A look at what’s happening around the majors today:ON THE CUSPJose Ramirez and the Cleveland Indians can clinch their third consecutive AL Central crown with a victory at home over Detroit and a Minnesota loss at last-place Kansas City. Josh Tomlin (1-5) pitches for the Indians against Matthew Boyd (9-12) and the Tigers. All-Star right-hander Jose Berrios (11-11) and the Twins face rookie Jorge Lopez (2-4) http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-ichiro-suzuki-jersey , who took a perfect game into the ninth inning last Saturday at Minnesota.STROP STOPPEDThe NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs probably won’t have their closer when they open a three-game series against Cincinnati. Pedro Strop injured a hamstring while running to first on a double-play grounder Thursday in just his second at-bat of the season. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Strop will have an MRI on Friday. Strop has served as Chicago’s closer since Brandon Morrow was placed on the disabled list July 18. Strop has converted 11 of 13 save opportunities in that span and has a 2.26 ERA on the season.LAST GASPIt might be too late already, but Bryce Harper and the Nationals get perhaps their final chance to at least make a charge in the NL East when they begin a three-game series at first-place Atlanta. A heavy favorite before the season, Washington (74-73) sits third in the division, 8½ games behind the Braves with 15 to play. Max Scherzer (17-6, 2.31 ERA) starts the opener, looking to boost his bid for a fourth Cy Young Award and third straight in the National League. He leads the NL in wins and is 2-1 with a 1.67 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 27 innings this season against Atlanta.SNAKE EYESIf the plummeting Diamondbacks want to keep pace in the playoff hunt, they’ll have to do it against a first-place team. Arizona dropped two of three against NL West-leading Colorado to fall 4½ games back in the division and has lost 10 of 13 heading into a three-game series at AL West-leading Houston. The Diamondbacks also lost starter Clay Buchholz to injury during the Colorado series. They do have their pair of Zacks — Godley and Greinke — pitching Saturday and Sunday. “Time is running out,” Steven Souza Jr. said. “We are making it more difficult on ourselves, but it’s not impossible.”TRUE TESTNoah Syndergaard (11-3, 3.44 ERA) takes on baseball’s best team when the Mets play the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Syndergaard is 5-1 over his last seven starts. Hector Velazquez (7-2, 3.29) gets the ball for Boston, which is closing in on a third straight AL East title. The magic number for the Red Sox is six over the second-place Yankees. Boston is the only team in the majors that’s already locked up a playoff berth. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesWhen the Atlanta Braves face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a National League Divisional Series matchup Kyle Seager Jersey , two notable players will be unavailable: Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson and Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling.According to ESPN'sAlden Gonzalez and Brad Doolittle, Swanson was left off the NLDS roster as he receives "treatment for a partially torn ligament in his left hand, suffered on a swing in a game last week." He hasn't played since Sept. 25.Mark Bowman mlbbowmanSwanson says his left hand is improving 鈥渟lowly, but surely.鈥滺e hopes to be ready if the Braves advance past the NLDSStripling, meanwhile, didn't make the cut for L.A., with the team already carrying 12 pitchers and an eight-man bullpen. He wasn't the only noticeablename left off of the Dodgers' NLDS roster: Veteran second baseman Chase Utley also didn't make the cut.Stripling's exclusion from the NLDS roster doesn't come as a huge surprise after his September struggles. He posted an 0-3 record, 6.75 ERA and 15 strikeouts in five appearances (four starts).Andy McCullough McCulloughTimesRyan Madson has not been particularly good this season, but opposing hitters OPSd .966 against Stripling in the second half. So it goes.With the Dodgers rolling withHyun-Jin Ryu,Clayton Kershaw,Walker BuehlerandRich Hillas the starters and Ryan Madson,Kenta Maeda http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-nelson-cruz-jersey ,Scott Alexander,Caleb Ferguson,Pedro Baez, Dylan Floro and Alex Wood as options out of the bullpen to get the game to closer Kenley Jensen, Stripling was expendable.As for Swanson, the third-year shortstop had an up-and-down year, hitting .238 with 14 homers, 59 RBI, 51 runs and 10 stolen bases. He'll be replaced by Charlie Culberson, who hit .270 for the Braves this year with 12 homers and 45 RBI, largely in a utility role."He's probably been arguably maybe our most valuable player," Braves manager Brian Snitkersaid Carlos Ruiz Jersey , per Gonzalez and Doolittle.Culberson, a former Dodger, is ready for the moment."I'm very familiar with the team over there, and I've definitely enjoyed my year so far here," he said, perMark Bradleyof theAtlanta Journal-Constitution."But we're not done yet. Our team has played really hard, just like everybody else, but we're in this position for a reason. There's no need to let off the gas now."
