BRENT SUTER

A new study finds that climate change is making major league sluggers into even hotter hitters, sending an extra 50 or so home runs a year over the fences.

Cody Bellinger, Brian Anderson and Luke Voit were among 83 players who became free agents when their former teams declined to offer them contracts for next season.

Andrew Knizner hit a two-run homer, Miles Mikolas pitched six strong innings and the St. Louis Cardinals clinched the NL Central title with a 6-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Major League Baseball is considering a pitch clock for next year along with shift limits, larger bases and restrictions on pickoff attempts.

Another negotiating session produced only minor movement and no proposals on big-money issues, leaving Major League Baseball four days from management’s Monday night deadline for a deal to salvage opening day and a 162-game season.

Baseball negotiations have resumed with new intensity in an effort to salvage opening day.

The Milwaukee Brewers will start Freddy Peralta against Atlanta Braves right-hander Ian Anderson in Game 3 of the NL Division Series.

The Cardinals’ team-record 17-game winning streak ended when Daniel Vogelbach hit a two-run homer that backed Adrian Houser and led the Milwaukee Brewers over St. Louis 4-0.

Brandon Belt hit his second homer of the night during a four-run outburst in the 11th inning as the San Francisco Giants rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-6 in a wild Saturday night matchup between division leaders.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Tepera was suspended for three games by Major League Baseball, which concluded he intentionally threw at Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff this week.

Willson Contreras struck back after getting plunked again by the Brewers, hitting a two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Chicago Cubs rallied past Milwaukee 3-2 on Tuesday night.

The Vancouver Canucks now have 17 players in the NHL COVID-19 protocol with the addition of rookie forward Nils Hoglander.

SETBACK IN THE BULLPENBlue Jays right-hander Kirby Yates will miss several weeks because of a strained muscle in his forearm. He allowed one run and five hits, striking out five without a walk. Ross Stripling struck out seven and walked none in 3 2/3 innings, but gave up three runs and five hits. Bryan Abreu, a top Astros pitching prospect who turns 24 next month, started and pitched three perfect innings, striking out four. Baltimore starter John Means allowed four hits and walked three over 3 2/3 innings, striking out three.

The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of a National League wild-card baseball series Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers' powerful lineup went mostly quiet against the Milwaukee Brewers. Mookie Betts had two hits and an RBI and Corey Seager homered in the Dodgers' 4-2 victory in the opener of their NL playoff Wednesday night. The eight-time NL West champion Dodgers capitalized early in a bullpen game for the Brewers and can wrap up the best-of-three series Thursday. “A walk is just as good as a hit sometimes, which we showed in the first inning,” Seager said.

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Josh Hader signals with catcher Manny Pina (9) after a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020, in Chicago (AP Photo/Matt Marton)CHICAGO Keston Hiura and Orlando Arcia homered, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 on Sunday for their third straight win against the NL Central leaders. The Cubs struck out 53 times during the four-game set. Brewers starter Josh Lindblom also struggled, allowing five runs in five-plus innings. In the fifth, Urias led off with a triple and Arcia followed with a two-run homer to put the Brewers on top 5-3. HOMECOMINGBefore traveling to Minnesota for a three-game series beginning Tuesday night, the Brewers were planning to return home Sunday night.

The steady stream of players testing positive and opting out is leading to a growing unease that the full season might not be played. Theres a ton of players out there quoted saying this, but it almost feels like youre waiting on bad news, right? Youre waiting for travel restrictions to be shut down across the nation. Youre waiting for a second wave, where things become unplayable and sports take a backseat. MLB said it addressed delays caused by the holiday weekend, doesnt expect them to continue and commended teams for canceling workouts.