Will Cabrera play Wednesday?

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland knows he has a tough decision to make. Does he insert Miguel Cabrera into the lineup for Wednesday's finale against the Royals, or does he sit the slugger, likely assuring his third baseman of the first Triple Crown in 45 years?

"I've not made the decision, but I will. I'm going to think about it tonight. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do," Leyland told reporters. "But I'm sure I'll be criticized, whatever it is."

With one game remaining in the regular season, Cabrera leads the American League in average (.331), home runs (44) and RBI (139), putting him on the brink of becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.

Did Leyland tip his hand Tuesday? John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press thinks Cabrera will be rested, or at least be lifted from the game early. "Leyland seems to be willing to take some criticism for removing Cabrera tonight and ensuring the Triple Crown," Lowe writes. "He'd rather do that than live the rest of his life knowing he cost Cabrera the Triple Crown."

Wednesday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

Streaking

Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels (20-4, 2.73 ERA)

Weaver has won four consecutive starts since falling to the Mariners on Sept. 2. He also lost to Seattle on Aug. 12 when Montero hit two homers. Weaver is 12-6 with a 3.12 ERA in 24 career starts against the Mariners. He needs nine strikeouts for his fifth consecutive season of 150 or more strikeouts.

Ryan Vogelsong, San Francisco Giants (14-9, 3.46 ERA)

Vogelsong is 4-3 with a 3.45 ERA in 16 career games against the Dodgers, including 2-1 with an 0.89 ERA in three starts this season. After struggling for much of August and September, he has allowed just two runs (one earned) in 12 innings over his last two starts. Kemp is 5-for-15 (.333) with a home run against Vogelsong.

Slumping

Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston Red Sox (1-6, 7.68 ERA)

Matsuzaka will be making what is likely his final appearance in a Boston uniform. The hugely hyped right-hander ended up having two solid seasons and four injury-marred campaigns with the Red Sox after a posting fee and six-year contract that came out to more than $100 million. Matsuzaka has made four starts in September, going 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA. He last pitched at Tampa Bay on Sept. 19 and lasted only three innings, allowing five runs. He is 3-3 with a 5.52 ERA in 10 career starts against New York.

Edwin Jackson, Washington Nationals (9-11, 4.13 ERA)

Jackson slipped to 0-4 in his career against the Phillies when he lost on Aug. 24, allowing three runs and seven hits in six innings. He was roughed up in his last start when he gave up nine runs (eight earned) in just 1 1/3 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. Jackson had a 7.92 ERA in five September starts. He is 0-3 with a 4.34 ERA in three starts against the Phillies this season.

Angels eliminated from playoffs despite victory over Mariners

Mike Trout went 4-for-5 with three RBI and finished a home run shy of the cycle as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim toppled the Seattle Mariners, 8-4, in the opener of the season-ending three- game series at Safeco Field.

Trout added two runs scored, Howie Kendrick had four hits and a pair of RBI, and Torii Hunter, Albert Pujols and Mark Trumbo all knocked in runs for the Angels, who were eliminated from wild card contention after the Oakland A's topped the Texas Rangers on Monday.

"We played our butts off and did what we had to do, we fought and still couldn't get in there, we had other teams playing better. It's a disappointing season for fans, for players, coaching staff, everybody. What we're going to do is regroup and come back next year ready to go and hopefully I'm a part of it," Hunter said.

C.J. Wilson (13-10) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits with seven strikeouts and five walks to snap a three-start winless run.

Casper Wells had two hits, including a solo home run, while Justin Smoak and Trayvon Robinson added RBI apiece for the Mariners, who have lost seven of their last eight games.

Felix Hernandez (13-9) concluded his season on a sour note, matching a season- high with seven runs allowed on 12 hits and three walks with seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. The former Cy Young winner has not won since Aug. 27.

"Another fantastic year by Felix," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said.

The Angels jumped on top with three runs in the first inning. Trout led off the game with a double and came around to score on a two-bagger by Pujols. After Alberto Callaspo walked two batters later, Trumbo ripped an RBI single up the middle. Kendrick then capped the inning with a run-scoring single into left field.

The Mariners got a run back in the home first when Wells blasted a solo shot over the wall in left field.

Maicer Izturis ripped a one-out single in the Los Angeles fourth and Chris Iannetta followed with a walk before Trout poked a single back up the middle. plating Izturis for a 4-1 lead.

The Angels added three more runs in the sixth inning. Kendrick singled to start things and Izturis followed with a base hit. Trout then drove one into the left-center field gap for a two-run triple and Hunter knocked a ground ball through a drawn-in infield to score Trout for a six-run cushion.

The M's got three runs back in the seventh to cut the deficit to 7-4. Wells began the inning with a ground-rule double over the wall in left-center field and Jesus Montero singled two batters later.

Garrett Richards replaced Wilson and allowed an RBI double to Justin Smoak. After Michael Saunders flied out, Miguel Olivo reached base on an error by Kendrick, which allowed Montero to cross the plate and Robinson followed by poking a run-scoring single into left field.

An RBI double into the right-field corner by Kendrick in the ninth capped the scoring.

Game Notes

Los Angeles missed the postseason for the third consecutive season ... Hunter left the game in the seventh inning due to light-headedness ... The Angels are 8-1 in their last nine games in Seattle and are 75-37 against the M's since the 2007 season ... Seattle went 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base.

Mets coaches will return

New York Mets manager Terry Collins announced Monday his entire coaching staff will return in 2013. Pitching coach Dan Warthen, hitting coach Dave Hudgens, third base coach Tim Teufel, first base coach Tom Goodwin and bullpen coach Ricky Bones all earned another year on the job.

The Mets' front office is happy with Collins despite another late-season collapse, but they are reluctant to discuss any extension, reports Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. Collins is under contract through the 2013 season.

Martino reports Triple-A manager Wally Backman is likely to be offered a chance to return, but it is unclear if he will accept. Backman's name has popped up for managerial openings over the past few years.

Sabathia on short rest?

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi did not reveal if he would consider usingCC Sabathia, on three days rest if the team is forced into a one-game wild card playoff on Friday.

Pitching on short rest is nothing new for Sabathia, who thrived in that role for the Brewers in the 2008 playoffs. The southpaw also has a 2.72 ERA in four regular season starts on short rest.

In a perfect world, the Yankees would like to wrap up the AL East in the next day or two and avoid the winner-take-all contest altogether. But if the one-gamer is necessary, Girardi will likely choose between Phil Hughes on regular rest or Sabathia.

Andy Pettitte has already been announced as the starter if there's a one-game playoff for the division on Thursday.

Dusty's future in Cincinnati

After missing out on the Cincinnati Reds clinching the NL Central crown, Dusty Baker was back on the bench for Monday's 4-2 loss to St. Louis.

Baker missed his 11th game Sunday after being hospitalized for an irregular heartbeat. He suffered a mini-stroke as he was being released from a Chicago-area hospital, leading to some speculation as to whether the health scare could have a lasting impact on his baseball future.

Over the week, Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune wrote Baker would be more likely to walk away if the Reds were to win a World Series title.

The 63-year-old Baker has managed 19 seasons in the big leagues and has one World Series appearance on his resume, a loss to the Angels in 2002 when he piloted the Giants. That was his final season in San Francisco, so there is a precedent for Baker to leave while on top.

Tuesday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

STREAKING

Barry Zito, San Francisco Giants (14-8, 4.19)

Zito pitched six innings of three-run ball against Arizona to record his 14th victory of the season last time out. The veteran left-hander has only surrendered six earned runs over this last four starts, all wins. He takes the hill against the Dodgers next.

Miguel Gonzalez, Baltimore Orioles (8-4, 3.45)

Gonzalez gave up two earned runs in seven innings as the Orioles prevailed over the Blue Jays 12-2 on Wednesday. The rookie continues to impress, giving up just two earned runs in three straight starts. He takes the ball against the Rays as Baltimore continues its quest for the AL East title.

SLUMPING

Carlos Villanueva, Toronto Blue Jays (7-7, 4.16)

Villanueva pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up six earned runs on four home runs in a Blue Jays' loss to the Orioles on Wednesday. The righty has been blasted in September, yielding 24 earned runs in just 26 2/3 innings in the month. His final start of the year comes against the lowly Twins.

Patrick Corbin, Arizona Diamondbacks (6-8, 4.77)

Corbin was lit up for six runs in just three innings at San Francisco on Thursday. The young left-hander has lasted just three frames in each of his last two outings and makes one more start against Colorado on Tuesday.