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DENVER — Former Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel saw a little bit of Achilles soreness develop into a right calf strain shortly after covering first base Saturday night while pitching for the Minnesota Twins.

The 35-year-old left-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday before the playoff-bound Twins finished the regular season against the Colorado Rockies. Keuchel said he is slated for an MRI on Monday.

To take his place on the roster, the Twins returned right-hander Jorge Alcala from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him off the 60-day injured list. He was placed on the IL in May with a strained right forearm.

Keuchel, the 2015 American League Cy Young winner for the Houston Astros, appeared in 10 games this season for the Twins, making six starts. He was 2-1 with a 5.97 ERA since being signed in June and on Sept. 23 reached 10 years of major league service.

All the time with the Twins did was ignite Keuchel’s desire to return in 2024. He is eligible to become a free agent.

“I’d like to,” Keuchel said of continuing his career. “Showing some signs of doing some good things. I think for the most part it was well. There was probably a couple [outings] that really kind of inflated what I was doing, but I think for the most part I was just wanting to win, have fun again, and I think we accomplished that. I’d like to definitely pitch.”

Prior to Saturday’s game, Keuchel had been dealing with a sore Achilles that he attributed to wearing cleats a little bit more, given his time in the bullpen.

“It’s kind of ironic, because last night I felt like going into it I was turning a corner,” Keuchel said. “And then lo and behold, calf really tightened up on me.”

Keuchel covered first on a grounder to Jordan Luplow in the seventh inning of a game the Twins would end up winning 14-6. He didn’t feel anything at the time, but on the next batter, something grabbed on him.

“So I knew something was up,” said Keuchel, who threw 2 2/3 innings to finish the game, allowing four runs and striking out four. “But I was able to throw some more pitches. It didn’t hurt. I’m not saying I’m a warrior by any means, but I just knew they wanted me to finish the game. If it did hurt throwing, I would have said something.”

He took a lot of pride in not coming out of the game.

“That’s just kind of how I am,” said Keuchel, who made his major league debut in 2012. “It’s not just going to be, ‘Hey, I gave up a couple runs because I wasn’t feeling great.’ It was, ‘Hey, anytime I go out there I expect to do my job, even if I’m 70% or 100%.’

“Just the name of the game for me. After I’m all said and done, I’m not going to have any regrets or any what-ifs.”

Minnesota also designated outfielder Gilberto Celestino for assignment. He hit .243 in 55 Triple-A games this season with four home runs and 31 RBIs.

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Follow live: Cubs aim to force Game 5 vs. Brewers

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Dodgers advance to NLCS after Kerkering’s error

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Dodgers advance to NLCS after Kerkering's error

LOS ANGELES — Orion Kerkering made a wild throw past home instead of tossing to first after mishandling Andy Pages‘ bases-loaded comebacker with two outs in the 11th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 Thursday to win their NL Division Series 3-1.

Kerkering hung his head and put hands on knees after his throw sailed past catcher J.T. Realmuto as pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim crossed the plate, advancing the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee.

Realmuto had pointed to first when the broken-bat, two-hopper hit off Kerkering’s glove and rolled just in front of the mound.

Kerkering picked up the ball and in one motion made a sidearm throw, 46 feet from the plate. The ball sailed up the third-base line, past Realmuto’s outstretched mitt, and fans in the crowd of 50,563 at Dodger Stadium erupted after spending the final three innings on their feet.

“It’s brutal,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s one of those things that it’s a PFP, a pitcher’s fielding practice. He’s done it a thousand times. And right there he was so focused, I’m sure, on just getting the hitter and just sort of forgot the outs and the situation.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson wrapped an arm around Kerkering when the distraught reliever reached the dugout.

“He just got caught up in the moment a little bit,” Thomson said. “I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders.”

This was the second postseason series to end on a walk-off error, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. A wild relay throw by Texas second baseman Rougned Odor on a potential double-play grounder allowed Josh Donaldson to score and give Toronto a 7-6, 10-inning win and a three-game sweep of their 2016 AL Division Series.

Los Angeles ended a postseason series with a walk-off win for the third time after Bill Russell’s single against the Phillies in Game 4 of the 1978 NLCS and Chris Taylor‘s homer in the 2021 NL wild card game.

Nick Castellanos‘ RBI double in the seventh off Emmet Sheehan had put the Phillies ahead but Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded in the bottom half, forcing in the tying run.

Tommy Edman singled off Jesús Luzardo with one out in the 11th and took third on Max Muncy‘s two-out single that eluded diving shortstop Trea Turner.

Kerkering walked Enrique Hernández, loading the bases. Pages, in a 1-for-23 postseason slide, hit what appeared to be a routine grounder, the type every pitcher practices gloving from spring training on.

Philadelphia, wearing its powder blue throwback uniforms on the road for the second straight day, was knocked out in the Division Series for the third straight season while the defending World Series champion Dodgers reached the LCS for the eighth time in 13 years.

Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki, averaging 99.5 mph his his fastball, threw three innings of hitless relief, combining with Tyler Glasnow, Sheehan and winner Alex Vesia on a four-hitter.

Glasnow allowed two hits and three walks in six innings with eight of the 12 strikeouts by Dodgers pitchers.

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QB Mateer probable to play for OU against Texas

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QB Mateer probable to play for OU against Texas

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer was upgraded to probable Thursday on the SEC availability report, a signal he’s set to attempt to play against Texas on Saturday, just 17 days after surgery on a broken bone in his throwing hand.

Mateer’s push to return Saturday has continued this week, with sources telling ESPN that he has practiced and progressed enough to be in position to attempt to play. Sources told ESPN earlier Thursday that Mateer was on track to attempt to play Saturday.

The ambiguity over Mateer’s ability to play is expected to extend until kickoff, as sources told ESPN that Mateer’s pain level and ability to grip the ball will be watched closely.

A return to the field against Texas would be in line with the most aggressive timelines of a potential comeback.

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said Monday that he assumed Mateer wouldn’t be available. OU listed Mateer as questionable on the first SEC availability report Wednesday, and Venables has remained evasive on Mateer’s availability.

Mateer emerged as a Heisman favorite in the first month of the season. He injured the hand in the first quarter of a 24-17 win over Auburn on Sept. 20. He played the rest of the game and threw for 271 yards.

He has missed just one game since surgery Sept. 24, as OU had a bye and blew out Kent State 44-0. Michael Hawkins Jr. started in the Kent game and threw three touchdown passes.

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