NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has set the times for potential wild-card tiebreaker games with both races coming down to the wire.
Any one-game playoffs would be played Thursday. First pitch for the American League tiebreaker between the Red Sox and Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla., is scheduled for 2:07 p.m. MDT. The Cardinals and Braves would start at 6:07 p.m. in St. Louis.
The AL wild-card winner will then play Game 1 of the division series Friday night in the early slot, 3:07 p.m. The Yankees will host the late game, starting at 6:37 p.m.
Holliday leaves game with sore hand
HOUSTON — St. Louis left fielder Matt Holliday left Tuesday night’s game against the Astros in the third inning because of discomfort in his right hand. Manager Tony La Russa said Holliday will not start tonight’s game.
Footnotes.
The Angels scratched Jered Weaver from today’s game against the Rangers, a decision that likely means Detroit’s Justin Verlander will win the AL’s pitching triple crown. Weaver’s 2.41 ERA is right behind Verlander’s AL-leading 2.40, and the Tigers’ ace already leads the league with 24 victories and 250 strikeouts.
• Casey Kotchman was sent to a hospital because of tightness in his chest, but tests were negative and the Rays first baseman was released.
• The Brewers decided to hand the ball to Yovani Gallardo for Saturday’s Game 1 of the NL division series.
• Infielder Omar Infante agreed to terms on an $8 million, two-year contract to remain with the Marlins.
• Fox Sports sued the Dodgers over the proposed television rights sale that owner Frank McCourt has been counting on to keep the troubled franchise afloat. Fox Sports Net West asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge to reject any proposed sale of the Dodgers’ television rights that does not abide by the terms of the current contract.
• The Mets exercised the 2013 option on manager Terry Collins.
Denver Post wire services
