MLB

Earlier this month, the Detroit Tigers expanded their playing roster with the annual September call-ups. This coterie of youngsters has arrived in Motown at the back end of Detroit’s roller-coaster season. They may play an important role, as the Tigers are currently looking up in both the division and wild-card standings and chasing their fourth consecutive berth in the postseason.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo had one highlight in an otherwise unimpressive outing against the Miami Marlins on Monday, breaking the all-time franchise record for strikeouts with his lone K of the night, per MLB Milestones.

It has been a difficult season for the Texas Rangers (54-89), who are now 35 games under .500 and without Ron Washington, their manager of eight years.

The critics have always been there, picking, prodding, scoffing.

The Chicago Cubs took clear steps forward this season and have built up momentum moving into 2015. When they get some more prospects at the big league level and some top line pitching in free agency, this team could compete. 

Several things are still up in the air for next season, such as potential free-agent signings, but the future certainly looks bright. Based on indications the team has given and how their current roster has performed, here is the projected 25-man roster for the Cubs on Opening Day next season.

They don't hand out Rookie of the Year awards in September.

If they did, the safe money would be on Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox and Billy Hamilton of the Cincinnati Reds taking home the honors in the American League and National League, respectively.

This is not on Billy Beane, and it is not a result of Yoenis Cespedes living in a different time zone.

This is just epic all on its own without placing blame or cause on either of those two men.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw had a comfortable 8-1 lead heading into the sixth inning of Monday night's game against the San Diego Padres, but this sequence of plays made things a little closer than the NL Cy Young front-runner would have liked.

After a flyout to center field, the Dodgers committed three errors in one play to allow both Yangervis Solarte and Rymer Liriano to score, trimming the lead to just 8-3 for Los Angeles.

The biggest deals don't always pay the biggest dividends. 

That conclusion is unavoidable after building the All-2014 MLB free-agent team. By far the best signing of the entire offseason was the Baltimore Orioles one-year, $8 million deal with Nelson Cruz. The Chicago White Sox have also already received all sorts of value from their six-year, $68 million agreement with Jose Abreu. 

While first base proved to be the most crowded spot on the team, the two weakest spots were center field and starting pitcher. 

Jimmy Rollins left Monday night's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after suffering an injury on a triple in the bottom of the fourth inning. According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, the Philadelphia Phillies shortstop strained his left hamstring: