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ALCS Preview: Toronto Blue Jays At Cleveland Indians

(Image: mlb.com)

(Image: mlb.com)

The American League Championship Series is set and features two teams that have traveled different paths to get there. For the Toronto Blue Jays, they had to fight their way to keep an AL Wild Card spot and then defeat the Baltimore Orioles in extra innings to win the Wild Card Game and advance to the ALDS. The Jays then faced the American League West winning Texas Rangers and what was supposed to be the series of the year turned out to be the complete opposite. The Rangers fell quickly and the Jays took advantage with the three game sweep to advance to the ALCS.

As for the Cleveland Indians, they have had a storybook year and the ride continues. After winning the American League Central Division, the Indians moved on to face the American League East Division winners, the Boston Red Sox. The Indians, like the Blue Jays swept their opponent in three games to get their chance to win the pennant.

So now it all comes down to this a best of seven game series as John Gibbons tries to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to their first Pennant and World Series victory since 1993.

But, for Terry Francona and the Cleveland Indians, they will try to bring their city a Pennant for the first time since 1997 and the first World Series Title since 1948.

When: Friday, October 14, 2016 at 8:00pm

Where: Progressive Field, Cleveland

Pitching Matchups:

Toronto Blue Jays

RHP Marco Estrada will make his second postseason start of 2016 and the Jays are hoping that he is just as successful as he was in his first. In Game 1 of the ALDS, Estrada went 8.1 innings, striking out six and allowing just four hits and one run which wasn’t allowed until the ninth, causing him to miss pitching his first complete game.

Cleveland Indians

For the Indians, RHP Corey Kluber will make just his second career postseason start on Friday against the Jays. In Kluber’s previous start in the ALDS against the Red Sox, he went seven shutout innings, allowing 3 hits while striking out seven and earning his first career postseason win.

Top Postseason Hitters:

Toronto Blue Jays

Cleveland Indians 

Probable Lineups:

Toronto Blue Jays

Ezequiel Carrera, LF

Josh Donaldson, 3B

Edwin Encarnacion, 1B

Jose Bautista, RF

Russell Martin, C

Troy Tulowitzki, SS

Michael Saunders, DH

Kevin Pillar, CF

Darwin Barney, 2B

Cleveland Indians

Carlos Santana, DH

Jason Kipnis, 2B

Francisco Lindor, SS

Mike Napoli, 1B

Jose Ramirez, 3B

Lonnie Chisenhall, RF

Coco Crisp, LF

Tyler Naquin, CF

Roberto Perez, C

Rest of the Series Pitching Probables

Game 2 – Saturday, October 15 – 4:00 PM ET
Blue Jays J.A. Happ, (20-4, 3.18) at Indians Josh Tomlin (13-9, 4.40)

Game 3 – Monday, October 17 – 8:00 PM ET
Indians Trevor Bauer (12-8, 4.26) at Blue Jays Marcus Stroman (9-10, 4.37)

Game 4 – Tuesday, October 18 – 4:00 PM ET
Indians Mike Clevinger (3-3, 5.26) at Blue Jays Aaron Sanchez (15-2, 3.00)

Game 5 – Wednesday, October 19 (if necessary)
Game 6 – Friday, October 21 (if necessary)
Game 7 – Saturday, October 22 (if necessary)

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