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Six hours before Game 3 of 2016 World Series on Friday between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians at Wrigley Field, StubHub stopped its ticket sales.

According Darren Rovell of ESPN.com, “StubHub spokesman Glenn Lehrman told ESPN that the six-hour shutdown has been part of the contract with the Cubs and that the team reiterated that it wanted to keep it in place throughout the 2016 playoffs.”   

Fans looking to attend the historic game had to try other ticketing websites, though there were only about 900 tickets remaining at 1:08 p.m. CT. Rovell noted “the get-in price went from $1,690 to $1,290, a drop of nearly 24 percent” after StubHub pulled the tickets. 

But as of 5 p.m. CT (roughly two hours before game time), Vivid Seats, one of the sites the extra tickets went to, listed its cheapest one at $1,533 for standing room only.

This is the first World Series game at Wrigley since 1945, when Hall of Famers Hank Greenberg and Hal Newhouser featured in the Cubs’ 9-3 Game 7 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

As the Chicago Tribune‘s Brian Moore noted, patrons didn’t have to pay nearly as much back then:

Cubs fans have been waiting years and even decades for this moment, though, so it will be difficult for them to put a price on such an experience.     

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Another dominant pitching performance from Cleveland’s entire staff was combined with one clutch hit to give the Indians a 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the World Series at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Indians take a 2-1 lead in the series, halfway to their first title since 1948.

Pinch hitter Coco Crisp singled in Michael Martinez with one out in the top of the seventh for the game’s only run, all Cleveland would need with four pitchers combining on a five-hitter. Starter Josh Tomlin only allowed two hits but was pulled after 4 2/3 innings to make way for Andrew Miller, who threw 1 1/3 innings to pick up the while Bryan Shaw went 1 2/3 innings and closer Cody Allen finished it with 1 1/3 innings.

Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks struck out six but allowed six hits in 4 1/3 scoreless innings, the first of six pitchers for the Cubs. It was Carl Edwards who got the loss.

The Cubs were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and had zero hits with runners on base. Jorge Soler tripled with two outs in the eighth and didn’t score, and in the ninth they had runners on second and third with two out but Javier Baez struck out to end the game.

The Indians will send ace Corey Kluber out for Game 4 on Saturday, while the Cubs will send veteran John Lackey to try to even the series.

Scroll down for all of our updates, analysis, pictures, tweets and anything else worth noting from Chicago.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.

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Wrigley Field will host its first World Series game since 1945 when the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians square off Friday night with the Fall Classic knotted at one game apiece. If the National League Championship Series was any indication, the atmosphere should be electric.  

“Tomorrow’s going to be unbelievable,” Indians first baseman Mike Napoli said Thursday, according to the Associated Press’ Jay Cohen. “I watched when they clinched to go to the World Series and how crazy it was and seeing the fans in the streets where they had to have police escorts. You could just see the crowd just part ways.”

With excitement building and the Windy City ready to party if the Cubs take a 2-1 lead behind starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, here’s a look at when and where you can catch all the action: 

What They’re Saying Before Game 3

Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber went 3-for-7 with a double and two RBI as a designated hitter in Games 1 and 2, but his role will be reduced now that the series has shifted back to Chicago. 

With the designated hitter out of play, the Cubs determined Thursday that Schwarber would not be able to play the field after he tore two ligaments in his left knee just six months ago. 

As a result, he’ll be relegated to pinch-hit duty.  

“This is not disappointing at all,” Schwarber said, per the Chicago Tribune’s Mark Gonzales. “It was a long shot at the most. Obviously, I want to be out there for my teammates. It’s the competitor inside me. But facts are facts. I just can’t physically do it. I’ll be ready during the game to pinch hit.”

And according to Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, it would be too risky for Schwarber to start in the outfield based on the severity of the injury he’s recovering from. 

“Medically, the doctors were very convicted there was too much risk in playing the outfield because of the dynamic actions involved, the instantaneous reactions, the need to cut in the outfield, the dynamic athletic moments that are unanticipated in the outfield,” he said, according to Gonzales. 

With Schwarber out of the starting lineup, Indians starter Josh Tomlin will attempt to tame a Cubs team that rattled off nine hits and chased starter Trevor Bauer from Game 2 after 3.2 innings. 

Take it from Indians manager Terry Francona, though: Tomlin doesn’t figure to be fazed by the size of the stage. 

“You talk about his demeanor, attitude or whatever,” Francona said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Toni Ginnetti. “I just think he’s built to pitch good all the time. I think when you get challenged, like [Friday] is going to be an incredible atmosphere, it feels good to send him to the mound.”

The Indians are 2-0 in Tomlin’s starts this postseason, and his cumulative 2.53 ERA against the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays suggests he’ll be able to find success even though he’ll take the mound in a hostile environment. 

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As the World Series moves to Wrigley Field for the first time since 1945, the emphasis at the venerable National League ballpark is on the change of rules that does not allow for a designated hitter.

In most years, this is something that tends to hurt the American League representative, because that league has used the DH to bat for the pitcher since the 1973 season.

The National League never followed suit, and the leagues have competed under two sets of rules for 43-plus years.

The Cubs have gotten excellent production and a huge psychological lift from the return of Kyle Schwarber (torn knee ligaments), who manned the DH role in the first two games in Cleveland. Schwarber narrowly missed a home run in Game 1 when his deep drive to right field went off the top of the wall for a double, and he delivered two RBI singles in the Cubs’ Game 2 victory.

Shortly after that game ended, questions abounded on whether Schwarber would be able to play the field when the series moved to Chicago. Those questions were answered Thursday with a resounding no.

“Kyle has not been medically cleared to play the field, so he will not be in the lineup the next three games,” team president Theo Epstein told the media (h/t Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com). “But we do look forward to him impacting the game as a pinch hitter for us, and certainly should the series return to Cleveland, he’ll be eligible to continue as a designated hitter.”

Game 3 will be played Friday night at 8:08 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox.

While Schwarber won’t be in the starting lineup, the Cubs will send Kyle Hendricks to the mound against Cleveland’s Josh Tomlin.

On the basis of the way those two have pitched this year, Hendricks would appear to have the advantage. He is a legitimate Cy Young Award candidate as he finished the regular season with a 16-8 record and a superb 2.13 earned run average along with a 0.979 WHIP.

Hendricks was on the mound for the Cubs in their pennant-clinching victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. Hendricks pitched 7.1 shutout innings as he allowed just two hits and struck out six. He did not give up a single base on balls.

Tomlin was 13-9 with a 4.40 ERA and a 1.190 WHIP during the regular season. He has pitched quite well in the postseason with a 2-0 record, a 2.53 ERA and a 0.938 WHIP.

Even if both pitchers are on top of their games, this could be a high-scoring game. The weather is likely to have an impact, because this late-October game is expected to start with temperatures at 63 degrees, according to Weather.com. Additionally, the winds will be blowing out to centerfield. 

When the wind is blowing in at Wrigley, low-scoring games are the rule. When the wind is blowing out, routine fly balls can turn into long home runs.

Prediction: Indians win 8-6

Look for the excitement level to be off the charts at Wrigley Field, and for the two teams to play an exciting back-and-forth game.

The Indians ultimately come out ahead because their bullpen comes through and the Chicago relief pitchers weaken.

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Wilson Ramos is slated to become a free agent this winter, and he’s reportedly seeking contractual security if the Washington Nationals don’t extend him a qualifying offer worth $17.2 million. 

Continue for updates. 

Ramos Reportedly Eyeing Long-Term Deal 

Friday, Oct. 28

According to the Washington Post‘s Jorge Castillo, Ramos’ agent, Wil Polidor, said the catcher “is seeking a four- to five-year contract, which he could secure only if he were to reject the qualifying offer.”

But after Ramos tore his ACL shortly before the end of the regular season, nabbing a lucrative multiyear deal could prove difficult. 

According to Castillo, it’s “unlikely but possible” the Nationals will extend Ramos a qualifying offer since he will only be available for a fraction of the 2017 season following the ACL tear. 

“We’re going to see what the short-term rehab is,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Thursday, per Castillo. “We’ll do all the due diligence on the medicals, which is the most important factor in what our plans are for Wilson. Once we get together with all the medical people that are involved, we’ll have a better idea of where we’re at with Wilson.”

Prior to his season-ending knee injury, Ramos was in line for a hefty raise. 

The 29-year-old put together a career year at the plate for the Nationals, posting a slash line of .307/.354/.496 while hitting 22 home runs and notching 80 RBI. Ramos also recorded a career-high 25 doubles as his OPS skyrocketed to .850 from a mark of .616 the year prior. 

According to Castillo, the Nationals have until five days after the conclusion of the World Series to make a decision regarding Ramos’ qualifying offer. 

Should Washington decide to part ways with Ramos, the backstop could have a hard time selling prospective employers on his long-term viability based on the severity of his knee injury. 

Rather, a club could sign Ramos to a short-term, prove-it deal to see if he’s capable of returning to form before offering him a more lucrative pact.

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All the betting trends seemed to be on the side of the Cleveland Indians after they won Game 1 of the World Series in a 6-0 rout Tuesday.

But the Chicago Cubs returned the favor in Game 2 with a 5-1 victory. They find themselves as large -200 favorites Friday (wager $200 to win $100) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark in Game 3 at Wrigley Field, in part because they have the best home pitcher in baseball taking the mound for them.

Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks (game log) not only had the lowest ERA in MLB overall this year at 2.13, but he was also unreal at home with a 9-2 mark and 1.32 ERA in 15 games. Last season, he was 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 15 games at Wrigley Field, showing what a big difference a year can make.

In fact, the emergence of Hendricks, improvement of Jon Lester and addition of John Lackey alongside Game 2 winner Jake Arrieta made the team’s four-man starting rotation the best in the big leagues.

Cleveland is not so lucky, as it depends more on an outstanding bullpen and ace Corey Kluber, who shut down the Cubs in Game 1 and is scheduled to start again on short rest Saturday in Game 4 at Wrigley.

In Game 3, the Indians will be sending Josh Tomlin (game log) to the hill following two solid postseason outings against the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Tomlin went 2-0 in those games with a 2.53 ERA, allowing three runs and seven hits in 10.2 innings with three walks and 10 strikeouts.

During the regular season, Tomlin was 8-4 in 15 road starts with a 4.31 ERA, and opposing batters hit .257 against him.

Tomlin will not have to worry about facing Chicago’s Kyle Schwarber, who was not medically cleared to play in the outfield after going 3-for-7 with a double and two RBI as the designated hitter in the first two games at Cleveland.

The Indians have won six of their last seven games at National League ballparks in interleague play after dropping eight of 11. The over has gone 9-5-1 in their past 15 interleague road games, and the under has cashed in the first two games of the World Series.

Chicago heads into Game 3 as the -225 favorite on the updated World Series odds.

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Kyle Hendricks might win the National League Cy Young Award. He’s MLB‘s reigning ERA king. By any measure, 2016 has been a very good year for the Chicago Cubs right-hander.

On Friday, he has a chance to cement his breakout season and go from very good to immortal by pitching the Cubbies to the championship brink.

Nothing will be decided in Game 3. But with the series knotted 1-1, it’s a pivotal contest. In World Series history, teams with a 2-1 advantage have won it all 56 times and lost just 27 times, per WhoWins.com.

It’s a big game symbolically, too. The North Side is hosting the Fall Classic for the first time since 1945. The ghosts of Wrigley Field will be out in force. A victory would quiet their groaning.

Momentum is fleeting and impossible to quantify. And nothing’s guaranteed, especially against a resilient Cleveland Indians club that hasn’t lost two games in a row since September 28.

Hendricks, however, has worked magic all season on the mound at 1060 W. Addison St.

In 95.1 innings at home in the regular season, Hendricks went 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA. He’s made all three of his postseason starts at Wrigley and posted a 1.65 ERA.

He twirled an absolute masterpiece in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, outdueling Clayton Kershaw and facing the minimum number of hitters over 7.1 shutout frames.

“Starts with maybe the clubhouse, the fans,” Hendricks said of his Wrigley mastery, per Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. “It just feels like I’m right at home, honestly.” 

That explains why manager Joe Maddon tinkered with his rotation, moving Jake Arrieta up to the No. 2 slot and bumping Hendricks down to No. 3. Arrieta—who wobbled in the second half and the postseason—made his manager look brilliant with a strong showing in Game 2 on Wednesday. 

Now, it’s Hendricks’ turn.

An eighth-round draft pick by the Texas Rangers in 2011, Hendricks was traded to the Cubs for pitcher Ryan Dempster in 2012. He posted a 2.46 ERA in 13 starts with Chicago in 2014, and in 2015 he logged a 3.95 ERA in 180 innings. 

This year, he took a Sonic the Hedgehog-sized leap forward.

He’ll never singe the radar gun; his fastball tops out in the low-90s. Instead, he relies on command—stealing strikes with his curveball, inducing ground balls with his sinker and keeping hitters off balance with his plus changeup.

CBS Chicago’s Chris Emma contrasted Hendricks’ numbers to those of his Cleveland counterpart:

Hendricks forced ground balls at a 48.4 percent rate this season, and has a home run-to-fly ball rate of just 9.3 percent, good for third in baseball. His Game 3 foe, Josh Tomlin, was third-worst in home runs per nine innings at 1.86 and fourth-worst in HR/FB at 17.7 percent.

One could think the Cubs have the edge on the mound for Game 3 of the World Series.

To be fair, Tomlin is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA in 10.2 postseason innings and hasn’t allowed a homer yet.

It helps that Hendricks is backed by the best defense in baseball. But the Greg Maddux comparisons seem less outlandish with each superlative outing.

Just ask Greg Maddux.

“He does all those things usually better than the guys he’s facing,” Maddux said of Hendricks, per ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers. “If it was a radar contest, then why play the game, right? Velocity is nice, but command and movement are better.”

Hendricks has next to zero history with the Indians. Among Cleveland hitters on the World Series roster, he’s faced only Coco Crisp, who has gone 0-for-3 against him.

A lack of familiarity often favors the pitcher, at least the first time through the lineup. Toss in Hendricks’ home dominance and the pent-up energy that’ll inevitably be behind him, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a legendary October showing.

If you think the enormity of the moment will speed things up for the 26-year-old, his skipper begs to differ.

“I’ve never seen him rush through anything,” Maddon said, per Paul Skrbina of the Chicago Tribune. “I’m sure he takes his time brushing his teeth. I would imagine his cup of coffee takes two hours to drink.”

A low pulse under pressure. A sparkling home record. A chance to propel the Cubs one step closer to a parade and confetti 108 years in the offing.

This is a Moment, capital “M.” Hendricks simply needs to seize it.

All statistics current as of Thursday and are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

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The 2016 World Series became all knotted up Wednesday, as the Chicago Cubs were able to steal a road win over the Cleveland Indians.

After Cleveland shut out Chicago 6-0 in Game 1, the Cubs returned the favor in Game 2 with a 5-1 win behind stout performances from Jake Arrieta and Kyle Schwarber. Now the series shifts for a three-game set in Chicago, as the Cubs have a chance to grab a lead at home.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the television and live-stream schedule for Game 3, in addition to a preview of the critical showdown.

Game 3 Preview

Not only was Game 2 important for the Cubs in terms of tying the series, but it also put the team in position to take advantage of a nice pitching matchup on Friday with a series lead on the line.

Chicago will trot out Kyle Hendricks, who became one of the best pitchers in baseball this season in a loaded Cubs rotation. The 26-year-old led the majors with a 2.13 ERA, and he has been excellent this postseason with just three earned runs allowed in 16.1 innings.

Hendricks was much better at home this season than on the road. He went 9-2 with a sparkling 1.32 ERA at Wrigley Field compared to a 7-6 mark on the road, which was the best in baseball, per CSN Chicago’s Christopher Kamka:

However, we don’t know how Hendricks will handle Cleveland’s lineup, since he has practically no experience against the current roster. He has faced only Marlon Byrd and Coco Crisp, and since Byrd has not been a playoff contributor, the only relevant comparison is with Crisp, who is 0-for-3 against Hendricks.

The Cy Young candidate should have plenty of confidence, as he proved he can win on the big stage in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. With a trip to the World Series on the line, Hendricks was sensational with two hits and no runs allowed in 7.1 innings. That garnered praise from his potential MVP teammate, per ESPN.com’s Bradford Doolittle.

“That’s the best pitching performance I’ve seen,” Kris Bryant said after Game 6. “Just throwing exactly where he wants to. Soft contact. He’s certainly the unsung hero of this team.”

Cleveland will counter with Josh Tomlin, who was solid this season with a 13-9 record and 4.40 ERA.

With Danny Salazar just coming back from injury and Carlos Carrasco out, Tomlin was thrust into the playoff rotation and has responded well. Though he has only 10.2 innings pitched in two starts, he is 2-0 with a stout 2.53 ERA with only three walks allowed. 

Indians manager Terry Francona seems to have plenty of trust in Tomlin, as the 32-year-old is expected to receive multiple starts in this series, per Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller:

Both of those starts will come at Wrigley Field, and as opposed to Hendricks, Tomlin actually performed better on the road this season than in Cleveland. He went 8-4 with a 4.31 ERA on the road compared to 5-5 with a 4.50 ERA at home.

Tomlin also has little experience against this current Cubs roster, having faced only Miguel Montero, David Ross and Ben Zobrist. In 19 career at-bats, Zobrist has just two hits off Tomlin.

It looks like the difference in Game 3 will be which team can get runners in scoring position. On the season, Hendricks was excellent in this situation, surrendering just a .178 opposing batting average in 33.2 innings pitched. On the other hand, Tomlin struggled with a .287 opposing average in 29.2 innings. He also allowed 49 earned runs to Hendricks’ 29.

Through two games this series, Chicago has been able to get in this position more often than Cleveland has, but the Cubs are converting at a less efficient rate. They are 4-for-23 combined with runners in scoring position, while the Indians are 2-for-13.

Given that the Cubs are generating more baserunners in scoring position, they should feel good going up against Tomlin. There will also be a ton of energy in Wrigley Field, as Chicago is playing its first World Series game in the stadium since 1945.

This should give Chicago an edge in Game 3, especially if Hendricks continues to pitch well. Cleveland could have a chance to hold off the home team if it can get a lead after about five innings of work from Tomlin, but that may be a lot to ask for.

Statistics are courtesy of MLB.com and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.

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MLB‘s offseason represents an opportunity for every team to start fresh.

Bloated contracts and payroll limitations often hinder franchises from living out fantasies of total transformations. Others are hamstrung by fear of the status quo.

The key is winning the offseason without being the team obsessed with winning the offseason. Last year, that dubious honor went to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who went backward in an eager attempt to contend.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox orchestrated playoff bids with major free-agent signings. None of them needed a complete overhaul, but the upgrades went a long way.

Some organizations need a minor tweak via a signing or trade. Others call for more intense makeovers. No squad will burn the entire roster to the ground; a few noteworthy maneuvers mark major change in the grand scheme of things.

Due to shedding salary or storing an overlooked bounty of talent, these teams have the opportunity to contend after missing the playoffs in 2016. Some are close. Others will need everything to fall in line with brilliant front-office planning and a sprinkle of luck.

Begin Slideshow

In front of what promises to be a raucous Wrigley Field crowd, the Chicago Cubs will look to take a 2-1 lead over the Cleveland Indians in Game 3 of the 2016 World Series on Friday night.

The Indians will send Josh Tomlin to the mound, and Kyle Hendricks will get the nod for the Cubs. Corey Kluber and Jake Arrieta both delivered gems for their teams in Games 1 and 2 respectively, and starting pitching will likely be the decisive factor in Friday’s game as well.

World Series Game 3

When: Friday, Oct. 28, at 8 p.m. ET

Watch: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Game 3 Preview

Patience was a virtue for the Cubs in Game 2. Indians pitches walked eight batters Wednesday night, with Trevor Bauer having a particularly difficult time putting hitters away. Bauer threw 87 pitches in 3.2 innings, compared to 88 pitches in six-plus innings for Kluber.

In that respect, Tomlin may put Cleveland in a better position to succeed than Bauer. According to FanGraphs, Tomlin allowed the fewest walks per nine innings (1.03) in the league among qualified pitchers.

The Cubs have a potent lineup—one made more effective when hitters are allowed free bases and work deep into counts.

Tomlin doesn’t have overpowering stuff, as evidenced by his 4.40 earned run average and 4.88 FIP during the regular season, per Baseball-Reference.com. The conditions inside Wrigley Field could be troublesome for the 32-year-old right-hander as well.

The Chicago Tribune‘s Tom Skilling reported Friday’s forecast is calling for wind blowing out toward the outfield, which will help the baseball carry.

On Thursday, Tomlin remained indifferent about any impact the weather might have, according to Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes: “The stuff you can’t control is the stuff I’m not going to concern myself with at the moment. My job is to keep the ball down in the zone, try to induce quick outs and keep them off the barrel of the bat. Whether the wind is blowing out, in, sideways or up, I really don’t care.”

Tomlin allowed 1.86 home runs per nine innings in the regular season, third-highest among qualified starters, per FanGraphs. His propensity to give up the long ball and the heavy winds could be a toxic combination for the Indians.

At least Cleveland won’t have to worry about Kyle Schwarber causing the kind of damage he did in Games 1 and 2. Despite missing almost all of the regular season, the 23-year-old is 3-for-7 with two runs batted in in the World Series.

Schwarber will be limited to pinch-hitting duties when the Cubs are playing at home. Team president Theo Epstein announced Thursday that Schwarber isn’t medically cleared to return to the outfield, per the team’s Twitter account.

Even taking Schwarber out of the equation, the Cubs still have plenty of offensive weapons. Tomlin will have a difficult time navigating through a lineup that features Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, both of whom hit 30-plus home runs, as well Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez and Addison Russell.

The silver lining from Game 2 for Cleveland was that manager Terry Francona didn’t need to call upon either Andrew Miller or Cody Allen. As a result, both relievers will be even more fresh for Game 3.

The problem may be that Tomlin will have already allowed too many runs for Miller or Allen to make any sort of impact.

The big question for the Indians is whether they can get a quality start from anybody other than Kluber. Francona is going to use a three-man rotation for the World Series, per Andrew Marchand of ESPN.com, with Kluber, Bauer and Tomlin pitching on three days’ rest beginning in Game 4.

At some point, Tomlin or Bauer will have to step up, and that’s assuming Kluber is lights out over his remaining starts.

A loss Friday night wouldn’t be a devastating blow to Cleveland’s World Series chances, but it would cast further doubt as to whether the American League champion has the pitching to go all the way.

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