BASEBALL

Photo Credit: LAPRESSE

Former President George W. Bush is set to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the World Series opener between the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. This will be Bush's fourth World Series ceremonial first pitch, but his first before an opener. The former president is no stranger to the baseball world, having been the owner of the Texas Rangers from 1988 to 1994.

As U.S. president from 2001 to 2009, Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium between New York and Arizona. With heavy security following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Bush wore a bullet-proof vest.

Photo Credit: Matt Slocum

Bryce Harper has manhandled postseason pressure with the ease of one of his swings -- bat tucked behind his helmet, short ground step, then, whack! -- against a slider.

He’s crushed it.

The drama lies in the postseason not so much in what Harper will do once he digs into the batter’s box, but more in what kind of kitschy T-shirt design will surface from each game-changing hit that rings both an hydraulic Liberty Bell and the ears of 45,000 diehard and dyed-in-red Phillies fans.

Photo credit: Abbie Parr

Carlos Correa endured the worst hitting season of his career after signing the richest contract in Minnesota Twins history, playing through a painful bout of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

The defense, intelligence and leadership were always there, though. Postseason prowess was part of the package, too.

Correa had an RBI single and a quick-twitch tag on a pivotal pickoff throw from Sonny Gray, and the Twins swept the Toronto Blue Jays with a 2-0 win in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series on Wednesday.

“Everything is October. The mentality is different. I’m just giving everything out there, everything I have,” Correa said. “I’m going to keep doing that for the rest of the time that I’m here in Minnesota.”

Photo Credit: John Raoux

Jordan Montgomery was exceptional against the Tampa Bay Rays, even better when he lumbered off the mound to make a diving catch that helped the Texas Rangers to a 4-0 victory in their AL Wild Card Series opener.

“It’s good to do your job and help the team win,” Montgomery said after scattering six hits over seven innings on Tuesday to move the Rangers within a victory of an AL Division Series matchup against the Baltimore Orioles.

Photo Credit: Darren Calabrese / Canadian Press

Tim Wakefield, the knuckleballing workhorse of the Red Sox pitching staff who bounced back after giving up a season-ending home run to the Yankees in the 2003 playoffs to help Boston win its curse-busting World Series title the following year, has died. He was 57.

The Red Sox announced his death in a statement Sunday that detailed not only his baseball statistics but a career full of charitable endeavors. Wakefield had brain cancer, according to ex-teammate Curt Schilling, who outed the illness on a podcast last week — drawing an outpouring of support for Wakefield. The Red Sox confirmed an illness at the time but did not elaborate, saying Wakefield had requested privacy.

“It’s one thing to be an outstanding athlete; it’s another to be an extraordinary human being. Tim was both,” Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner said in the team’s statement. “I know the world was made better because he was in it.”

The news brought condolences from baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and Players Association President Tony Clark — a former teammate — from Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and her predecessor, current NCAA President Charlie Baker, and from teams and players around the majors. Mariners pitcher George Kirby even broke out a knuckleball Seattle’s game against Texas.