The Panthers will have plenty of options with the No. 16 pick in the upcoming draft. Which need will they address?"We’re nearly a month away from the 2019 NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers still have some gaps that need to be filled Brian Burns Carolina Panthers Jersey , including on the offensive line and the pass rush. The Panthers have the No. 16 overall pick in this year’s draft, so it’ll be interesting to see which issue they choose to address first. In Dan Kadar’s latest mock draft for SB Nation, he predicts the Panthers will go with defensive end Clelin Ferrell. Even with the free agency adds, many other experts believe Carolina will choose to take a defensive end in the first round. In Chris Trapasso’s latest mock for CBS Sports Womens Brian Burns Jersey , he agrees with Kadar. Even with the elite picks of defensive ends in the 2019 class Lance Zierlein of NFL.com predicts the Panthers will choose to focus on offensive tackle in the first round. Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News predicts Carolina will also choose to focus on offense, but with another star tackle. Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated believes Carolina will make a surprise pick in a very talented wide receiver. What do you think? Should the Panthers go after their weakest spot from last season in defensive end? Or should they add another offensive tackle? Or should Carolina add another elite receiver to compliment Cam Newton? The Panthers are trying to add some experience to their coaching staff, including a guy with a track record as a head coach.A league source confirms to PFT that former Colts coach Chuck Pagano is interviewing with the Panthers today.They have a vacancy for a defensive backs coach after firing Jeff Imamura during late last season, and they’ve also interviewed former Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.The structure for any additions might be unique Womens Christian Miller Jersey , since head coach Ron Rivera is going to call defensive plays, and defensive coordinator Eric Washington is expected to stay in a reduced role. Washington’s a respected line coach they want to keep, and letting him carry the title won’t change the fact Rivera’s in charge. Any new hire might carry an assistant head coach title, but will be expected to help develop a young secondary.Whether it’s Pagano or Fewell Christian Miller Baltimore Ravens Jersey , adding a veteran assistant is a need for the Panthers as they’re about to undergo a bit of a rebuild on defense. Veteran linebacker Thomas Davis won’t be back, and safety Mike Adams and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn‘s futures are uncertain as well.Pagano, 58, was out of football last year after being fired by the Colts Greg Olsen Jersey 2019 , and is expected to have some other interviews for coordinator jobs.

Another wrench is thrown into trying to figure out Atlanta’s OL plans."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Library FalcFans Podcast on The FalcoholicContact The FalcoholicFalcons StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Falcons NewsYahoo Falcons Team PageYahoo Falcons ReportYahoo Falcons Depth ChartYahoo Falcons TransactionsYahoo Falcons PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub 鉁旻alcons have interest in free agent OL Kevin Pamphile New Cheap Kaleb McGary Jersey ,32commentsAnother wrench is thrown into trying to figure out Atlanta’s OL plans. ESTShareTweetShareShareFalcons have interest in free agent OL Kevin Pamphile Aaron Doster-USA TODAY SportsWith free agency looming (next Wednesday, if you can believe it), and the Atlanta Falcons trying to better their roster on a tight cap, it’s time to wonder who might be possible.Well, we have our first indication of a free agent the team could zero in on, and it’s not necessarily a name you might’ve been expecting. ESPN’s Vaughn McClure reported that he’s heard the team has interest in former Buccaneers and Titans offensive lineman Kevin Pamphile. Pamphile has guard and tackle experience, and just recently filled in for the Titans in a starting role. Per the Tampa Bay Times, he started 29 of 32 games in 2016 and 2017 for the Buccaneers at guard before leaving for Nashville. He played all but one game on the left side for Tampa Bay in ‘17. This might be an early indication the team is going to try to add a competent, cap-friendly veteran guard or tackle to its offensive line. Truth be told Kaleb McGary Atlanta Falcons Jersey , this could be the team’s idea of what to do at left guard right now. Andy Levitre’s status remains in flux, and the team might not want to revert to Wes Schweitzer for that job right now. If it’s tackle, the team just extended Sambrailo and has Schraeder’s contract firmly on the books, so it’d be a baffling investment unless a Schraeder release is imminent.Per our sister site Bucs Nation, new Falcons OC and former Bucs coach Dirk Koetter had this to say about Pamphile in 2016: Though, it looks like Pamphile and Evan Smith did some rotating at the spot in 2017, and that there may have been inconsistency at play. If we’re going to be honest with you, the Falcons’ plan on offensive line feels like a big old shrug right now. We’re a bit perplexed as to what exactly is going on, though Koetter may feel that Pamphile can come in and compete for one of Atlanta’s guard spots or win the starting right tackle role over Sambrailo and Schraeder. If he’s depth Calvin Ridley Jersey 2019 , he’s sound depth. If he’s going to be the penciled-in starter at left guard, there’s promise and risk attached. If he’s a potential right tackle, buddy, I’ve got nothin’ for ya. With Sambrailo the assumed starter at right tackle, Schraeder still on the roster, Brandon Fusco’s health and roster status a gigantic question mark, Ben Garland confirmed to leave, Schweitzer’s status in the air, news of Pamphile and the Falcons checking in on top-rated offensive lineman at the combine Black Calvin Ridley Jersey , there seems to be no firm commitment to anything in particular at the guard spots and at right tackle.We’ll see if this happens, and what the ramifications could be, here very soon. It’s hard to prognosticate too much on the Falcons’ 2019 offseason. Every time we come to a conclusion, the Falcons seem to have other plans. We don’t know who the Falcons coveted but we have our guesses." for Hong Kong Tourism BoardRumors for months suggested the Falcons would trade up to try to nab defensive tackle Ed Oliver. That didn’t happen despite his unexpected fall but the Falcons did attempt trading up after Oliver was drafted. The perma-plugged-in Peter King had the play-by-play when the Denver Broncos went on the clock at 10th overall on Thursday night.The Steelers got uncharacteristically aggressive by trading their 1st, 2nd, and 2020 3rd round picks to trade up for speedy linebacker Devin Bush. The Giants ended up drafting Dexter Lawrence at 17. Per King, the Falcons weren’t even in second place in bidding for pick 10. Assuming eventual 14th overall pick Chris Lindstrom was the team’s backup pick, Atlanta wanted to draft either Devin Bush, 11th overall pick Jonah Williams Takkarist McKinley Jersey 2019 , 12th overall pick Rashan Gary, or 13th overall pick Christian Wilkins. There were rumors days before the draft the Falcons were interested in Christian Wilkins, and a rumor, later called a smokescreen, the Falcons were trading up for Devin Bush. Williams was the top ranked offensive lineman and had experience at right tackle and guard. All three would make sense but my guess is Christian Wilkins. After missing out on the top two defensive tackles in the draft, Atlanta had a chance at the last elite(ish) prospect in Wilkins. A short trade up would make sense if the Falcons planned on a more balanced draft with one new starter on each line. The trade did not go through so the Falcons focused heavily on the offensive line. It is a little unconventional but it’s too early to know if it works out. With that said, assuming the prospect was either a defensive lineman or linebacker, look for the Falcons to continue looking at veterans and trade options.

Versatile Marwin Gonzalez and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a $21 million Rickey Henderson Jersey , two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Friday because the agreement is subject to a successful physical.Gonzalez would receive $12 million this year and $9 million in 2020 under the contract.An infielder and outfielder who turns 30 next month, Gonzalez spent the last seven seasons with the Houston Astros. He hit .247 with 16 homers and 68 RBIs last year, down from career bests of a .303 average with 23 homers and 90 RBIs in 2017, when the Astros won their first World Series title.He played 73 games as a corner outfielder last year, plus 29 at shortstop, 32 at second and 24 at first. Gonzalez earned $5 Catfish Hunter Jersey ,125,000 last season after the Astros exercised a club option.There is not an obvious fit on Minnesota’s roster for Gonzalez. The primary returning infield backup for the Twins, Ehire Adrianza, hit .251 in 335 at-bats last season. Gonzalez’s career track record represents a clear offensive upgrade.Minnesota just reached a $25.75 million, five-year contract with shortstop Jorge Polanco, and second baseman Jonathan Schoop ($7.5 million) and first baseman C.J. Cron ($4.8 million) were added this offseason to fill the right side of the infield. Third baseman Miguel Sano, an All-Star in 2017 Rollie Fingers Jersey , is still seen as a potential franchise cornerstone, though his career has been beset by injuries.There’s a crowd in the outfield, too.Left fielder Eddie Rosario was the team MVP last year, and right fielder Max Kepler just got a $35 million, five-year contract. Even the designated hitter at-bats are largely spoken for, with five-time All-Star Nelson Cruz the highest-profile addition of the offseason for Minnesota. Start your morning with some of the best Astros links around"Astros NewsIf you need help getting pumped, check out these pics from the first day of Spring Training (Mission Control)Out of MLB’s top 100 players in baseball http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-khris-davis-jersey , Altuve and Bregman clocked in at 6 and 7 (Twitter)Verlander has expanded on his thoughts when it comes to free agency and rebuilding teams (Houston Chronicle)While Cole expanded on his thoughts about “the Opener” (Texas Sports Nation)Now if only they both would expand on their contracts with the Astros so we don’t have to worry so much about 2020 (Houston Chronicle)Part of that worry is because McHugh will also be a free agent then, but for the moment he’s relishing his return to the rotation (Astros.com)Let’s take a deep look at why the Chirinos signing was actually a solid fit for the Astros (House of Houston)Altuve and Chirinos recently talked about the ongoing unrest in their home country of Venezuela (Houston Chronicle)Carlos Correa and fiance Daniella Rodriguez had a little Valentine’s Day fun with the (almost) Newlywed Game (YouTube)While Collin and Ashley McHugh continued a Valentine’s tradition that I wish I could get my wife on board with (CUT4) Bregman responded about the “controversy” surrounding his desire to beat the Red Sox (ESPN)Around the LeagueNoted jerk Trevor Bauer was surprised when people noted that he’s a jerk in the arbitration process (MLB Trade Rumors)Spring Training is upon us, so let’s do a preview extravaganza (The Athletic, $$$)Which also makes it a good(?) time to look at the latest free agent rumors (MLB.com)Also time to gear up for fantasy drafts, so let’s try to answer some burning questions (CBS Sports)deGrom has informed the Mets that he won’t negotiate an extension during the season and may self-impose an innings limit (ESPN)There is no tanking problem in baseball (Viva El Birdos)I’m totally not jealous of this guy who found a 1921 Babe Ruth baseball card for $2 (KAIT 8)

The Brewers reportedly met with the veteran catcher at the Winter Meetings Hisashi Iwakuma Jersey , but would he be able to stay healthy if they were to sign him?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Brewers Rumors and SpeculationConversation StartersWPA Game RecapsTransactionsLatest NewsMLB Trade RumorsStatistical AnalysisBrewers Rumors and SpeculationMilwaukee Brewers Free Agent Targets: Wilson RamosNew,16commentsThe Brewers reportedly met with the veteran catcher at the Winter Meetings, but would he be able to stay healthy if they were to sign him?ByJaymes L@JaymesLDec 15, 2018, 11:00am CSTShareTweetShareShareMilwaukee Brewers Free Agent Targets: Wilson RamosBill Streicher-USA TODAY SportsThe Milwaukee Brewers had a mostly quiet week at the Winter Meetings. That wasn’t unexpected, given David Stearns’ tendency to look for bargain deals when he can. He himself admitted that he likes laying in the weeds until there’s an opportunity to make a deal.That didn’t stop the club from having a face-to-face meeting with catcher Wilson Ramos during the meetings, though, as they look for an offensive upgrade behind the plate without having to pay a premium in prospects (for J.T. Realmuto) or money and draft picks (for Yasmani Grandal).Ramos appears to be the target of choice for other teams that are thinking in a similar way, including the Oakland A’s, Minnesota Twins and New York Mets. Both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels have also been linked to him. After returning to All-Star form in the 2018 season, there will likely be enough competition for Ramos to potentially drive his price up beyond what the Brewers could be comfortable paying. MLB Trade Rumors is projecting Ramos to land a 3-year, $36 million contract this winter.This is the 31-year-old’s chance to land the significant payday of which he was robbed following the 2016 season, when he looked to be on his way to becoming one of the top prizes on the free agent market that winter. He was hitting .307/.354/.496 for the Nationals that year, with an .850 OPS powered by solid on-base skills and a career-high 22 home runs and 25 doubles. He was looking at the possibility of a monster 5-year deal and possibly $100 million+ before he tore his ACL in the final week of the regular season.That forced him to take a discount 2-year, $12.5 million deal from the Tampa Bay Rays, a contract that only paid him $4 million in the first year while he spent the first half of the season rehabbing the knee. Once he returned in June of 2017, he struggled to shake off the rust a bit, ending the year with a .260/.290/.447 line while seeing his defensive abilities understandably slip.He rebounded in the second year of the deal this past season, though Ken Griffey Jersey , once he was finally fully healthy. He hit .297/.346/.488 in 78 games with the Rays, earning his second career All-Star appearance. It was widely speculated at the time of his signing with Tampa that the Rays would try to trade him at the deadline of the second year of the contract, due to the backloaded nature of the deal paying him $8.5 million this past year. Despite his status as an impending free agent, the Rays were hoping to snag a quality prospect or two.However, Ramos again got hurt, injuring his hamstring the weekend after the All-Star break. That put him on the disabled list for the rest of July, and he was still on the DL on deadline day, forcing the Rays to take just a player to be named later in return when they sent him to Philadelphia.Ramos returned in August, but only played in 33 games for the Phillies in the second half while also missing a handful of games here and there due to other injuries. When he was in the lineup for Philadephia, he did hit exceptionally well, putting up a .337/.396/.483 line in that brief stint, but the 101 plate appearances weren’t enough to keep the Phillies in the NL Wild Card picture.If you sensed a bit of a theme in the past few years, you probably aren’t alone. If you were to boil Ramos’ career to this point down into a few words, it would likely be “great, injury-prone bat.”Therein lies the risk for any team looking to sign Ramos this winter, and especially so for a team like the Brewers, who seem to be limiting themselves to an Opening Day payroll in the $110-115 million range: do you guarantee three years and $12 million (or more) per year to a 31-year-old catcher who’s twice torn his right ACL and has had hamstring problems when the knee isn’t bothering him? Does he make much sense for a National League team that can’t use him at DH to help keep his legs fresh, or move him there permanently halfway through the deal if it becomes clear he can’t catch anymore?Even if Ramos were to stay healthy during a significant commitment by the Brewers, Stearns would have to weigh whether the offensive benefits outweigh what they would be losing defensively.Ramos has seen a dip in his abilities as a pitch framer in each of the past two seasons. Whether that was a side effect of an aging catcher whose knees aren’t feeling like they used to or just a result of switching organizations http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-edgar-martinez-jersey , Ramos rates behind the likes of Manny Pina and Erik Kratz in framing even when he’s at his best. For a staff like Milwaukee’s, which doesn’t have many guys who can blow hitters away with pure power, pitch framing has been a big reason for why they’ve been able to beat expectations. Swapping out Pina or Kratz for Ramos may only cost a handful of strikes here or there, but those add up over the course of a season — especially if those happen during key moments in games where a strike can be the difference between getting out of a jam or allowing several runs.Baseball Prospectus metrics credit Pina with 4.8 framing runs in 2018, while Kratz was credited with 9.9 framing runs. Ramos barely graded out as above average this past season, at 0.3. When looking at the overall defense of all three using the catcher-adjusted version of Fielding Runs Above Average, Kratz (11.1) and Pina (6.3) well outpaced Ramos (0.9) in 2018.While that’s still perfectly average behind the plate, the year and a half since Ramos’ most recent knee injury is still a far cry from where he was before it, when he had an FRAA Adj. of 11.4. It’s the fact that Pina and Kratz were so good in 2018 that brings up the real possibility of making the Brewers’ defense worse with his addition.Considering the Brewers’ emphasis on run prevention, that’s not nothing. But it’s entirely possible that could be offset with his offensive production. In the grand scheme of things, average defense and above-average offense may end up grading out ahead of above-average defense and below-average offense, and adding Ramos to a batting order that includes Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich, Jesus Aguilar and Travis Shaw would go a long way in reducing the amount of easy outs in the lineup.Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference and Baseball Prospectus There weren’t a whole lot of positives for the Red Sox on Saturday"The Red Sox were at home on Saturday to take on the Orioles with a lineup full of regulars, including J.D. Martinez in the slugger’s first game of the spring. Things were shaping up for it to be a good day in Fort Myers. Of course, you never know what will happen on any given day with any baseball team, and that is doubly true for a spring training game. So, despite all of the relative excitement, the Red Sox got crushed. There were a few positives on the day http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-edgar-martinez-jersey , but they were admittedly few and far between.Xander Bogaerts goes deepThe Red Sox offense was, for the most part, incredibly quiet on Saturday. They managed just one run on the day, and it came thanks to the shortstop. In the fourth inning Xander Bogaerts came up with the bases empty. He got a fastball up in the zone, and like so many times in 2018 he drove it way out to left field for a solo homer. The big swing was his first home run of the spring. Granted, it’s only been three games. Bogaerts is heading into a big season in his career as he’s set to perhaps headline the free agent class in baseball next winter, or at least be near the top of the market. Coming off a breakout year, he is looking at a major payday if he’s able to repeat what he did in 2018.Other than Bogaerts, the other standout for the Red Sox was Mookie Betts, and even he wasn’t that much of a standout. The 2018 AL MVP had been struggling in a very small sample to start his 2019, still looking for his first hit heading into Saturday’s game. He didn’t have a home run or even an extra base hit, but Betts got off the schneid with a base hit. He also drew a walk in the game. Clearly, there’s no reason to worry about Betts regardless of what happens in the spring, but it’s still better to see him get on base compared to the alternative.Travis Lakins pitches wellAs with the offense, the pitching featured more bad than good. The most high-profile positive among the pitching staff on Saturday was Travis Lakins. The righty tossed a scoreless inning with a strikeout while also allowing a single. He now has five scoreless innings in three outings to start the spring. Lakins is one of the more exciting relievers on the 40-man roster, having dominated in the role after converting early in 2018. He’s all but certain to start the coming year in Triple-A, but with a strong performance he’ll get a chance to not only be part of Boston’s bullpen but also to pitch his way into an important role. Building some confidence in the spring certainly can’t hurt.The Red Sox also got strong outings from Adam Lau and Brian Ellington. Each tossed a scoreless inning with the former striking out three with one walk and the latter striking out two. Lau spent all of 2018 in Portland, showing solid strikeout stuff but suffering through inconsistent command. Ellington, meanwhile Nelson Cruz Jersey , is a former Marlins lefty who has big stuff but has suffered through major control issues. If Ellington can somehow figure it out with his walks, he can be a weapon for the Red Sox after signing a minor-league deal this past winter.Other NotesJ.D. Martinez made his debut in this game, as noted above, but he couldn’t get going. The slugger went 0-2 on the day.Jackie Bradley Jr., Brock Holt and Bobby Dalbec were all hitless in this game as well. All three of those guys had gotten off to hot starts this spring, so it will be interesting to see how each responds to their first truly rough game of 2019. Also among the hitless on the afternoon was Christian V谩zquez, who is still looking for his first hit of the spring. The catcher has had ten plate appearances this spring without even reaching base. We’re not going to take too much away from this kind of rough start, but with V谩zquez being part of the only real position battle in Red Sox camp his performance is going to be more closely evaluated than basically anyone else.Colten Brewer got the start in this one, and the righty has been gaining a lot of steam in terms of hype leading up to the start of camp. We have been part of that building intrigue, but he’s struggled a bit to kick off 2019. The righty couldn’t find the zone on Saturday, walking three batters in an inning-plus of work. He was charged with two runs (one earned) and also allowed a pair of singles.Also struggling in this game were a pair of minor leaguers in Dedgar Jimenez and Kutter Crawford. The former allowed two runs on five hits in two innings, while the latter allowed four runs on six hit in 1 1鈦? innings. Jimenez had a big year a couple of seasons ago before the upper minors caught up to his relative lack of stuff. Crawford, meanwhile, is coming off a breakout 2018 and is looking to avoid a similar fate as Jimenez.BOX

ARLINGTON Billy Williams Jersey , Texas (AP) — Bartolo Colon became the top-winning pitcher born in Latin America, punctuating his 246th career victory with a nifty snag as the Texas Rangers roughed up Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners 11-4 on Tuesday night.The 45-year-old Colon, from the Dominican Republic, made his sixth start since earning his 245th win on June 30 that matched the mark held by Dennis Martinez from Nicaragua.Colon (6-10) gave up four runs in seven innings. The portly and popular right-hander struck out one and walked none.Adrian Beltre, Jurickson Profar and Rougned Odor homered off Hernandez (8-10), who allowed a career-high 11 runs — seven earned — in six innings.ANGELS 11, TIGERS 5ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer during a seven-run first inning, and the Angels celebrated Mike Trout’s 27th birthday with a victory over the Tigers.Trout missed his sixth consecutive game with a sore right wrist, but his teammates maintained a celebratory mood at the Big A with 13 hits in their second straight win over the Tigers.Ohtani’s 411-foot homer was his third in August, and he added a single for his third multihit performance in five games. Andrew Heaney (7-7) lasted five innings for the win.Jeimer Candelario hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, but Detroit dropped to 0-5 on its six-game California road trip. Jacob Turner (0-1) got the loss.PIRATES 10, ROCKIES 2DENVER (AP) — Jameson Taillon beat Chad Bettis in a matchup of pitchers who battled testicular cancer last year, and the Pirates hit three homers.Taillon (9-8) allowed 10 hits in his second complete game of the season. The 26-year-old right-hander struck out three and walked one, helping Pittsburgh stop a three-game slide.Starling Marte hit a solo drive in the first and Jordy Mercer connected for a three-run shot against Bettis (5-2) with two out in the fourth. Josh Harrison capped Pittsburgh’s five-run fifth with a two-run homer off Jake McGee.Bettis allowed nine runs and eight hits over 4 2/3 innings in his first start after missing five weeks with a blister on his right middle finger.NATIONALS 8, BRAVES 3, GAME 1BRAVES 3, NATIONALS 1 Jon Lester Jersey , GAME 2WASHINGTON (AP) — Ender Inciarte snapped a ninth-inning tie with a two-run triple, helping Atlanta to a doubleheader split.In the opener, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman hit consecutive homers to spark a four-run fourth inning that carried Washington to the victory.Seeking to blunt the momentum of the surging Nationals, Atlanta shook off a strong pitching performance by Max Scherzer before striking against the Washington bullpen in the second game.Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis singled off Kelvin Herrera (1-2) before Inciarte hit a liner down the first-base line.Jesse Biddle (3-0) pitched 1 2/3 innings and A.J. Minter got three outs for his ninth save.In the first game, Zimmerman and Trea Turner had three hits apiece and Harper added two hits and two RBIs. Jefry Rodriguez (1-1) allowed one run in five innings in his first major victory.Kolby Allard (1-1) got the loss in relief of Max Fried, who was struck in the lower back by a line drive in the second inning and removed with a left groin strain. Allard allowed four runs in two innings.YANKEES 4, WHITE SOX 3, 13 INNINGSCHICAGO (AP) — Miguel Andujar hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the 13th inning, sending the Yankees in the victory.Andujar also led off the seventh with his 15th homer. Sonny Gray (9-8) pitched three scoreless innings to get the win in his first appearance since losing his spot in the starting rotation.New York slugger Giancarlo Stanton hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the 10th, but Jose Abreu hit a two-run shot in the bottom half for Chicago.Adam Engel robbed the Yankees of a homer with an outstanding catch in center for the second straight night. Luis Avilan (2-1) got the loss.RED SOX 10, BLUE JAYS 7, 10 INNINGSTORONTO (AP) — Mitch Moreland hit a three-run homer during Boston’s five-run 10th inning, and the Red Sox earned their fifth straight win.Moreland’s one-out shot off Ken Giles (0-3) followed a triple by Mookie Betts and a walk by Andrew Benintendi. Jackie Bradley Jr. added a two-run homer later in the inning.Boston closer Craig Kimbrel (3-1) gave up a solo homer to Justin Smoak with one out in the ninth inning, tying it at 5. It was Kimbrel’s second blown save in four outings.CARDINALS 3, MARLINS 2MIAMI (AP) — Matt Carpenter hit his 30th homer for St. Louis, a tiebreaking drive in the eighth inning.Carpenter connected for the fourth time in five games and increased his career high for home runs. He also extended his streak of reaching base safely to 26 games, the longest active string in the majors.Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer in the seventh for the Cardinals, who have won eight of 12. Miles Mikolas (12-3) pitched seven innings http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , allowing two runs and five hits.Derek Dietrich had three hits for the Marlins, who have lost seven of eight. Elieser Hernandez (2-6) got the loss.TWINS 3, INDIANS 2CLEVELAND (AP) — Minnesota’s Fernando Rodney struck out Francisco Lindor with the tying run on second base in the ninth inning, helping the Twins to the win.Lindor homered in the eighth but struck out looking on a 2-2 pitch as Rodney recorded his 325th career save — moving him into 17th place on the career list.Twins left-hander Adalberto Mejia (2-0) pitched five innings of one-hit ball before departing due to a strained left wrist.Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco (13-6) allowed three runs and 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings.The start of the game was delayed by rain for 2 hours, 10 minutes.PHILLIES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 2PHOENIX (AP) — Nick Pivetta threw six scoreless innings for Philadelphia, and Nick Williams homered.Pivetta (7-9) scattered five hits, struck out six and walked one to get his first win in four starts.The Phillies, who blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning and lost 3-2 in 14 in a 4-hour, 38-minute game on Monday, led 5-0 after a four-run eighth.Zack Greinke (12-7) allowed only Williams’ solo homer on three hits in seven innings but lost his second straight.Pat Neshek pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save.DODGERS 4, ATHLETICS 2OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Rich Hill pitched into the sixth to beat his former club for the first time, and the Dodgers stopped the Athletics‘ six-game winning streak.Hill (5-4) allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings. He is 3-1 with a 3.12 ERA in eight road starts.Kenley Jansen closed it out with a pair of strikeouts in a perfect ninth for his 32nd save.Khris Davis hit a two-run homer in the sixth for Oakland. Sean Manaea (10-8) was charged with three runs in 2 2/3 innings.CUBS 5, ROYALS 0KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike Montgomery pitched five-hit ball into the seventh inning and David Bote drove in a career-high three runs, leading the Cubs to the win.Montgomery (4-4) picked up his first win since June 29. He is 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA in four appearances against the Royals.Kansas City rookie Brad Keller (4-5) was removed after six innings, allowing four runs and seven hits.The Royals have lost six straight and are 14-43 since May 30.PADRES 11 http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , BREWERS 5MILWAUKEE (AP) — Manuel Margot homered, tripled, singled and drove in five runs, powering San Diego to the victory.Franmil Reyes added three RBIs for the Padres. Matt Strahm (3-3) got one out for the win.Jesus Aguilar and Mike Moustakas staked Milwaukee to a 4-0 first-inning lead with a pair of two-run homers — Aguilar’s team-best 27th and Moustakas’ 22nd and second as a Brewer.All-Star Josh Hader (4-1) was charged with the loss after allowing two runs in 1 1/3 innings.ASTROS 2, GIANTS 1SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tyler White hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, helping Houston put together another late rally.The win followed the Astros‘ 3-1 victory Monday night in which Marwin Gonzalez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth.This time, the AL West leaders again trailed 1-0 when Gonzalez doubled and White hit a high, arching shot to left field off Ray Black (1-1).The Astros have won six of seven and the Giants have lost four of five.Joe Smith (4-1) got the win, and Hector Rondon pitched a scoreless ninth for his 13th save.RAYS 4, ORIOLES 3ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Willy Adames hit a solo homer with two out in the ninth inning, lifting Tampa Bay to the victory.Adames’ fifth home run of the season came off Miguel Castro (2-6).Sergio Romo (2-2) got the win after retiring two batters in the ninth, helping Tampa Bay break a three-game losing streak.Tim Beckham and Trey Mancini homered for Baltimore, and Alex Cobb pitched seven strong innings.REDS 6, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Cincinnati’s Sal Romano got the win in his New York homecoming, pitching into the seventh inning in a game delayed by rain for 1 hour, 40 minutes in the first.Romano (7-9) was born in Syosset on nearby Long Island and grew up in Southington, Connecticut. He allowed a run in six-plus innings Carlos Zambrano Jersey , helping the Reds stop a three-game skid.Phillip Ervin hit a two-run homer for Cincinnati and finished with three RBIs.Mets starter Jason Vargas (2-8) recorded just one out and was charged with three runs and three hits. It's not surprising that the Cubs are being backed by the public against the Pirates tonight.Even though Chicago is getting the majority of the bets, the Pirates' odds have shortened by 20 cents.Betting Odds: Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh PiratesCubs (Jon Lester): -104Pirates (Jameson Tallion): -106Over/under: 7.5First pitch: 7:05 p.m. ET>> Download The Action Network App to get real-time MLB odds, track your bets and follow all of our experts’ picks.There’s a lot to unpack here so bear with me.Let’s start with the obvious. The Cubs have a better record than the Pirates, and this line is essentially a pick’em. Right off the bat, that should indicate that oddsmakers are attempting to take advantage of public perception.On a similar note, the Cubs made the playoffs last season; the Pirates didn’t. Public bettors have that ingrained in their minds, and oddsmakers know it. They’re going to shade lines to account for it.Orioles-Yankees Betting Preview: 3 Reasons to Bet an Unpopular UnderdogRead nowThe Pirates are also the home side in this one. That’s the type of factor that the public tends to consider only when it benefits them — at least in baseball — which means they’re completely overlooking any edge the Pirates might have from playing in Pittsburgh tonight.As for the betting market, the Pirates are getting fewer than 40% of bets, and have seen considerable line movement in their direction going from +114 to -106 at Pinnacle. That’s especially noteworthy considering the range in which this moneyline stands. It’s a 20-cent line move, but it corresponds to a win probability change of 5% (that’s a lot).And finally, this game is on pace to be the most heavily bet game tonight, so you can be sure that oddsmakers care about this outcome. They’re well-aware that the public will love the Cubs in this case and they’re happy about that.Why? Well, putting聽all the above filters together creates a system that’s gone 42-14 since 2005, winning 26.4 units for a聽47% return on investment.The pick: Pirates (-106)

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:ON THE CUSPHouston can clinch its second consecutive AL West title — and a best-of-five playoff matchup against Cleveland — with a win at Toronto and an Oakland loss in Seattle. Rookie right-hander Josh James (1-0 Josh Hader Jersey , 2.81 ERA) makes his third career start for the defending World Series champions, already assured a postseason spot. Alex Bregman and the Astros, with the top road record in baseball at 53-22, are 99-57 overall and a major league-best 17-4 in September. “Everybody is really excited about us closing in on 100 wins and closing in on a division title,” Bregman said, “but there’s only one thing on our mind and that’s winning the World Series again.” The second-place A’s locked up at least a wild card Monday night.PARTY CITYLooking to wrap up a franchise-record fourth straight trip to the playoffs, the Cubs can punch their ticket with a win over Pittsburgh at Wrigley Field and a loss by either Colorado or St. Louis. Mike Montgomery (5-5, 3.75 ERA) pitches for Chicago Starlin Castro Jersey , which leads the NL Central by 1½ games over Milwaukee. Montgomery has won all three career starts versus the Pirates and has a 2.30 ERA in nine outings against them.THE WRIGHT STUFFThe Mets plan to reinstate captain David Wright from the 60-day disabled list when they host NL East champion Atlanta at Citi Field. Wright has been sidelined since May 2016 by back, neck and shoulder injuries that required surgery. Maybe he’ll even get in the game — manager Mickey Callaway has said he’d like to give Wright a couple of pinch-hit opportunities ahead of his farewell game Saturday, when the seven-time All-Star is scheduled to start at third base against Miami in what he expects to be his final big league appearance.CENTRAL CASTINGMilwaukee sends Gio Gonzalez (9-11, 4.28 ERA) to the mound and St. Louis counters with rookie Austin Gomber (6-1, 3.63) in the second game of their big series at Busch Stadium. The Brewers won the opener to take a three-game lead in the wild-card race over the Cardinals, who are a half-game ahead of Colorado for the second spot. Gonzalez is 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in three starts since he was acquired in a trade with Washington on Aug. 31. Gomber is coming off a solid start at Atlanta, allowing one run in five innings for an 8-1 victory.NOW HIRINGSan Francisco is searching for a new general manager after Bobby Evans was fired Monday. The team said Evans will be reassigned, with responsibilities to be determined. The Giants (72-85) are finishing up their second consecutive losing season. “At this point http://www.marlinsfanproshop.com/authentic-starlin-castro-jersey , we needed to take a fresh approach to baseball operations,” CEO Larry Baer said. “We’re looking for someone that sort of is the ‘next gen’ general manager, if you will.” OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Athletics were still searching for depth in the rotation after all the injuries last season. Marco Estrada figures to be a front-line starter they had sought.Estrada and Oakland agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract Friday, giving the club a veteran presence.A double-digit winner in 2015 and ’17 for Toronto, the 35-year-old went 7-14 with a 5.64 ERA in 28 starts and 143 2/3 innings last year for the Blue Jays.“We’ve known for a while we needed to add at least one more starter and have been talking to Marco’s representatives since around the time of the winter meetings,” general manager David Forst said Friday Martin Prado Jersey , a day before the club’s Fan Fest. “He’s a guy who was an All-Star in 2016, pitched great a couple years in Toronto and last year pitched through some back and some hip issues and lost a little bit of velocity. But command is outstanding as ever, his changeup has always been one of the best pitches in the league, and a guy we fully expect to bounce back and be near the top of our rotation for 2019.”Left-hander Sean Manaea pitched a no-hitter against Boston on April 21 in a bright start to a season that ended with the ace undergoing shoulder surgery in September. He is expected to be out until around the All-Star break but is in great spirts and making progress.“My shoulder feels awesome, I pretty much have full range of motion, and the biggest thing is there’s no pain or anything like that,” said Manaea, who has begun to mimic the throwing motion with a ball in his hand without letting the ball go. “Everything is just right on track where I kind of feel normal again. It’s incredible how much better it feels compared to how it was last year.”In addition http://www.marlinsfanproshop.com/authentic-starlin-castro-jersey , Jharel Cotton had Tommy John surgery in March, followed by three others who also underwent the elbow ligament replacement procedure: opening day starter Kendall Graveman, Daniel Gossett and top prospect A.J. Puk.Last month the A’s re-signed right-hander Mike Fiers to a $14.1 million, two-year contract.The A’s sent right-hander Parker Bridwell outright to Triple-A Las Vegas, clearing roster room for Estrada. Bridwell will attend big league spring training.Oakland is still looking for another starting pitcher along with a left-handed reliever, Forst said.

Winners of three straight Marshal Yanda Jersey 2019 , the Baltimore Ravens traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, to face the seemingly unstoppable Chiefs in a cold, hostile environment.Baltimore won the toss and deferred, putting their top-ranked defense on the field first. It was evident early that the Ravens would have trouble covering tight end Travis Kelce, as he caught two passes for 21 yards on the opening drive. Baltimore’s defense stiffened up and stopped Kansas City, forcing a punt.Rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson took the field next with the crowd roaring. Jackson was able to pick up a first down with a 12-yard pass to wide receiver Michael Crabtree, but the drive stalled after Jackson was sacked on third down.Quarterback Patrick Mahomes came out hot on the second drive, leading the Chiefs offense on a 75-yard scoring drive. A pass interference call on Marlon Humphrey against Kelce in the end zone led to a one-yard touchdown run for Damien Williams. Kansas City led 7-0.Down early in one of the toughest environments in all of football, Jackson was able to remain poised and lead his team on a scoring drive of their own. Running backs Gus Edwards and Kenneth Dixon both gashed the Chiefs defense, with Dixon punching it into the end zone to tie the game, 7-7.Kansas City’s next drive ended in a missed 51-yard field goal from Harrison Butker. The Ravens took their first lead of the day with a 28-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. It didn’t take long for the Chiefs to regain it, however. Mahomes orchestrated yet another 75-yard scoring drive to put Kansas City up 14-10. It was Kelce who scored this time, finding his way behind multiple defenders to catch the 15-yard touchdown pass.Baltimore quickly went three-and-out, giving the Chiefs the ball back with just over a minute left in the half. Mahomes had no problem driving his team down the field again for a 24-yard field goal to extend their lead, 17-10 at halftime.The Ravens received the ball to open the second half, but was unable to do anything. The defense finally stepped up though with safety Chuck Clark intercepting Mahomes on the next drive. Clark’s interception led to a Baltimore touchdown to tie the game. After some strong runs to get down the field, the Ravens were forced with a 4th-and-2 at the 10-yard line. Deciding to go for it, Jackson hit tight end Maxx Williams who ran it in for the 10-yard touchdown. The next three drives ended in back-and-forth punts before Baltimore took the lead with another touchdown. Cyrus Jones returned the punt 55 yards to set the Ravens up in the red zone and Jackson found wide receiver John Brown through the air for the score, giving Baltimore a 24-17 lead with just over four minutes left to play in the game.A staple of the Ravens defense in recent years has been to collapse to in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. Faced with a 4th-and-9 at their own 40, Mahomes scrambled out of the pocket and found wide receiver Tyreek Hill for a 48-yard gain. Kansas City faced another fourth down later in the drive but was able to convert yet again, this time in the form of a five-yard touchdown pass to Williams. With 53 seconds left in regulation, the game was tied 24-24.Jackson faced his toughest challenge yet, tasked with leading the offense into field goal range with under a minute left to play, On third down, Jackson was stripped by Justin Houston and the ball was recovered by the Chiefs at the 23-yard line. On third-and-12 with three seconds left, Butker missed another kick, sending the game to overtime. Kansas City received the ball to start overtime. Baltimore’s defense held in the red zone after allowing Mahomes to march down the field. Butker’s kick was good this time from 35 yards. The Chiefs led 27-24 with 4:42 left in overtime. The following drive was disastrous for the Ravens. After picking up a couple of first downs, Baltimore was backed up on second down by a false start on left tackle Ronnie Stanley. On 2nd-and-18 White Terrell Suggs Jersey , Jackson was sacked for a four-yard loss. Jackson was hurt on the play, leading Robert Griffin III to enter the game. Griffin was unable to complete a pass on the next two plays to pick up a first down. Jackson had his best game as a passer yet, going 13/24 for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 71 yards as well. Willie Snead IV led all receivers with five receptions for 61 yards. The Ravens fall to 7-6 after a crushing defeat. While they still remain the holders of the sixth seed into the playoffs for now, several teams are hot on their heals at 7-6 as well. Baltimore must win out now to guarantee a playoff spot, and that starts next week at home against the5-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Ravens @ Browns: 3 Key Matchups The 3-1 Ravens head to Cleveland for their second consecutive divisional road contest in Week 5. Fresh off a statement win over the archrival Steelers, Baltimore is currently a three point favorite. The Browns will be aiming for the second victory of the Hue Jackson era on Sunday.John Harbaugh is an impressive 18-2 overall against the Browns. Baltimore has won each of the last three meetings, by an average of 17 points. However, Harbaugh’s Ravens are just 2-6 following two straight wins and 2-7 in October since 2016. The Ravens want to establish the run, but another pass-first game plan may be the best strategy considering the Browns defensive strengths and weaknesses. On the other side of the ball, Baltimore’s 3rd ranked scoring defense will be challenged by receivers Jarvis Landry, David Njoku and a committed rushing attack.Marquee head-to-head battles between bluechip players, such as Ronnie Stanley against Myles Garrett and John Brown versus Denzel Ward, will be important. Yet these three perhaps slightly under-the-radar matchups will determine the victor:OLB Tim Williams vs LT Desmond HarrisonThe second-year edge rusher is earning more playing time as the season progresses. Williams capitalized on his opportunities by providing several pressures, a pair of quarterback hits and a sack against Pittsburgh’s stout line in Week 4. Facing a team that has allowed the third most sacks in the league so far, Timmy has a chance to continue his breakout season.Harrison has fared remarkably well for an undrafted free agent rookie. The Ravens will test the long and athletic tackle with a variety of outside linebackers, chiefly Terrell Suggs. Nonetheless, Williams has the raw speed required to beat Harrison off the snap.In a game where turnovers should be the difference, the battle on the blindside will be pivotable. WR Willie Snead IV vs CB T.J. CarrieMuch has been made of Baltimore’s upgraded receiving corps. The greatest improvement is the depth of the group, not necessarily the players at the top of the depth chart. Snead has had an excellent start to the season, catching nearly 70-percent of all passes thrown him way and converting 66-percent of his catches into first downs over the last three games.Meanwhile, Carrie was forced into action after Terrance Mitchell broke his wrist last Sunday. Primarily a nickel corner, his coverage was exposed by Oakland’s receivers. T.J. currently ranks as Pro Football Focus’ 99th graded cornerback. The Browns could reshuffle their secondary to compensate for injuries since safeties Damarious Randall and Briean Boddy-Calhoun both have experience at corner.Regardless, expect Joe Flacco to target Carrie throughout the game, especially with his reliable chain-mover Snead.S Eric Weddle vs QB Baker MayfieldMayfield’s debut as a starting quarterback was marred by an excessive amount of drops from his pass catchers and highly questionable officiating. He will return to the scene of his comeback victory in Week 3 with the poise, mobility and accuracy to succeed against even the most talented defenses. Enter Weddle, a smart defender who has excelled against rookie quarterbacks. In his first two season with the Ravens, the safety broke up a combined 20 passes with 10 interceptions. However, he has only one pass deflection and has not been involved in any takeaways through the first quarter of his 12th season. This will be a classic matchup between a crafty veteran and a talented upstart.