LEADING OFF: Yanks, Sox, Jays and Mariners in tight WC chase

By: The Associated Press Posted: 8:01 PM CDT Friday, Oct. 1, 2021 Last Modified: 12:28 AM CDT Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021

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A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:

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A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/10/2021 (1493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A look at what’s happening around the majors Saturday:

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LET’S GET WILD

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Four teams are separated by two games in the AL wild-card chase, with the Yankees clinging to a one-game lead for the top spot with two games remaining.

New York will face Tampa Bay rookie Shane Baz (2-0, 1.69) in his third big league start. The 22-year-old struck out nine Miami batters over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his previous outing, sparking speculation he could crack the Rays postseason rotation even though he didn’t debut in the majors until Sept. 20.

Boston is a game behind the Yankees with two games left against last-place Washington, while Toronto and Seattle are two games back. The Blue Jays have two games remaining versus lowly Baltimore, and the Mariners are closing things out against the Angels.

TWENTY FOR ONE?

Dodgers left-hander Julio Urías is the only pitcher in baseball with a shot at 20 wins this season, and he’ll try to earn it in a showdown against NL Cy Young Award contender Corbin Burnes of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Urías (19-3, 3.01) hasn’t lost since June 21, and Los Angeles has won each of his past 10 outings dating to Aug. 1. He’s 7-0 with a 1.81 ERA in that span.

Burnes (11-4, 2.29) leads the majors in ERA and has been in a tight race for the top pitching prize with Dodgers ace Max Scherzer and Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. Urías might pick up some consideration with old-school minded voters with win No. 20.

STAT WATCH

New York Yankees' Brett Gardner reacts after hitting an an RBI-single in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Several individual stat races are coming down to the wire, including an NL batting crown that’s likely to go either to Dodgers infielder Trea Turner or his former Washington teammate Juan Soto. Turner entered Friday hitting .325, just ahead of Soto’s .318. They were both Nationals until Turner and Max Scherzer were dealt to LA in July.

Kansas City’s Salvador Perez is trying to close out the major league home run title. He entered Friday with 48, two ahead of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and three clear of Shohei Ohtani. Perez also led RBIs by a wide margin with 121 and is set to become the first primary backstop to lead a league in RBIs since Philadelphia’s Darren Daulton took the NL crown with 109 in 1992.

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