MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — As Joe Mauer drove to the ballpark for a doubleheader to begin the last series of the season for the Minnesota Twins http://www.rockiesfanproshop.com/authentic-ryan-mcmahon-jersey , the finality of the weekend dawned on him a little deeper than usual.These games against the Chicago White Sox aren’t necessarily going to be the last of Mauer’s 15-year career, but there’s no guarantee they won’t be, either. Mauer will wait until the offseason, in consultation with his family, to decide whether or not to retire at age 35. The three-time American League batting champion and six-time All-Star will be a free agent, his eight-year $184 million contract set to expire, but he has no interest in playing outside of his home state.“The end of the season sneaks up on you. Here we are, the last weekend,” Mauer said before the Twins swept the doubleheader from the White Sox on Friday. “Just trying to enjoy it.”By going 2 for 4 in each of the two games, Mauer stretched his on-base streak to 14 straight starts. He’s batting .362 (21 for 58) during that stretch. After a single in the sixth inning of the second game, Mauer was pulled for a pinch-runner and received a standing ovation as he waved and tipped his helmet to the crowd.Mauer’s 35-year-old production is modest at best, compared to his pre-2013-concussion numbers as a catcher, let alone his 2009 AL MVP season. He has only six home runs and 33 extra-base hits.Still, he’s batting .280 http://www.tigersfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-jimenez-jersey , which is 32 points above the major league average, and in the top 25 in the AL in on-base percentage. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting an MLB-best .410 in 78 at-bats. Earlier this week, he became the Twins leader in times on base, passing Hall of Fame member Harmon Killebrew.“The professionalism, the performance, the things he’s done here in his hometown community for a number of years. It’s just been the full package,” said manager Paul Molitor, who’s doing some savoring of his own this weekend in the event Mauer doesn’t return.The Twins (76-84), who made the AL wild card game at 85-77 in 2017, will wrap up a sixth losing record in the last eight years on Sunday afternoon.“It’s going to be fun to watch him play,” Molitor said. “I’m hoping there’s a little sense of acknowledgement each and every time he steps on that field.”Mauer’s laid-back nature has never naturally lent itself to clubhouse leadership, but in the last few seasons he has come into his own as the most experienced player on the roster ought to. He initiated a postgame contest after victories, when a game ball is awarded to a player whose performance made the most impact.“I just wanted to show them the importance of the little things that contribute to a win Miguel Cabrera Jersey ,” Mauer said. “It might not be getting four hits that day. It might be going first to third with less than two outs and you end up scoring that run.”Though teammates Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar chipped in with occasional choices at Mauer’s request before they were traded to other teams this summer, the game-ball committee has largely been a one-man production. Perhaps that’s fitting, given how deep his contributions to the franchise have fun since the first overall pick in the 2001 draft made his debut in 2004.“Some guys if they don’t get mentioned might take exception to that, and the next day they might try to really do something to get mentioned,” Mauer said. “But it’s a fun thing that we’ve been doing, and it seems like the boys have a good time doing it too.” ATLANTA — Julio Teheran has had a so-so season for Atlanta, but he may be the perfect pitcher to have on the mound Sunday as the Braves continue to try to hold first place in the National League East.Teheran is 4-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 10 career games (nine starts) against Pittsburgh and has allowed only one earned run in his past 27 1/3 innings against the Pirates.The Braves (75-60) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-3 comeback victory over the Pirates on Saturday night and lead the Phillies, who lost to the Chicago Cubs 7-1 in Philadelphia, by three games.Article continues below ...The Pirates (66-70) will start rookie Nick Kingham in the series final at SunTrust Park after veteran Ivan Nova, who is 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA in four career starts versus Atlanta, was scratched.Teheran (9-7, 4.18 ERA) beat the Pirates with a strong seven-inning outing in Pittsburgh after Nova (7-9, 4.35 ERA) lost a day earlier in the Braves’ three-game sweep Aug. 20-22.Teheran gave up two hits and a run in his victory as the right-hander walked one after experiencing control problems most of the season.“It was the best command I’ve had in a while,” he said afterward.Teheran’s four-seam fastball averaged only 87.7 mph Alan Trammell Jersey , but he was able to locate and keep the Pirates off balance with his other pitches.“Warming up, I felt I didn’t need to throw harder,” Teheran said. “I wasn’t forcing it. I was throwing down and up and commanding.”That wasn’t the same way that Teheran had gone after the Pirates in previous seasons.“It’s a different pitcher than we saw a few years ago,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He made pitches. He slowed the game down. He spun the ball extremely well.”After going 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts through the Pittsburgh game, Teheran didn’t fare as well in his most recent start against Tampa Bay. He allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings against the Rays in a no-decision and surrendered his 24th homer of the season.Kingham (5-6, 4.92 ERA) will get the start for the Pirates opposite Teheran because Nova is away from his team for personal reasons.Nova’s absence can’t be bad news for the Braves despite their victory against him two weeks ago in Pittsburgh.Nova, a victim of poor run support most the season, lost for the first time to Atlanta despite giving up only four hits and two runs in six innings. He didn’t walk anyone in that game and has issued two free passes in 27 1/3 career innings against the Braves.Kingham will be making his 15th major league appearance and 13th start.Kingham, who has never faced the Braves, made his two appearances out of the bullpen after lasting a total of four innings in starts at the end of July and beginning of August before being sent to Triple-A Indianapolis.The 26-year-old right-hander allowed six runs in three innings against the New York Mets and then four runs (two earned) in one inning before being pulled against the Chicago Cubs.The highlight for Kingham this season came in his major league debut at the end of April, when he limited St. Louis to one hit in seven scoreless innings while striking out nine and walking none.