MLB trade rumors and news: Red Sox clinch a playoff berth

The MLB Daily Dish is a daily feature we’re running here at MLBDD that rounds up roster-impacting news, rumors, and analysis. Have feedback or have something that should be shared? Hit us up at @mlbdailydish on Twitter or @MLBDailyDish on Instagram.

Need to catch up on everything that happened at this year’s non-waiver trade deadline? Check out our complete review of every deal that went down on July 31.

• The Red Sox became the first team this year to clinch a playoff berth, defeating the Blue Jays and improving to 99-46. Though the Sox have cooled off over the last month that they no longer have a realistic chance to finish with the best record in major-league history, it’s undeniable that they’ve been dominant this year, and they’ll head into the playoffs as World Series favorites.
• Awful news for the A’s: Sean Manaea, who has been out since late August with rotator cuff tendinitis, will have shoulder surgery and is expected to miss all of the 2019 season.
• Get caught up on recent roster moves with our latest Complete MLB Transactions List.
• We took a look at the players who were September call-ups earlier in the month, but here is a look at the players that were, at the risk of sounding less than delicate, snubbed as September call-ups because of service-time considerations and other, more mysterious reasons.
• It’s never too early to start looking at the free-agent hellfire that will rain down on us the moment the World Series ends. For crying out loud, Bryce Harper was being asked about going to the Yankees before this season even began. Check out our preview of the 2018-2019 MLB free-agent class.
• The Blue Jays have had a tough season in an absolutely brutal division. The front office does not appear to be happy with the club’s direction and will reportedly fire John Gibbons once the 2018 season ends.
• Shohei Ohtani has been recommended to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right UCL, which would obviously keep him off the mound for the entire 2019 season. Crazily enough, he remains arguably the hottest hitter in the major leagues.
• Now that we are in September, here is a list of call-ups to keep an eye on as the month progresses.
• The MLB postseason has certainly become more exciting this decade with the creation of the wild-card play-in game. Our Anthony Spaulding believes that the playoffs are still very imperfect, though, and he writes that maybe the two playoff teams with the worst records should face off in that one-game playoff.
• The Rays have been incredibly hot of late. However, they have made some very questionable moves dating back to the end of the 2017 season that may have cost them a playoff spot this year.