ALDS Preview: Boston Red Sox vs Cleveland Indians

Now that the Wild Card games are behind us and the “Elite 8” has been established, it’s time for baseball’s second season.  The second of the American League Division Series kicks off on Thursday night as the Boston Red Sox travel to Cleveland to face the Indians in a best-of-five series.  Both teams finished atop their respective divisions, with the Indians hold an edge with 94 wins to the Red Sox 93.  A city that has been starved for a Championship for many years, finally was able to get one thanks to the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers.  Is it time for the Indians to end their 62-year drought?  Not according to the Red Sox if they have anything to do with it.  It should be an exciting series.

The Red Sox boast a pretty potent lineup consisting of David Ortiz (of course) who had the greatest last seasons in baseball history as well as AL MVP candidate Mookie Betts.  The Indians weren’t short on offense either, with great seasons turned in from Jason Kipnis, Mike Napoli, and Carlos Santana.  The key to this game is whether or not the pitching can withstand the hitting. There will be plenty of offense to talk about.

The winner of the short series will earn a spot in the American League Championship Series to face either the Toronto Blue Jays or the Texas Rangers.  That series is scheduled to start on Thursday afternoon.

Where:
Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
When:
Game 1: Thursday October 6th, 8pm
Game 2: Friday October 7th, 4pm
Game 3: Sunday October 9th, 4pm
Game 4: Monday October 10th TBD *-if necessary
Game 5: Wednesday October 12th TBD *-if necessary
Network:
TBS

The Matchups

Game 1

Boston Red Sox

Rick Porcello (22-4, 3.15) The American League wins leader takes the mound for the Red Sox in the first game of the five-game series.  He hasn’t pitched in the postseason since 2013 when he was a member of the Detroit Tigers.  Porcello is 0-2 with an ERA of 4.41 in eight career postseason games (two starts).

Cleveland Indians

Trevor Bauer (12-8, 4.26) When you saw that the Cleveland Indians were in the playoffs, you would have assumed that a number of different pitchers would have been tabbed for game one.  That is not the case on Thursday as Bauer makes his first postseason appearance in his young career.  In five seasons with Arizona and Cleveland, Bauer has a 30-32 record in 100 appearances as a starter and reliever.

Game 2

Boston Red Sox

David Price (17-9, 3.99) Price had an off year as far as his ERA is concerned.  He is usually in the mid two’s but this season he was almost in the four’s.  He didn’t quite do what the Red Sox thought he would do, but it was still a solid season nonetheless.  Price hasn’t been the best in the postseason, posting a 2-7 record with an ERA of 5.12  His success will be key in the pivotal second game of the series.

Cleveland Indians

Corey Kluber (18-9, 3.14) The Former Cy Young award winner gets the ball in game two.  Kluber is also making his first appearance in the postseason.  Overall in his career spanning over six seasons, Kluber has a 58-44 record with an ERA of 3.33.  This should be a real good pitching matchup and a very important second game of the series.

Game 3

Cleveland Indians

Josh Tomlin (13-9, 4.40) Tomlin who has gone back and forth on a few occasions between starter and reliever gets the nod in game three at Fenway Park.  Spending his entire career so far with the Indians, this will be his postseason debut as well.  Tomlin holds a career record of 49-39 with an ERA of 4.58 in 125 appearances.

Boston Red Sox

Clay Buchholz (8-10, 4.78) Once known as prolific starting pitcher with the Red Sox, Buchholz has fallen out of favor over the last couple of seasons spending most of this year in the bullpen.  He made 21 starts this year in 37 appearances with an ERA of 4.78.  He does have a World Series ring with the Red Sox from 2013, but has a 0-0 record in his postseason history.