THE HOT CORNER

1 CARDINALS: It wasn’t long ago that St. Louis was a postseason regular and always seemed dangerous in October, but the Cardinals haven’t made the playoffs since 2015. They’ve been overlooked to some extent this year, but after beating Colorado on Sunday, the Cardinals had won 13 of their last 16 and led the NL Central by 2½ games. St. Louis is second in the National League in ERA and has also gotten good work from its bullpen.

2 RED SOX: You’d think Boston fans would’ve been suspicious when they heard the opening notes of “Sweet Caroline” blasting from the speakers at Petco Park on Sunday afternoon. Why would the San Diego Padres staff play the Neil Diamond classic that inspires a mass sing-along during every game at Fenway Park? But even if they were skeptical of their hosts’ intentions, loyal Red Sox fans couldn’t help themselves and started singing along, with the giant video screens in the park showing them gleefully belting out their team’s theme song. But just when they were getting to the chorus, something else suddenly appeared on the screens: Rick Astley, singing his 1980s hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.”Yep. They got rickrolled.

3 ROCKIES: RHP German Marquez (arm inflammation) and OF Raimel Tapia (hand contusion) went on the 10-day IL before Monday’s game vs. the Braves. Marquez entered Monday leading the NL in innings pitched with 174.

4 PHILLIES: Manager Gabe Kapler said Cesar Hernandez’s absence from Monday’s lineup was “in response” to the 2B’s lack of hustle on a sixth-inning single Sunday in Miami.

5 RAYS: Vince Naimoli, the original owner who ended Tampa Bay’s long pursuit to land an MLB team, died Sunday night at 81, nearly five years after being diagnosed with an uncommon brain disorder, the team said.