DETROIT -- The Cleveland Indians arent interested in coasting to the finish line.The American League Central Division champion Indians will wrap up their season series with the host Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon -- weather permitting -- before moving on to Kansas City to close out their regular season.Detroit winds up in Atlanta, where it will continue its fight for a wild card playoff berth in a National League city. That means Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez will only be able to pinch-hit.But typical Midwest autumn weather could mess things up.Detroit and Cleveland managed to eke out five innings Wednesday night with the Tigers waiting 72 minutes to learn they had pulled out a 6-3 win thanks to Miguel Cabreras three-run home run through a hard rain with one out in the fifth.The weather forecast for Thursdays isnt much better.Ive learned to take forecasts with a grain of salt, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. Its an inexact science, much like bullpen usage.Everyone will do everything they can to avoid a rained out game because if it had playoff implications Cleveland would have to return to Detroit on Monday for a makeup.I know theyre going to try, manager Terry Francona of Cleveland said. If we dont play, wed have to come back here on Monday if need be. Im sure theyre going to try and play, even though the forecast isnt very good.If the game didnt have any ramifications you wouldnt play it, Ausmus said. That happened last year. We had a game rained out with Cleveland. We only played 161 games last year.If it had an impact on the playoff race, they would absolutely have to play the game.Francona is trying to line up his pitching and get his regulars tuned up for whatever playoff fate awaits them. Attaining the best record in the league for home field advantage throughout the playoffs is still a doable feat.We talked about it the other day as a team, kind of like how we wanted to approach it, Francona said. I understand that some guys need rest and thats what well do.On one hand it gives some of the younger guys a chance to play, which is good. But regardless of who plays or how much, you always play the game right.That way you dont have to concern yourself about (raising your level of play). You dont just turn the button on and off; thats hard to do. Then when it comes times for the playoffs to start, then you dont have to worry that you kind of went 80 percent, because thats hard to do.Detroit will start one of its precious young starters, left-hander Daniel Norris (3-2, 3.59 ERA) while Cleveland will send out one of its September call-ups, southpaw Ryan Merritt (0-0, 1.50 ERA).Merritt made 24 starts in Triple-A, going 11-8 with a 3.70 ERA. The 16th-round selection in the 2011 draft has been up with the Indians three times this season, pitching just six innings spread over three relief appearances with one run allowed.This will mark his first appearance against Detroit.Norris, on the disabled list twice this season, will be making his third start against Cleveland this season. He is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA against the Indians this year and 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA against Cleveland over three career starts. Camiseta Stefan Savic . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Camiseta Atletico De Madrid Niño . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. http://www.atleticomadridtiendaonline.es/ . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Camiseta Diego Costa Atletico . As he recorded his 23rd and 24th points of the evening, a segment of the sellout Air Canada Centre crowd expressed their appreciation for the Raptors point guard with a smattering of MVP chants. Camiseta Diego Costa Atletico De Madrid . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year. DETROIT -- Matt Boyd is more focused on the present than the future.The young left-hander is making a strong case to be counted on for inclusion in the Detroit Tigers 2017 rotation.He understands that goal can best be served by pitching well enough to remain a Detroit starter through the end of the season, which so far he has done exceedingly well.Boyd (5-2, 3.98 ERA) starts Monday night against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park in the opening of a three-game series. Detroit holds an 8-5 edge over Chicago so far.When you start looking within your division, we havent played (that well), White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. You have to be able to reverse that, find a way to be able to win those games.Games like (Saturday night, 9-3 win over Seattle) can help. But you want to be able to do that within your division.We have some tough teams within the division as well, teams that can pitch, and Detroit, offensively, thats a tough team. You have to be able to stop them and you have to be able to score just like they do.Boyd has allowed three runs or less in each of his last eight starts, going 5-0 with a 2.38 ERA since July 9. Boyd has started twice against the White Sox this season, the only times he has faced them, without a decision and a 7.27 ERA.Hell be tasked with stopping a two-game Detroit slide that followed a five-game winning streak as the Tigers lost to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, 5-0.Boyd, Daniel Norris and Michael Fulmer give Detroit three young pitchers in their rotation and the trio do their workouts together, dissect their performances with one another and push one another to exceed expectations.While those three might get pushed back in the Tigers rotation after Thursdays day off, Wednesdays starter, Justin Verlander, is probable to pitch in turn through Septembber.ddddddddddddIf the team wants me to go on regular rest, Verlander said, I think thats a big benefit of having a guy thats been a workhorse for a long time. Im going to be honest with Brad and tell him if Im good to go or not.Im happy to do it. As long as I feel stay feeling good, Im good to go.The White Sox have veteran James Shields (5-16, 5.98 ERA) set for the opener.His ERA with Chicago is 7.49 in 15 starts but for August its 13.95 in five outings. Hes faced the Tigers three times this season, going 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA.The right-hander has had mixed results against Detroit over the years. In 22 starts, he is 7-8 with a 4.53 ERA.The White Sox have been looking at the future since the All-Star break, if not before.On Friday they traded catcher Dioner Navarro to Toronto in exchange for a young minor league left-hander, Colton Turner.The White Sox activated former Tiger Alex Avila from the disabled list but instead of backing up Navarro, Avila will be behind Omar Narvaez.As we talked about, Chicago GM Rick Hahn said. Omar has done a nice job putting himself on the map playing a role here over the next few years. And this should likely give him a few more opportunities over the next four or five weeks to play on a regular basis.Chicago will bring up a third catcher for flexibility when rosters expand but he isnt likely to get many looks.There are some options in the pipeline, Hahn said. But certainly heading into this offseason, we are going to find a direction for 2017 and some answers for 2017 behind the plate.Chicago has lefty Chris Sale lined up to face Verlander in the series closeout Wednesday.He has thrown 120 pitches in each of his last two starts. ' ' '