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Yes, we have one more day of regular-season baseball to be played. Sunday’s results failed to settle the National League wild-card race, so the New York Mets jumped on a plane to Atlanta for a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves on Monday (1 p.m. ET on ESPN2). The Arizona Diamondbacks will be watching — they need one of these teams to pull off a sweep in order to get into the playoffs themselves.

Let’s break down some of the doubleheader’s biggest questions:

OK, why are we here in the first place?

These are makeup games from the two Hurricane Helene-related rainouts in last week’s Mets-Braves series. Without them, the current standings have the Braves, Mets and Diamondbacks in a virtual tie for the final two wild-card spots, necessitating the two games be played:

Diamondbacks: 89-73
Mets: 88-72
Braves: 88-72

The important thing to know here: Both the Mets and Braves hold the tiebreaker over the Diamondbacks by virtue of winning their season series. That’s why the Diamondbacks need a sweep to get in; if the Mets and Braves split the doubleheader and all three teams finish 89-73, the Diamondbacks stay home.

Another thing to know: The Braves lead the season series over the Mets 6-5, so a split would see them remain the higher seed.

What are the scenarios for each team to clinch a playoff spot?

Let’s run through these:

1. The Mets win the first game, the Braves win the second game. The Braves are the No. 5 seed and head to the No. 4 San Diego Padres for a best-of-three wild-card series starting Tuesday. The Mets are the No. 6 seed and play the No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers. Yes, that means the Mets would have gone from Milwaukee on Sunday to Atlanta on Monday, and then back to Milwaukee on Tuesday. (The Braves would have to fly cross-country, but at least they were already in Atlanta.)

2. If the Braves win the first game and the Mets win the second, it’s the same result. The Braves are the No. 5 seed and the Mets are the No. 6 seed.

3. The Mets win both games. New York is the No. 5 seed and plays the Padres. The Diamondbacks are the No. 6 seed and play the Brewers in a rematch of last year’s wild-card series. The Mets travel from Milwaukee to Atlanta to San Diego. (They won’t complain.)

4. The Braves win both games. Atlanta is the No. 5 seed and plays the Padres; the Diamondbacks are the No. 6 seed and play the Brewers.

Keep in mind that whichever team wins the first game of the doubleheader clinches a playoff spot. That will provide less incentive — or, really, no incentive — for that team to churn through its best relievers in the second game. Not with the first wild-card game on hand for Tuesday.

Who are the starting pitchers?

Well, first of all, remember: The scheduled starter is likely to change for the team that wins the first game.

The Mets are going with right-hander Tylor Megill in the first game. Megill last pitched on Sept. 22 against the Phillies, allowing one run in four innings (but throwing 93 pitches). He has allowed just two runs over his past three starts. Right-hander Luis Severino is on the schedule for the second game. His last start was the first game of the Atlanta series last Tuesday and he took the loss, allowing seven hits and four runs in four innings. He has a 3.17 ERA over his past eight starts.

While the Mets used arguably their top three starters — Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana and David Peterson — over the weekend against the Brewers, they are all lefties. These two righties might actually be a better matchup against the righty-heavy Braves lineup that had a .778 OPS against left-handed pitchers but .706 against right-handers.

It’s worth noting here that if both scheduled starters are used and the Mets advance — if they lose the first game and win the second — they would have to use Manaea on three days’ rest to start the wild-card series.

The Braves announced that rookie Spencer Schwellenbach will start Game 1. He faced off against Severino last week and pitched a gem, allowing just three hits and one run over seven innings. He faced the Mets one other time, back in July, and had the best game of his career, striking out 11 in seven scoreless innings.

Atlanta’s starter for the second game — for now — is Chris Sale.

Wait, yeah, what’s going on with Sale?

Good question. Sale, who leads the NL in wins, ERA and strikeouts, hasn’t pitched since Sept. 19, when he went five innings against the Cincinnati Reds. He was scheduled to start one of the rained-out games, but heading into the weekend the Braves said they would now save Sale for an “emergency” situation — meaning, a must-win game. That will come into play now only if they lose the first game.

It’s certainly an interesting strategic decision — if they had won Sunday with Sale pitching, they would have clinched a playoff spot. Instead, they can use him in the second game if needed, and if they win the first game, they’ll have Sale ready to start the first game of the wild-card series.

Of course, there’s also this question: Is he 100 percent right now?

His four-seam fastball averaged 92.7 mph against the Reds — his lowest average of the season, down from 95.9 mph the start before, and down from his overall season average of 94.8 mph. Maybe it was just a little late-season fatigue: He was starting on four days of rest and his previous start had come against the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he had his second-highest average velocity. But a 2 mph drop is considered significant, so it’s certainly something to note.

Maybe there’s nothing here. Maybe the Braves were just holding Sale back with the hope that he wouldn’t be needed and thus would be rested for the start of the postseason. We’ll find out if the Braves lose that first game.

What about the bullpens?

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza used Edwin Diaz to close out the 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. This is understandable — you don’t want to mess around in that situation. But it was a safe five-run lead and Diaz ended up throwing 26 pitches. Now, there’s a scenario where the Mets need him in six games over five days, counting Sunday’s finale, Monday’s doubleheader and the wild-card series.

The Braves are in better shape; none of their top relievers — closer Raisel Iglesias, Joe Jimenez or Pierce Johnson — pitched in Sunday’s 4-2 loss to Kansas City. They also have one of the deepest and best bullpens in the league, so they’re in good shape to withstand the rigors of a doubleheader.

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Slumping A’s shake up roster, call up five players

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Slumping A's shake up roster, call up five players

Mired in a nine-game losing streak, the Athletics shook up their roster Friday and called up five players, including highly touted prospect Denzel Clarke.

Veteran Seth Brown was designated for assignment amid moves that general manager David Forst hopes will give the club more flexibility.

“Ultimately, obviously we’re in a stretch right now we’re not finding ways to win,” Forst said in a video news conference. “I think we’re better than we’ve shown the last 10 days.”

Clarke, a 25-year-old center fielder known for his standout defense, speed and power, was the team’s fourth-round selection in the 2021 amateur draft. He was set to start and make his major league debut Friday night for the A’s (22-29) in the opener of a three-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies at home in West Sacramento.

Clarke was batting .286 with no home runs, 21 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 31 games with Las Vegas. His .436 on-base percentage ranked fourth in the Pacific Coast League.

Also recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas were left-hander Jacob Lopez and infielder CJ Alexander, while catcher Willie MacIver and infielder Logan Davidson were selected from Las Vegas.

During the skid, the club has been outscored 72-26, is batting .209 and has a team ERA of 8.23 while allowing 23 home runs.

Outfielder JJ Bleday was optioned to Triple-A along with right-hander Carlos Duran and catcher Jhonny Pereda. The A’s also transferred second baseman Zack Gelof to the 60-day injured list.

Forst said Bleday needed a “reset” to find a rhythm at the plate and on defense — something he couldn’t find playing every day at the big league level right now. Manager Mark Kotsay spoke to Bleday on Friday about the move.

“Hopefully he’ll be back here very soon,” Forst said.

Third baseman Gio Urshela was placed on the 10-day injured list after straining his left hamstring in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. He underwent an MRI on Friday.

Urshela left the game in the sixth inning with the injury of the 10-5 defeat.

Urshela went 1 for 2 with a bases-loaded walk in the game. He is batting .224 with no homers and 13 RBIs in 32 games this season.

The 32-year-old Brown had been the longest-tenured player on the team but struggled to get regular opportunities. He spent time in the minor leagues last year for a stretch, and Forst remained hopeful he would clear waivers and play for Las Vegas before returning at some point to the A’s.

He was hitting .192 with a home run and three RBIs in 33 games.

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Red Sox slam O’s 19-5 behind Devers (8 RBIs)

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Red Sox slam O's 19-5 behind Devers (8 RBIs)

BOSTON — Rafael Devers had a career-high eight RBIs, hitting a three-run homer in the sixth inning and a grand slam in a 13-run eighth, to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Baltimore Orioles 19-5 on Friday in the opener of what was supposed to be a day-night doubleheader.

Boston trailed 2-1 entering the sixth, when Ceddanne Rafaela hit an RBI single off Seranthony Dominguez (2-1), Jarren Duran had an RBI single against Gregory Soto and Devers followed with his fifth homer in 10 career at-bats against Soto.

Devers had four hits and leads the major leagues with 47 RBIs. He hit his seventh career slam and his second in a six-day span, his 12th homer this season. The drive came off rookie infielder Emmanuel Rivera, who gave up eight runs and got three outs, leaving him with a 72.00 ERA. Devers hit an RBI single earlier in the inning against Cionel Pérez.

“Everybody is surprised about what he’s doing, but that’s who he is,” said Red Sox starter Brayan Bello, according to MLB.com. “Everybody was also surprised he got off to a slow start in the first five or six games, but we know the type of hitter that he is, the type of player that he is and the numbers he can put up.”

Boston scored its most runs since a 20-8 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 11, 2021, and finished with 20 hits.

Its 13 runs in the eighth inning are the franchise’s second most in an inning over the past 50 seasons (14 on June 27, 2003, against the Marlins). They were also the most runs by any team in the eighth inning or later since the New York Yankees on June 21, 2005, against the Tampa Bay Rays (also 13).

Baltimore has lost nine of 10 and and 15 of 18, dropping to 16-33. The Orioles are 1-5 since manager Brandon Hyde was fired and replaced on an interim basis by third-base coach Tony Mansolino.

Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman left because of right quadriceps tightness after singling in the fifth inning.

Rob Refsnyder had four RBIs, including a three-run homer in the eighth off Pérez. Duran had three RBIs.

The Red Sox had eight players score multiple runs, one shy of tying the franchise record.

Garrett Whitlock (3-0) allowed one hit in two scoreless innings.

Game 2 of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed later Friday because of rain. The teams will play a split doubleheader Saturday (1:05 p.m., 6:35 p.m.).

Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Rehabbing Ohtani to face hitters for first time

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Rehabbing Ohtani to face hitters for first time

NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to face hitters Saturday for the first time in his recovery from right elbow surgery.

The two-way superstar will throw live batting practice at Citi Field before the Los Angeles Dodgers play the New York Mets, manager Dave Roberts announced Friday.

It’s the next step for Ohtani as he works toward returning to the mound. He had right elbow surgery Sept. 19, 2023, and hasn’t pitched in a major league game since Aug. 23 that year for the Los Angeles Angels.

There is no target date for his pitching debut with the Dodgers, though expectations are that it could come in July.

Roberts said he wasn’t sure how many pitches Ohtani will throw Saturday or which Dodger teammates he will face.

The right-hander mixed in breaking pitches during a throwing session Tuesday for the first time in his rehabilitation program. Before that, he had been limited to fastballs and splitters.

Ohtani threw a 50-pitch bullpen last Saturday, increasing from 35 pitches in his previous session.

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