MLB Bullets is cutting it close

Those of you cheering for maximum chaos this week are getting it. I just assume that you didn’t meant for that chaos to involve the Cubs.

• Michael Baumann has a preview of the last week of the season, which is a little dated at this point but still has some stuff to look for in the final five days.
• The Athletics clinched a wild card berth, their first playoff appearance since that wild card game with Jon Lester in 2014.
• The only National League team to have clinched a playoff spot so far is the Braves. Jonah Keri looks at the reasons behind the Braves turnaround. Personally, I think the farewell tour of Braves superfan Elton John had something to do with it.
• The Braves overtook the Phillies in the East as Philadelphia faded badly down the stretch. Jeff Sullivan notes that the Phillies could not overcome their biggest problem: they are the worst defensive team in baseball since Fangraphs started measuring defense in 2003.
• Despite their late-season fade, John Fisher thinks the Phillies young roster gives the team hope for 2019 and beyond.
• Jay Jaffe has another piece on the collapse of the Diamondbacks pennant hopes in September. This one has an oh-so-appropriate Wile E. Coyote gif, so that automatically makes it better than the other ones.
• I’ve barely mentioned the Giants this season and that’s because they’ve done very little worth mentioning. Probably related, the Giants have fired general manager Bobby Evans.
• The Reds have started interviewing candidates for their vacant managerial job. Interim manager Jim Riggleman will be considered. Hall-of-Famer Barry Larkin won’t and that was reportedly Larkin’s decision.
• Eric Chavez is the leading candidate to be the next Angels manager, although longtime manager Mike Scioscia says he wants to stick around.
• Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper says that he would “absolutely love” to re-sign with Washington.
• Reds pitcher Matt Harvey is a free agent when the season ends and he’s open to remaining in Cincinnati. In fact, Harvey says that there are 29 teams he’s willing to play for. One guess which team he isn’t willing to play for. I’m guessing it rhymes with Blue Pork Pets.
• Mets third baseman David Wright was activated to make his farewell appearance with the team. Wright says he’s just going to have fun this week.
• Eric Stephen explains why Wright is going to have to stay on the roster for awhile as the Mets work out an insurance settlement.
• It’s not a surprise, but Shohei Ohtani will undergo Tommy John surgery next week.
• Add Jeff Passan to the voices who say the kids in the game today are the “greatest generation” of baseball players.
• Like Rays pitcher Blake Snell? Jeff Sullivan looks at how Snell turned himself into the best pitcher in the American League in the second half.
• A’s closer Blake Treinen isn’t going to win the Cy Young Award, but Eddie Matz looks at how Treinen reinvented himself in Oakland and it’s resulted in a Cy Young-quality season.
• Nobody has to tell Orioles first baseman Chris Davis about how bad he’s been this year. But Stephanie Apstein talks to Davis about how he deals with his struggles. Davis knows there is something wrong but he doesn’t know what to do about it.
• Gabriel Baumgaertner tries to figure out why Twins local-boy-done-good Joe Mauer is controversial among some Twins fans.
• Aaron Gleeman has a transcript of a talk he had with Twins GM Thad Levine.
• Doug Mittler has a look at some starting pitchers who could play a big role out of the bullpen in the playoffs. (ESPN+ sub. req.)
• Grant Brisbee thinks “defensive indifference” is dumb, along with other thoughts.
• The assault charges against Astros closer Roberto Osuna were dropped after an agreement.
• James Wagner has a great story about a Mexican League team that plays half of their home games in Laredo, Texas. It’s a story of cross-border cooperation and friendship. Also capitalism.
• Congratulations to “King” Felix Hernandez, who is now an American citizen.
• Perri Klass has the story of how she discovered that Red Sox fans and Yankees fans can not only peacefully coexist but actually become friends after she moved from Boston to New York.
• A potentially-terrifying moment turned into a fantastic catch when Rays pitcher Jake Faria snared a 109-mph line drive headed for his face.
• And finally, here’s Shohei Ohtani singing “Despacito.” Because there’s nothing he can’t do, apparently.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.