KEIBERT RUIZ

Will Strasburg bounce back from surgery? Will Corbin and Robles hit their strides? Unknowns make interesting baseball.

Red Sox ace Chris Sale takes the mound in Washington with a chance to pitch Boston into the postseason.

Javier Báez and his New York Mets teammates turned the boos at Citi Field to cheers this weekend — and turned their thumbs upside down at frustrated fans.

Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw were part of the same draft class.

The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers have pulled off a monster deal for ace Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner, getting the dynamic duo from the Washington Nationals shortly before Friday’s trade deadline.

World Series MVP Corey Seager will miss at least a few weeks for the Los Angeles Dodgers after breaking a bone in his right hand.

Clayton Kershaw lasted one inning in the shortest start of his stellar career in the opener, Trevor Bauer didn’t get through the fifth in the nightcap, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 to sweep a split doubleheader.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Dylan Floro works against the Colorado Rockies during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Denver. While Clevinger was among the 15 pitchers on the Padres roster released Tuesday, fellow starter Dinelson Lamet was again left off because of injury. The Dodgers added a pitcher to their roster for the NLDS, where they will have 14 pitchers and 14 position players after carrying only 13 pitchers for the first round series against Milwaukee. Right-handed reliever Dylan Floro (3-0, 2.59 ERA) was the pitcher added for the longer NLDS. The Padres last week became the first team to use eight or more pitchers in three consecutive playoff games.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LOS ANGELES Kik Hernndez homered and drove in five runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the rival San Francisco Giants 8-1 in a fan-less ballpark as baseballs shortened season opened on Thursday night. Betts struck out swinging in his first at-bat a day after signing a $365 million deal over 12 years. Justin Turner grounded into a fielder's choice and Betts beat a throw to the plate to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the seventh. Betts struck out with the bases loaded to end a five-run inning that made it 6-1. PREGAME CEREMONYThe Giants and Dodgers held a black ribbon that wound along the baselines in a show of unity after pregame introductions.