Baseball

The New York Mets didn’t want to leave any doubt in the minds of the casual fans. An 8-3 thrashing in Game 4 on Wednesday and a sweep of the Chicago Cubs meant they secured their place as the best team in the National League and a spot in the World Series.

After missing their chance to clinch a World Series berth on Wednesday, the Kansas City Royals return to Kauffman Stadium, where they have won their last three postseason games, with a chance to eliminate the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Friday. 

For the Toronto Blue Jays, Game 6 of the American League Championship Series—set for Friday at 8:07 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1—is a must-win. For the Kansas City Royals, it's a you-really-should-win.

Either way, to paraphrase a certain presidential candidate, it's going to be huge.

Not everyone who has taken part in the 2015 MLB postseason can be like the New York Mets' Daniel Murphy.

While the unassuming second baseman has been the biggest surprise of the playoffs, there's also been no lack of players and teams who have been downright disappointing.

Expectations were a big part of the equation in ranking the biggest underachievers of all thus far. After all, disappointment is all about unfulfilled potential. There was also room on the list for players and clubs who have failed in epic fashion. 

The five-year marriage between Don Mattingly and the Los Angeles Dodgers came to an end Thursday as the two sides announced they had mutually agreed to part ways, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell has been away from the team since Aug. 14 after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but terrific news trickled in Thursday when the organization announced his cancer is in remission.     

Major League Baseball saw more than just the Chicago Cubs' season end on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets. It also signaled the end of pitcher Dan Haren's career, who announced his retirement early Thursday morning. 

Here is how he told the baseball world:

The New York Mets are waiting for their World Series opponent.  

Wasting no time on drama, the Mets swept the Chicago Cubs in a one-sided National League Championship Series, jumping out to an early 6-0 lead to capture Game 4 on Wednesday night. Now they'll sit back and scout their two possible American League adversaries.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and manager Don Mattingly mutually agreed to part ways Thursday, according to the club's official Twitter account. Now, the search for a new manager is underway.  

Continue for updates.

As the New York Mets anxiously await their opponent in the 2015 World Series, manager Terry Collins has everything set up exactly as he wants with five days off to set up the pitching staff however he chooses. 

The Kansas City Royals are one win away from securing their second consecutive berth in the Fall Classic, going back to Kauffman Stadium with two chances to close out the Toronto Blue Jays starting on Friday.