BALTIMORE (AP) — The Houston Astros aren’t going to simply go through the motions while closing out the regular season.Houston’s game against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night was postponed by rain http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-roberto-osuna-jersey , meaning the Astros will squeeze in four games over the final three days, including a doubleheader on Saturday.The 54 postponements in the major leagues this year are the most since 58 in 1989, the commissioner’s office said.Houston will squeeze in four games over the final three days, including a doubleheader on Saturday.Not a problem for the AL West champions, who open the Division Series on Oct. 5 at home against Cleveland.Gerritt Cole (15-5), who was slated to start Thursday, will instead pitch Friday night. Justin Verlander (16-9) will start the opener on Saturday (the makeup of Thursday’s rainout) and Dallas Keuchel (12-11) will pitch in the nightcap.“It’s important to them to get their regular work because we’ll have a week off,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “There are also personal goals. Gerrit is trying to get 200 innings and Justin is still in consideration for the Cy Young.”The Astros have already clinched the second seed in the AL, already have 100 wins and need only to avoid injury through the weekend.But they can’t afford to lose their focus Roberto Alomar Jersey , even against the worst team in the major leagues.“I have stressed to them not to get sloppy,” Hinch said. “You don’t want to play like it’s spring training, then go have to go back into playoff mode.”Simply put, winning is still important.“I don’t want them to get into bad habits,” Hinch said. “We have to play the games and you have to keep your edge. You can’t not compete.”Hinch said his starters will continue to see action, even if it’s for just part of the game.Josh Reddick, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa were among those in the starting lineup Thursday.The Orioles, meanwhile http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-paul-molitor-jersey , are just striving to reach the finish line of the worst season in franchise history. Baltimore 46-112.TRAINER’S ROOMAstros: The wife of RHP Charlie Morton gave birth to a girl on Thursday. Morton could pitch the regular-season finale on Sunday.Orioles: RHP Miguel Castro (knee) remains sidelined. His status for this series is uncertain.UP NEXTAstros: Cole is 5-0 over his last seven starts. He stands 5 2/3 innings short of reaching 200 for the season.Orioles: Rookie David Hess (3-10, 5.14 ERA) starts Friday night. He has one victory since May 25. TORONTO — The Philadelphia Phillies are an example of how a team can turn things around from one season to the next.That should provide some encouraging new to fans at the Rogers Centre who have watched the Toronto Blue Jays struggle this season and last after reaching the American League Championship Series in 2015-16.The Phillies (69-58), who open a three-game interleague series against the Blue Jays (58-69) on Friday night, are still in contention in the National League East.Article continues below ...Right-hander Jake Arrieta (9-8, 3.25 ERA) will take the mound for the Phillies in the opener and he will oppose Blue Jays rookie left-hander Ryan Borucki (2-3, 4.27).Arrieta has not faced the Blue Jays this season and is 4-2 with a 4.85 ERA in eight career games (seven starts) against them.Borucki has never pitched against the Phillies.Philadelphia stopped a four-game losing streak Thursday afternoon with a 2-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on a two-run homer by Odubel Herrera and superb pitching from Aaron Nola.The Phillies already have surpassed their win total from last season when they won 66 games. This season, they won their 66th game on Aug. 15.The Blue Jays, meanwhile, are in a rebuilding phase Roger Clemens Jersey , or as general manager Ross Atkins puts it, transitioning. Whatever terminology is used, the Blue Jays have played poorly this season and can be thankful that the Baltimore Orioles are even worse.The Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep of the Orioles with a 6-0 victory on Wednesday afternoon with left-hander Thomas Pannone losing a no-hitter in the seventh inning in his first major-league start. The Blue Jays are 12-1 this season against the Orioles and 10-0 against them at home.This is the second meeting of the season between the Phillies and Blue Jays. Toronto won two of three games on May 25-27 in Philadelphia. One of the winning pitchers for the Blue Jays was J.A. Happ, who was traded to the New York Yankees last month.The Phillies recalled catcher Andrew Knapp from Triple-A Lehigh Valley before their game Thursday and put first baseman Justin Bour (left oblique strain) and right-hander Edubray Ramos (right index finger) on the 10-day disabled list.Phillies catcher Wilson Ramos (sore left wrist) said he hopes to return to action Friday. He missed the past three games after taking a pitch off a wrist while behind the plate and aggravated it swinging the bat Sunday. He had an MRI.“So far, the results of the MRI are good,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said Wednesday. “We’ll monitor how he’s feeling and be prepared to read and react. As of right now, he’s good.”“It’s a little sore, but I can play with it sore,” said Ramos Justin Smoak Jersey , who was obtained in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays last month.At the time of the trade, Ramos was on the DL with a strained hamstring. After being activated, he had seven hits in 17 at-bats (.412) in four games, including four doubles and a triple with four RBIs.The Blue Jays should have their rookie infielder Lourdes Gurriel (sprained left ankle) back in the lineup this weekend, possibly Friday. He has been on the disabled list since July 30.When Gurriel returns, he will be trying to prolong a streak of 11 straight games with at least two hits.Blue Jays designated hitter Kendrys Morales also will take a streak into Friday. He has homered in a career-best four straight games, for a total of five. Toronto expects to have right-hander Aaron Sanchez back in the starting rotation beginning Saturday. He injured his right middle index finger when it was caught in his falling suitcase.“The bag started falling, it happened all in a span of 30 seconds,” he said. “I pulled my finger http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-marco-estrada-jersey , I said ‘ow.’ My knuckle got super fat. I pitched that day (at Anaheim), it probably didn’t help. But it was the first time I was going to pitch in front of my family as a professional. And I wanted to see what I could do.”Sanchez lasted one inning in the June 21 start against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing two runs, and has been on the disabled list since.