Not finished yet
UNDATED (AP) — There are still some things to be decided before we get a complete picture of baseball’s fast-approaching playoffs.
The New York Yankees head into tonight’s outing against visiting Boston holding a one-game lead over second-place Baltimore in the AL East with two games left in the regular season. The Orioles take on the Rays at Tampa Bay. The Yanks and O’s have already clinched at least a wild card.
The Oakland Athletics secured at least a wild card berth with last night’s win against Texas and are just one game behind the West-leading Rangers headed into this evening’s matchup in California. The A’s and O’s are tied for the first wild card.
Also tonight in the AL, newly crowned Central champion Detroit is at Kansas City, Chicago plays at Cleveland a night after being eliminated from playoff contention, Toronto hosts Minnesota and the L.A. Angels are at Seattle.
St. Louis can clinch the NL’s second wild card tonight with a win over visiting Cincinnati or a Dodgers loss to West Division champion San Francisco. The Central champion Reds and East-winning Nationals are tied for the best record in the league. Washington hosts Philadelphia.
Elsewhere in the senior circuit, No. 1 wild card Atlanta is at Pittsburgh, the New York Mets play at Miami, Chicago is home to Houston, San Diego is at Milwaukee and Arizona entertains Colorado.
One and done
LONDON (AP) — Jose Maria Olazabal says being European Ryder Cup captain can be “torture” at times and he rules out staying on for another two years in the role.
The Spaniard guided Europe to a 14½-13½ victory over the United States in a stirring comeback Sunday at Medinah (muh-DY’-nuh).
Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley are the favorites to replace the popular Olazabal for the 2014 match in Gleneagles, Scotland.
MLB completes 8-year deal with Fox, Turner Sports
NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball has agreed with Fox and Turner Sports on eight-year contracts that will run through 2021 and keep the World Series on Fox.
Fox also will retain rights to the All-Star game and a league championship series every year, and add coverage of two division series starting in 2014.
TBS will retain the rights to air one league championship series, two division series and one wild-card game.
The amount baseball receives from the two networks will double to an average of about $800 million annually, with Fox’s share averaging about $500 million.
ESPN and MLB last month announced a new deal covering 2014-21 that will increase ESPN’s average yearly payment from about $360 million to approximately $700 million.
SHR extends Quicken Loans as Ryan Newman’s sponsor
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (AP) — Stewart-Haas Racing announced some much-needed sponsorship Tuesday when Quicken Loans said it will double its commitment to Ryan Newman.
Quicken Loans was new to NASCAR this season with a nine-race sponsorship for Newman’s No. 39 team. The company will be back for 18 races next year as the primary sponsor.
The extension comes when team co-owner Tony Stewart is searching for a good chunk of funding for his three-car organization. The U.S. Army has said it won’t be back as primary sponsor for Newman, and Office Depot is leaving as a co-primary for Stewart.
The organization is apparently close to announcing a sponsorship agreement with Bass Pro Shops, maybe as soon as this weekend at Talladega.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston at N-Y Yankees 6:05 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Cleveland 6:05 p.m.
Minnesota at Toronto 6:07 p.m.
Baltimore at Tampa Bay 6:10 p.m.
Detroit at Kansas City 7:10 p.m.
Texas at Oakland 9:05 p.m.
L.A. Angels at Seattle 9:10 p.m.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Atlanta at Pittsburgh 6:05 p.m.
Philadelphia at Washington 6:05 p.m.
N-Y Mets at Miami 6:10 p.m.
Houston at Chi Cubs 7:05 p.m.
San Diego at Milwaukee 7:10 p.m.
Cincinnati at St. Louis 7:15 p.m.
Colorado at Arizona 8:40 p.m.
San Francisco at L.A. Dodgers 9:10 p.m.