BRYCE HARPER

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted American League MVP for a two-way season not seen since Babe Ruth, and Bryce Harper earned the National League honor for the second time.

Toronto left-hander Robbie Ray bounced back from a dismal season to win the AL Cy Young Award and Milwaukee righty Corbin Burnes returned from a bout of COVID-19 to win the NL’s top pitching prize.

Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani was voted player of the year and the American League outstanding player by fellow major leaguers in the annual Players Choice Awards from the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Sooner than many baseball fans wanted, maybe, but the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers will meet in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the NL Division Series at Oracle Park.

Bryce Harper logged off his final Zoom of the season — a 2021 in which the Philadelphia Phillies slugger hit .309 with 35 homers and led baseball in OPS — with a hopeful hint about a future conversation. Harper may get the call next month that he is the National League MVP after he carried the Phillies into NL East contention down to the final week of the season. Hey, the Phillies might have to set up a postseason awards hotline, with ace Zack Wheeler a top candidate for NL Cy Young.

Atlanta can clinch its fourth consecutive NL East title Thursday night with a win at home over Philadelphia, which would complete a three-game sweep of their high-stakes series.

Does the MVP have to come from a team in the postseason? Shouldn’t this award go to the position player whose team would be most at a loss without him? The Braves have Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley, all at 30 homers or more.

Bryce Harper won games for the Phillies this year with one swing, one slide, one daring dash around the bases. Now add this save to the highlight reel: Harper fired a heater on the fly from right field that nailed a runner at home — and gave the Phillies one win to remember in a September stuffed with big games from their MVP contender. Harper threw out the tying run at the plate in the eighth inning and Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer to keep Philadelphia pushing in the NL East race with a 4-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.

Bryce Harper had three hits, drove a three-run homer and had four RBIs to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 17-8 win over the Chicago Cubs.

Rays rookie Wander Franco has reached base safely in 36 straight games.

The Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers are tied for first in the NL West heading into their weekend series in San Francisco.

Max Scherzer faces a familiar NL East foe when his Dodgers go for a three-game sweep of the Mets in prime time.

Bryce Harper homered, Ian Kennedy escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning and the Philadelphia Phillies held off the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1.

Corey Seager and Max Muncy homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0.

Max Scherzer makes his second start for the Los Angeles Dodgers when they visit the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies in a potential playoff preview Tuesday night.

Zack Wheeler pitched a two-hitter and struck out 11, Bryce Harper homered and the first-place Philadelphia Phillies finished off a three-game sweep for their eighth straight victory, 3-0 over the fading New York Mets.

Bryce Harper homered, Kyle Gibson pitched six strong innings and drove in the go-ahead run, and the streaking Philadelphia Phillies won their sixth straight game to take over first place in the NL East with a 4-2 victory over the slumping New York Mets.

In-state interleague matchups take center stage in several locales Friday as the Chicago White Sox play the Cubs in a Wrigley Field matinee, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Angels, and the Kansas City Royals visit the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Chicago White Sox and Brewers close a weekend full of impressive pitching matchups in Milwaukee with arguably the best of the bunch Sunday night.

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Anthony Rizzo, Joc Pederson and Nico Hoerner each had two hits and an RBI to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-3, ending an 11-game losing streak.

Wander Franco got off to a smashing start this week, hitting a home run and double in his major league debut for Tampa Bay.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom gave up two runs for the first time this season and New York rallied after he exited, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 on Michael Conforto’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.

Bryce Harper blew kisses at a booing crowd to punctuate his home run, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 2-1 in eight innings for a doubleheader split after Aaron Nola matched a long-standing major league record with 10 straight strikeouts in the opener.

The Braves are monitoring star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. after he was scratched from Atlanta’s lineup Wednesday due to lower back tightness.

Starlin Castro hit a go-ahead, two-run single off closer Hector Neris in the ninth inning and the Washington Nationals rallied three times to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 13-12.

Max Scherzer threw his glove and hat to the grass, then stared down Phillies manager Joe Girardi after getting checked for a third time by umpires for sticky stuff as the Washington Nationals beat Philadelphia 3-2.

Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 at Dodger Stadium before the largest crowd to attend a baseball game in the United States since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

On the surface, not much has changed in Philadelphia.

Noah Syndergaard was pulled from his minor league rehabilitation outing because of soreness in his pitching elbow Tuesday night, the latest setback for a New York Mets team ravaged by injuries.

Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper has gone on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Sunday with a bruised left forearm.

Jameson Taillon tries to extend a streak of dominant starting pitching by the New York Yankees when he opposes Dallas Keuchel and the White Sox in the Bronx.

Bryce Harper treated heckling fans to a long home run, Andrew Knapp delivered a key pinch-hit in place of injured catcher J.

Ehire Adrianza capped a night full of comebacks for Atlanta with a game-ending RBI single in the 12th inning, helping the Braves stun the Philadelphia Phillies for a chaotic 8-7 victory.

Pete Alonso capped New York’s six-run eighth inning with a three-run double, and the Mets used a defensive meltdown by Philadelphia and a replay reversal to beat the Phillies 8-7.

Corey Kluber goes for his 100th career victory when he starts for the Yankees at home against Detroit.

Slugger Bryce Harper and shortstop Didi Gregorius are out of Philadelphia’s lineup for now.

Phillies star Bryce Harper said he feels fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday night, forcing him from Philadelphia's game against St. Louis.

The All-Star slugger was drilled in the left cheek by reliever Génesis Cabrera's first pitch in the sixth inning.

Phillies star Bryce Harper says he’s feeling fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday.

There was a frightening moment in Wednesday night’s MLB game in St. Louis between the hometown Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Phillies star Bryce Harper said he feels fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday night, forcing him from Philadelphia’s game against St. Louis.

Zack Wheeler took a one-hit shutout into the ninth inning and Rhys Hoskins homered twice as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1.

Andrew Knapp hit the winning single in the ninth inning, Bryce Harper hit a tying solo homer in the seventh and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 6-5.

Alec Bohm hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, Zach Eflin gave Philadelphia another strong start and the Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the defending NL East champion Atlanta Braves with a 2-1 win Sunday.

Trevor Williams went five innings in his fourth start, allowing a run on three hits. Austin Gomber made his fourth start for Colorado, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out four in 4 1/3 innings. Dylan Cease made his second start, allowing three hits and three walks in 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Matthew Boyd made his fourth start, allowing one run on four hits and a walk in four innings, striking out five. Tyler Anderson went five innings in his fourth start for Pittsburgh, giving up one run on two hits.

Starter Zach Eflin pitched four shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out four without a walk. ROCKIES 2, MARINERS 1Kyle Freeland allowed three hits in four shutout innings in his second start for Colorado, striking out four. Seattle's Marco Gonzales threw four shutout innings in his second start, allowing two hits while striking out four. Martín Pérez made his second start, allowing two hits and a walk in four scoreless innings. ATHLETICS 5, REDS 2 (7)Oakland lefty Sean Manaea struck out four in three innings, allowing one run and three hits.

The 2018 AL Rookie of the Year is off to a strong start this spring on both sides. PHILLIES 3, PIRATES 0Bryce Harper homered on his first swing of spring training, launching a opposite-field drive to left. Chad Kuhl made his second start for Pittsburgh, allowing two runs on three hits. Brad Keller worked three innings in the start for the Royals and allowed a run on four hits and two walks. BRAVES 4, TWINS 0 (7)Kyle Wright fared much better in his second start for Atlanta, allowing one hit in three shutout innings with two strikeouts.

The average Major League Baseball salary dropped for an unprecedented third straight year, even before the shortened season caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The average fell despite Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon and Christian Yelich all starting long-term contracts guaranteeing $215 million or more. The average Major League Baseball salary dropped for an unprecedented third straight year, even before the shortened season caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The players’ association calculated the 2020 average would have been $3.89 million if a full season had been played. Because the pandemic caused players to receive roughly 37% of pay last year, the actual average plunged to $1.59 million, its lowest since 1998.

(AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)SAN DIEGO – Fernando Tatis Jr. has yet to take a ground ball or swing a bat at spring training and he’s already the talk of the San Diego Padres’ clubhouse. Giancarlo Stanton, now with the New York Yankees, signed a 13-year, $325 million deal with Miami in 2015. Bryce Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with Philadelphia in 2019. Tatis’ deal will be the third-largest. Tatis was literally raised in the game at the feet of his father, who played 11 seasons in the big leagues.

FILE - Philadelphia Phillies' J.T. The Philadelphia Phillies and two-time All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto agreed on a $115.5 million, five-year contract, two people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. Realmuto agreed Tuesday on a $115.5 million, five-year contract, two people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. Realmuto gets $20 million next season, of which $10 million is deferred, with $5 million each payable in 2026 and 2027.

This screengrab from a Zoom call shows David Dombrowski, the Philadelphia Phillies' new president of baseball operations, during a Zoom call Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. (Zoom via AP)Dave Dombrowski wants to win again sooner rather than later. So he finalized a deal Friday to become the Philadelphia Phillies’ president of baseball operations, convinced the team is not far from its first World Series title since 2008. Phillies president Andy MacPhail called again Saturday, and Dombrowski said he was told of the nebulous expansion timetable by MLB on Monday and Tuesday. “It was John reaching out and really trying to make me part of the Phillies organization,” Dombrowski said.

His next challenging project: a Philadelphia Phillies team that's gone nine years without a winning record. Dombrowski is set to join the Phillies as president of baseball operations, according to two people familiar with the decision. He said in October he would be willing to step aside sooner to make way for a new baseball operations boss. The 64-year-old Dombrowski has led baseball operations for four teams over more than three decades in the majors, taking a trio of franchises to the World Series. He joined the Red Sox as president of baseball operations the following August and made a number of key acquisitions — including ace Chris Sale, slugger J.D.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay)ARLINGTON, Texas – Atlanta Braves fans were still doing tomahawk-chop chants as they filed out of the stadium, real people who replaced the cardboard cutouts players got so accustomed to this season. One game, but a big boost for the Braves in their first National League Championship Series since 2001. “It was awesome — fun to play in front of fans again,” Braves slugger Freddie Freeman said. Riley became the youngest player with a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning of a postseason game or later since Braves star Chipper Jones in 1995. Dodgers: Kershaw, the ace lefty from nearby Dallas, has 19 strikeouts in his two starts this postseason — both wins.

(AP Photo/Jim Mone)A look at what’s happening around the majors today:___SOUNDING OFFThe Astros are making noise on and off the field in the postseason, and that’s fine with outfielder Josh Reddick. Houston continues to draw the ire of fans across the majors for the sign-stealing scandal that came to light after last season. Former Houston pitcher and current A’s starter Mike Fiers was the one who revealed the Astros’ scam. “That’s what this year was about.”TAKE YOUR TIMEIf it seems baseball is going through an annual playoff slowdown, it’s true. “We’ve made progress but we haven’t made enough progress fast enough,” Phillies managing partner John Middleton said.

(AP Photo/Jim Mone)A look at what’s happening around the majors on Sunday:___SOUNDING OFFThe Astros are making noise on and off the field in the postseason, and that’s fine with outfielder Josh Reddick. Houston continues to draw the ire of fans across the majors for the sign-stealing scandal that came to light after last season. Former Houston pitcher and current A’s starter Mike Fiers was the one who revealed the Astros’ scam. “That’s what this year was about.”TAKE YOUR TIMEIf it seems baseball is going through an annual playoff slowdown, it’s true. “We’ve made progress but we haven’t made enough progress fast enough,” Phillies managing partner John Middleton said.

After first-quarter sales plummeted 23%, the apparel maker said the company is negotiating sports marketing contracts to defer payment with some of its athletes. "It's obviously not a desirable situation for companies and their athletes, but these are unprecedented times and call for unprecedented tactics," he added. Dorfman said assuming Under Armour has strong relationships with its athletes and there's confidence that business will eventually turn around, he believes athletes would be willing to accept an extended payment option. Under Armour said Monday it plans to cut $325 million in operating costs to help weather the crisis. "All of our athletes have been phenomenal during this period with how they have helped their communities and how they have helped Under Armour," he said.

Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after hitting a walk-off grand slam against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park on Aug. 15, 2019, in Philadelphia. (CNN) - The Philadelphia Phillies completed their sweep of the Chicago Cubs last night after the heroics of superstar Bryce Harper. According to MLB researcher David Adler, Harper's 113-mph grand slam reached a height of 158 feet and went a distance of 413 feet. Unfortunately, Harper's parents may not have stuck around for the special moment. One of the best reactions to the grand slam came on a Spanish telecast tweeted by a fan.

Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals and National League celebrates with the trophy after winning the T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Nationals Park on July 16, 2018 in Washington, DC. And for the first time ever, the top prize for the winner will be $1 million. The Home Run Derby pits some of the league's top sluggers against one another as they see who can hit the most home runs. Last year, the total prize pool for the home run derby was only $525,000, with the winner taking home $125,000. With $1 million of the $2.5 million prize pool going to the winner, expect the competition to be more fierce with significantly more money on the line.