Nick Markakis and the NL East champion Atlanta Braves are set to open

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Freddie Freeman Jhoulys Chacin Jersey , the playoffs on the road.All they need is an NL West champion to play.Needing at least a win to have a shot at home field in the NLDS, the Braves lost to the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 on Sunday.The Braves needed a win and a loss by both Colorado and Los Angeles to secure home-field advantage when the division series starts Thursday.The Dodgers and Rockies both ended up winning big, setting up a one-game playoff to decide the NL West. But the Braves’ second straight loss in Philadelphia made those results inconsequential for Atlanta.Braves manager Brian Snitker said he’ll watch the NL West-deciding game like a regular fan.“I don’t have a pick one way or the other,” he said. “I’m just glad we’re going to play Thursday.”Cesar Hernandez hit a leadoff home run, and Rhys Hoskins’ RBI double in the fifth inning helped a Phillies team that was 15 games over .500 on Aug. 5 finish with 80 wins.Losing home field was a mild disappointment to a Braves team that was a surprising, resounding success under Snitker. The Braves had lost 90-plus games in three straight seasons in a rebuild that was expected to see them need at least another season to contend for a playoff spot. Freeman, Nick Markakis and NL rookie of the year contender Ronald Acuna Jr. instead helped them become the first NL team to win 90 games (90-72) after three successive seasons of 90-plus losses.“I’m happy for all the guys in there that endured all that,” Snitker said.There’s more work ahead before they play either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Colorado Rockies. Snitker said he’ll meet with the coaching staff and other members of the organization on Monday to determine the 25-man playoff roster. Shortstop Dansby Swanson’s sore left wrist may keep him off that roster. He took some swings on Sunday and continued to receive treatment.With or without him, the Braves are in the playoffs for the first time since 2013.“It’s a good feeling what we accomplished this year — where we came from, where we started to where we are right now,” Snitker said. “There were multiple boxes we needed to check along the way here, and we did. It’s very gratifying. I’m proud of the guys in that room and how they carried themselves and showed up to play every single day.”Markakis led the way there, playing all 162 games for the Braves, and Freeman led the NL in hits.Kevin Gausman (10-11) took the loss in his first start since Sept. 20 and settled down after Hernandez’s leadoff homer.“I just kind of grooved that first pitch in there. I mean Jeremy Jeffress Jersey , it was right down the middle,” he said.Tommy Hunter (5-4) earned the win in relief for the Phillies, and Seranthony Dominguez got his 16th save to end a season where expectations soared in early August only to become unraveled in one of the bigger — but not close to the biggest — late-season collapses in team history. The Phillies went 17-34 after they were 15 games over .500 on Aug. 5.Rookie manager Gabe Kapler said 2019 could be a special season should his key players continue to improve — something think about in a pivotal offseason.“It’s going to include probably a lot of thinking about the Phillies,” he said.HIT KINGFreeman led the National League with 191 hits. He’s the first Brave to lead the NL outright since Terry Pendleton had 187 in 1991.Freeman went 0 for 1 with a walk against the Phillies.IRON MANMarkakis because the fifth Atlanta Brave to start all 162 games since 1962. Markakis started in right field and struck out twice before he was replaced for some needed rest.“He’s the definition of a pro,” Snitker said.CHANGEUPSean Newcomb retired two batters in the sixth in the first relief appearance of his career. Newcomb went 12-9 in 30 starts this season and had started all 49 of his previous appearances.GOING FOR THREEPhillies starter Ranger Suarez struck out five in three innings — and hit a stand-up triple for his first career hit.BANK ON ITThe Phillies finished 49-32 at home, their third-best record ever at Citizens Bank Park. They finished 31-50 on the road, the first time the Phillies were at least 15 games over .500 at home and 15 games under .500 on the road since 1955.Hoskins addressed the crowd before the game and said there was “obviously a little bit of disappointment with the way the season ended” but added that the Phillies would learn from it and be better in 2019.On fan appreciation day, Hoskins said Phillies fans were the best in baseball.HE SAID IT“If we had finished .500 this year, it would have been a huge step forward,” Snitker said.UP NEXTBraves: Play Game 1 of the NLDS on Thursday, Game 2 Friday and Game 3 Sunday. Mike Foltynewicz is the likely Game 1 starter.Phillies: GM Matt Klentak and team president Andy MacPhail will meet the media this week to discuss plans for the offseason. PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Just a few hours after Jacob deGrom threw his first practice pitch of spring training, the NL Cy Young Award winner let everyone know the score.He hasn’t received a long-term contract offer from the New York Mets and isn’t sure he will before opening day.“I honestly have no clue. There hasn’t really been many talks,” deGrom said Thursday. “But that can change in one phone call. I just don’t really know.”The 30-year-old deGrom is set to make $17 million this season and is under club control through 2020. If he doesn’t get a new deal this spring Jesus Aguilar Jersey , however, he didn’t rule out limiting his 2019 workload to protect his personal future.It’s an idea that was floated by his agent, Jeff Berry of CAA, in a recent memo to major leaguers during a second consecutive slow free-agent market. If teams are so hesitant to sign accomplished veterans because they come with wear and tear, maybe players should take measures themselves to assure they stay fresh.“I think that’s going to be a discussion that’s going to have to be had with my agents,” deGrom said, wearing a blue and orange Mets cap following the club’s first scheduled workout for pitchers and catchers. “I’m going to have to sit down with them and really see what they think is best for me moving forward.“You play this game ’cause you love it and then, you know, you have an opportunity to look out for your family and your future. So I think, just, you have to see what’s right for you to do.”Adding to it all is the bizarre fact that new Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen was deGrom’s agent with CAA before switching sides at the bargaining table last fall.Van Wagenen insisted he’s not worried about deGrom taking a seat to save his arm.“I don’t anticipate any concerns,” Van Wagenen said. “We want to protect Jacob deGrom as much as Jacob deGrom and as much as his agents want to protect him because he matters to us not just during the regular season but his impact is even more important for us in October. So, as far as managing workloads with or without an extension, we’re going to make sure that the player’s health is considered.”The developing saga has already commanded much of the attention as the new-look Mets open camp with an improved roster and playoff aspirations. Teammates have spoken out in support of the humble deGrom getting financially rewarded for his consistent excellence on the mound http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-ryan-braun-jersey , and the sides set an opening-day deadline for striking a deal so talks don’t create a distraction during the season.New York opens up March 28 in Washington, and manager Mickey Callaway drew laughs from reporters when — unprovoked — he made a point to announce deGrom (quite obviously) would get the ball.If no contract agreement is reached by then, discussions could always resume next offseason. As of now, at least“There’s been plenty of conversations but no offers exchanged,” Van Wagenen said. “I have no doubt that the two sides will know each other’s positions, if nothing else, by the end of camp, and hopefully we’ll be on the same page.”It was Van Wagenen — on the pitcher’s behalf — who suggested last July the organization should consider trading deGrom if it wasn’t planning to commit to him long-term.“That was just I think him trying to get something moving,” deGrom said with a sheepish smile. “We had heard the possibility of us talking and it’s never gotten anywhere. So, I think it was just trying to get the ball rolling and seeing what was happening and seeing if I was in this team’s future plans and not just right now.”A two-time All-Star and the 2014 NL Rookie of the Year, deGrom reiterated how much he loves playing in New York and wants to stay. He’s made it clear he’s interested in signing a multiyear contract now rather than testing free agency.Of course, chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and his father, owner Fred Wilpon, would be the ones approving any lucrative deal.So what are the Mets waiting for?“Jacob is 100 percent a part of our future now and hopefully for years to come Travis Shaw Jersey ,” Van Wagenen said. “Offers and contract negotiations can be complicated processes. It needs to have analysis done on the club side, it needs to have analysis done on the player’s side. We are still going through our considerations on the club side and once we have those done, we’ll obviously communicate some of that information to the player and his agent.”Last month, deGrom and the Mets agreed to a $17 million, one-year contract to avoid arbitration — a raise of $9.6 million over his 2018 salary.“I think first and foremost we wanted to get the arbitration, one-year number resolved,” Van Wagenen said. “You never want to create contention between players and the team they play for, so that was a real priority for us.“That goodwill hopefully now is shifting over to the next phase of our process,” he added. “Everybody knows that Jacob deGrom is great. Everybody knows that Jacob deGrom deserves to be handsomely rewarded for his performance.”After leading the majors with a 1.70 ERA in 217 innings last year, deGrom was a runaway winner in NL Cy Young Award balloting. He went just 10-9 with 269 strikeouts in 32 starts, receiving little support from a fourth-place team that finished 77-85.“I think that Jacob’s season last year, we’re probably never going to see anything like it again in our lifetime,” Callaway said.