the 2023 season, but the left-handed pitcher is now out indefinitely with an elbow issue that manifested in his start against the Red Sox on earlier this week.

Springs will miss at least two months, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday, and the Rays have no real sense yet when he might return. Springs departed his start against the Red Sox on Thursday after three innings, and the organization’s hope was that the elbow discomfort he felt was nothing more than an irritation.

But Springs’ exam Friday, which included an MRI, have shifted expectations, sources said. He will continue to undergo more evaluations and treatment.

Springs, 30, had emerged as one of baseball’s best left-handers with the Rays, after hanging on the fringes of the big leagues for several years. A product of Appalachian State, Springs was drafted in the 30th round in 2015 and bounced from the Rangers to the Red Sox, compiling a 5.42 ERA in 59 games. He was eventually acquired by the Rays in a trade at the outset of spring training in 2021.

Like many other Tampa Bay success stories, Springs found answers with the Rays; he had 63 strikeouts in 44⅔ innings in relief in 2021 and thrived after shifting to the rotation in 2022. In 25 starts last season, he had a 2.66 ERA, and during the most recent offseason, the Rays signed him to a four-year, $31 million deal.

Springs threw 13 scoreless innings in his first two starts this season, helping to fill the void created in spring training when Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow went down with an oblique injury.

But now Tampa Bay will have to find someone to step in for Springs. According to the Tampa Bay Times, which first reported Springs’ return timetable, Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters Friday: “The update is he feels about the same as he did [Thursday]. We’re still gathering opinions of doctors.”

Glasnow has progressed well in his treatment and has been throwing from 120 feet. At the time of the injury, in February, the initial estimate was for Glasnow to miss about six to eight weeks.

The Rays lost 6-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night, their first loss of the season following a 13-0 start.

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Phillies clinch NL East with wild win vs. Dodgers

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Phillies clinch NL East with wild win vs. Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — Kyle Schwarber, Weston Wilson and Bryce Harper homered, and the Philadelphia Phillies clinched their second straight NL East title with a wild 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.

It was the earliest division clinch in franchise history, two days sooner than the 2011 club that clinched on Sept. 17. The Phillies got it done in Game 151, second fastest in club history behind the 2011 Phillies who did it in Game 150.

The Phillies also notched a 90-win season for the third straight year for only the third time in franchise history.

Since the New York Mets were idle Monday, the Phillies needed a win to clinch the division. They blew leads of 1-0 and 4-3 before getting past the NL West-leading Dodgers for their ninth win in 11 games.

Since the July trade deadline, the Phillies are 29-14. They’ve held it together despite injuries to key players.

The Phillies lost right-hander Zack Wheeler when he went on the injured list a month ago because of a blood clot in his right shoulder. The club’s pitching depth has allowed it to absorb the loss because of its six-man rotation. Wheeler was 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA in 24 starts when he was sidelined.

Shortstop Trea Turner (right hamstring strain) and third baseman Alec Bohm (left shoulder inflammation) are both on the IL. Manager Rob Thomson said Bohm could return later this week at Arizona, and Turner could be back in time for the final homestand of the regular season.

The win made Thomson only the third manager in franchise history to win consecutive division titles, joining Charlie Manuel (2007-11) and Danny Ozark (1976-79). He’s only the fourth manager in major league history to reach the postseason in each of the first four full seasons of a managerial career. Among the other three is Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

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Astros’ Alvarez sprains ankle crossing home plate

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Astros' Alvarez sprains ankle crossing home plate

HOUSTON — Astros All-Star left fielder Yordan Alvarez left Monday’s 6-3 win against the Texas Rangers because of a sprained left ankle.

Alvarez appeared to slip as he crossed the plate in the first inning, scoring from first base on a throwing error by Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter on Carlos Correa‘s infield single. Alvarez was tended to by a trainer outside the Astros’ dugout and then helped down the steps.

Zachary Cole entered the game in right field in the second inning, with Jesus Sanchez moving to left.

The team announced the injury a couple of innings after Alvarez left the game.

Alvarez entered Monday’s game batting .273 with six home runs and 27 RBIs but has been limited to 47 games because of a fractured right hand that forced him to sit out 101 games.

The Astros hold a three-game lead over the Rangers for the American League’s final wild-card spot.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Surging Giants call up top prospect Eldridge

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Surging Giants call up top prospect Eldridge

The San Francisco Giants, suddenly back in the playoff race with two weeks remaining in the regular season, called up their top prospect Bryce Eldridge, the team announced Monday.

Eldridge, a 20-year-old first baseman who was No. 29 in the latest prospect rankings by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, will seemingly fill the role vacated by fellow left-handed hitter Dominic Smith, who went on the injured list because of a hamstring strain over the weekend.

The 16th pick out of high school in 2023, Eldridge surged in Double-A at the start of the season and was slashing .249/.322/.514 with 18 homers, 88 strikeouts and 28 walks for the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate. His strikeout rate remained high of late, but his production improved over these past 17 games, during which he boasted a .294 batting average with 10 extra-base hits.

The Giants were using Rafael Devers at first base and designated hitter, with Smith and the right-handed-hitting Wilmer Flores essentially platooning at the other spot. Eldridge will be playoff eligible.

After acquiring Devers in the middle of June, the Giants went 13-22 heading into the trade deadline at the end of July, prompting the front office to deal veteran players. As of Aug. 22, the Giants were seven games below .500 and 7½ games out of the final National League wild-card spot, but they have since won 14 of 20 games and trail the slumping New York Mets by only 1½ games with 13 remaining.

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