Javier Báez is nearing a $140 million, six-year contract with Detroit, giving the Tigers a dynamic bat for the middle of their order.

Shohei Ohtani is the first player selected to the All-Star Game as both a hitter and pitcher.

Major League Baseball will deal with Mariners pitcher Hector Santiago, the first player ejected under the new crackdown against grip-enhancing sticky stuff.

The Miami Marlins are still unbeaten in MLB postseason series. The Marlins again did all their scoring in the seventh inning as Garrett Cooper homered and Magneuris Sierra added an RBI single. They had rallied for all their runs in the seventh inning of a 5-1 Game 1 victory Wednesday. The best-of-five series NLDS against Atlanta is scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday. It will be played at Houston’s Minute Maid Park as all remaining series are set for neutral sites to cut down on travel.

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:___TRY AGAINThe Cubs and Marlins resume their series a day after poor weather caused a postponement at Wrigley Field. He wasn’t in the starting lineup for Thursday’s postponed game, but manager Don Mattingly had not ruled out using him. The ace right-hander was a steady presence for the Cubs throughout the pandemic-shortened season, joining the NL Cy Young Award conversation. The Marlins will counter with 22-year-old Sixto Sánchez, who debuted Aug. 22 and posted a 3.46 ERA in seven starts. “That’s the thing.”The Braves won’t play again until Tuesday, when they’ll open an NL Division Series against either the Cubs or Marlins in Houston.

CHICAGO – Game 2 of the Miami Marlins' wild-card series against the Chicago Cubs is Friday at 2 p.m. on Local 10. If a Game 3 is necessary, it would be Saturday shortly after 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The Marlins can advance to the divisional round with a Game 2 victory after taking Game 1, 5-1, on Wednesday. Right-hander Sixto Sanchez is set to become the youngest pitcher in Marlins history to make his postseason debut as a starter (22 years, 64 days of age) on Friday. Righty Yu Darvish is lined up to pitch for the Cubs.

CHICAGO – The Miami Marlins just kept fighting. Corey Dickerson hit a three-run homer off a fading Hendricks in the seventh inning, and Miami beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 on Wednesday in Game 1 of their NL wild-card series. The Marlins, who rallied past the Cubs in a memorable NLCS that year, have never lost a playoff series. Yu Darvish starts for the Central champion Cubs, and rookie right-hander Sixto Sánchez get the ball for upstart Miami. “It’s going to be great.”Darvish is making his first playoff appearance since signing with Chicago before the 2018 season.

MIAMI – The Miami Marlins, back in MLB’s postseason for the first time since their title in 2003, will face a familiar playoff foe: the Chicago Cubs. Game 1 is Wednesday at 2 p.m. on Local 10. Game 2 is Thursday and Game 3 (if necessary) is Friday. The Marlins, of course, beat Chicago in the NLCS in that 2003 run as a wild card. Now, Miami is seeded sixth in the National League and faces the third-seeded Cubs in the new eight-teams-per-league format.

CHICAGO – Major League Baseball suspended Chicago White Sox reliever Jimmy Cordero for three games Saturday and fined him an undisclosed amount for hitting the Cubs' Willson Contreras with a pitch. Manager Rick Renteria was suspended for one game, and he and pitching coach Don Cooper were also fined. Contreras hit a three-run shot off Dylan Cease in the third, then exited the batter’s box with sky-high bat flip. He also greeted White Sox utilityman Yolmer Sanchez, who pitched the ninth, with a solo shot for his eighth career multihomer game. The playoff-bound White Sox had lost six straight and were tied with Cleveland for second place in the NL Central behind Minnesota entering Saturday's game.

The Marlins, Phillies, Cardinals, Reds, Brewers and Giants are the top teams still in contention -- and they’re packed tightly with slots available for one team from the NL East, another from the NL Central and then two wild cards. The Mets (26-31) and Rockies (25-31) are mathematically eligible but need to win out just to have a shot. AL-MOST OVEROnly one playoff spot remains open in the AL, and Michael Brantley and the Astros are on the verge of clinching it. The Twins are trying to seal the AL Central. The Chisox have lost five in a row, dropping them out of the AL Central lead and one game behind Minnesota.

Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer (1.80) is third and starts at home against the Brewers in a matchup of NL playoff contenders. Atlanta won its third straight NL East title with an 11-1 romp over the contending Marlins. After losses in 10 straight postseason appearances, the Braves are desperate to end the drought. There’s so much to be proud of from my point of view.”STUMBLINGThe Phillies have lost in four, dropping them out of NL playoff position. After getting in a doubleheader in Washington, they’ll try to regain their winning touch when Zach Eflin (3-2, 4.28 ERA) starts against Erick Fedde (2-3, 4.36) at Nationals Park.

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:___BACK AT ITCubs journeyman Alec Mills (5-3, 3.93) is set to pitch for the first time since his unexpected no-hitter a week ago against Milwaukee. ACE CARDCardinals left-hander Kwang Hyun Kim starts at Milwaukee, trying to keep up his remarkable run. HAPPY RETURNSBrewers bench coach Pat Murphy has rejoined the team just over six weeks after having a heart attack at Miller Park. The Brewers were practicing infield defense at Miller Park on Aug. 1 when Murphy sat down and said he wasn’t feeling well. Trainer Rafael Freitas was nearby and escorted Murphy to the clubhouse, where he met with team physician, Dr. Mark Niedfeldt.

FILE - In this Tuesday, July 7, 2020, file photo, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell, right, listens to manager Derek Shelton during a team workout at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Shelton and other first-year managers are scrambling to make up for lost time. Fortunately for the first-year Pittsburgh Pirates manager, bench coach Donnie Kelly made it a point to provide it. I just (want) to make sure that Im talking to them, Im aware of what theyre going through, Shelton said. The 38-year-old Rojas the youngest manager in the majors read a book by Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski to help him prepare.

Frank Robb, the Florida man who caught "Chance the Snapper" at Chicago's Humboldt Park, throws out the first pitch at a Cubs game, July 16, 2019, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. - A Florida alligator trapper who captured an elusive gator at a Chicago park threw out the first pitch at a Cubs game Tuesday night. Frank Robb is a Chicago celebrity after he caught the 5-foot-3 gator roaming a lagoon at Humboldt Park. AP Photo/Amr Alfiky Florida alligator trapper Frank Robb holds the 5-foot-3 gator during a news conference, July 16, 2019, in Chicago. Frank Robb, better known as Alligator Robb, throws out the first pitch at Wrigley Field.