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Entering the final days of Major League Baseball’s regular season, only 10 teams are preparing to play deeper into October. For the remaining clubs, the old adage of “wait ’til next year” has never been more true. But no matter where in the standings they sit, it’s never too early to be thinking about the offseason and possible free agents. 

The winter months might see some big names finding new teams. Here, we take a look at some notable upcoming free agents and the latest rumors surrounding them.

Ian Desmond

It hasn’t been a great season for anyone associated with the Washington Nationals, no matter what the individual stats say. A team that was picked by many to win the National League East and even make a run to the World Series, the New York Mets eliminated the Nationals from the playoffs on Saturday. 

A team that did not get much contribution from many of its players, one of its top bats is set to leave the nation’s capital, as shortstop Ian Desmond tweeted this on Sunday:

There should be a crowded market that is interested in his services, too. One suitor has already revealed itself, according to Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune:

The 30-year-old is one of the best power-hitting shortstops in the game, as he is just one home run away from his fourth consecutive season with 20 or more round-trippers. Desmond has led all players at his position in home runs in two of the past three seasons.

But his ability to get on base could be cause for concern. His average has sunk dramatically since the beginning of his power streak, going from .292 in 2012 to a .236 mark this year.

San Diego, though, might not mind one bit about that, as Desmond would prove to be a considerable upgrade at the position. Between Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes, the Padres shortstops have a combined .225 average with six home runs. 

The Padres are in need of change within the roster. After dealing for the likes of Matt Kemp and Craig Kimbrel, along with Melvin and Justin Upton, San Diego sits in fourth place in the NL West. Bringing in a player like Desmond, who could use a fresh start after a nightmare season in Washington, could provide a much-needed spark.

Doug Fister

Desmond isn’t the only Nationals player who’s being linked to a move out of D.C. 

According to Jeff Blair of Sportsnet.ca, the Toronto Blue Jays will make a move for Fister during the offseason.

In a season shortened by injury, Fister lost his spot in the rotation as he struggled to regain the form that helped him go 30-15 over the past two years, including a 2014 that saw him post a 2.41 ERA. 

It’s that kind of former output that makes him such an attractive target for the Blue Jays. 

While an impending playoff run approaches for Toronto, there probably hasn’t been much thought about whether staff ace David Price will be returning. He’s a free agent at the end of 2015.

But other than Price’s 2.30 ERA in 11 starts since being traded by the Detroit Tigers, only one other pitcher who has started more than 25 games this year has an ERA under 3.76 for the Blue Jays. 

Then again, ERA doesn’t seem to matter in Toronto, as the Blue Jays have scored over 100 more runs than the second-leading team. Drew Hutchison has a 5.33 ERA and is still 13-4 in 2015. 

Like Desmond, Fister could flourish in a new setting and with plenty of run support. If he were to go to Toronto, there’s a chance he could be the team’s No. 2 starter if Price returns next year.

Yoenis Cespedes

A stat line could not do Yoenis Cespedes justice to show what he has brought to the New York Mets in the past two months. 

The slugging outfielder has helped turn the Mets offense from one of the worst to one of the best. Just his presence in the lineup, paired with superior pitching, has even made New York a dangerous playoff team. 

This is why teams around the league are hoping Cespedes‘ time with the Mets proves to be just a rental after he came over from the Detroit Tigers. The center fielder is set to hit the market at season’s end. 

On Sept. 20, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that the defending champions could be interested in Cespedes.

“There is speculation within other organizations that the Giants could be among the teams to pursue Yoenis Cespedes, although the slugger might have priced himself out of San Francisco’s comfort range with his strong performance since the trade deadline,” Olney wrote.

Before Olney‘s report, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal revealed that the Braves are another team that might go after Cespedes.  

Interested teams know what they’re shooting for, though, after Cespedes told ESPN’s Marly Rivera what kind of deal he wants:

With Cespedes at age 29, the length of that deal could keep teams like the Giants away, as Olney wrote. With the kind of second half he’s been having, Cespedes could ask for a deal over $100 million.

We’ve seen this before, too. In 2004, Carlos Beltran put together a monster postseason with the Houston Astros in a contract year and signed with the Mets for a seven-year, $119 million deal in the following offseason. 

No matter where he ends up, it’s safe to say that Cespedes is going to be an extremely wealthy man come 2016.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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New York Mets infielder Wilmer Flores left Wednesday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies with a back issue, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

Continue for updates.

Flores Dealing With Stiff Back

Wednesday, Sept. 30

After getting on-base with an infield single in the top of the fourth inning, Flores made his way to third base via a sacrifice and wild pitch, only to leave the game for fellow infielder Ruben Tejada. 

After the game, Flores said he should be good to play on Friday, according to DiComo. 

With the National League East already wrapped up and the Mets battling the Los Angeles Dodgers for home-field advantage in the National League Division Series, Wednesday night proved costly for New York. 

Earlier in the game, star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes left the game after being hit in the hand by a pitch. New York later revealed he had no broken bones, according to SportsCenter.

How Flores’ Injury Would Impact Mets’ Playoff Chances

Wednesday, Sept. 30 

The writing seemed to be on the wall for Flores, though, who had been sitting out since Sept. 26 because manager Terry Collins said the coaching staff felt he appeared to “run out of gas,” according to Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News.

Flores has split time with Tejada for most of the season as they have both appeared mainly at shortstop and sometimes at second base. If Flores continues to miss time, Tejada will start at shortstop, while Kelly Johnson could be his backup.     

Johnson is the only other Met to appear at shortstop this season, making just one start.

Famously seeing a trade fall through that would have sent him to the Milwaukee Brewers at the deadline, Flores has provided power at the position with 16 home runs—fourth on the team. But Tejada has a better glove, and the Mets have enough punch in their lineup to get along just fine without Flores if he does continue to sit out.   

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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A seven-year wait on the North Side of Chicago is officially over after the Cubs clinched a playoff berth Friday by virtue of the San Francisco Giants’ 5-4 loss to the Oakland A’s.  

The Cubs’ official Twitter account commemorated the achievement: 

Outfielder Dexter Fowler and pitcher Jake Arrieta celebrated with a Twitter post following Oakland’s win: 

Relief pitcher Jason Motte also chimed in with thoughts on how the team’s work has been validated:

“We’ll hopefully celebrate tomorrow and have a good time,” pitcher Jon Lester said after the Cubs waited to clinch following a 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday afternoon, per ESPN.com. “These guys have never experienced this. We’ll enjoy it.”

The Cubs have now booked a spot in at least the Wild Card Round, where they will meet either the St. Louis Cardinals or Pirates, depending on which team wins the National League Central. Trailing the Cardinals by 7.5 games for the division, it’s unlikely the Cubs can win the Central with nine games remaining. 

With one more victory, Chicago will have won 90 games in a season for the first time since 2008 and the fourth time in the past 31 years.

The season did not look so promising toward the end of July. On July 28, Chicago was just five games over .500, before igniting on a stretch that kept them with the Cardinals and Pirates in the division. 

A new-look Cubs team has been anchored by a young core of stars that includes 26-year-old first baseman Anthony Rizzo and 23-year-old third baseman Kris Bryant, who have combined for over 30 percent of their team’s home run totals. 

Add a number of other fresh young faces such as Addison Russell, Starlin Castro and Kyle Schwarber, and the Cubs have the third-youngest average age for batters this season at 26.9 years old.

It looks like the perfect mixture of talent and youth for a team that has been looking for a championship for more than a century. Chicago has a fresh side with plenty of swagger that can fearlessly attempt to exorcise the demons of losses past.

But it hasn’t just been the offense that’s lifted the Cubs. Arrieta has become one of the most dominant pitchers in the majors, deserving of Cy Young Award consideration and posting a 20-6 record, 220 strikeouts and a 1.88 ERA. 

He’s heating up at the right time, too, as ESPN Stats & Info points out:

Having an arm like Arrieta’s that could roll out for a one-game playoff should have the Cubs feeling confident about advancing deeper into the playoffs.

A new hope now springs for the Cubs, who have not won a World Series since 1908 or appeared in one since 1945. But that’s the beautiful thing about baseball: Next year will eventually come, even if it’s the Cubs. Legendary former announcer Harry Caray echoed those sentiments 24 years ago, though the fortunes of the club haven’t changed since then:

With their pitching and young core, maybe Cubs fans won’t have to wait much longer and Caray’s wishes will finally come true. If there’s ever a fanbase that deserved a deep playoff run, it’s the Cubs faithful, and the team certainly looks a dangerous side entering the postseason. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

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Sure, 2015 might have been a down year by the standards of Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano. Yet he still is managing to reach milestones. 

On Wednesday night, Cano lined a single to left field in the top of the eighth inning against Kansas City Royals pitcher Kelvin Herrera for his 2,000th career hit. 

MLB.com has the video of Cano’s momentous single:

According to the Mariners, Cano is just the 14th player in MLB history to reach the 2,000-hit plateau in his first 11 seasons, but he is the first full-time second baseman to do so. They included the stat in their congratulatory tweet:  

Even though Cano looks like he’ll record a batting average under .300 for the first time since 2008, he is second on the Mariners in hits only behind Nelson Cruz, who is putting up numbers worthy of AL MVP consideration (.311/42 HR/88 RBI). He is the first Mariner to collect his 2,000th hit since Ichiro Suzuki did so in 2009.

Beginning his career with the New York Yankees in 2005, Cano has never recorded fewer than 150 hits in a single season, recording 1,649 of his hits in the Bronx. He’s been ranked in the top 10 of the American League‘s hits leaders in seven of his first 10 years. 

At 32 years old, Cano is the fifth active player to reach 2,000 hits before his 33rd birthday, joining Miguel Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre and Albert Pujols. 

This down year aside, Cano has proved over the years that he is one of the best pure hitters in the majors with one of the sweetest swings you’ll see. It looks like he still has plenty more productive years ahead of him as the next milestone, 3,000 hits, could very well be attained in the next five or six years if he continues his current pace.

Stats courtesy of MLB.com.

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Things are getting heated in the National League Central, and it’s not just in the standings, either. 

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon went off on the St. Louis Cardinals, comparing their actions to those of fictional mobster Tony Soprano.

Maddon’s tirade was sparked by Cardinals reliever Matt Belisle hitting Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo during Chicago’s 8-3 victory Friday. Chicago believes Belisle did so intentionally as a response to Dan Haren hitting St. Louis slugger Matt Holliday in the head during the fifth inning. 

Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com was there for Maddon’s lecture after the game.

“I don’t know who put out the hit,” Maddon said. “I don’t know if Tony Soprano is in the dugout. I didn’t see him in there. We’re not going to put up with that from them or anyone else.”

Haren, who pitched for the Cardinals from 2003 to 2004, is familiar with the way the team reacts to these kinds of situations, as he told Rogers.

“They’ve been known for policing it that way,” Haren said. “Sometimes it goes to a little bit of an extreme. Coming up with the Cardinals, that was just part of it: protecting the big guys.”

Maddon, who grew up a Cardinals fan, according to Rogers, continued to take jabs at his former favorite team:

I’m really disappointed in what the Cardinals did right there. We did not hit their guy on purpose. That was an absolute mistake. 

To become this vigilante group that wants to get their own pound of flesh, that’s absolutely insane, ridiculous and wrong. We don’t start stuff, but we will stop stuff.

This adds more fuel to the fire in the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry. With two more games remaining in their series, the Cubs are within six games of the Cardinals, with the Pittsburgh Pirates in between them. With all three teams contesting for the division title and the two wild-card positions, expect the emotions and ill will to continue rising.

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.

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Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson suffered a head injury after being hit by a line drive against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night and is currently in the hospital.

Continue for updates.

Nelson’s Next Start in Question

Friday, Sept. 18

Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reported Nelson will remain in the hospital for the second-straight night while recovering from being hit by a line drive in the head Thursday night. Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported Nelson is already raring to go, but the team will wait 48 hours before deciding if he can make his next start on Tuesday.

According to D.J. Short of NBC Sports’ Hardball Talk, Nelson was hit on the right side of the head by a line drive off the bat of the Cardinals’ Tommy Pham in the top of the third inning.

MLB.com provided video of the play:

According to Short, the exit velocity of the ball when it left Pham’s bat was 108 mph. Nelson fell face down onto the mound, where he remained for a moment before rising to his knees. He was able to walk off the field.

Milwaukee third baseman Elian Herrera had to retrieve the ball after it hit Nelson. Herrera commented on his mindset, per McCalvy: “Really, really scary for me. What I saw was the ball hit right in his face. I worry for all my teammates, and when something like that happens, I was just praying for him to be OK.” 

He wasn’t the only one worried. Pham barely remembered to run, as relayed by McCalvy: “Line drive like that and you see it go off his head, the first thing that went through my head was if he was all right. I had to kind of remind myself to run. That’s the first time that’s happened to me. It is kind of a big shocker.”

Entering the game, Nelson was 11-12 this season with a 3.95 ERA on a struggling Brewers team unfortunate enough to compete in one of the best divisions in baseball, the National League Central.

Numbers aside, situations like these are certainly unnerving for pitchers and players alike around MLB. It’s promising to see that Nelson was responding well while leaving the park in what was a scary few moments on the mound.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Quincy police in Massachusetts found something peculiar while raiding a suspected drug dealer’s home on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). Among paraphernalia and evidence, a stolen Red Sox 2004 World Series ring was found in the home.

After watching the home for months and witnessing a drug deal on Tuesday, police then moved in by executing a search warrant.

Capt. John Dougan told the AP that oxycodone pills, $9,000 cash, money-counting machines and the ring were found during the raid. 

Fox 25 Boston showed what police found. The ring can be seen in a small box in front of the money-counting machine:     

The ring belongs to a team employee, and Dougan is unsure of how this man came to possess it. 

Boston ended an 86-year World Series drought in 2004, improbably overcoming a 3-0 deficit against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship by winning the proceeding four games. The Red Sox then swept the St. Louis Cardinals to exorcise any curses that might have beleaguered the team for 8.5 decades. 

The man who resides in the house and the two men who allegedly dealt pills are expected to appear in court on Wednesday.

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The New York Mets will not place pitcher Matt Harvey under an innings cap this season, allowing him to pitch into the playoffs, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin on Sept. 4. 

However, there is debate between the organization and Scott Boras, Harvey’s agent, who is advocating for a 180-inning cap as advised by Dr. James Andrews.

“I’m sort of caught in the middle of it,” Andrews said, per Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. “That’s their business. They both know what I’ve said, and I don’t want to get into it. The main thing is to do what’s best for Matt’s career. He really wants to play, and they’re in the playoffs. But it’s their problem.”

Harvey is currently at 166.1 innings pitched but skipped his Aug. 23 start, and the Mets plan to move to a six-man rotation to help preserve their star pitcher, per Rubin.

Continue for updates.

Harvey Comments on Innings Limit, Alderson to Speak to Pitcher on Monday

Saturday, Sept. 5.

Harvey confirmed Andrews informed him of the 180-innings limit on his arm after Tommy John surgery, per Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. However, he would not say if he would shut his season down when he reaches that point.

Harvey also wouldn’t answer questions on Saturday about potentially pitching in the playoffs, via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com

After Harvey’s comments, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson spoke about who will make the decision to end Harvey’s campaign, saying the onus was on the pitcher.

“Ultimately it’s his decision,” Alderson said via David Lennon of Newsday. “It’s not the team’s and not his agent’s.”

“If he’s not prepared to pitch, he’s not prepared to pitch,” Alderson said, via Lennon, adding the two would speak on Monday.

Boras, Alderson At Odds Over Harvey’s Innings Limit

Saturday, Sept. 5.

“Dr. James Andrews, who performed Harvey’s Tommy John surgery on Oct. 22, 2013, has recommended Harvey throw no more than 180 innings this season,” Rubin’s report stated. “Another expert, Los Angeles Dodgers team doctor Neal ElAttrache, has recommended a cap of 165 to Boras.”

However, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Andrews does not always set strict innings caps in players coming off of Tommy John surgery.

“Three rival GMs say Dr. Andrews does not prescribe set limits post-Tommy John. ‘He always says to watch and go on a case by case,’ one says,” according to the report.

However, Rosenthal spoke with Mets general manager Sandy Alderson on Saturday morning to receive clarity on the situation and noted that Alderson said, “Dr. Andrews gave him no absolute limit on Harvey, said there was no need for an absolute limit.” 

“Alderson said Andrews talked about avoiding fatigue of season and not disrupting Harvey’s rhythm if he intended to pitch in playoffs,” per Rosenthal. Rosenthal finally noted, “Drs. Andrews, El Attrache, Altchek all disagree on limit,” after stating from Alderson that “he didn’t say 180 was the number. He was not categorical at all.”

New York is already planning to pitch Harvey in the postseason, with Mets assistant GM John Ricco saying Harvey will have “reasonable” innings in the postseason, depending on how he feels, via Rubin. 

The New York Post‘s Mike Puma reported on Sept. 4 that Alderson had chosen not to listen to Boras, or anyone else for that matter as it pertained to Harvey:

Boras, one of the biggest agents in the business, spoke with CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman about Alderson’s decision:

This is not a dispute between between representative and player, and club. This is about a doctor providing expert medical opinion regarding the safety and well being of the player. If the club chooses to violate the ethical standard of the medical opinion, that is strictly their prerogative. I’m not a medical doctor. I don’t make these things up.

The 26-year-old might need a bit of rest, as he was laboring in his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 2. He allowed four runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings and, according to Rubin, was “experiencing dehydration and weakness” after his outing.

Rosenthal provided his view of the situation and Harvey’s health:

Behind Harvey, a stellar pitching staff and the acquisition of outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, the Mets are flirting with the postseason for the first time since 2006. And it seems management is approaching this with a win-now mentality.

Craig Calcaterra of HardballTalk.com provided his thoughts on the best way to approach the situation:

If I were Alderson, I’d be pretty loathe to give Boras the time of day on this stuff. I’d talk to my pitcher and ask him his thoughts and, assuming he’s wired the same way every other athlete is wired, I’d assume he’d be on board with doing whatever is in the Mets’ best interests to win a championship this year. Which is totally within this team’s grasp.

The team’s actions with Harvey point toward its desire to finish off the Nationals, preseason favorites to win the NL East, as quickly as possible. New York currently holds a five-game lead in the NL East

The Mets will need Harvey to do so, especially with his next start scheduled for Sept. 8 against Washington. The rest of the staff, while talented, is either inexperienced (Noah Syndergaard) or inconsistent (Jon Niese, Bartolo Colon). Harvey, along with Jacob deGrom, should give the rotation the confidence to move forward and help the Mets clinch a playoff berth. 

Follow Joe Pantorno (@JoePantorno) on Twitter. Stats courtesy of MLB.com.

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The Miami Marlins are not having their best season. At 54-79, they sit one game out of last place in a weak National League East division, and it seems like changes are on the horizon, especially for manager Dan Jennings. 

Continue for updates.

Jennings’ Future in Doubt

Wednesday, Sept. 2

According to the Miami Herald‘s Clark Spencer on Sept. 1, Jennings will “almost certainly” not be managing the Marlins for the 2016 season. Jennings started the year as Miami’s general manager and soon stepped down to take over responsibilities in the dugout after he fired Mike Redmond in May. 

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports corroborated this report on Sept. 2, and noted the team was looking for an “experienced” manager to take over the team, like the Dodgers‘ Don Mattingly. 

He has not been dealt the most fortunate hand this season. He did not have ace Jose Fernandez for most of 2015, who made just seven starts after coming back from Tommy John surgery last season. Fernandez went 4-0 in that time only to suffer a strained right bicep on Aug. 8, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).

To make matters worse, slugger Giancarlo Stanton was leading the majors with 27 home runs before he was hit by a pitch that fractured his wrist at the end of June, forcing him to undergo surgery, according to SI.com. While he was projected to come back at the end of August, it might be better to just shut him down for the rest of this lost season. 

The Marlins have the second-worst offense in the league with just 485 runs scored as Jennings has watched his team and his chances of staying a manager crash and burn.

The lack of productivity has made things difficult with the manager’s relationship with owner Jeffrey Loria, per Spencer: “Sources said the relationship between Jennings and Loria has become increasingly strained over the course of the team’s disappointing season. Jennings could return to the front office, but not necessarily as general manager.” 

There could be another hope for Jennings if his relationship with the Marlins is beyond repair. Spencer stated that Jennings could be a candidate for the Seattle Mariners‘ GM position, but no one has contacted him or the Marlins yet. 

It might be best for both parties to go their separate ways after this season. This kind of season is tough on a fairly inexperienced roster that has the eighth-youngest average age in the majors. The Marlins need a fresh look and healthy stars if they want to make a run toward relevancy in the National League, and a new influence in the clubhouse could provide a spark that makes this team a threat in the future. 

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.

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If you’re a fan of the invisible parrot Edwin Encarnacion takes for a stroll as he rounds the bases after home runs, you were in luck Saturday.

The Toronto Blue Jays slugger went 3-for-5, mashing three home runs and driving in nine runs in a 15-1 win over the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre. According to Ryan Field of Fox Sports, only one other player in Blue Jays history has attained nine RBI in a game:

Encarnacion’s first dinger of the game, a three-run shot for Toronto’s first runs of the day, came against Buck Farmer in the first inning. The home run also extended Encarnacion’s hit streak to 24 games:

It’s safe to say Encarnacion has been the most dangerous hitter in baseball during this stretch, as the Canadian Press’ Stephen Whyno noted:

Guido Knudson was the next pitcher to suffer at the hands of Encarnacion, who belted a two-run home run in the sixth that left the building in a hurry. With the Blue Jays already holding a 7-1 lead, Encarnacion scorched Knudson’s offering, delivering a rocket that cleared the left field wall in a little over three seconds.

Encarnacion put the cherry on top of his big day in the bottom of the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and the game out of sight, he whipped the Toronto crowd into a frenzy by hitting an opposite-field grand slam that just cleared the right-center field wall.

Rounding the bases, fans threw their caps on the field, celebrating Encarnacion’s hat-trick of home runs on Saturday. The hero of the day took to Twitter and Instagram after the game:

Things have been going swell for the team north of the border, as the Blue Jays are now two games clear of the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East.

Toronto is the hottest team in baseball, posting a 23-5 record since July 29 while pouring in runs as the majors’ most explosive team. A lot of that is thanks to Encarnacion, who represents a nightmare for any opposing pitcher.

Videos courtesy of MLB.com.

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