World Serious

The Dodgers were forced to battle the Cubs in the NLCS without one of their top players and team leaders.

It doesn’t look like they’ll face that same disadvantage against the Astros in the World Series.

Corey Seager (back) was a full participant in the Dodgers’ team workout on Sunday. He has made significant progress in his recovery from a lower back sprain that he sustained while sliding back into second base in the Dodgers’ clinching victory over the Diamondbacks back on October 9.

Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that he was confident that Seager will be on the club’s World Series roster.

While it sounds like he’s a lock to be on the roster, his availability for Game 1 on Tuesday appears to still be up in the air. Seager is scheduled to participate in a simulated game on Monday. If all goes well there, expect the 23-year-old phenom to suit up and start at shortstop when the Fall Classic begins on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

 

Mr. Met

Hot managerial commodities have been snatched up very quickly this off-season, with the Tigers announcing the hiring of Ron Gardenhire on Friday and the Red Sox officially naming Alex Cora as the successor to John Farrell on Saturday.

On Sunday, it was the Mets’ who reportedly got in on the fun. While the team has yet to confirm the hire, multiple sources have reported that it will be Indians’ pitching coach Mickey Callaway who will become the 22nd manager in franchise history.

The two sides were ironing out the full details of what’s believed will be a three-year pact. The club is expected to make a formal announcement at a press conference on Monday.

The 42-year-old has spent the past five seasons as the Tribe’s pitching coach, leading a talented staff that has led the major leagues in strikeouts each of the past four seasons. In 2017, the Indians led the league with a 3.30 team ERA and 1614 strikeouts.

Callaway has been instrumental in the development of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and a host of other hurlers during his tenure with the team.

The prevailing wisdom had been that the best candidate to lead the Mets would have a strong pitching background, given that the team is built around the dearth of young talent in their starting rotation.

With Callaway bolting to take the manager’s job in New York, it leaves a pretty big hole to fill as the pitching coach on Terry Francona’s staff in Cleveland. Robert Murray of FanRag Sports reports that former A’s pitching coach Curt Young could be a candidate for the position. There have also been rumblings that former Red Sox manager John Farrell could be an option.

If it ain’t broke...

Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts officially named the order in which he’ll deploy his starting pitchers in the World Series, and he’ll follow the same blueprint that worked so well against the Cubs in the NLCS.

It had already been a foregone conclusion that ace Clayton Kershaw would get the ball for Game 1 against the Astros on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. It will be the first World Series appearance for the 29-year-old star southpaw.

Kershaw pitched well against the Cubs in the NLCS, posting a 2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 9/2 K/BB ratio across 11 innings in his two starts.

Kershaw will be followed by 37-year-old left-hander Rich Hill. After that, Yu Darvish and Alex Wood are slotted to take Game 3 and Game 4 as the series shifts back to Los Angeles next weekend.

Dallas Keuchel will oppose Kershaw in Game 1 of the Series on Tuesday while Justin Verlander will do battle against Rich Hill and the Dodgers in Game 2. The Astros have yet to announce their starters for Game 3 or 4.

Quick Hits: Justin Turner sat out Sunday’s team workout after getting “banged up” during the NLCS, though he’s fully expected to be in the lineup for Game 1 on Tuesday… Dodgers’ skipper Dave Roberts hinted that Charlie Culberson could remain on the club’s roster for the World Series even with Corey Seager expected to return… Todd Frazier said after Saturday’s loss to the Astros that he would love to return to the Yankees in 2018… Veteran left-hander CC Sabathia echoed a similar sentiment when asked after Saturday’s game… Former Rays’ pitching coach Jim Hickey is scheduled to interview with the Cubs for the same position on Monday. He’s the top pitching coach available on the open market and has drawn considerable interest from around the league… When the World Series begins on Tuesday, it’ll mark the first time since 1970 that two teams that won 100 or more games during the regular season will have met at the Fall Classic.