The Bum's MLB Best Bets - Trends - News Thru the World Series !

[StarDust Bum]

Nationals @ Dodgers

Ross/Lopez would both be making their first postseason start. Ross was 0-1, 2.79 in three September starts after coming off the DL (under 2-0-1). Washington is 7-4 in his road starts. he allowed two runs in 6.1 IP in his one start against the Dodgers.

Lopez is 2-3, 6.44 in six MLB starts, first of which was against LA on July 19 (allowed six runs in 4.2 IP). Nationals are 1-3 in his road starts. Over is 3-3 when he starts.

Youngster Urias is making his first postseason start; he 0-0, 1.50 in three September starts (only 12 IP- they were trying to limit his innings). He is 0-0, 3.00 in two starts (nine IP) against the Nationals this year. Four of his last five starts stayed under. Dodgers are 7-1 in his home starts.

Dodgers are in playoffs for 4th year in a row- their last World Series title was in 1988. LA is 6-3 vs Washington this season; they’re 11-2 in last 13 home games, but need win here to keep their season alive. Nationals won four of last five road games; they’re in playoffs for third time in last five years.

Roberts is a rookie manager. Baker is 21-27 as postseason manager; he won NL pennant is 2002 with the Giants.

Cubs @ Giants

Lackey is 3-1, 2.62 in his last seven starts; he allowed two runs in five IP in his once starts against the Giants this year. His last three starts went over the total. Cubs are 7-6 in his road starts. Lackey is 8-5, 3.11 in 20 postseason starts.

Moore is 2-0, 1.15 in his last two starts; his last four went over. Giants won his last four home starts. He didn’t pitch against the Cubs this season. Moore is 1-1, 4.41 in four postseason games (2 starts).

Giants are 4-6 against the Cubs this year; they’ve won six of last eight games overall (six of last seven at home), after a dreadful second half of season. Chicago won 11 of its last 15 games, five of its last eight on foreign soil.

Bochy won three World Series in last six years; he is 44-32 as a postseason manager. Madden got Rays to ’08 World Series; he is 19-23 as a postseason manager. Bochy is now 10-0 in elimination games with the Giants.

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NLDS GAME 4 – WASHINGTON NATIONALS AT LOS ANGELES DODGERS

10th Oct 2016 | By: Tom Wilkinson

The Los Angeles Dodgers will try and stay alive in the NLDS as they host the Washington Nationals in Game 4 on Tuesday afternoon on FS1. The Nationals broke open a close Game 3 as they scored four runs in the 9th inning to win 8-3. The Nationals are expected to go with Joe Ross or Reynaldo Lopez on Tuesday while the Dodgers should be going with Julio Urias unless they decide to bring back Clayton Kershaw on short rest. Urias would be the first 20-year old to start a playoff game since Bret Saberhagen in 1984. The Dodgers are expected to be small home favorites with the total at 7.5 or 8. Let’s look at the contest and MLB predictions.

Probable Pitching Matchup – Ross or Lopez vs. Urias

Ross was 7-5 this season with a 3.43 ERA. He pitched well for the Nationals for much of the season but battled injuries. Lopez was 5-3 with a 4.91 ERA this season
Urias pitched well this season but he never goes deep into games so the bullpen will be a factor for the Dodgers. Urias was 5-2 with a 3.39 ERA this season. He pitched twice against the Nationals this season and allowed three runs in nine innings.

Game Notes

The Nationals have proven to be a good road team this season as they won Game 3 on the road after going 45-36 on the road during the regular season. The Nats are scoring 4.7 runs per game and giving up 3.5 per contest. Washington went under 41 times on the road this season with 36 going over with 4 pushes.
Los Angeles lost Game 3 at home but they were 53-28 at Dodger Stadium during the regular season. The Dodgers went under 51 times at home during the regular season with 30 going over. Los Angeles scores about 4.5 runs per game and allows 3.5 per contest.

Game Trends

The Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 road games vs. a left-handed starter. The Nationals are 38-18 in their last 56 game 4’s of a series.
The Dodgers are 5-1 in their last 6 during game 4 of a series. The Dodgers are 15-5 in their last 20 Tuesday games. The Dodgers are 44-16 in their last 60 home games. The Dodgers are 9-2 in Urias' last 11 starts.

The Under is 5-2 in the Nationals last 7 playoff games. The Under is 5-2 in the Nationals last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter. The Under is 12-6 in the Nationals last 18 road games. The Under is 7-4 in the Dodgers last 11 playoff games. The Under is 4-1 in Urias' last 5 starts overall. The Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Los Angeles.
MLB Predictions

I will look for the Dodgers to stay alive and force a Game 5 back in Washington so I will lay the price and take Los Angeles and also play the game under the total.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, October 11

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Trend Report
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5:05 PM
WASHINGTON vs. LA DODGERS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games at home
LA Dodgers are 11-2 SU in their last 13 games at home

8:40 PM
CHI CUBS vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Chi Cubs are 1-4-1 SU in their last 6 games ,when playing on the road against San Francisco
Chi Cubs5-1-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing San Francisco
San Francisco4-1-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
San Francisco is 1-5-1 SU in their last 7 games ,when playing Chi Cubs

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MLB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, October 11

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WASHINGTON (97 - 68) at LA DODGERS (92 - 73) - 5:05 PM
JOE ROSS (R) vs. CLAYTON KERSHAW (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 6-3 (+3.2 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

JOE ROSS vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
ROSS is 0-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 5.73 and a WHIP of 1.636.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.0 units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
KERSHAW is 11-2 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 0.946.
His team's record is 12-2 (+8.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-8. (-2.1 units)

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CHICAGO CUBS (105 - 59) at SAN FRANCISCO (89 - 77) - 8:35 PM
JOHN LACKEY (R) vs. MATT MOORE (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 6-4 (+1.1 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.6 Units)

JOHN LACKEY vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
LACKEY is 2-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.34 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 3-3 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-4. (-2.2 units)

MATT MOORE vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
No recent starts.

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MLB
Short Sheet

Tuesday, October 11


Washington at LA Dodgers, 5:05 PM ET
Ross: WASHINGTON is 12-18 SU with a hot bullpen whose ERA is under 1.50 the last 5 games
Kershaw: LA DODGERS are 10-5 SU after 5 straight games where they had less than 10 hits

Chicago Cubs at San Francisco, 8:35 PM ET
Lackey: CHICAGO CUBS are 8-11 SU on the road when the money line is +125 to -125
Moore: SAN FRANCISCO is 16-6 SU with an on base percentage of .260 or worse over their last 3 games

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (95-67) at Dodgers (91-71)
Game: 4
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: October 11, 2016 5:05 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- For starters, neither club has announced one for Game 4 of their National League Division Series.

Both Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Washington Nationals skipper Dusty Baker didn't have an answer about who would be on the mound when the series resumes Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers, who are in a must-win situation and trail the Nationals 2-1 in the best-of-five series, are leaning toward bringing back ace Clayton Kershaw on three days' rest. Kershaw was the winning pitcher in Game 1 on Friday.

The Dodgers also are mulling whether to give the ball to rookie left-hander Julio Urias, who was originally penciled in to start Game 4. That changed when the Dodgers lost 8-3 in Game 3 on Monday.

"It's a possibility," Roberts said of Kershaw starting. "I think you look at Julio at home, but you look at Kershaw on short rest at home. So, as an organization, we've got to figure out what gives us the best chance (Tuesday)."

Urias, who finished 5-2 with a 3.39 ERA, has been one of the Dodgers' best pitchers in the second half of the season. Urias won four straight starts in August and had a 1.99 ERA during the month. Although he didn't register a win in September, primarily because the Dodgers limited his innings, Urias had a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings.

"Well, in an elimination game, we still have to win two games," Roberts said of possibly starting Urias. "So the thought of having Julio pitch at home versus the road is something we're thinking through, and what gives us the best chance to win two games."

Baker said either Joe Ross or Reynaldo Lopez would probably get the nod for the Nationals.

"We haven't decided yet," Baker said after Monday's win over the Dodgers. (General manager) Mike (Rizzo) and I were just talking about that. It's probably between Lopez and Ross. So we haven't decided yet."

Baker then asked members of the media who the Dodgers were starting. He was told they hadn't made a decision either.

"We're not playing gamesmanship or whatever you call it," Baker said. "No, I mean, we just haven't decided. If we had decided, it doesn't really make any difference. You've got to tell them at some time sooner or later, and so no, we haven't decided yet."

Ross, who finished the regular season with a 7-5 record and a 3.43 ERA in 19 starts, hasn't pitched since Sept. 29 when he got a no-decision against the Arizona Diamondbacks. A shoulder injury, which forced Ross to miss more than two months, limited him to three starts in the final month of the regular season.

Ross posted a 2.79 ERA in those three September outings, but he never worked more than four innings in either start.

Lopez compiled a 5-3 mark with a 4.91 ERA in 11 games (six starts). Lopez hasn't started a game since Sept. 4 when he surrendered three runs and six hits in a loss to the New York Mets.

Since then, Lopez has been used primarily out of the bullpen, sometimes as a long reliever.


MLBA HEAD TO HEAD

Oct 10, 2016 Score ATS Results
WAS « 8 Cover: +130
LAD 3 Over: 11
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Oct 9, 2016 Score ATS Results
LAD 2 Under: 7
WAS « 5 Cover: +105
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Oct 8, 2016 Score ATS Results
LAD 0 Under: 0
WAS « 0 Cover: +110
Tools: Recaps

Oct 7, 2016 Score ATS Results
LAD « 4 Cover: +100
WAS 3 Over: 7
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cubs (103-58) at Giants (87-75)
Game: 4
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: October 11, 2016 8:40 PM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO -- The last active pitcher to beat the San Francisco Giants in a postseason elimination game will seek to do it a second time Tuesday night when Chicago Cubs right-hander John Lackey takes the ball for Game 4 of the National League Division Series.

The Giants staved off elimination with a 6-5, 13-inning victory Monday night, the 10th consecutive time San Francisco recorded a postseason win when a loss would have meant the end of the season.

San Francisco won World Series titles in 2010, '12 and '14 but failed to capture the 2002 championship when Lackey, then a rookie, started for the Anaheim Angels on their way to a 4-1 win over the Giants in Game 7.

"Seems like a long time ago," Lackey said before Monday's game. "That has nothing to do with (Tuesday), for sure. I've had several postseason starts, and one doesn't really affect the next one. Once you get in the game, it's another game, another challenge."

Lackey, an 11-game winner for the Cubs this season, will be making his 21st career postseason start, the most among active pitchers.

He has faced the Giants more often in the playoffs (four times) than the regular season (three), with three of those postseason meetings coming in the 2002 World Series.

Lackey is 2-1 with a 3.62 ERA against the Giants in those seven head-to-heads. However, San Francisco roughed him up for four first-inning runs the last time it saw him in the postseason, when he was pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of the 2014 NL Championship Series.

The Giants won that game 5-4 in 10 innings en route to a 4-1 series win over the Cardinals that propelled them to their third title in five years.

San Francisco will counter Tuesday with left-hander Matt Moore, who had been a candidate to start Game 2 in Chicago. Giants manager Bruce Bochy opted for Jeff Samardzija, pushing Moore back to Game 4.

That puts Moore in the same position staff ace Madison Bumgarner faced Monday night -- win or go on vacation.

"This has got to be the biggest reason why we play the game, why we start training early in November and getting ready for this month, for these series, these moments," Moore said before Monday's game. "So for me, I'm very excited to watch Bum pitch, and probably a little bit more excited to get going myself."

Moore, acquired at the trade deadline from the Tampa Bay Rays, has never faced the Cubs. He does have postseason experience, having gone 1-1 in four games, including two starts, for the Rays.

He was one of the Giants' best pitchers down the stretch. San Francisco won six of his last eight starts, and Moore held the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers to a total of two runs over 15 2/3 innings in the final week of the regular season with the Giants needing every possible win to hold off St. Louis in the wild-card race.

Bochy admitted before Monday's game that the plan was to split the first two in Chicago, then have Moore for the clincher at home.

"You're hoping to at least get a split there ... and now you're set up pretty good here," he said. "It didn't happen, and now we have to find a way to win every game."


MLBA HEAD TO HEAD

Oct 10, 2016 Score ATS Results
CHC 5 Over: 11
SFO « 6 Cover: +100
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Oct 8, 2016 Score ATS Results
SFO 2 Under: 7
CHC « 5 Cover: +100
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Oct 7, 2016 Score ATS Results
SFO 0 Under: 1
CHC « 1 Cover: +100
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: Nats, Cubs try to clinch spots in NLCS
October 11, 2016

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

ON THE CUSP

A team from the nation's capital has not won a postseason series since Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators took the 1924 World Series crown. Bryce Harper and the Nationals can end that drought and reach the NL Championship Series with a victory over the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Washington leads 2-1 in the best-of-five playoff, and neither team had announced its starter for Game 4.

CHANCE TO GET EVEN

After Joe Panik's 13th-inning RBI double helped the Giants avoid elimination again Monday night, San Francisco tries to even its series with the Cubs. Chicago leads the best-of-five NLDS 2-1 but missed out on a sweep because of clutch hits from Panik and Conor Gillaspie during the Giants' 6-5 win Monday. San Francisco seeks its 11th consecutive victory when facing postseason elimination when it sends Matt Moore to pitch against John Lackey.

REST UP

Cleveland will face Toronto in the ALCS after eliminating Boston on Monday, and now the Indians and Blue Jays wait until Friday to begin their series. The break interrupts a strong run for the wild-card Blue Jays, who won their sixth straight game by beating Texas on Sunday to wrap their ALDS sweep. The four-day rest was still welcome. ''Some people like to say a couple of days off might throw our timing off,'' catcher Russell Martin said Sunday. ''I really don't believe in that. At this point in the year, a couple of days off can do wonders.''

TEBOW TIME

Tim Tebow has arrived in the desert and is ready to make his Arizona Fall League debut. The former NFL quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner participated in his first practice on Monday night, one day before the Scottsdale Scorpions' season opener against the Glendale Desert Dogs. Tebow homered on the first pitch of his instructional league debut in Florida, but the AFL will be a step up in competition, filled with some of the top minor league players in baseball.

TAL'S END

Tal's Hill is coming down. The Astros began work on renovations to center field at Minute Maid Park on Monday that will remove the hill and add field-level seating. The project will bring in the center-field fence from 436 to 409 feet and be completed by opening day in 2017. Tal's Hill was a tribute to Cincinnati's Crosley Field and other old ballparks. It was named after longtime Astros executive Tal Smith.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB PLAYOFF RECORD:

10/10 - 2 - 1 - 0 + 3.15

WLT PCT UNITS

M/L Picks.............7 - 5....................58.33 %............ + 2.31

O/U Picks............2 - 6 - 2................25.00 %............ - 4.00

TRIPLE PLAYS - ***** 1 - 4

M/L-.......... 1 - 2 - 0
O/U-..........0 - 1 - 1


TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WAS at LAD 05:00 PM

WAS +214 *****

O 6.5


CHC at SF 08:30 PM

SF +113 *****

U 7.5

[StarDust Bum]

Dodgers edge Nats to force Game 5
October 11, 2016

LOS ANGELES (AP) Clayton Kershaw was out of the game, his head down in the dugout, the Los Angeles bullpen faltering and the season slipping away.

Chase Utley plucked the Dodgers from the brink, singling home the tiebreaking run with two outs in the eighth inning.

Suddenly, Game 5 was on the horizon.

One more chance to pursue the club's first World Series appearance in 28 years.

''There is no quit in this team,'' closer Kenley Jansen said.

The Dodgers avoided elimination Tuesday with a 6-5 victory over the Washington Nationals that forced a deciding game in their NL playoff.

Jansen worked the ninth for a save, one day after giving up four late runs during Los Angeles' loss in Game 3.

''I got out there and focused and fought,'' he said.

The finale is Thursday in Washington, with 20-game winner Max Scherzer set to pitch for the Nationals.

''Man, this is going to be a heck of a ballgame,'' he said. ''The effort from both sides over the first four games has been incredible. Great pitching, great hitting, defense, everything.''

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he will use left-hander Rich Hill and rookie Julio Urias, but did not announce which one will start. Hill is expected to get the ball first.

''If anyone gives up on this team, they haven't seen us play a whole lot this year,'' Roberts said, ''and it starts with what Clayton did - short rest and leaving it all out there. Everyone fed off that.''

Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who turned to Kershaw on three days' rest to salvage their season.

The score was tied 5-all with two outs in the eighth when Andrew Toles got hit by a pitch from loser Blake Treinen. Ethier followed with a single to left and Utley singled to right, scoring Toles from second for a 6-5 lead.

Trailing 5-2 in the seventh, the Nats had runners on first and second against Kershaw with two outs. The crowd chanted Kershaw's name as he and Bryce Harper battled through eight pitches before Harper drew a walk.

''Man, that's what baseball is all about right there - a matter of will,'' Nats manager Dusty Baker said. ''Kershaw was on empty. We knew it. They knew it. Everybody knew it.''

Harper's walk loaded the bases and chased Kershaw, who walked off with his head down. He sat alone in the dugout with his head resting on his right hand.

''Kershaw was outstanding,'' Baker said. ''That's one of the best performances I've seen, especially on three days' rest.''

But the Dodgers' bullpen nearly gave the game away.

Pedro Baez came in and hit Jayson Werth with his only pitch, forcing in a run to make it 5-3. Baez got booed off the field.

Daniel Murphy's single off Luis Avilan dropped between Toles and Joc Pederson in left-center field, scoring two runs to tie it at 5. Avilan also heard boos.

Joe Blanton, who earned the win, retired Anthony Rendon on a swinging strikeout to end the inning.

''Our bullpen has been unbelievable,'' Kershaw said. ''Joe did what Joe's been doing all season. He's been through a lot in his career but he came in and shut them down.''

After failing to close out the Dodgers on the road, Washington gets one more chance to win a playoff series for the first time since the franchise relocated from Montreal. NL East champions in three of the past five years, the Nationals were unable to advance during their two previous trips to the postseason.

''That's why we fought so hard for the home-field advantage,'' Baker said. ''This year, it's coming to fruition.''

Desperate to avoid another early playoff exit, the Dodgers went with Kershaw, their three-time Cy Young Award winner who won Game 1 last Friday despite going just five innings and allowing three runs.

This time, he was charged with five runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out 11 - equaling his second-best postseason total - and walked two.

The left-hander was limited to 149 innings while compiling a 1.69 ERA during the regular season. He missed 2 1/2 months with a mildly herniated disk in his back.

Kershaw opened the game by giving up a leadoff single and a walk before Murphy's RBI single.

The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning on Gonzalez's two-run shot that scored Justin Turner, who was hit by a pitch from Joe Ross.

Werth's RBI single tied it 2-all in the third.

Los Angeles again answered in the bottom of the inning, with Kershaw getting the rally going with a double to left field. He slid into second and clenched his fists in a rare show of emotion.

Kershaw scored on Turner's single with two outs. Pederson got hit by a pitch from Ross with the bases loaded, forcing in Turner

Ross made his postseason debut for the Nationals, giving up four runs and three hits in 2 2/3 innings, equaling the shortest playoff start in the history of the Montreal-Washington franchise. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out three and walked two. He hasn't pitched more than four innings since coming off the disabled list on Sept. 18.

LOOK OUT!

Five players were hit by pitches, including four Dodgers, which set a single-game franchise playoff record. Of the quartet, two ended up scoring. Werth was the lone Nationals player to get hit.

There have been 11 hit batters in the series, a postseason record.

''No one on either side is trying to hit anybody with everything on the line right now,'' Scherzer said. ''That's just baseball being played at its highest.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg experienced discomfort in his right elbow during a bullpen session Monday at Dodger Stadium. He threw 30 or 31 pitches instead of the scheduled 35. Strasburg has been out since tearing the pronator tendon in his elbow on Sept. 7.

Baker said Strasburg was throwing the ball ''very good'' and he's not concerned about the pitcher's progress. Strasburg has said he would try to return this season if the Nationals advance to the NLCS.

CAN'T CLOSE `EM OUT

Baker has lost eight consecutive postseason games when his team would have advanced with a victory. That's the longest such streak in major league history, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

ELIMINATION GAMES

The Dodgers improved to 12-15 in postseason elimination games since moving to Los Angeles.

[StarDust Bum]

Cubs rally to stun Giants to win NLDS
October 11, 2016

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Kris Bryant tossed his glove high in the air, Jake Arrieta jumped over the dugout railing and the rest of the Chicago Cubs rushed to join the celebration.

Pure revelry and a sigh of relief, all at once.

World Series favorites since opening day, the Cubs took another step in their championship chase Tuesday night by rallying for four runs in the ninth inning of Game 4 to beat San Francisco 6-5 and win their NL Division Series.

''You could see it coming. You could see little signs. We've done it before and the guys, we don't quit,'' Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler said. ''It's a little more special doing it here. They for sure were thinking that they won it. But we play 27 outs and we don't give up until we win.''

Javier Baez's tiebreaking single capped the comeback against a beleaguered bullpen that sabotaged the Giants one last time.

The team with the best record in the majors this year will open the NL Championship Series at Wrigley Field on Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers or Washington Nationals. That matchup is tied 2-all heading into the deciding Game 5 on Thursday.

''I've seen it so many times from this group. It's a big part of our philosophy,'' manager Joe Maddon said.

Seeking their first World Series title since 1908, the Cubs will get a few days of rest before opening the NLCS. Chicago was swept by the New York Mets in a four-game NLCS last year.

Held to two hits over eight innings by Matt Moore, the Cubs trailed 5-2 heading to the ninth.

Now, they're headed back to their second consecutive NLCS after snapping San Francisco's 10-game winning streak when facing postseason elimination.

Pinch-hitter Willson Contreras tied it with a two-run single with none out. Baez singled in the go-ahead run two batters later, and the Cubs capitalized on Gold Glove shortstop Brandon Crawford's second costly error and more untimely blunders by the Giants' once-reliable relief staff.

One day after getting tagged in the eighth inning, Aroldis Chapman closed this one out by striking out the side in order. When he set down Brandon Belt to end it, Chapman's teammates rushed to the mound to hug him and begin their celebration.

After finishing off the resilient Giants, Maddon should have his rotation all lined up because lefty Jon Lester wasn't needed to pitch a potential Game 5 in the Division Series.

Maddon has his confident, power-hitting Cubs on quite an October roll. They already beat All-Star Johnny Cueto and ex-Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija, then waited until Moore's stellar outing was done to pounce.

Downright unflappable for years in these pressure-packed scenarios, the Giants had won 10 straight games when facing postseason elimination. The World Series champions in 2010, '12 and '14, their every-other-year title chance is over in '16 with the club's first postseason series defeat in the last 12.

''We don't think we're going to win the World Series every even year. I mean, it took 50-something years to get one here,'' quipped Giants manager Bruce Bochy, whose bullpen management was scrutinized throughout a disappointing second half.

The orange towel-waving sellout crowd of 43,166, perhaps spoiled this decade by the every-other-year title success, had been counting on a few more games by the bay this October.

Moore, acquired from Tampa Bay at the Aug. 1 trade deadline for games of this magnitude, struck out 10 as his former Rays manager - Maddon - watched from the other dugout.

Long after Cubs starter John Lackey's night was done, Hector Rondon pitched the eighth for the win.

WHAT CURSE?

Lester doesn't buy all the superstition surrounding Chicago's championship drought.

''Nobody really cares in there about a curse or a goat or anything else,'' he said. ''If we make a mistake, we're not going to blame it on a curse or anything else like that. We're going to blame it on ourselves and be accountable for it and move on to the next play or the next moment. ... We've got too many young guys in there that don't even know what that stuff is, you know what I mean? So, it's almost better to play naive and just go out and worry about us, worry about the Cubs and not anything else in the past or, like I said, any animals.''

POWER PITCHERS

Two pitchers homered for the Cubs in the series: Arrieta on Monday and reliever Travis Wood in Game 2. The 1924 New York Giants were the only other team to have two pitchers go deep in a postseason series, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

''That's pretty incredible, isn't it?'' Maddon said.

GIANTS INJURIES

Left fielder Angel Pagan missed his second straight start with back spasms, and third baseman Eduardo Nunez's strained right hamstring is still slow to heal, leaving the Giants to contemplate replacing one on the roster. But no move was made before the game.

CRAWFORD'S MISCUES

The shortstop was the first Giants player to commit two errors in a postseason game since Don Mueller on Sept. 29, 1954, in Game 1 of the World Series.

[StarDust Bum]

Estrada to start ALCS opener for Blue Jays against Cleveland
October 11, 2016

TORONTO (AP) After wrapping up their Division Series sweep of the Texas Rangers on Sunday night, the Toronto Blue Jays were able to kick back Monday, celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving and watch the Cleveland Indians beat Boston, finalizing their AL Championship Series matchup.

Back at Rogers Centre for a light workout on Tuesday afternoon, Toronto tabbed right-hander Marco Estrada as its starter for Friday's Game 1 in Cleveland.

Manager John Gibbons said Estrada was ''the logical choice'' to start the opener after winning elimination games for the Blue Jays in both the ALDS and ALCS in 2015.

More recently, Estrada allowed one run and four hits in 8 1-3 innings to beat Texas in Game 1 of the ALDS last Thursday.

''He pitched two of our biggest games in the playoffs (last year) to keep us alive,'' Gibbons said, ''and then he had the big one the other night. He's one guy, too, that probably needs more than anybody to keep on as close to normal (rest) as possible, not too much time off.''

Estrada, who did not speak to reporters Tuesday, is 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA in eight career postseason games, including four starts. He made four postseason relief appearances for Milwaukee in 2011.

Gibbons said right-hander Aaron Sanchez, who led the AL with a 3.00 ERA this season, will likely make just one start in the ALCS as the Blue Jays continue to limit his career-high workload.

Toronto, which lost to Kansas City in six games in last year's ALCS, is looking to reach the World Series for the first time since winning back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993.

To get there, they'll have to beat an Indians squad that Gibbons called ''tremendous,'' and ''probably the most balanced team in the American League.''

''It's a very, very good offense, one of the best out there, so that's not easy,'' Gibbons said. ''They've got a good defensive club. They're real athletic and young. Tough ball club to shut down. They're hot like us, too.''

The Blue Jays won three of seven meetings with the Indians in the regular season. Four of those games, including all three in an August series at Cleveland, were decided by one run.

''We're going to have a tough task at hand but we feel like we have a team that can do that,'' Blue Jays slugger and reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson said.

The Indians are seeking to give title-starved Cleveland its second championship in less than a year after the NBA's Cavaliers ended a 52-year drought dating to a 1964 NFL championship for football's Browns.

''Nobody in this clubhouse doubts what we're what capable of,'' left-hander Andrew Miller said after the Indians swept the Red Sox with a 4-3 win Monday night. ''We saw in our games in Cleveland how much support we have. It's a special place to be. I think we have bigger things ahead of us, but it's not going to be any easier.''

Cleveland's payroll ranks among the lower third of big league teams, some $26 million less than Toronto's, but that's of little concern to Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin, who allowed two runs and four hits in five innings to beat Boston in Game 3.

''You can see it takes a special group of people instead of a group of superstars,'' Tomlin said.

Toronto will have four days off between eliminating Texas and playing Game 1 in Cleveland. It means valuable rest for everyone, Gibbons said, but especially for second baseman Devon Travis and left-hander Francisco Liriano.

Liriano was removed from the ALDS roster because of concussion sustained in Game 2 after he was struck in the back of the head by a Carlos Gomez line drive measured at 102 mph.

Liriano, who has made two relief appearances this postseason, said he felt fine after playing catch and riding an exercise bike Tuesday.

''The second day after I got hit I felt a little dizzy,'' Liriano said. ''After that, everything has felt normal. No headache, no dizziness, nothing.''

Liriano isn't eligible to return until Game 2 of the ALCS.

Travis battled a sore knee for almost a month before he was scratched from Game 2 against Texas. He was available off the bench in Game 3 but did not play.

''I'm feeling much better,'' Travis said. ''I'll be ready to go Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

A capsule look at the Blue Jays-Indians playoff series
October 12, 2016


A look at the best-of-seven American League Championship Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians:


Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Friday, at Cleveland (8:08 p.m.); Game 2, Saturday, at Cleveland (4:08 p.m.); Game 3, Monday, Oct. 17, at Toronto (8:08 p.m.); Game 4, Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Toronto (TBA); x-Game 5, Wednesday, Oct. 19, at Toronto (TBA); x-Game 6, Friday, Oct. 21, at Cleveland (TBA); x-Game 7, Saturday, Oct. 22, at Cleveland (TBA). (All games on TBS).


x-if necessary.


---


Season Series: Indians won 4-3.


---


Projected Lineup:


Blue Jays: 2B Devon Travis (.300, 11 HRs, 50 RBIs), 3B Josh Donaldson (.284, 37, 99), 1B Edwin Encarnacion (.263, 42, 127), DH Jose Bautista (.234, 22, 69), C Russell Martin (.231, 20, 74), SS Troy Tulowitzki (.254, 24, 79), RF Michael Saunders (.253, 24, 57), CF Kevin Pillar (.266, 7, 53), LF Ezequiel Carrera (.248, 6, 23) or Melvin Upton Jr. (.238, 20, 61 with San Diego and Toronto).


Indians: DH Carlos Santana (.259, 34, 87, 99 walks), 2B Jason Kipnis (.275, 23, 82, 41 doubles), SS Francisco Lindor (.301, 15, 78, 19 steals), 1B Mike Napoli (.239, career highs with 34 HRs, 101 RBIs), 3B Jose Ramirez (.312, 11, 76, 46 doubles, .357 with runners in scoring position), RF Lonnie Chisenhall (.286, 8, 57), LF Rajai Davis (.249, 12, 48, team-high 43 steals), CF Tyler Naquin (.296, 14, 43, among top 5 rookies in several offensive categories), C Yan Gomes (.167, 9, 34, only 74 games because of injuries).


---


Projected Rotation:


Blue Jays: RH Marco Estrada (9-9, 3.48 ERA), LH J.A. Happ (20-4, 3.18), RH Marcus Stroman (9-10, 4.37, career-high 204 IP), RH Aaron Sanchez (15-2, AL-leading 3.00).


Indians: RH Corey Kluber (18-9, 3.14, 227 Ks in 215 innings), RH Trevor Bauer (12-8, 4.26, career-high 190 innings), RH Josh Tomlin (13-9, 4.40, 36 HRs in 174 innings), RH Mike Clevinger (3-3, 5.26 in 17 games, 10 starts).


---


Relievers:


Blue Jays: RH Roberto Osuna (1-6, 2.68, 36/39 saves), RH Jason Grilli (7-6, 1.29, 81Ks in 59 innings with Atlanta and Toronto), LH Brett Cecil (1-7, 3.96), RH Joe Biagini (4-3, 3.06 in 60 games as a rookie), LH Francisco Liriano (8-13, 4.69 with Pittsburgh and Toronto; 2-2, 2.92 in 10 games, 8 starts, for Blue Jays).


Indians: RH Cody Allen (3-5, 2.51, 32/35 saves), RH Bryan Shaw (2-5, 3.24, 75 games), LH Andrew Miller (10-1, 1.45 ERA, 12 saves, 14.9 Ks per 9 innings with Yankees and Indians), RH Dan Otero (5-1, 1.53, 39 of last 46 appearances scoreless), RH Jeff Manship (2-1, 3.12, 53 games), RH Zach McAllister (3-2, 4.44, 53 games).


---


Matchups:


Toronto and Cleveland, previously AL East foes, have never met in the postseason. But the cities squared off this spring for a spot in the NBA Finals when LeBron James and the Cavaliers beat the Toronto Raptors en route to a long-awaited championship. ... As in ALDS between Indians and Red Sox, there are connections between the franchises. Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro spent 24 years with Indians, working his way up through the front office before leaving last year. Toronto general manager Ross Atkins also came from Cleveland, and Blue Jays player development adviser Eric Wedge is a former Indians manager. ... Len Barker pitched a perfect game for Cleveland against Toronto in May 1981. ... Indians played two of their most memorable games this season against Toronto. They won 2-1 in 19 innings on July 1 (Canada Day) to extend their franchise-record winning streak to 14 games. Santana hit the decisive homer off Darwin Barney, the second Blue Jays infielder to pitch in the game. Toronto topped the Indians 9-6 the following day. Cleveland also beat the Blue Jays 3-2 on Aug. 19, winning on Naquin's game-ending, inside-the-park homer. ... Four of the seven regular-season meetings were decided by one run. ... Bauer came out of the bullpen in the July 1 win and pitched five scoreless innings. ... Indians batted .227 against Toronto pitchers in 2016. ... Chisenhall hit .348 against Blue Jays despite striking out 12 times in 23 at-bats. ... Napoli batted .148 vs. Blue Jays but has 20 career homers and 51 RBIs against Toronto. ... Kluber went 0-1 this season and is 1-3 with a 5.34 ERA in five career starts against Blue Jays. He pitched seven shutout innings in his postseason debut against Boston. ... Miller has faced the Blue Jays more than any Cleveland pitcher, posting a 3-1 record and 4.11 ERA in 30 games. ... Donaldson is 9 for 18 with five doubles and three RBIs in four playoff games this year. He has a .778 slugging percentage and has scored five runs. ... Encarnacion is 6 for 16 (.375) with three homers and seven RBIs in playoffs. He has four career postseason homers, the second-highest total in Blue Jays history. Bautista and Joe Carter each have six. ... Tulowitzki is 6 for 17 (.353) with five RBIs in playoffs. ... Two of Bautista's four hits this postseason have been home runs. ... Blue Jays have outscored opponents 26-12 in four postseason games and outhomered them 10-3. ... Estrada allowed one run over 8 1/3 innings to beat Texas in Game 1 of ALDS. He is 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA in eight postseason games, four starts. ... Sanchez is expected to make only one ALCS start as Blue Jays limit his career-high workload.


---


Big Picture:


Blue Jays: After snapping a 22-year postseason drought in 2015, Toronto reached the playoffs for the second straight season under manager John Gibbons. The last time the Blue Jays did that was a three-year run from 1991-93 that ended with back-to-back World Series titles. ... This time, Blue Jays (89-73) captured the top AL wild card by winning their last two regular-season games in Boston. They beat division-rival Baltimore at home in the wild-card game on Encarnacion's three-run homer in the 11th inning, then eliminated Texas in the ALDS for the second consecutive year. The win over the Rangers marked the first postseason sweep in Blue Jays history. ... Toronto is 6-0 in October after going 11-16 in September, its worst month of the season. ... Blue Jays averaged an AL-worst 3.69 runs in September and October regular-season games, a full run off their season average of 4.70. ... Blue Jays starters were strong down the stretch, allowing no more than one earned run in 12 of the final 17 games. The bullpen struggled, however, blowing leads five times in a seven-game stretch that ended Oct. 1. ... Blue Jays went 46-35 at home, the fourth-best mark in the division. ... Toronto has several pending free agents, including Bautista, Encarnacion, Saunders, Cecil and RHP R.A. Dickey.


Indians: Cleveland makes its fifth ALCS appearance and first since 2007. Indians haven't been to World Series since 1997. ... Indians (94-67) took lead in AL Central on June 4 and never looked back, winning division with ease. They've overcome adversity all season. Star outfielder Michael Brantley played in just 11 games following shoulder surgery, but team got unexpected contributions from Ramirez, Naquin and others to more than pick up slack. ... Cleveland's starting pitching was supposed to carry club, but it's been a consistent lineup and one of baseball's best bullpens that has Indians playing again in October. Manager Terry Francona's deft touch has kept team energized and believing it can make a deep playoff run. ... Cleveland hasn't won the World Series since 1948, but following Cavs' NBA title in June, Indians don't feel pressured to end city's championship drought. ... Front office stepped up at trade deadline and acquired Miller, who might be most valuable reliever in majors. Also, team acquired Brandon Guyer and Coco Crisp to provide depth in outfield. Abraham Almonte is not available in postseason because of PED suspension. ... Indians are different team at home, where they went AL-best 53-28 and led league with 11 walkoff wins. ... Indians didn't lose three straight all season.


---


Watch For:


- Center Stage. Die-hard baseball fans know Lindor, one of the game's rising stars. He's got all the tools: a sweet swing, golden glove and smile that can light up any ballpark. The 22-year-old shortstop plays with a youthful joy that will draw the TV cameras and national audience to him as never before.


- Liriano's Status. The left-hander was removed from Toronto's roster in the ALDS because of a concussion sustained in Game 2. He was struck in the back of the head by Carlos Gomez's line drive, measured at 102 mph off the bat. Liriano, who has made two relief appearances this postseason, said this week he felt fine. He's not eligible to return until Game 2 of the ALCS.


- Miller Time. Francona's decision in Game 1 of the ALDS to bring in Miller in the fifth inning - his earliest appearance of the season - proved to be a defining moment as Cleveland's bullpen closed out the opener and the Red Sox never recovered. Francona won't hesitate to use the talented lefty in a nontraditional way again. Miller has not allowed a run in 12 1/3 innings over eight career postseason appearances. He has 17 strikeouts and has limited opponents to a .077 batting average (3 for 39).


- Devon's Knee. Travis was scratched from Game 2 of the Division Series with a bone bruise in his right knee. After a cortisone shot Saturday, he was available off the bench in Game 3 but did not play. Atkins said Travis is improving and is expected to return for the ALCS. Travis said he felt much better and will be ready to go in Game 1. Barney, a former Gold Glove winner, made two starts for Toronto in the ALDS.


- Cleveland Rocks. After waiting 52 years for one of its major pro sports teams to win a championship, Cleveland could be on the brink of a second one in four months. James and a few teammates attended the Division Series to support the Indians and promised a return visit.
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[StarDust Bum]

Corey Kluber to start Game 1 of ALCS for resilient Indians
October 12, 2016


CLEVELAND (AP) Corey Kluber is back at the top of the Indians' make-it-up-as-they-go rotation.


Cleveland will start its ace in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, one of the few certainties Indians manager Terry Francona has as his team plays for a spot in the World Series.


Trevor Bauer, who started the opener of the Division Series against Boston, will pitch Game 2 and Josh Tomlin will take the mound for Game 3 in Toronto on Sunday. After that, Francona has ''penciled in'' Mike Clevinger for Game 4, but that plan could change depending on what happens in the first three games.


The uncertainty is nothing new to Francona, who has been forced to juggle his rotation for weeks after losing starters Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar to injuries.


Francona's decision to send out Kluber first was expected after the right-hander showed no signs of a late-season quadriceps injury and pitched seven shutout innings in Game 2 against the Red Sox. Kluber limited baseball's highest-scoring team to three hits and ended any concerns about him not being himself in his first postseason.


The Indians will need Kluber and the rest of their staff to be on when they face the wild-card Blue Jays, who battered Texas in their ALDS by hitting eight homers and scoring 22 runs.


''They're good,'' said Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway. ''They're excellent. Their whole roster is pretty good, as far as swinging the bat. We've got to make pitches from Pitch 1. They're a little bit different makeup than Boston. They're not going to sit around and take a first-pitch strike. You can't just groove a first pitch to them. You've got to throw quality strikes right out the get-go, and then make sure you stay ahead. That's going to be the challenge, making sure you throw quality strikes early and see what happens after that.''


Kluber, who will face Toronto right-hander Marco Estrada in the opener, went 18-9 during the regular season, bouncing back from a 16-loss season in 2015. He was 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays.


While Francona has had to mix and match with his starters, he won't have Salazar on the ALCS roster.


The Indians sent the right-hander to Arizona to build up stamina in hopes that he might be able to return for this series after being sidelined since early September with forearm tightness. But Francona said the 11-game winner is not ready, and the Indians don't want to rush him back.


''He's doing pretty good,'' Francona said. ''He's not back yet where he's throwing all his pitches or letting it go 100 percent. I think if we ask him to do that, he might be reaching right now. We've been pretty vocal about the first priority is getting him back healthy. I think this proves it. We wouldn't do that to somebody.''


The loss of Salazar was compounded when Carrasco broke his right hand when he was hit by a line drive on Sept 17. Francona has had to be creative with his bullpen, using eight relievers to complete the game in which Carrasco got hurt.


''There's not much our bullpen hasn't experienced throughout the course of the year,'' team president Chris Antonetti said. ''We've had all different types of games, from the extra-inning game in Toronto to the game when Carlos left after two pitches. So, there's not too much our guys haven't handled and I think they're prepared and ready to go pitch when it's their turn, whenever Tito calls upon them.''


Francona used his bullpen masterfully against the Red Sox, bringing in left-hander Andrew Miller earlier and relying on late-inning stalwarts Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen.


The manager will likely take a similar approach into the series with Toronto.


At this point, he doesn't have much choice.

[StarDust Bum]

One ace standing: Nats' Scherzer to face Dodgers in Game 5
October 12, 2016


WASHINGTON (AP) While going to ace Clayton Kershaw on short rest helped the Los Angeles Dodgers stave off elimination in their NL Division Series against the Washington Nationals, it also has raised the question:


Who will start Game 5 for the Dodgers?


''I know Kershaw isn't pitching,'' Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. ''Thank God.''


While there will be no Kershaw and LA manager Dave Roberts still has not named his starter, the Nationals will hand the ball to Cy Young Award candidate Max Scherzer in the decisive Game 5 at home Thursday night.


With a spot in the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs at stake, Scherzer is the man Washington wants on the mound and he's embracing the pressure.


''I've kind of said over the past few days, I've said that a handful of times throughout my career, `Hey, this is the biggest start of my career,''' Scherzer said Tuesday. ''How you handle that, going out there using the emotion of that scenario, that everything is on the line, look, I'm not going to shy away from it. This is the biggest start of my career.''


Scherzer (20-7, 2.96 ERA) lasted only six innings and lost Game 1 after giving up home runs to Corey Seager and Justin Turner. While Scherzer is looking for some redemption, the Dodgers are looking forward to another shot at him.


''I mean, we beat him once already,'' first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. ''We put some pretty good at-bats against him in Game 1, and we're confident that we can do that again.''


The Nationals also had some good at-bats against LA lefty Rich Hill, beating him in Game 2. Hill (12-5, 2.12) will most likely be the Dodgers' starter in Game 5, though Roberts will use a ''collection of arms'' and could quickly turn to fresh 20-year-old lefty Julio Urias if there's trouble.


Washington's bullpen has been strong, but Scherzer is in the spotlight.


''I know who Max is and how he goes about it,'' right fielder Bryce Harper said. ''I think there are things we can do in the bullpen, as well, if Max doesn't get to the ninth. He's got a lot of help. So hopefully we'll get a couple of runs early and do what we can to stay with our approach and stay within ourselves (and) just have a lot of fun.''


Scherzer considers the big stage plenty of fun. He said it doesn't matter that it's not him against Kershaw again and expects the Dodgers' best effort and a charged atmosphere.


''It's going to be a heck of a ballgame,'' Scherzer said. ''These are two great teams. We've seen great pitching, we've seen great offense, great bullpens, clutch hitting. We've seen it all. So the opportunity to go out there in Game 5, back in D.C. with our fans, it's going to be a heck of an experience.''


Some other things to watch in Game 5 between the Dodgers and Nationals:


LEFT, LEFT, LEFT: The Dodgers can trot out a lineup of seven left-handed batters, starting with Chase Utley and Seager and continuing down to Gonzalez, Joc Pederson, switch-hitting catcher Yasmani Grandal and Andrew Toles. That's a powerful crew that can do damage if Scherzer makes even a couple of mistakes.


MURPH-TOBER: Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy has picked up where he left off last October with the New York Mets. Murphy is 6 for 13 with six RBIs in the series but has yet to hit a home run. He had seven in the playoffs last year, including three against the Dodgers.


BULLISH 'PEN: Nationals relievers have combined to allow two runs on 10 hits in 14 2/3 innings in the series. Lefties Sammy Solis, Marc Rzepczynski and Oliver Perez have flummoxed the Dodgers, who developed a reputation for struggling against left-handed pitchers.

BAD AIM, NOT BLOOD: Pitchers have combined to hit 11 batters through four games, the most in a playoff series in major league history. That's not because things have been chippy. ''I think our guys have done a lot of breaking balls to the lefties and caught their feet,'' Scherzer said. ''That's just baseball. No one on either side is trying to hit anybody with everything on the line right now.''
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[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: Day off in playoffs, Nats-Dodgers travel to DC
October 11, 2016


A look at what's happening all around the majors Wednesday:


NO GAMES


Baseball takes a day off during the playoffs. A pair of Game 5s were scheduled in the AL Division Series - but the Blue Jays and Indians have already clinched, so they get extra time to rest. They meet in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series on Friday night in Cleveland.

CALM BEFORE THE STORM


The Dodgers and Nationals get a day off for travel before the deciding Game 5 of their NL Division Series on Thursday in Washington. ''Biggest start of my life. I'm not going to shy away from it,'' said 20-game winner Max Scherzer, set to pitch for the Nationals. ''The effort from both sides over the first four games has been incredible. Great pitching, great hitting, defense, everything.'' Not to mention pain, too: There have been 11 hit batters in the series, a postseason record.


WAIT AND SEE


The Nationals will see if Stephen Strasburg is feeling any better after the ace felt discomfort in his right elbow earlier this week. Strasburg's bullpen session at Dodger Stadium was cut short Monday. He has been out since tearing a tendon in his elbow on Sept. 7. Strasburg has said he would try to pitch again this season if Washington reaches the NL Championship Series.


HEALING


Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome right knee. The team said it was ''a routine cleanup'' and that they lefty is expected to be ready for spring training. ... Royals pitcher Chris Young had surgery to his abdominal area, pelvis and groin this week. The club said the veteran right-hander should be OK for camp. ... Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun is having surgery on a bilateral core muscle injury. He will need at least six weeks of recovery time, but he is expected to head into spring training with no limitations.

[StarDust Bum]

Estrada to start ALCS opener for Blue Jays against Cleveland
October 11, 2016


TORONTO (AP) After wrapping up their Division Series sweep of the Texas Rangers on Sunday night, the Toronto Blue Jays were able to kick back Monday, celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving and watch the Cleveland Indians beat Boston, finalizing their AL Championship Series matchup.


Back at Rogers Centre for a light workout on Tuesday afternoon, Toronto tabbed right-hander Marco Estrada as its starter for Friday's Game 1 in Cleveland.


Manager John Gibbons said Estrada was ''the logical choice'' to start the opener after winning elimination games for the Blue Jays in both the ALDS and ALCS in 2015.


More recently, Estrada allowed one run and four hits in 8 1-3 innings to beat Texas in Game 1 of the ALDS last Thursday.


''He pitched two of our biggest games in the playoffs (last year) to keep us alive,'' Gibbons said, ''and then he had the big one the other night. He's one guy, too, that probably needs more than anybody to keep on as close to normal (rest) as possible, not too much time off.''


Estrada, who did not speak to reporters Tuesday, is 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA in eight career postseason games, including four starts. He made four postseason relief appearances for Milwaukee in 2011.


Gibbons said right-hander Aaron Sanchez, who led the AL with a 3.00 ERA this season, will likely make just one start in the ALCS as the Blue Jays continue to limit his career-high workload.


Toronto, which lost to Kansas City in six games in last year's ALCS, is looking to reach the World Series for the first time since winning back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993.


To get there, they'll have to beat an Indians squad that Gibbons called ''tremendous,'' and ''probably the most balanced team in the American League.''


''It's a very, very good offense, one of the best out there, so that's not easy,'' Gibbons said. ''They've got a good defensive club. They're real athletic and young. Tough ball club to shut down. They're hot like us, too.''


The Blue Jays won three of seven meetings with the Indians in the regular season. Four of those games, including all three in an August series at Cleveland, were decided by one run.


''We're going to have a tough task at hand but we feel like we have a team that can do that,'' Blue Jays slugger and reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson said.


The Indians are seeking to give title-starved Cleveland its second championship in less than a year after the NBA's Cavaliers ended a 52-year drought dating to a 1964 NFL championship for football's Browns.


''Nobody in this clubhouse doubts what we're what capable of,'' left-hander Andrew Miller said after the Indians swept the Red Sox with a 4-3 win Monday night. ''We saw in our games in Cleveland how much support we have. It's a special place to be. I think we have bigger things ahead of us, but it's not going to be any easier.''


Cleveland's payroll ranks among the lower third of big league teams, some $26 million less than Toronto's, but that's of little concern to Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin, who allowed two runs and four hits in five innings to beat Boston in Game 3.


''You can see it takes a special group of people instead of a group of superstars,'' Tomlin said.


Toronto will have four days off between eliminating Texas and playing Game 1 in Cleveland. It means valuable rest for everyone, Gibbons said, but especially for second baseman Devon Travis and left-hander Francisco Liriano.


Liriano was removed from the ALDS roster because of concussion sustained in Game 2 after he was struck in the back of the head by a Carlos Gomez line drive measured at 102 mph.


Liriano, who has made two relief appearances this postseason, said he felt fine after playing catch and riding an exercise bike Tuesday.


''The second day after I got hit I felt a little dizzy,'' Liriano said. ''After that, everything has felt normal. No headache, no dizziness, nothing.''


Liriano isn't eligible to return until Game 2 of the ALCS.


Travis battled a sore knee for almost a month before he was scratched from Game 2 against Texas. He was available off the bench in Game 3 but did not play.


''I'm feeling much better,'' Travis said. ''I'll be ready to go Friday.