Clayton Kershaw is a modest 13-9 this season, but the Dodgers are pumping him as a Cy Young candidate once again.

A.J. Ellis, Kershaw's catcher, doesn't believe his mediocre record should be held against him.

"It didn't hurt Felix Hernandez a few years ago," Ellis said, pointing to how the Seattle ace won the award in the American League in 2010 with a 13-12 record.

Kershaw's all-around statistics are barely down from his Cy Young Award season last year.

"The numbers speak for themselves," Ellis said. "It's really hard for starting pitchers to control wins and losses. All you can do is go out there and give your team in the best chance to win the game. I think having the lowest ERA in the National League does that. Our inability to score runs, especially when he pitches, may at the end of the day cost him."

Ken Rosenthal muses that Major League Baseball might not need much pushing to alter course from a one-game Wild Card playoff.

An additional Wild Card berth was introduced this season and the two Wild Card entrants will play one game to determine who makes it to a division series.

Rosenthal writes that if the Yankees fail to win the American League East and are then eliminated as a Wild Card, Bud Selig could be forced to change the rules.

"The Yankees would scream," Rosenthal writes. "The networks would seethe. And Commissioner Bud Selig might think, 'Uh, why did I just allow the sport's No. 1 attraction to go down in the blink of an eye?'"

Jake Peavy, who will be a free agent for the first time in his career, may represent himself in contract talks.

The White Sox are expected to pay Peavy a $4 million buyout instead of exercising the $22 million option in his contract.

His longtime agent, Barry Axelrod, is leaving to take a position with the Diamondbacks.

The MLB Players Association does assist players in such negotiating situations.

Robin Ventura made it clear on Sunday that he has no plans to leave the White Sox.

Chicago signed the first-year manager to a three-year contract prior to the 2012 season.

Ventura tried to be funny on Saturday when he said he was just trying to make it through the end of the season in response to a question about his long-term future as a manager.

"I plan on being here for two more years, yes," Ventura said. "Unless they don't want me to be here."

David Wright isn't sure how much longer he'll be with the Mets.

Wright said he has "no idea" where he will play in 2014, much less the remainder of his Major League career.

Wright, who turns 30 in December, wants his next contract to take him until the end of his career.

The Mets have a $16 million option on Wright for next season, but even his immediate future remains unresolved.

Wright has resolved to test free agency during next offseason if no extension can be reached this winter. He does not want in-season dialogue.

He watched longtime teammate Jose Reyes leave as a free agent last winter.

"I always thought Jose would be back, that it was just a lot to do about nothing," Wright said. "We've known each other since 2001. You're talking about playing around or with each other for 11 years. Yeah, of course it opens your eyes. It makes you realize in a lot of ways there is an ugly business side to this -- whether it's from the player's perspective or the team's perspective."

Dusty Baker plans to rejoin the Reds in St. Louis after missing 11 games following a mini-stroke.

Baker is expected to manage the club in their final series of the regular season.

The Reds have clinched the National League Central title and are in a race with Washington for the NL's best record.

Cincinnati is 7-4 without Baker.

The Pirates blew a ninth-inning lead against the Reds on Sunday, ensuring the franchise yet another losing season.

Pittsburgh was 16 games over .500 on Aug. 6, but has lost 18 of 23 to fall to 77-82.

The Pirates extended their major North American professional sports record -- 20 straight losing seasons.

Mark Teixeira is expected to return to the Yankees for Monday's game against the Red Sox, provided he comes through one final workout on Sunday and is cleared to play.

New York has three games left this season and is tied with Baltimore for first place in the American League East.

Teixeira hasn't played since Sept. 8, when he attempted to return to action after missing 10 games with a strained left calf.

In the 30 games Teixeira has missed since originally suffering the injury Aug. 27, the Yankees have gone 17-13 and have seen their lead in the division shrink from 3.5 games to zero.

Mike Trout made Major League history on Sunday when he hit a home run against the Rangers in the first half of a double-header.

Trout now has 30 home runs and 48 stolen bases this season. He is the first rookie ever to surpass 30 homers and 40 steals.

Only two players have ever had 30 homers and 50 stolen bases in a single season -- Eric Davis in 1987 and Barry Bonds in 1990.

The Angels have four games left in the season.

The belief is that the Marlins will let Ozzie Guillen go after the completion of the season, but he says he deserves another chance.

"I think it would be unfair if they fire me after just one chance," Guillen said.

At the same time, Guillen said he would understand if he did in fact get fired.

"I don't think anyone is more sad, more embarrassed than me," he said. "Walking from the parking lot to my office, it's kind of hard looking people in the face. I have a lot of pride, and my pride was very down this year."