Keeping the Klaw

Now that the Red Sox have triumphed over the Dodgers to secure the World Series title, the MLB offseason is officially upon us.

It didn’t take long for the hot stove to heat up either. Immediately following the World Series, Dodgers’ ace Clayton Kershaw indicated that he was still mulling over whether or not to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract to test the free agent market.

News trickled out in the coming days that the two sides were likely to work out a mutually-beneficial short-term extension that would keep the left-hander in Los Angeles for another couple of years.

On Friday, the two sides were able to reach an accord, with Kershaw inking a three-year, $93 million contract. The deal also contains incentives. In essence, Kershaw used his opt-out as leverage to get another year and at least $28 million added on to his contract.

Kershaw hasn't made 30 starts in season since 2015 due to injury and his velocity was noticeably down in 2018, but he was still highly effective with a 2.73 ERA and 155/29 K/BB ratio over 161 1/3 innings. He will turn 31 next March.

It’s a great deal for both sides, as it keeps the Dodgers’ World Series window open for a few more years while maintaining the ace atop their pitching staff.

From a fantasy perspective, there’s no denying Kershaw’s continued effectiveness when he has been on the hill, though the game-breaking strikeout numbers may be a thing of the past. He hasn’t logged more than 175 innings in a season since 2015 though and given his chronic back issues, durability is going to continue to be a concern going forward.

A perennial first round draft pick in most formats, I would expect Kershaw to begin to slide into the middle of the second round in most 15-team drafts, somewhere in the 20-26 range. If he gives you a full season without missing any starts from that draft spot, he’ll deliver ample profit.

All that Glitters

Major League Baseball handed out some hardware on Sunday night, announcing the winners of the Rawlings’ 2018 Gold Glove Awards.

Here’s a look at the winners, with the number of Gold Gloves that each player has won in parentheses.

American League

C - Salvador Perez (5) - Perez has been the gold standard of the position in the American League, winning the award five times in the last six seasons.

1B - Matt Olson (1) - Not bad work for Olsen, winning his first Gold Glove in his first full season on the job. He led all MLB first baseman with 14 defensive runs saved on the year.

2B - Ian Kinsler (2) - It's the second win for Kinsler, who also took home the award with the Tigers during the 2016 campaign.

SS - Andrelton Simmons (4) - Francisco Lindor was certainly deserving of consideration here, but Simmons is in a class of his own as a defender. It's a treat to watch him play the game.

3B - Matt Chapman (1) - The first-time winner is very deserving, as Chapman racked up a jaw-dropping 29 defensive runs saved at the position in 2018, which is 19 more than any other third baseman in the league. He has to be considered the favorite to take home the Platinum Glove in the American League.

LF - Alex Gordon (6) - It's the second straight win for Gordon, and sixth overall, after he won the award in four straight years from 2011-2014 as well.

CF - Jackie Bradley Jr. (1) - This one was definitely a long-time coming, as Bradley has played phenomenal defense for years in Boston, but has always had to battle Angels' superstar Mike Trout for the award.

RF - Mookie Betts (3) - Betts led all MLB outfielders with 20 DRS on the season, en route to his third straight gold glove. He's the gold standard by which other right fielders are currently judged.

P - Dallas Keuchel (4) - It's the fourth win in the last five years for Keuchel, who will hit free agency this winter.

National League

C - Yadier Molina (9) - It's the ninth Gold Glove for the Cardinals' star backstop, but his first since winning eight straight from 2006-2015.

1B - Anthony Rizzo (2) & Freddie Freeman (1) - It's just the fourth time in history that there has been a tie for a Gold Glove.

2B - D.J. LeMahieu (3) - This one was a mild surprise, as many predicted Kolten Wong (who led all MLB second baseman in DRS) to take home the honor. It's the third win for LeMahieu, who has snagged the award in each of the last two seasons.

SS - Nick Ahmed (1) - The first-time winner has long been considered one of the top defenders in all of baseball, all it took was getting a full-time job for the first time in his career to land the Gold Glove.

3B - Nolan Arenado (6) - Arenado has now captured the honor in each of his first six seasons in the big leagues. He also surpassed Larry Walker (5) for the most Gold Gloves in Rockies' franchise history. He's also in the running to take home his second straight Platinum Glove in the National League.

LF - Corey Dickerson (1) - Long considered to be an all-hit, no-glove outfielder, this one has to be especially rewarding for Dickerson, who finished second in DRS among National League left fielders.

CF - Ender Inciarte (3) - It's the third straight year that Inciarte has taken home the award. While he's obviously a terrific defender and deserving of the honor, you really have to feel for Lorenzo Cain who continues to get overlooked here each and every year.

RF - Nick Markakis (3) - It's the third time that Markakis has won the award, but the first time since 2014. It caps off a phenomenal year for the free agent outfielder who also earned his first All-Star nod.

P - Zack Greinke (5) - It's the fifth straight win for Greinke, who is widely considered the top fielding pitcher in all of baseball.

Nats Strike Quick

The Washington Nationals also struck quickly on the free agent market, inking former Cardinals’ closer Trevor Rosenthal to a one-year, $6 million contract.

The deal also includes an option for 2020, rumored to be at least $7 million with a $1 million buyout, making it $7 million guaranteed for the right-hander. The deal also includes incentives that could take the deal to $28 million over the two seasons, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post

Rosenthal didn't pitch in 2018 but isn't far removed from being one of the league's premier closers. It's a nice low-risk, high-reward move for the Nats. It’s expected that Rosenthal will work in a setup capacity in front of closer Sean Doolittle.

Tragedy hits in Dominican Republic

Unfortunately, tragedy struck the baseball world in the Dominican Republic when

Reds minor league pitcher Jairo Capellan died in a car crash early Saturday.

Fellow minor leaguers Raul Hernandez and Emilio Garcia were also injured in the crash; Hernandez is in critical condition, and Garcia in stable condition, both in Dominican hospitals. "We received this terrible news and send our condolences and support to the families, friends and teammates of Jairo, Raul and Emilio," Reds Chief Executive Officer Bob Castellini said in a news release. "Our Dominican operations are an integral part of the Reds organization, and this tragedy affects us all. We will remain closely involved to help everyone through this difficult time." All three players are 19 years old.

Rangers tab Woodward as manager

The Rangers didn’t waste any time narrowing down their search for a replacement to former skipper Jeff Banister, reaching an agreement with Dodgers’ third base coach Chris Woodward.

Woodward will get a three-year deal, with a club option for 2022, becoming the 27th manager in Texas Rangers’ history.

He’ll be officially introduced at a press conference in Arlington on Monday.

The 42-year-old has no prior managerial experience. He began his coaching career as the minor league infield instructor for the Mariners before working his way up to the big league staff. He has spent the past three seasons as the third base coach under Dave Roberts in Los Angeles.

Qualifying Offers

Friday marked the deadline for MLB clubs to extend $17.9 million qualifying offers to impending free agents. This time around, a new record-low seven players were issued qualifying offers. Under the current system which began in 2012, the previous low for players issued qualifying offers in a season was nine.

Here’s the list of players who did receive the qualifying offer, all of whom are expected to decline:

Patrick Corbin - Diamondbacks

Yasmani Grandal - Dodgers

Bryce Harper - Nationals

Dallas Keuchel - Astros

Craig Kimbrel - Red Sox

A.J. Pollock - Diamondbacks

Hyun-Jin Ryu - Dodgers

There are a couple of players who were expected to receive qualifying offers, but didn’t, which came as a mild surprise. Among those, were Astros’ right-hander Charlie Morton, Rockies’ second baseman D.J. LeMahieu and Indians’ outfielder Michael Brantley.

American League Quick Hits: ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Orioles have been in contact with former Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington regarding their front office opening… The Astros claimed Chris Herrmann off of waivers from the Mariners… The Orioles re-signed left-hander Sean Gilmartin to a minor league contract… Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports the Rays are likely to trade designated hitter C.J. Cron this offseason…  The Blue Jays fired hitting coach Brook Jacoby...Steve Phillips of MLB Network Radio reports that the Yankees "will not be in on (Bryce) Harper" this offseason… White Sox’ general manager Rick Hahn noted that the organization has discussed a possible position change for Yoan Moncada…

National League Quick Hits: The Pirates hired Rick Eckstein as their new hitting coach… Cubs claimed Jack Reinheimer off waivers from the Mets… The Reds announced the hiring of Derek Johnson as their new pitching coach… Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that the Dodgers have started contract extension talks with manager Dave Roberts… The Brewers have hired Andy Haines to be their hitting coach, taking the place of Darnell Coles who resigned last week… Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals "intend to explore" the market for Bryce Harper "and see how they fit."... Despite not making him a qualifying offer, Rockies' general manager Jeff Bridich still plans to reach out to free agent right-hander Adam Ottavino...According to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, the Cubs have yet to make a decision regarding the future of Addison Russell.

Say hello to my little friend

 Not to be confused with Al Pacino's Montoya character, the Jays have selected Charlie Montoya as their new manager.


Montoyo, 53, is taking his first major-league managerial job. The contract is for three years plus a club option in 2022. He is an old-school baseball mind with an appreciation for analytics. After managing 16 seasons in the Rays’ minor-league system, the former utility infielder joined Tampa Bay’s major-league staff as third-base coach in 2015, then as bench coach in 2018, responsible for the Rays’ extensive defensive shifts.

Montoyo played a season with the Triple-A Ottawa Lynx in 1993 then was promoted for the month of September with the Expos, his only experience as a player in the majors. He attempted a second tour in Montreal in 1996, but realized that his playing time had passed him by.
Montoyo ostensibly began his coaching career when he was asked by the Expos at spring training of 1996 to go down to the lower levels of the minor-league system to work with some of the top young prospects. It was there that he met Vladimir Guerrero embarking on his meteoric rise to the majors. Montoyo sees him as the best minor-league prospect he has seen. Now he will be responsible for Vlad Guerrero, Jr. who is currently ranked as the top prospect in baseball. Full circle.

Vlad Jr

The history of major-league baseball is that when you replace a manager that it is usually someone with the opposite personality traits and skills. While Gibbons was a reluctant convert to the modern wave of analytics, Montoyo is a full-on born-again baseball manager, believing in the shift and in the opportunities to win that are presented by the concept of a pitching opener, rather than a rotation of 100-pitch starters, as pioneered by manager Kevin Cash and the Rays.
Montoyo said he understands the uniqueness of the Jays in major-league baseball, that they are representing an entire country and not just one city. He has experience as a coach for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

 Baseball has always been a copycat game and no longer are front offices reluctant to hire first-year managers, following the recent success of the Red Sox with Alex Cora, the Yankees with Aaron Boone, the Dodgers with Dave Roberts and the Rays with Cash. Montoyo becomes the third minority manager hired by the Jays in the 42 seasons of the franchise, following Cito Gaston (African-American) and Carlos Tosca (Cuban-American). Montoyo’s ability to speak Spanish is a bonus, but was not considered a necessity for the rebuilding Jays.

It seems clear the Blue Jays had certain requirements as part of the interview process for a manager to replace the departed Gibbons. They were looking for a first-time MLB manager with a knowledge of and respect for analytics who had also spent time in a major-league dugout as a coach. The list was down to three.

 Following a preliminary round of phone interviews conducted by Jays’ GM Ross Atkins, it came down to five in-person interviews over the past 14 days. That select group included Giants’ farm director David Bell, Rays’ coach Rocco Baldelli, Rays’ bench coach Charlie Montoyo, Astros’ bench coach Joe Espada and Cubs’ bench coach Brandon Hyde. With Bell deciding to head to the Reds and with the Twins deciding on Baldelli, that effectively left the Jays with three leading candidates.
 There had been lively speculation for two months about other candidates, a list that included two-time Pacific Coast League manager-of-the-Year, Canadian baseball icon Stubby Clapp, former Indians and M’s manager Eric Wedge, currently Jays’ minor-league field coordinator, current Jays’ bench coach Demarlo Hale and the organization’s Double-A New Hampshire manager, John Schneider, who has been with the organization since 2006, working with many of the young players about to make the breakthrough to the majors with a rebuilding squad in 2019.


Espada, 43, was considered a Jays’ front-runner because of the similar path he had taken to Cora, a young Puerto Rican coach graduating from Astros’ bench coach to a major-league managerial position for his first posting. Espada had experience with the Yankees as a third-base coach and spent a season out of uniform in New York’s front office working with GM Brian Cashman.
Hyde, 45, was a strong and interesting candidate for the position, having spent five years as a Marlins’ minor-league player, five years as a minor-league manager, then rising to the majors as a coach with the Marlins and the Cubs, spending the past four years with Joe Maddon.
The Jays coaching staff under John Gibbons all are signed through the 2019 season, but it is expected that at least 2-3 of them will choose to accept jobs elsewhere. Gibbons staff included Hale, pitching coach Pete Walker, hitting coach Brook Jacoby, third-base coach Luis Rivera, first-base coach Tim Leiper, bullpen coach Dane Johnson and quality control coach Mike Mordecai.

Take Two

The Red Sox are halfway to their fourth World Series championship since 2004.

David Price allowed two runs over six innings and the bullpen followed with three perfect frames on Wednesday night in Boston as the Red Sox defeated the Dodgers 4-2 in Game 2 of the World Series. They’ll pack a commanding 2-0 lead as the series shifts to Los Angeles.

Making his first World Series appearance since pitching in relief with the Rays in 2008, Price wasn’t as effective as he was in his Game 5 ALCS start against the Astros, but he managed to hold the Dodgers to just three hits while walking three. Both runs scored in the fourth inning, including a sacrifice fly from Matt Kemp and an RBI single from Yasiel Puig, but the veteran southpaw escaped further damage before delivering consecutive 1-2-3 innings to close out his night. He fanned five batters in the victory while inducing 11 swinging strikes in his 88 pitches.

All Price does is win in the playoffs, apparently. After failing to win his first 11 postseason starts, he has now won each of his last two starts. The Red Sox were actually behind after Price gave up two runs in the fourth inning, but they took the lead back for good with a three-run rally in the fifth. In keeping with their postseason run, all of them came with two outs.

Hyun-Jin Ryu retired the first two batters in the fifth, but the Red Sox had him right where they wanted him. Christian Vazquez and Mookie Betts got a two-out rally started with back-to-back singles. Ryu then walked Andrew Benintendi to load the bases before being pulled in favor of Ryan Madson. It didn’t go well.

Madson walked Steve Pearce to force in the tying run before J.D. Martinez poked a go-ahead two-run single to right field. And that’s all the Red Sox would need, as Price finished his outing on a high note before the hard-throwing trio of Joe Kelly, Nathan Eovaldi, and Craig Kimbrel shut down the Dodgers’ offense to close out the victory.

As for Madson, he’s had a couple of rough days to begin the World Series. He’s inherited five runners through the first two games and has allowed all of them to score. This was his ninth appearance through 13 postseason games for Los Angeles.

Anything can happen, but history isn’t on the Dodgers’ side at this point. Previous teams with a 2-0 lead in the World Series have gone on to win 79.6 percent (43 out of the last 54) of the time, including each of the last 10. The last team to overcome the early series deficit was the 1996 Yankees. It's a tall order against a team which has now won 117 games if you combine the regular season and the postseason.

Eovaldi was previously mentioned as a possible option to start Game 3 on Friday night, but that won’t happen after he was needed on Wednesday. It’s possible he’ll start Game 4 if he doesn’t pitch out of the bullpen again. Rick Porcello is now lined up for Game 3 on Friday night. Walker Buehler will try to get the Dodgers back in the series.



 

Quick Hits: According to FOX 9 Sports in Minnesota, the Twins will hire Rays major league field coordinator Rocco Baldelli as their new manager on Thursday … Yoenis Cespedes’ left heel surgery has been delayed a few days due to a scheduling conflict … Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that young left-hander Julio Urias will be stretched out as a starter in 2019 … Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was named as the winner of the 2018 Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes the player “who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions” on and off the field … Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that the Rangers are interviewing Eric Chavez for their managerial opening … The Diamondbacks claimed right-hander Artie Lewicki off waivers from the Tigers …

Come Sale Away, to the Fall Classic

After two long days of no baseball, the World Series will get underway on Tuesday.

You couldn’t ask for a better Game 1 pitching matchup, as Clayton Kershaw will take the ball for the Dodgers and will square off against fellow ace left-hander Chris Sale of the Red Sox.

Kershaw finished off the Dodgers’ NLCS Game 7 win over the Brewers on Saturday with a scoreless ninth inning, so he’ll be pitching on just two days’ rest. However, he threw just 15 pitches in that appearance and that didn’t stop him from going through a workout on Sunday at Fenway Park.

Sale will be pitching on nine days’ rest, as his last outing came back on October 13 in Game 1 of the ALCS. He had to be pushed back from a scheduled ALCS Game 5 start because of a stomach issue that was definitely not belly button ring-related. The illness caused Sale to lose some weight, but he threw a bullpen session without issue Saturday and said he’s “back on track and back to normal.”

The only other pitching matchup that’s set in stone is Game 2, which will feature Hyun-Jin Ryu versus David Price. Walker Buehler will toe the slab for the Dodgers in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium and will be opposed by either Nathan Eovaldi or Rick Porcello. Whoever of Eovaldi or Porcello doesn’t start Game 3 will be set up for Game 4 against Rich Hill.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Matt Kemp will start at designated hitter and David Freese will also be in the lineup (presumably at first base) for Game 1. Neither comes as a surprise, as Freese has been the regular first baseman against lefties and Kemp has crushed southpaws this year and isn’t a strong defensive outfielder. Yasiel Puig has often been benched against lefties due to his reverse splits, but he could start in right field after his NLCS Game 7 heroics.

Steve Pearce will start at first base for the Red Sox as he typically does against lefties and Sandy Leon will catch Sale as usual. Eduardo Nunez figures to start at third base if his ankle is OK. The Red Sox’ most interesting lineup decision will come when they lose the DH spot in Dodger Stadium. J.D. Martinez will play the outfield and to make room for him the club is considering putting Mookie Betts at second base, where he hasn’t started a game since 2014.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get this series rolling.

D-backs Re-Sign Escobar

Impending free agents don’t officially hit the open market until five days after the World Series. However, they can re-up with their current team until then and that’s what Eduardo Escobar did Monday.

The Diamondbacks announced the re-signing of Escobar to a reported three-year, $21 million contract. Escobar is coming off a career-best offensive season, having posted a .272/.334/.489 batting line with 23 home runs and 84 RBI across 151 games for the Twins and D-backs. He hit .268/.327/.444 with eight bombs and 21 RBI over 54 games after being acquired by Arizona at the trade deadline.

General manager Mike Hazen said that the team views Escobar as an everyday player, but where he plays and whether it will be at one position is yet to be determined. Jake Lamb is coming off a terrible 2018 campaign and had shoulder surgery in August, so Escobar might settle in as the regular third baseman. That could potentially free the D-backs up to trade Lamb or perhaps Paul Goldschmidt. The club has also discussed the possibility of moving Ketel Marte to center field, which would free up second base for Escobar.

Of course, a lot of Escobar’s value lies in his ability to play multiple positions, and there would seem to be plenty of at-bats available to him between third base, shortstop and second base. Getting Escobar – who will turn 30 in January – on a relatively modest deal looks like a sensible move for the Snakes.

Mesas to Miami

The moves were telegraphed as the Marlins built up more and more international spending money over the last several weeks, and on Monday they made official the signing of two big international free agents.

Victor Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa Jr. were introduced at a press conference Monday at Marlins Park. The two brothers sat alongside chief executive officer Derek Jeter as the Hall of Famer spoke glowingly about the potential of the Cubans while also reiterating the organization’s desire to become players on the international market after they ignored it for so long.

Victor Victor, 22, is considered the big prize, as he signed for a reported $5.25 million and was ranked by various evaluators as the top international talent in the current signing period. The center fielder is considered to be a strong defender and could potentially fit toward the top of a batting order. He could begin next season at the Double-A level, although the Marlins will take a look at him in spring training before making any decisions.

Victor Jr., 17, signed for $1 million and is obviously not as close to the majors. Also an outfielder, Victor Jr. was a switch-hitter in Cuba but is expected to hit exclusively from the left side as he begins his pro career in the Marlins system.


Quick Hits: Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Monday that he's been in touch with Adrian Beltre but Beltre has not made a decision yet on retirement. The GM added that they will work something out to bring him back if he decides to keep playing … The Seibu Lions said Sunday that they would post Japanese left-hander Yusei Kikuchi this offseason if Kikuchi requests it … Seunghwan Oh is expected to pitch for the Rockies in 2019 after a previous report indicated that he was considering returning to Korea … Jim Bowden of The Athletic has reported that the Red Sox are expected to add Steven Wright (knee) to their World Series roster … Brodie Van Wagenen had his second interview for the Mets' vacant managerial job on Monday. Fellow finalists Doug Melvin and Chaim Bloom will have their second interviews on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively … Rocco Baldelli had a second interview for the Twins’ managerial vacancy Monday … Joe Espada interviewed for the Blue Jays' managerial vacancy Monday …

7th Heaven

The Dodgers entered Game 6 of the NLCS on Friday looking to punch their ticket to the World Series for the second consecutive season.

The Brewers meanwhile, were just looking to survive and advance in any way possible.

The Dodgers threw the first punch in this one. Postseason legend David Freese, batting out of the leadoff spot in the order for just the third time in his entire career, smashed a leadoff home run off of Brewers’ left-hander Wade Miley to silence the home faithful at Miller Park and give the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead.

It didn’t take long for the Brewers to strike back. In the bottom half of the first inning, Lorenzo Cain started things with an infield single. After Christian Yelich was retired on a terrific play by Justin Turner at third base, Ryan Braun drew a one-out walk. Jesus Aguilar then lined a two-run double into right field, restoring the life into the home crowd.

Mike Moustakas followed suit, attacking the first pitch that he saw from Hyun-Jin Ryu for a run-scoring double of his own. Erik Kratz then ambushed the first pitch he saw, serving an RBI single into right center.

The Brewers wound up batting around in the first inning, pushing those four runs across to take a 4-1 lead. They’d add to that lead the next inning, when Ryan Braun came through with an RBI double to score Christian Yelich who had doubled before him.

The Dodgers struck back in the fifth inning, again with lefty-masher David Freese. He lined an RBI double into the gap to score Brian Dozier who had just worked a four-pitch walk off of Miley. The left-hander then walked Max Muncy, and that was all manager Craig Counsell needed to see. He called upon right-hander Corey Knebel with two men on and one out in the fifth inning, and the third and fourth place hitters due up for the Dodgers.

Knebel was up to the challenge. He retired Justin Turner on a fly ball to center field, then punched out Manny Machado to end the threat. In the bottom half of the inning, the Brewers’ threatened for more, loading the bases against Alex Wood, but Counsell opted not to pinch-hit for Knebel, leaving him to strikeout to end the inning.

Knebel stuck around for the sixth inning, hitting Joc Pederson with one out, but otherwise working a clean inning to keep the 5-2 lead intact.

The Brewers added to their lead in the seventh inning, when Aguilar scampered home on a wild pitch by Kenta Maeda. While Dodgers’ catcher Yasmani Grandal really had no chance at blocking that ball, given his struggles behind the plate in the series, I’m sure that play drew the ire of many Dodgers’ fans.

The Brewers cashed in on another Dodgers’ miscue in the eighth inning. After Hernan Perez hit into what looked like it should have been an inning-ending double play that the Dodgers were unable to turn over, Aguilar cashed in Lorenzo Cain with a two-out RBI single to extend their lead to 7-2.

Corbin Burnes worked the final two innings for the Brewers, recording a pair of strikeouts while retiring all six hitters that he faced.

Not only did the Brewers stave off elimination by winning Game 6, but manager Craig Counsell was able to avoid using bullpen ace Josh Hader, which should extend his availability for Saturday’s winner-take-all contest.

On the hill for the Dodgers on Saturday will be rookie right-hander Walker Buehler. He pitched pretty well in a losing effort in Game 3 of the series, allowing four runs on five hits over seven innings while racking up eight strikeouts.

You’ll remember that he was opposed by Jhoulys Chacin in that contest. The Brewers’ right-hander scattered three hits and a pair of walks over 5 ⅓ innings of shutout baseball in that one while striking out six. In fact, Chacin hasn’t allowed a single run in 10 ⅓ innings over his two starts this postseason.

It’ll be an all-hands-on-deck scenario for both bullpens in this one, with only Friday’s starters likely to be unavailable to their respective managers. With the Brewers holding Hader out of Game 5 and 6, it would be surprising if he didn’t work at least two innings in Saturday’s must-win game.

Awaiting the winner is a date with Chris Sale and the Red Sox in Game 1 of the World Series which will begin in Boston on Tuesday.

American League Quick Hits: Charlie Morton said after the Astros were eliminated Thursday that he plans to continue his career. He’s likely to receive a $17.9 million qualifying offer from the Astros this winter, and has expressed his desire to remain in Houston, so there’s a chance that he could wind up accepting that one-year pact rather than looking for a multi-year deal on the free agent market… Orioles pitching prospect Hunter Harvey (elbow/forearm) will resume a throwing program in December…. Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reports that Matt Davidson will train this winter in hopes of becoming a two-way player next season. He doesn’t envision ever becoming a high-leverage reliever, but does think that he can be a regular weapon out of the White Sox bullpen, providing their roster with extra flexibility. Davidson made three scoreless appearances for the White Sox during the season, allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out two… Red Sox manager Alex Cora said in an interview on WEEI on Friday that Chris Sale (illness) will start Game 1 of the World Series next Tuesday… .

National League Quick Hits: MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports that the Mets have completed their first round of interviews and have begun paring down their list as they seek a new general manager. De Jon Watson, Gary LaRocque and Dave Littlefield are reportedly out of the running. Chaim Bloom, Doug Melvin, Brodie Van Wagenen and Kim Ng are the other known candidates, with Andy Martino of SNY.tv reporting that Melvin has "several people both inside and outside the organization" advocating for him… Joe Musgrove underwent surgery to repair his right abdominal wall and help a pelvic stress reaction heal. He's expected to need six weeks of rehab time, with the Pirates saying the right-hander "will be on or close to a regular schedule for 2019 spring training."... With Joe Girardi removing his name from consideration for the Reds’ managerial job, David Bell has emerged as the favorite to secure the gig. Bell has been working as the director of player development for the Giants. While he has no managerial experience, he’s also a finalist for the Blue Jays’ and Rangers’ jobs, and is also being considered for the general manager’s job in San Francisco, so he’s in very high demand…

Fits like a glove

With no other baseball being played and no major football games to contend with for eyeballs -- apologies to Appalachian State and the Sun Belt Conference -- Game 4 of the ALDS between the Red Sox and Yankees took center stage in the sports world on Tuesday night.

And it delivered in terms of entertainment value, with New Yankee Stadium sounding like Old Yankee Stadium and the final out coming down to a replay review at first base.

You know the score: Boston won 4-3 and will advance to a best-of-seven American League Championship Series against the defending-champion Astros. Now let’s get into the minutiae …

Rick Porcello started the game for the visiting Red Sox and delivered five innings of one-run ball. The right-hander tallied just one strikeout but issued zero walks and limited a powerful Yankees lineup to four hits -- two doubles, two singles -- before getting lifted with a pitch count of 65 after the bottom of the fifth. Porcello will be lined up to start Game 3 or Game 4 of the ALCS versus Houston, though manager Alex Cora might opt to use the former American League Cy Young Award winner out of the bullpen earlier in the series -- just like he did in Game 1 of the ALDS.

Cora went to Chris Sale in the eighth inning Tuesday and the ace left-hander worked a perfect 1-2-3 frame on just 13 total pitches, looking as sharp as we’ve seen him in the last two months. He should be ready to rock for Game 1 of the ALCS on Saturday at Fenway Park. Call his ALDS Game 4 outing a between-starts bullpen session -- that’s how free-and-easy he pitched while retiring Gleyber Torres, Andrew McCutchen, and Aaron Hicks in succession.

Just about every button Cora pressed in the best-of-five American League Division Series yielded positive results. He started Ian Kinsler over Brock Holt on Tuesday, despite Holt recording the first cycle in postseason history on Monday, and Kinsler went on to rip an RBI double off CC Sabathia as part of a three-run third inning for Boston.

Cora also started Christian Vazquez at catcher over Sandy Leon in Game 4, and Vazquez, who totaled just three home runs during the regular season and hadn't gone deep since June 26, belted a solo shot in the top of the fourth inning off Yankees reliever Zach Britton.

But we can’t ignore Craig Kimbrel’s shakiness. He gave up a home run to Aaron Judge in Game 1 of the ALDS last Friday and nearly blew a three-run Game 4 lead on Tuesday, yielding two walks, a single, a sacrifice fly, and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning before inducing a game-ending groundout from Gleyber Torres -- which, as stated at the top of this column, was close enough to bring on a desperation challenge from the Yankees.

Kimbrel needs to be sharper next round against a relentless, fully-stocked Astros outfit. And Cora’s aggressive decisions might not play as well in a best-of-seven series, especially given the caliber of Boston’s next opponent. But we sure are looking forward to this matchup.

As for the Yankees’ side of things, Sabathia made it through just three innings in what might have been his final start in pinstripes. You could make the argument that manager Aaron Boone should have pulled him earlier -- at the very first sign of trouble -- given the depth of talent in New York’s bullpen. The 38-year-old left-hander is scheduled to become a free agent in early November.

Also notable is that Giancarlo Stanton had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth with two men on and zero outs but flailed at a Kimbrel slider for strike three. He finished 0-for-4, and the boo birds at Yankee Stadium returned for a final farewell as he walked back to the dugout.

Quick Hits: The Rays extended the contract of manager Kevin Cash through 2024 … Braves manager Brian Snitker said Tuesday that there are no "long-term concerns" about Dansby Swanson's left hand … Impending free agent starter Anibal Sanchez told reporters after the Braves’ elimination from the NLDS that he hopes to play another couple of seasons … Twins general manager Thad Levine said Tuesday that Miguel Sano (knee) could play winter ball … Phillies pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez will skip the Arizona Fall League after recently experiencing soreness in his right collarbone … Free agent first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM that he's preparing to play next year … Twins utility infielder Ehire Adrianza underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder … Matt Stairs will not return as the Padres’ hitting coach in 2019.

Welcome to Brocktober

Brock Holt admitted after the Red Sox’ rout of the Yankees on Monday that he was trying to hit a home run in his last plate appearance. Given the situation, it’s hard to blame him.

Holt hit for the first ever cycle in major league postseason history in ALDS Game 3 on Monday in the Bronx as the Red Sox embarrassed the Yankees 16-1. It was the most lopsided loss in Yankees postseason history in what is their 54^th time in the playoffs.

After a single and two-run triple in the fourth inning and double in the eighth, Holt walked to the dish in the ninth a home run shy of history. He got to face backup catcher Austin Romine since the Yanks didn’t want to further burn their bullpen, and Holt yanked one down the right field line and over the wall for a two-run shot. Hey, he’ll take it.

Boston pounded out 18 hits, but Holt had their only home run and three of their five extra-base knocks on the night, as they mostly singled the Yankees to death while also benefitting greatly from eight walks. Andrew Benintendi (four times on base, three RBI) and Mookie Betts (three times on base, two RBI) also had nice nights at the plate.



Nathan Eovaldi wasn’t even a given to be in the Red Sox’ ALDS rotation, but on Monday he turned in one of the best pitching performances of this year’s playoffs. He tossed seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just five singles and no walks while notching five strikeouts. Eovaldi retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced and was still hitting triple digits in his final inning of work.

Luis Severino was charged with six runs on seven hits and two walks over three-plus innings of work in a clunker of an outing. It was pretty clear from a get-go that he didn’t have it and it was a surprise that manager Aaron Boone stuck with him as long as he did. It was also a surprise that the first reliever Boone turned to was Lance Lynn, who walked in a run, gave up a bases-clearing double and a single among the four batters he faced.

For what it’s worth, TBS analyst Ron Darling reported during the game that Severino began his warmup routine just 10 minutes before first pitch because he was unaware what time the game started. However, Severino, Boone and pitching coach Larry Rothschild all said that the righty went through his normal routine and there were no issues. Regardless, there’s no doubting Severino had a rough night. The only guy whose night might have been worse was umpire Angel Hernandez.

The Yankees were down 0-2 in last year’s ALDS versus the Indians before storming back with three straight victories to advance to the ALCS and will need another comeback this time around to stay alive. They’ve hand the ball to CC Sabathia on Tuesday and the Red Sox will counter with Rick Porcello as they try to move on to face the Astros.

George Springer

Astros Spring into ALCS

George Springer was a relative disappointment from a power perspective during the regular season. Apparently he just needed to get back to the postseason to start swatting home runs again.

Springer popped two more longballs Monday in Cleveland as the Astros closed out their ALDS sweep of the Indians. His solo shot in the fifth inning got the scoring going for Houston and his solo blast in the eighth kicked off a six-run frame as the Astros ran away with what was ultimately an 11-3 victory.

Springer – who also added an infield single in the game – has now hit 10 home runs over 27 postseason contests covering 123 plate appearances, which is an Astros record. Seven of those longballs have come across his last nine playoff games.

The Astros also got a dinger from Carlos Correa on Monday, which was the shortstop’s lone hit of the ALDS. The hope, obviously, is that it will get Correa going after he struggled down the stretch while fighting through a nagging back injury.

Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Dallas Keuchel combined to allow just five runs over 17 1/3 innings (2.60 ERA) in their three starts after Keuchel held the Indians to two runs across five frames Monday. They had a 21/3 K/BB ratio over that span (thanks in large part to Cole’s 12/0 K/BB ratio in Game 2). How about Houston’s bullpen? The only run they gave up across 9 2/3 innings in the ALDS scored Monday on a Will Harris wild pitch.

After coming up just short in Game 7 of the World Series in 2016, the Indians have now been beaten in the ALDS two years in a row. Outside of Francisco Lindor, who homered Monday and went 4-for-11 with a couple longballs in the series, the Tribe’s offense didn’t really show up against the Astros. Michael Brantley, Jose Ramirez, Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion and Yonder Alonso went a combined 6-for-48 (.125) with zero extra-base hits in the series.

The Astros will face the winner of the Red Sox/Yankees series in Game 1 of the ALCS on Saturday. They’ll host if the Yankees advance and will be on the road if the Red Sox move on.

Dodgers Down Braves

The Dodgers are back in the NLCS again.

Manny Machado had a big night as the Dodgers eliminated the Braves on Monday with a 6-2 NLDS Game 4 victory. The shortstop plated the first run of the game with an RBI double in the top of the first inning off of starter Mike Foltynewicz. He provided a deadly blow in the seventh with a three-run home run off of reliever Chad Sobotka.

The Dodgers also got a big hit from David Freese, who came off the bench to deliver a pinch-hit, two-run single in the sixth inning to give Los Angeles a lead that they wouldn’t give up. Freese coming up with a big base hit in October. Imagine that.

Rich Hill walked five batters and lasted just 4 1/3 innings Monday, but the Dodgers’ bullpen once again came up big with 4 2/3 scoreless frames and just two baserunners allowed. Aside from a solo home run Alex Wood surrendered to Freddie Freeman in Game 3, the Dodgers’ pen didn’t give up a run the entire series.

The Dodgers’ big trade deadline acquisition, Machado went just 3-for-17 in the series and struck out seven times. However, he certainly picked his spots with those three hits, driving in six runs with a two-run homer, a three-run homer and an RBI double.

It was a rough series for the Braves’ bats in particular. They were shut out in Games 1 and 2 and the only runs they scored in Game 4 came on a pinch-hit, two-run single by Kurt Suzuki. In other words, their starting lineup didn’t drive in a run in three of the four games.

While the NLDS didn’t turn out as hoped, the Braves have to be pretty thrilled with their season. They were viewed by most coming into the season as likely at least a year or two away from being a contender, but they clicked sooner than expected and wound up winning the National League East fairly easily. With Ronald Acuna, Ozzie Albies and Freeman and a boatload of interesting young arms to build around, they could be a steady presence in October for a while.

As for the Dodgers, they will begin their NLCS matchup against the Brewers in Milwaukee on Friday. It’s a matchup of probably the most talented team in the NL against inarguably the hottest team in the Senior Circuit.


Quick Hits: Miguel Sano won't face criminal charges for an accident in the Dominican Republic on Sunday which left a police officer with a broken leg … Avisail Garcia underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee … Kevan Smith underwent successful surgery on his left ankle … The Marlins have fired pitching coach Juan Nieves, first base coach Perry Hill, assistant hitting coach Frank Menechino, and strength and conditioning coach Ty Hill …