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NEW YORK — Shortstop Francisco Lindor said he “should be back” before the regular season ends after an MRI exam on his lower back Monday revealed no structural damage, a huge relief for a New York Mets club jockeying for a playoff spot with less than two weeks remaining.

Lindor said he should start physical activity Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on how his back feels. He estimated he could return to the Mets’ lineup in the next two to five days. He said he assumes he will have to manage and tolerate pain whenever he does return.

Lindor said the expectation was he would need a shot for the pain, but doctors decided it wasn’t necessary. He was instead prescribed pain medication.

“We’ll see how I wake up [Tuesday],” Lindor said. “If the trainers allow me to move, I’m going to come in and force their hands. But I respect their decision. I respect the way they go about things. We have one of the best training staffs in the league, so I’ll listen to their input.”

Without Lindor, the Mets turned to Jose Iglesias both at shortstop and in the leadoff spot in Monday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals. The 34-year-old veteran answered by continuing his astounding rebound campaign, going 2-for-4 with a two-out, RBI infield single in the eighth inning to tie the game. Two innings later, Starling Marte, who entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth, delivered the Mets’ 11th walk-off win of the season in a 2-1 decision.

Coupled with the Atlanta Braves‘ loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets have a one-game lead for the final National League wild card with 12 games remaining.

“It was a great team win,” said Iglesias, who didn’t play in the majors in 2023 and is batting .323 in 220 at-bats since getting called up from Triple-A in late May. “It was pretty special.”

How much longer the Mets will be without their leader for this all-important stretch remains unclear.

Lindor said back pain has hindered him in recent weeks, but it didn’t impact his availability until the Mets’ series at the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend. The discomfort forced him to leave Friday’s series opener early. He then missed Saturday’s game entirely — the first time he didn’t appear in a game this season. He led off Sunday’s game with a single, but he exited the game in the second inning. The Mets lost Saturday and Sunday after a blowout win Friday.

Lindor, 30, said he does not believe playing in Sunday’s game worsened the injury.

“I don’t think so because I felt fine,” Lindor said. “I felt good. It wasn’t like a freak accident where I just fell and [got] reinjured. It just got tight on me. So, I don’t think yesterday’s situation put me back. Next thing you know, I didn’t feel comfortable enough to stay on the field. When I can’t do what I love the most, which is play defense, that’s when I said something. I was a little timid taking ground balls.”

Lindor has been the engine in the club’s improbable turnaround from 11 games under .500 in late May as its leadoff hitter and defensive captain. Despite a woeful start to the season, which coaxed boos from home crowds, Lindor is batting .271 with 31 home runs, 27 stolen bases and an .836 OPS in 148 games while playing elite defense.

The consistent all-around performance, which has produced the highest fWAR and third-highest bWAR in the National League, spurred debate about Lindor possibly challenging Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani for NL MVP. But Ohtani was always considered the runaway favorite, and Lindor’s setback will all but squash his slim chances.

It could have been much worse. That’s what Mets manager Carlos Mendoza feared.

Lindor had missed six games over the past three seasons before not playing Saturday. For Lindor to not play Saturday and remove himself from Sunday’s game, Mendoza thought, it must have been a serious injury, the type of development that would have shattered the Mets’ season less than two weeks until the playoffs begin. But that didn’t happen. So, the Mets still have hope of not just reaching the postseason but of a deep October run with their best player on the field.

“I think we got the best news,” Mendoza said.

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Arraez holds on to deny Ohtani the Triple Crown

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Arraez holds on to deny Ohtani the Triple Crown

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani came up short in his bid to become the first National League player to win the Triple Crown since 1937.

Ohtani, who led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs this season, was trying to chase down Luis Arraez of the San Diego Padres for the batting title Sunday afternoon.

But Arraez went 1-for-3 before exiting Sunday’s 11-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks to end the regular season with a .314 average and place himself on the verge of wrapping up his third straight batting title. Marcell Ozuna (.304) of the Atlanta Braves has a slight mathematical chance with his team slated to play a doubleheader Monday against the New York Mets to complete the regular season.

Once the season is officially over, Arraez can set history by becoming the first player in major league history to win the batting title in three straight seasons with three different teams.

Arraez exited shortly after hitting a double into the right-center field gap in the sixth inning of Sunday’s game. It was his 200th hit of the season, the second straight campaign in which he reached that milestone.

Ohtani went 1-for-4 and stole his 59th base in the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies. He finished the season at .310.

“I didn’t think about the Triple Crown or how close I was to it today,” Ohtani said through a translator. “Today, I was focused on having quality at-bats.”

Joe “Ducky” Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals was the last NL player to earn the Triple Crown. He batted .374 with 31 homers and 154 RBIs in that 1937 season.

The last American League player to earn the Triple Crown was Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers in 2012. He batted .330 with 44 homers and 139 RBIs and was the first player in either league to have a Triple Crown season since Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox in 1967.

Arraez won the 2022 AL batting title with the Minnesota Twins and the NL crown last season with the Miami Marlins. The Padres acquired him from the Marlins in early May.

Arraez will be the first San Diego player to win the batting title since Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn in 1997. That was the last of eight batting crowns for the legendary Gwynn.

The NL batting champion award is named after Gwynn.

Ozuna was hitless in four at-bats Sunday when the Braves lost 4-2 to the Kansas City Royals. He will need to go 9-for-9 Monday to raise his average to .31466 and pass Arraez (.31397).

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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MLB playoff tracker: What’s at stake in Monday’s Mets-Braves doubleheader

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MLB playoff tracker: What's at stake in Monday's Mets-Braves doubleheader

The final weekend of the 2024 MLB regular season is over — but wins for the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets paired with an Atlanta Braves loss on Sunday means we get a bonus Monday of playoff-impacting baseball.

While those three teams battle for the final two wild-card sports, the remainder of the playoff field is set. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies have the top seeds in the National League and the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres have the next two seeds. In the American League, the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians have the top seeds, with the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals joining them.

Where do the current playoff matchups stand? What does the playoff schedule look like? We have everything you need to know as the regular season comes to a finish.

Watch: Mets-Braves doubleheader, starting Monday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2

Key links: Full MLB standings | Wild-card standings | Passan’s World Series prediction


Who will secure the final two playoff spots?

There were several potential outcomes depending on the results of Sunday’s games, but with the Braves falling to the Royals and the Mets and Diamondbacks notching wins over their respective opponents, both games of Monday’s doubleheader between Atlanta and New York will take place. The winner of the first game of the doubleheader is automatically in. If the loser of the first game wins the second, that team is in as well and the D-backs would be eliminated. However, if either the Mets or Braves are swept in the doubleheader, that team would be out and the Diamondbacks would be in.


Who is in?

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers clinched the season’s first playoff spot, when they secured the NL Central crown for the third time in four seasons.

New York Yankees

The Yankees clinched a playoff spot on with a win against the Seattle Mariners and followed by clinching the AL East title.

Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians clinched a playoff spot with a win over the Minnesota Twins and followed by clinching the AL Central crown.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers clinched a playoff spot with their 20-4 blowout win over the Marlins and have won the NL West title for the 11th time in 12 years.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies clinched their third straight playoff spot with a win over the Mets on Friday night. With a win over the Cubs on Monday, they clinched their first NL East title since 2011.

Houston Astros

The Astros beat the Mariners on Tuesday to clinch their fourth consecutive AL West division title.

Baltimore Orioles

With a win over the Yankees and the Twins’ loss to the Marlins, the Orioles clinched a playoff spot.

San Diego Padres

With a game-ending triple play to seal their win against the Dodgers, the Padres clinched their spot in the postseason.

Detroit Tigers

By handing the White Sox a record 121st loss, the Tigers ended their 10-year postseason drought.

Kansas City Royals

The Twins’ loss on Friday clinched the final AL playoff spot for the Royals, their first since 2015.


What are this October’s MLB playoff matchups as it stands now?

American League

Wild-card round: (6) Tigers* at (3) Astros*, (5) Royals* at (4) Orioles*

ALDS: Tigers/Astros vs. (2) Guardians*, Royals/Orioles vs. (1) Yankees*

National League

Wild-card round: (6) Mets at (3) Brewers*, (5) Braves at (4) Padres*

NLDS: Mets/Brewers vs. (2) Phillies*, Braves/Padres vs. (1) Dodgers*

* — Clinched playoff spot

Tiebreakers

If Atlanta and New York tie, the Braves currently hold the tiebreaker by virtue of a 6-5 edge in the head-to-head season series (with two games remaining).

In the event of a two-team tie involving the D-backs for the NL’s final playoff spot, the Mets and Braves both hold the tiebreaker because they won the season series.


Breaking down the AL race

The Yankees fended off the Orioles in a battle for the AL East crown — though, Baltimore also clinched a playoff berth — while the Guardians and Astros both also clinched division titles. Two more AL Central teams — the Tigers and Royals — round out the field. Here are the odds for the AL playoff squads for every round:


Breaking down the NL race

While the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks battle for the final playoff spots, the Dodgers, Phillies, Brewers and Padres prepare for October. Milwaukee clinched the NL Central crown and Philadelphia cruised to a division title in the NL East. Los Angeles beat San Diego in the final matchup of the (regular) season to clinch its 11th NL West title in the past 12 seasons, with the Padres going on to secure the 4-seed. Here are the odds for the NL playoff squads — as the playoff picture currently stands — for every round:


Playoff schedule

Wild-card series
Best of three, all games at better seed’s stadium

Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 1
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 2
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 3*

Division series
Best of five

ALDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 7
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 9
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 10*
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 12*

NLDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 6
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 8
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 9*
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 11*

League championship series
Best of seven

ALCS
Game 1: Monday, Oct. 14
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 15
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 17
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 18
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 19*
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 21*
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 22*

NLCS
Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 13
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 14
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 16
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 17
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 18*
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 20*
Game 7: Monday, Oct. 21*

World Series
Best of seven

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 25
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 26
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 28
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 29
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 30*
Game 6: Friday, Nov. 1*
Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 2*

Note: If both LCS end by Oct. 19 — meaning neither series lasts longer than five games — the World Series will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 22

* If necessary

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Twins president: Baldelli to be back as manager

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Twins president: Baldelli to be back as manager

Rocco Baldelli will return next year as manager of the Minnesota Twins despite a late-season collapse that left the defending American League Central champions out of the playoffs.

President of baseball operations Derek Falvey confirmed Sunday before the team’s last game that Baldelli’s job is safe. The Twins were 12-26 in their past 38 games entering the finale.

The 43-year-old Baldelli has managed the team to three division titles in six seasons with Minnesota. His overall record was 457-412 going into the final game.

Falvey also said he was expecting to return for a ninth year with the Twins in 2025.

Baldelli acknowledged Saturday that he has heard the boos and “Fire Rocco” chants but said he respects Twins fans and added that they “have a right to feel almost any way they choose.”

Players have backed Baldelli throughout.

“I don’t think it’s super fair to put everything on him,” pitcher Bailey Ober told reporters Saturday. “Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. If the players hear [the chants], I don’t think anyone’s agreeing with that. It’s like, seriously, can’t you see what’s going on? He’s not the one at fault for this mishap that happened.

“We’re the ones performing out there and didn’t get the job done. He’s putting out the lineups, and we’re trying to do it. I feel like most of the blame should be on the players.”

Added shortstop Carlos Correa, who missed 53 games with a foot injury: “If you have anybody to blame, blame me for going down for two months and not being a part of the team. I think that’s one of the main reasons.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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