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The Los Angeles Dodgers “are exploring” potential trade options for Howie Kendrick as they look to build on their National League Championship Series appearance, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

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Phillies and Angels Possible Landing Spots

Tuesday, Nov. 8

Rosenthal listed the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels as teams who could be interested in Kendrick. He said Philadelphia is “looking for short-term upgrades,” while Kendrick started his MLB career with the Angels.

Rosenthal pointed out Phillies general manager Matt Klentak was the assistant general manager for the Angels for part of Kendrick’s time with the team. Kendrick played for the Angels from 2006 to 2014.

What’s more, Rosenthal said the Angels are looking for a second baseman heading into the 2017 season.

That would likely suit Kendrick well, considering Rosenthal’s major league sources said he “grew frustrated with his role last season.” While his 487 at-bats ranked fifth on the team, he played left field, second base, first base and third base at times after playing second most of his career.

He also started just three of the Dodgers‘ 11 playoff games, as manager Dave Roberts used Andrew Toles in left against right-handed pitchers.

Despite the apparent frustration, Kendrick’s fielding at second base often dictated his moving around given his struggles in the last two seasons with the Dodgers. According to FanGraphs, he was responsible for minus-12 total defensive runs saved above average at second in 2015 (989 innings) and minus-four in 2016 (210.1 innings).

He will make $10 million in 2017 in the final season of a two-year contract with the Dodgers, per Rosenthal. A trade would mean the Dodgers received something in return before the 33-year-old Kendrick potentially heads elsewhere on the open market following the upcoming campaign.

Kendrick was a 2011 All-Star with the Angels when he hit a career-best 18 home runs, but he was not that offensive force for the Dodgers in 2016. He slashed .255/.326/.366 with eight home runs and 40 RBI and couldn’t replicate some of his past numbers:

While the decline is likely worrisome for teams targeting Kendrick, he is versatile enough to play multiple positions if needed and brings postseason experience and veteran leadership to the table with 30 playoff games in his career.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired veteran catcher Carlos Ruiz from the Philadelphia Phillies in August, but they elected to trade him to the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports first reported the deal, adding Seattle will pick up Ruiz’s $4.5 million option for 2017. The Dodgers are receiving a pitcher from the Mariners’ 40-man roster, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The player is expected to be left-handed pitcher Vidal Nuno, per Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times. 

Ruiz, who started his big league career in Philadelphia in 2006, appeared in just 62 games between the Phillies and Dodgers last year, slashing .264/.365/.348 with three home runs and 15 RBI.

While those were passable numbers at the plate, they were a far cry from his prime, when the 2012 All-Star posted a .325 batting average, a .934 OPS and 16 home runs.

At his best, Ruiz provides pop behind the plate, with 68 career home runs, though those have been spread out over a number of seasons:

One thing that could be appealing is his prowess against left-handed pitching. According to ESPN.com, he hit .271 with two home runs against southpaws last year. From 2013 to 2015, he hit .277 against lefties, compared to his .230 average against righties.

Ruiz is also a valuable defender. He’s been responsible for 43 total defensive runs saved above average in his career, including seven in just 493 innings in 2016, per FanGraphs. He also caught a career-high 41.7 percent of potential base stealers in 2016, per ESPN.com.

Ruiz likely won’t take the projected starting role from 25-year-old Mike Zunino—who hit 12 home runs in just 55 games in 2016 and 22 long balls in 2014—but he provides proven insurance behind the youngster.

In addition to his defense and ability to hit southpaws, Ruiz will bring plenty of postseason experience to the Mariners. He has played 53 playoff games in his career and won a World Series ring with the Phillies in 2008. That type of presence will be a welcome addition to a Mariners club that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2001. 

Ruiz will be 38 years old during the 2017 season, but his veteran leadership and array of skills should make him a viable player behind the plate for Seattle.

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The city of Chicago threw a party 108 years in the making Friday.

Long-suffering fans of the Chicago Cubs packed the streets of the Windy City to watch the World Series parade that celebrated the team’s first championship since 1908. According to Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky, television reports estimated that six million people attended the parade.

President of baseball operations Theo Epstein said of the party, “It exceeded my expectations by about tenfold. It was way bigger than Boston,” per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com.

The celebration started in Wrigley Field on the city’s north side and wound its way to Michigan Avenue downtown before culminating in Grant Park for a rally, as the Chicago Tribune highlighted:

Fans wasted little time filing into Grant Park, per NBC Chicago:

SportsCenter shared a look at the massive crowds hours before the team arrived for the rally:

The city prepared for the parade by dying the Chicago River a shade of Cubs blue, as the Chicago Tribune and Justin Breen of DNAinfo Chicago shared:

As players started boarding the bus, Wrigley Field was still flying the “W” flag that will likely remain above the scoreboard for the offseason:

Catcher David Ross provided a glimpse of his bus, while battery-mate Jon Lester had to look out for his head as the caravan made its way toward downtown:

The Cubs shared a look at a handful of the buses:

It was pure, cathartic bedlam by the time the parade reached Michigan Avenue, as Fox Sports MLB passed along:

Anthony Rizzo shared his exuberance with the crowd, per Dionne Miller of ABC Chicago:

Brad Edwards of CBS Chicago and Fox Sports MLB shared overviews of the scene:

The parade eventually reached Grant Park, where Cubs broadcaster Pat Hughes played the role of emcee. Team owner Tom Ricketts talked about the chance to finally tell desperate fans they won the World Series, per Fox Sports MLB:

Epstein discussed the rebuilding process and joked about this year’s slogan, per CBS Sports MLB: “Let’s be honest, for a while there, we forgot the ‘not’ in ‘try not to suck.'”

Epstein gave way to manager Joe Maddon, who called the massive crowds “Cubstock 2016,” per Sarah Spain of ESPN. Maddon also had another task, as Tony Andracki of CSN Chicago described: “Maddon immediately thanks wife after getting to podium. Theo runs over to have Maddon thank Mrs. Epstein too, because Theo forgot that part.”

The Cubs shared a look at that Cubstock crowd in Grant Park:

Hughes then introduced the players after Maddon. Dexter Fowler was the first player to speak, but Lester was the first one to swear, as Brett Taylor of Bleacher Nation described:

Miguel Montero, Kyle Schwarber and World Series MVP Ben Zobrist also spoke, and Zobrist said, “This is a team full of MVPs, and we’re in a city of MVPs,” per 670 The Score in Chicago.

Rizzo took the stage after Zobrist and broke into tears when he introduced Ross and talked about how the veteran mentored him and the rest of the young players. Ross also got choked up and lifted the World Series trophy, as Fox Sports MLB documented:

Rizzo gave the ball from the final out of the World Series to Ricketts before the team and singer Brett Eldredge belted out “Go Cubs Go” with the crowd.

It was the party of a lifetime for generations of Cubs fans, but it may be the first of many if Epstein continues to operate his well-oiled machine on the city’s north side.

Chicago won an MLB-best 103 games this year and features a young core of position players. Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Schwarber, Javier Baez, Jason Heyward, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora Jr. and Willson Contreras are all 27 years old or younger.

It is not a stretch to suggest they could add to the 2016 title, especially after proving they can deliver on the biggest of stages in the clutch moments.

Game 7 appeared to slip from the Cubs’ grasp when Rajai Davis drilled a game-tying home run off Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning. However, the Cubs rallied following a rain delay and received critical run-scoring hits from Zobrist and Montero in the 10th.

Thanks to the 2016 team, future Cubs squads will no longer be under the burden of history and an extensive World Series drought.

Now the talented players who Epstein and the front office brought to Chicago will turn their attention toward the 2017 season, where they are already listed as championship favorites on Odds Shark.

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The Chicago Cubs capped off their historic 2016 MLB season with a dramatic 8-7 victory in extra innings over the Cleveland Indians in Wednesday’s Game 7 of the World Series.

While the organization and its long-suffering fans will likely revel in the aftermath of the team’s first championship since 1908, the rest of the baseball world has already turned its attention toward eclipsing the Cubs next season.

The rumors and speculation will pick up at the winter meetings in December, but there is already some buzz circulating a mere one full day into the offseason. With that in mind, here is a look at some rumors regarding the futures of Carlos Ruiz, Brian McCann and Pat Neshek.

Ruiz Reportedly Available in Trade

The Los Angeles Dodgers added Ruiz for their postseason push in August via trade from the Philadelphia Phillies, but he may not be with them for much longer.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Ruiz is one player with a club option ($4.5 million) who could be available in a trade.

The veteran will be 38 years old next season and appeared in just 62 combined games for the Dodgers and Phillies in 2016. He finished with only three home runs and 15 RBI but did post a solid .264/.365/.348 slash line.

The 2012 All-Star is most valuable behind the plate at this point in his career. Ruiz nailed a career-best 41.7 percent of possible base stealers in 2016, per ESPN.com, and is responsible for 43 total defensive runs saved above average since he entered the league, per FanGraphs.

Ruiz is well past his prime at this point, but the Cubs just won a World Series with David Ross as a defensive-oriented rotational catcher who provided veteran leadership and experience. A potential contender could try to replicate that formula with Ruiz in 2017.

Houston Astros Could Target McCann

Ruiz is not the only veteran catcher who may be available via trade.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post noted the Houston Astros are “one team to keep an eye on with as far as pursuing [McCann].”

Sherman cited an executive who said McCann’s power and “positive clubhouse rep” will help the New York Yankees receive value in return for the catcher and designated hitter if and when they attempt to move him.

Sherman pointed out the Astros are looking to add left-handed hitting to a primarily right-handed lineup and a veteran presence to a younger core, and McCann would satisfy both priorities. What’s more, catcher Jason Castro is a free agent.

McCann is a seven-time All-Star and appeared in 130 games in 2016. He slashed .242/.335/.413 with 20 home runs in those 130 contests, which marked the ninth consecutive season he reached the 20-homer plateau.

He will be 33 years old during the 2017 campaign, but he would provide power from the left side at a position that isn’t loaded with game-changing bats.

From New York’s perspective, it can afford to move him because Gary Sanchez will likely be behind the plate for years to come.

Owner Hal Steinbrenner discussed the balance between the two during the season, per Howie Kussoy of the New York Post: “It was always the case that Sanchez at some point was going to come up, and hopefully come up to stay. We’ll cross that bridge in the offseason when we come to it, but McCann’s a great player too. We’ll just have to figure it out.”

It appears the Astros may help the Yankees cross that bridge.

Astros Could Move Neshek

Veterans potentially on the move could be a theme this offseason, as Rosenthal noted Neshek is another trade candidate with a club option ($6.5 million).

The 36-year-old relief pitcher was an All-Star in 2014 for the St. Louis Cardinals with a 1.87 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 68 strikeouts in 67.1 innings. He spent the last two seasons with the Astros and finished with an ERA of 3.62 in 2015 and 3.06 in 2016.

While he was not quite the lockdown force he was in St. Louis, he still posted a sparkling 0.94 WHIP in 2016 and made 60 appearances. It was his third straight season with at least 60 appearances, which is a sign he can serve as a durable bullpen option for another team in the immediate future if it was to trade for him.

However, he did struggle against left-handed hitters. According to ESPN.com, lefties hit .250 with four home runs in 48 at-bats against Neshek in 2016, while right-handed hitters finished with a .172 batting average with two home runs in 122 at-bats.

Even with the struggles against lefties, a new team could insert Neshek as a situational pitcher near the back of the bullpen to fortify the pitching staff.

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Manager Terry Francona led the Cleveland Indians to the 2016 World Series, where they lost a dramatic Game 7 to the Chicago Cubs in extra innings, 8-7. The organization announced Friday it elected to exercise the 2019 and 2020 club options on his contract.

Francona—whom Bob Nightengale of USA Today called a future Hall of Famer—has been with the Indians since the start of the 2013 campaign and finished with a winning record in each of his first four years. He was the 2013 American League Manager of the Year with a 92-70 record and an AL Wild Card Game appearance the season after Cleveland finished 68-94.

Francona coached the Philadelphia Phillies from 1997-2000 and the Boston Red Sox from 2004-11. He won two World Series with Boston, including the franchise’s first since 1918 in 2004.

His winning ways in Cleveland are nothing new considering he also posted a winning record in every season with the Red Sox:

Francona’s managing abilities were on full display in this year’s postseason. The Indians reached the World Series despite missing Michael Brantley for the majority of their season. What’s more, starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar were each injured entering the playoffs and didn’t make a single start.

That left Francona scrambling with a three-man rotation in the World Series, and he had to manage through Trevor Bauer’s finger injury in the American League Championship Series.

He unleashed ace Corey Kluber and lockdown relievers Andrew Miller and Cody Allen throughout October and fell just one win short of a title.

He led the Indians through plenty of adversity in the playoffs and nearly beat a Cubs team that finished with an MLB-best 103 wins during the regular season. Cleveland fans are likely excited to see what he can do with a full deck in the coming years.

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The Chicago Cubs won their first World Series since 1908, and it only feels appropriate that they put their dedicated fans through one of the most back-and-forth, stress-inducing baseball games in recent memory.

They prevailed, 8-7, against the Cleveland Indians in Wednesday’s Game 7 at Progressive Field in a 10-inning battle that saw a dramatic game-tying home run off Aroldis Chapman from Cleveland’s Rajai Davis in the eighth, a rain delay after the ninth and three combined runs in that extra inning.

Ben Zobrist notched an RBI double in the 10th and earned World Series MVP honors. The team shared him accepting his trophy:

The Cubs also passed along a clip of the final out with the potential winning run at the plate and captured manager Joe Maddon holding the Commissioner’s Trophy:

The players naturally reacted to the historic accomplishment, via the Cubs:

While the players made the headlines, the long-suffering fans were more than ready to join in on the fun. Wall to Wall Sports of 10TV in Columbus, Ohio, captured hundreds of those supporters singing in ecstasy after the championship victory.

The fans outside Wrigley Field also soaked in the moment:

The Cubs’ most famous fan reacted to the triumph, via SportsCenter: 

Bill Murray wasn’t the only celebrity pleased to see Chicago break the curse, as Kyle Griffin of MSNBC noted:

Snapping a 108-year championship drought didn’t happen by accident; this team won an MLB-best 103 games this season, the culmination of president of baseball operations Theo Epstein’s rebuilding plan that has been in motion since he took over in 2011. 

Dexter Fowler, Javier Baez and David Ross all hit home runs, Zobrist and Miguel Montero drove in crucial runs in the 10th inning, Jon Lester pitched three innings out of the bullpen after starting Game 5, starter Kyle Hendricks allowed one earned run in 4.2 innings and Mike Montgomery earned a cathartic save.

Sports Illustrated captured the deserving celebration:

Now attention will turn toward the 2017 season as the team that hadn’t won a title in over a century looks to defend its crown. Chicago is well-equipped to compete for years to come with a young core that includes Anthony Rizzo (27), Kris Bryant (24), Addison Russell (22), Baez (23) and Willson Contreras (24), among others. 

Even if the Cubs add a handful of titles in the coming years, their fans will never forget the one that ended the suffering. 

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There are no two better words in all of sports than “Game 7,” and that is just for a normal playoff series.

The 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians is no normal series.

The Cubs famously haven’t won a championship since 1908, while Cleveland’s last World Series title came in 1948. One of those teams will end decades of frustration with one single victory on Wednesday at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

Chicago forced Game 7 with a 9-3 victory in Tuesday’s Game 6. It drilled three home runs, one of which was a grand slam from Addison Russell that accounted for four of his six RBI, and received 5.2 innings of solid work from Jake Arrieta.

He allowed only two earned runs, while his counterpart, Josh Tomlin, gave up six in just 2.1 innings.

Everything will be on the line when the two teams take the field on Wednesday. With that in mind, here is a look at the schedule and a breakdown and prediction for what promises to be a tension-fraught battle between two sides looking to end extensive title droughts.

The schedule information is courtesy of MLB.com.

Schedule

Breakdown and Prediction

Starting Pitchers

While Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta entered the 2016 season as household names, Kyle Hendricks was Chicago’s most effective starter throughout the year. He finished the campaign with a 2.13 ERA and sparkling 0.98 WHIP and is a legitimate National League Cy Young Award candidate.

Cleveland will counter with its best starter, who already has two impressive outings in the World Series under his belt. Corey Kluber started Games 1 and 4 and allowed a measly one earned run in 12 innings of work. He struck out 15 and flummoxed Chicago’s bats on the biggest stage.

The only real concern with Kluber from the Indians’ perspective is the notion this is his third start on short rest in this World Series alone. Chicago’s powerful lineup that flexed its muscles on Tuesday already saw him twice in the span of six games and will get another crack at the effective righty with the championship trophy hanging in the balance.

Bullpen

Andrew Miller and Cody Allen watched Chicago’s straightforward victory from the bullpen and never entered the game. While Cleveland clearly would have preferred its two best bullpen pitchers to lock down a win, they will each be fresh and ready to go in Game 7.

On the other side, Aroldis Chapman threw 20 pitches total in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings for the Cubs a mere two days after throwing 42 pitches in Game 5.

That is an enormous advantage for Cleveland, especially if Kluber is able to shorten the game with another stellar outing.

However, Cubs manager Joe Maddon has something of a trump card that Cleveland doesn’t—Lester. The National League Cy Young Award candidate pitched six innings and allowed two runs in a Game 5 victory and finished the season with a 2.44 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.

In the do-or-die Game 7 scenario, Lester will likely be available to pick up any slack for Hendricks or take the contest from the middle innings to the ninth, where Chapman will be waiting. Mike Axisa of CBS Sports suggested as much:

Ultimately, having the Miller and Allen combination fresh and ready behind Kluber is a serious boost for the Indians, but Lester can throw a handful of innings and help Chicago end its 108-year curse.

Offense

It would be justified for Cleveland fans to be concerned with Chicago’s offensive explosion on Tuesday. The Cubs finished with nine runs, and Kris Bryant, Russell and Anthony Rizzo all launched home runs. 

Russell’s was a grand slam to give Chicago a 7-0 lead in the third inning, which essentially ended most of the Game 6 drama.

Last time the Cubs broke out like that, they scored 10 runs in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series and parlayed that into eight runs in Game 5 and five runs in Game 6. Those five runs in Game 6 came against three-time National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, so any thoughts that Chicago can’t hit dominant pitching in the pressure-packed playoffs would be false.

As for Cleveland, it finished fifth in the major leagues in total runs this season and already has two games in this World Series with at least six runs.

It may have been overmatched in Game 6, but Jason Kipnis had three hits and finished a triple short of the cycle. It didn’t score off Hendricks in his Game 3 start, but it did force him from the game after just 4.1 innings of work with six hits and two walks.

Don’t assume the Cubs are the only ones with offensive firepower in this game just because they are the ones with marquee names like Bryant, Rizzo, Russell and Kyle Schwarber.

Prediction

Ultimately, the fact this will be Chicago’s third attempt at Kluber in the World Series will play a factor.

The hitters will have an idea of what to expect and seize an early lead after gaining momentum in Game 6, which will limit the impact Miller can have in the middle innings. From there, Hendricks will prove his 2016 campaign was no fluke and get the ball to Lester in the seventh.

The southpaw will then work two innings before putting the World Series in Chapman’s hands.

The fireballer—who “said he will be available, without limitations,” per Jon Morosi of MLB Network—will close out Cleveland and end 108 long years of suffering from the Cubs fanbase.

Prediction: Cubs 4, Indians 2

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Citing a source Monday, Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reported the Texas Rangers “would be more than willing to trade” starting pitcher Derek Holland before the 2017 season.

Continue for updates.

Holland’s Contract Driving Factor in Trade Talks

Monday, Oct. 31

Although the Rangers own an $11 million club option for 2017 and an $11.5 million club option for 2018, Heyman noted they would like to trade Holland “in order to avoid keeping him on the books going forward.”

Heyman also pointed out the Rangers and Holland agreed to a $1.5 million buyout for 2017 and a $1 million buyout for 2018 if the team doesn’t want to keep the left-hander around but can’t find a trade partner.

Holland, who has been a member of the Rangers for his entire career, made 22 appearances in 2016 with a 4.95 ERA, a 1.41 WHIP and 67 strikeouts in 107.1 innings. However, Heyman called the southpaw “oft-injured,” and he made just 10 appearances in 2015 and six in 2014.

Holland was a reliable innings-eater from 2011 to 2013. He was particularly impressive in 2013, when he posted a 3.42 ERA in a career-high 213 innings:

He hasn’t been the same durable pitcher since, though he is only 30 years old and should have a couple of years remaining in his prime if he can rediscover his form. The fact that he has proved to be an effective left-handed starter should generate some interest on the trade market.

The Rangers have plenty of firepower in their starting rotation with Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish and likely wouldn’t feel much of an impact if they trade Holland. Texas managed to finish with the best record in the American League this year (95-67) without a formidable season from the lefty and would get something in return if it decides to trade him.

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The 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians shifts to Wrigley Field for Games 3-5 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the North Siders will not have the luxury of starting one of their impact players from the first two games.

According to the team’s Twitter account, Kyle Schwarber was not medically cleared to play the outfield with the designated-hitter role no longer an option in the National League park:

Schwarber tore his ACL and LCL in April but worked his way back in time to DH in the first two games in Cleveland, which the teams split.

Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said Schwarber “pushed back” but ultimately understood the decision from the medical side of things, per Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Epstein also said “I’m in awe of what he did” when discussing the power hitter’s comeback.

Schwarber talked about the decision, per Yahoo Sports’ Big League Stew: “It’s not disappointing at all. It was a long shot at the most. Facts are facts. I just couldn’t physically do it.”

Bruce Levine of 670 The Score in Chicago pointed out Schwarber said he would be ready to pinch hit if necessary.

Chicago will surely feel the loss in its lineup. Baseball Tonight put his postseason performance through the first two years of his career into historical perspective:

Schwarber went 3-for-7 in the first two games in Cleveland with a double off the wall, two RBI, two walks and a run scored. He also drilled five home runs in nine postseason games last year for a Chicago team that advanced to the National League Championship Series before losing to the New York Mets.

The numbers in the first two games this year would be impressive if he played the entire season. They are even more astounding considering he tallied a mere four at-bats all year before his injury.

While this is a setback for the Cubs on paper, they still won an MLB-best 103 games during the regular season and reached the World Series largely without Schwarber‘s presence on the field. Just having him as a potential pinch hitter is more of a boost than even the team’s most optimistic fan could have realistically expected following his injury.

Chicago has a plethora of options to use in left field, including the versatile Ben Zobrist, the powerful Jorge Soler, Willson Contreras, Albert Almora Jr. and Chris Coghlan.

They will also have Schwarber looming as one of the most dangerous pinch hitters in World Series history.

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The Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians are battling for baseball’s ultimate team prize, the World Series, but Rawlings Sports announced the finalists for some of the most coveted individual awards of the 2016 season Thursday. 

Here is a look at the full list of Gold Glove finalists, per Rawlings Sports’ Twitter page:

Rawlings Sports noted the winners will be announced on Nov. 8 during ESPN’s Baseball Tonight.

The list of finalists underscores just how important run prevention is to winning games. The Cubs are in the World Series for a number of reasons, but their league-best defense certainly helped them win an MLB-best 103 games this season.

They have four finalists in pitcher Jake Arrieta, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, shortstop Addison Russell and right fielder Jason Heyward, and the team led all of baseball with 82 total defensive runs saved above average, per FanGraphs.

What’s more, it was a massive gap between Chicago and the rest of the league. The Houston Astros checked in at second place at an impressive 51 total defensive runs saved above average. Still, the difference between the Cubs and second-place Houston (31) was bigger than the one between second-place Houston and eighth-place Toronto Blue Jays (23).

Ninth-place Cleveland (17 total defensive runs saved above average) counts a Gold Glove finalist at a critical position with shortstop Francisco Lindor. Watching him flash the leather against his counterpart, Russell, in the World Series is a treat for defense-oriented baseball fans.  

Elsewhere, the Boston Red Sox have three finalists, with second baseman Dustin Pedroia and outfielders Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts. They won the American League East behind the impressive group.  

The Astros had three finalists as well, with pitcher Dallas Keuchel and outfielders Colby Rasmus and George Springer.

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