If the San Diego Padres finalize their reported deal with
Manny
Machado
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they figure to be a bigger factor in the National League West in 2019.Per ESPN's
Doug Kezirian, Westgate SuperBook has the Machado signing increasing San Diego's
World Series odds from80-1 to 50-1. Meanwhile, its over-under win total jumps
from76.5 to 79.5.Mark Feinsandof MLB.com reported on Tuesday that Machado and
the Padres have come to an agreement ona 10-year, $300 millioncontract, the
largest free-agent deal in North American sports history. Yahoo Sports'Tim
Brownadded that the deal will include an opt-out after five years.After news of
an agreement broke, though, San Diegoexecutive chairman Ron Fowler told The
Athletic'sDennis Linthat a deal had yet to be finalized and that the two sides
are "continuing discussions."It may be too early for Padres fans to officially
celebrate
Drew
Butera Jersey , but all signs point to a deal getting done. And what a
boost it'd be for San Diego.Machado is coming off a season in which he earned
his fourth career All-Star selection, hitting .297/.367/.538 with 37 home runs,
35 doubles, three triples and 107 RBI in 162 games between theBaltimore Orioles
and the Los Angeles Dodgers last year. A midseason deal to L.A. last year
familiarized him with the N.L. West, as he hit .273/.338/.487 with 13 home runs,
14 doubles and 42 RBI in 66 games for the Dodgers.He may have just four career
appearances at Petco Park (8-for-18, .444
average)
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but his track record speaks for itself.San Diego is a team in need of an
offensive boost. Last year, the Padres ranked28thin both average and runs scored
while finishing24thin home runs. Those are all areas in which Machado's bat
should provide help.The Padres are currently in the midst of a 12-year playoff
drought. They have not posted a winning record since 2010 and have finished no
higher than fourth in the N.L. West since 2014. Signing Machado may not solve
all of their problems, but it seems to have increased their odds of being
competitive this season. SEATTLE (AP) ¡ª The Oakland Athletics clinched their
first playoff berth in four years Monday night, earning at least an American
League wild card when the Tampa Bay Rays lost to the New York Yankees.Following
three straight last-place finishes in the AL West, the A¡¯s found out just a
couple of minutes after the first pitch of their game against Seattle that they
are in the postseason for the first time since 2014.Tampa Bay¡¯s 4-1 loss to the
Yankees eliminated the Rays from playoff contention. Oakland still has an
outside shot at overtaking Houston for the division title, but is more likely
headed toward a wild-card matchup with the Yankees.The A¡¯s could still host that
game. They beat the Mariners 7-3 to remain 1½ games behind the Yankees for the
top wild card.Few people imagined the A¡¯s could make the playoffs this season, a
young team with few proven stars after finishing 75-87 a year ago. Oakland won
only 68 games in 2015 and 69 in 2016.The A¡¯s have the third-lowest payroll among
the 30 major league clubs at $78 million for their 40-man
roster
Cheslor
Cuthbert Jersey , ahead of only the White Sox and Rays.Oakland was 34-36
and 11 games behind Seattle in the wild-card race on June 15. The A¡¯s have gone
61-26 since then.¡°We¡¯ve had some younger players mature and become, for me,
stars,¡± manager Bob Melvin said Monday. ¡°I think the two guys on the corners
(third baseman Matt Chapman and first baseman Matt Olson) should win Gold
Gloves.¡°Our defense is night-and-day to what it was and it¡¯s gotten better as
the year¡¯s gone along. We¡¯ve gone from last year being one of the worst defenses
in the league to now one of the best. Our bullpen has been a strength for us all
year. We don¡¯t just rely on one facet. We seem to be able to win in different
ways.¡±Oakland designated hitter Khris Davis leads the majors with a career-high
46 home runs and has 120 RBIs. Davis has hit at least 40 homers and driven in
more than 100 runs in each of this three seasons with the Athletics.Blake
Treinen is 9-2 and one of the top closers in baseball this season with 37 saves
and a 0.80 ERA, the lowest of all major league relievers with at least 75
innings pitched. Opponents have a .091 batting average against him with runners
in scoring position.¡°It¡¯s amazing,¡± Melvin said. ¡°Not only is he doing it
closing games, he¡¯s doing it in games when we¡¯re tied and he¡¯s pitching two
innings at times. The numbers are absolutely fantastic. I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ve
seen numbers like that from any closer in quite some time. He¡¯s meant a lot to
this team.¡±The A¡¯s are the only team in the majors with an undefeated record
this season when leading after seven innings (68-0). They have the best record
in one-run games at 31-13.Oakland made key moves to bolster the pitching staff
via trades over the summer by adding veteran relievers Jeurys Familia and
Fernando Rodney and starter Mike
Fiers
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Flynn Jersey , who is 5-1 with a 2.90 ERA since joining the Athletics.The
A¡¯s overcame losing key starters from their rotation down the stretch. That
included left-hander Sean Manaea, who pitched a no-hitter on April 21 against
Boston and is now done for the year recovering from arthroscopic shoulder
surgery that took place this past week.The Athletics are making their fourth
playoff appearance in the last seven seasons (all under Melvin) and their 27th
postseason appearance all-time. The A¡¯s lost at Kansas City 9-8 in 12 innings in
the 2014 wild-card game, the last time Oakland reached the postseason.The last
time the A¡¯s reached the World Series was 1990, losing in four games to the
Cincinnati Reds. Oakland won the 1989 World Series (which took place during the
Bay Area earthquake) in four straight games over the San Francisco Giants.