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Not to be lost amid the entertainment of the All-Star weekend is the 2015 MLB Celebrity Softball Game, pitting some of the biggest sporting and pop culture icons of Cincinnati and the nation against one another.

With the action serving as Monday night cap to the Home Run Derby on national television, viewers get to wash down the dozens upon dozens of home runs by watching famous people strike out and race around the bases. Throw in Celebrity Softball Game staples like Rollie Fingers and Jennie Finch along with popular Cincinnati faces like Andy Dalton and Aaron Boone, and the intrigue only increases.

The game will take place All-Star Sunday at the Great American Ball Park, but the viewing public will have to wait until Monday night to catch the action. Take a look below for more information.

2015 MLB Celebrity Softball Game

Air Time: Monday, July 13, immediately following Home Run Derby (game played Sunday)

TV: ESPN

Roster Info

Roster subject to change, courtesy of MLB.com.

There’s an awful lot of Ohio in the mix for Monday’s Celebrity Softball Game, and rightfully so.

As tends to be the case in the event that always has a hometown feel of local celebrities and heroes, the field is flush with some of Cincinnati’s best. It all starts in the sports world, as Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer headline the popular local names.

Dalton may or may not get to line up in the outfield to showcase his arm (let’s check with head coach Marvin Lewis about that), but Kirk Herbstreit apparently hopes so. The former Ohio State player and current ESPN analyst gave Dalton a shout on Twitter to make sure he’s prepared:

While the diamond talents of Dalton, Herbstreit and Meyer are a little up in the air, there shouldn’t be much doubt about a handful of former Reds that are making the trip.

Between Boone, Sean Casey, Eric Davis and Paul O’Neill, there are 11 total All-Star trips for the quartet of former Cincinnati Reds players participating. Amid a busy summer of work for ESPN networks, Boone is headed to Cincinnati for the festivities:

Of course, perhaps the most entertaining aspects of the Celebrity Softball Game are the actors, actresses, musicians and entertainers who go up against sporting legends. There are a few who hope to hone in on their baseball days from the past, including country music artist Justin Moore.

Moore attributed playing baseball to riding a bike in that you never unlearn it, per Mandy Slegers of Country Music Pride.

“I’m stoked to break out the spikes again,” Moore said. “Baseball is my favorite sport and one I’ve played my whole life. I may be a little rusty, but it’s just like riding a bike. Should be fun to get back on the diamond with all the other folks playing.”

Artist Cole Swindell also joins Moore from the country music world while Snoop Dogg and Macklemore give the game a hip-hop feel. Josh Hutcherson and Miles Teller offer stars of the silver screen, and Nick Lachey should be a hit among certain demographics.

All in all, there are more than enough B-list celebrities and intriguing names to tune into the action Monday night. The fact that it’s directly after the Home Run Derby just makes tuning in even easier.

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For all of the intrigue and annual entertainment that the Home Run Derby brings to MLB‘s All-Star weekend, the format needed some refreshing, and the 2015 edition has delivered by shaking up the contest significantly.

The complete eradication of the 10-outs-per-batter rule is only the beginning of the changes announced by MLB. Contenders now will have a five-minute running clock against them, in which time they must jack as many homers as possible to win their head-to-head matchups. 

Of course, it’s not that straightforward. Batters can get extra time added to their rounds by hitting extra distances, like 30 seconds for a 475-foot bomb or one minute for two that exceed 420 feet. For matchups tied at the end of the round, a 90-second swing-off will be in order.

Power has always been the central focus of the Home Run Derby, but now precision and execution will become similarly crucial to contenders’ chances for victory.

Here’s a look at the full bracket and the top names in action.

2015 Home Run Derby

Bracket

ESPN Stats & Info provided the complete Home Run Derby bracket below:

Top Contenders

Albert Pujols

It’s no secret who the old head is among this year’s Derby field.

While surprising names like Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo flood the eight-player field with not-so-household names, Pujols will be making his fourth career appearance in the vaunted event. It’s been 12 years since he first appeared as a youngster for the St. Louis Cardinals, but he’s still competing for the league lead in major batting statistics.

He recently commented on how he approaches the event, via MLB:

His 26 home runs on the season have him just a few away from moving into 15th on the all-time list, and he’s having arguably his best year in an Angels uniform. His massive contract with the Angels indicated that he would eventually be grossly overpaid for his production, but that day seems to be later than perhaps many anticipated.

Pujols faces the Chicago Cubs’ young Bryant in the first round and may have a thing or two to teach him about the long ball.

Joc Pederson

If I told you a young, immensely powerful Los Angeles Dodgers slugger made his way into the Home Run Derby this summer, you might think I was talking about last summer and Yasiel Puig. Alas, lightning has struck twice with 23-year-old Joc Pederson.

The left-handed batter is only hitting .228 on the season but has smacked a whopping 20 home runs along with 39 RBI at the halfway point. While Puig has undergone injury troubles and the Dodgers’ run support has been lacking at times, Pederson is doing more than enough on his own.

What’s more, he is pummeling them further than anyone else in the field, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:

There’s no doubting that Pederson has a fair share of growth and development to make at the plate, as illustrated by the Dodgers’ decision to take him out of the lineup in certain pitching matchups. But his power and home run ability undeniably make him one of the most intriguing individuals in the field.

Todd Frazier

There’s almost always a hometown favorite in the mix at any Home Run Derby, and Todd Frazier gets that nod as he represents Cincinnati and the Reds on Monday night.

Of course, the third baseman has already done his club proud on the Home Run Derby stage recently. He finished runner-up to Yoenis Cespedes at last year’s event in Minnesota and will have his brother Charlie pitching to him, just like then.

In terms of recent home runs, he trails only one Derby participant, as High Heat Stats noted:

The host team’s most impressive batter can often get a shoo-in spot in the field for the sake of tradition, but Frazier didn’t backpedal his way into this event. He proved his worth last year by getting to the final step and could be aided by the format change and a move to his home ballpark.

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Monday’s only MLB playoff game was postponed due to rain, but that just means Tuesday’s slate will be a packed postseason doubleheader. The American League Championship Series and National League Championship Series will both resume on Tuesday with a duo of pivotal Game 3 affairs.

As was planned all along, the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants will continue the NLCS out West in a Tuesday afternoon thriller to decide which team will take a 2-1 advantage. But after a stretch of storms soaked the Midwest on Monday, the ALCS had to wait until Tuesday night, as the Royals aim to go up 3-0 in the series at home.

All four teams are getting deep into their pitching rotations as we head toward Game 3, and a few hot offenses should see more of the same success. Timely offense has been the key to success all postseason long, and Tuesday should be no different.

Here’s a look at the two games on tap for Day 11.

Updated MLB playoff bracket available at MLB.com.

Day 11 Predictions

ALCS Game 3: Orioles at Royals

After a 2-for-2 trip to Camden Yards that continued their perfect postseason record, the Kansas City Royals come home for three straight games only needing to win two for a spot in the World Series.

The Royals will roll out a fresh pitcher for Game 3, with veteran right-hander Jeremy Guthrie making his first start and appearance of the postseason. The 35-year-old with a 13-11 record also pitched in Baltimore for five seasons before his first of two Royals stints. 

With a 2-1 career record and a 2.67 ERA against his former team, he’ll come into Tuesday’s start focused on nothing other than striking out his former teammates, per Fox Sports Kansas City’s Jeffrey Flanagan:

Yeah, I think the emotion will come, obviously, from the playoff game. I think (my) history (with the O’s) will be put, not even on a back burner, but on some kind of like rotating kitchen device, what do they call it, lazy Susan or something. So this is a playoff game and each one of us is preparing to play a very good team on the other side. 

And whether there’s history or not, I think each player, myself included, has put that on the lazy Susan for the time being.

The Royals might not know what they’re getting from Guthrie on the mound Tuesday, but his head is certainly in the right place. His strong history against the O’s is also a promising sign for Kansas City. 

Meanwhile, the Orioles have a better starter on paper in Wei-Yin Chen, but his postseason debut was one to forget. He was pulled after 3.2 innings, giving up five earned runs and two homers against the Tigers in a game the Orioles were lucky enough to still win.

Kansas City was the worst home run-hitting team in the majors this season but has eight through just six playoff games. The Orioles offense—while effective—hasn’t been able to keep up so far this series, and that shouldn’t change as the Royals grind out another close one at home.

Prediction: Royals win, 6-4

NLCS Game 3: Cardinals at Giants

Two teams awfully accustomed to the NLCS spotlight in recent years will battle on Tuesday, both knowing the implications Game 3 has—especially in a knotted-up series.

And if it wasn’t for the bat of Kolten Wong in Game 2, that wouldn’t even be the case, as his late home run allowed the St. Louis Cardinals to notch a win before heading to AT&T Park for three games against the San Francisco Giants.

This is guaranteed to be a memorable series given the recent history of both clubs, and it has already shattered network records, according to Sports Illustrated‘s Richard Deitsch:

Despite playing far from their best baseball through these two games, the Cardinals used their typical recipe of late heroics to even the score. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Giants can win this series solely by taking care of business at home.

The Giants lineup went cold at times in the National League Division Series, but it has come to life in the NLCS by drubbing Adam Wainwright in Game 1. Despite losing Game 2 late, the Giants scored runs in four of their last five innings.

John Lackey, the Cardinals’ starting pitcher for Game 3, raved about the Giants’ bats, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle:

They have got a really good lineup. It’s a deep lineup, and especially when you’ve got (Travis) Ishikawa hitting eighth. … It’s more of an American League-style lineup, which I’m pretty well accustomed to. So I’m going to have to make pitches all the way throughout the lineup. They are good.

Tim Hudson will start for San Francisco in Game 3, and after getting an early lead from his offense, he will be able to navigate the Giants to a crucial win.

Prediction: Giants 3, Cardinals 2

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If San Francisco Giants pitcher Jake Peavy is out to redeem his less-than-stellar playoff career this postseason, Friday was a convincing start. 

The Giants ace allowed just two hits through five and two-thirds innings, silencing the Washington Nationals’ loud bats in their home ballpark and emerging with a 3-2 Game 1 victory to take a 1-0 series lead. 

Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg made his much-anticipated October debut and was strong at times through his five innings, but gave up eight hits and two runs. The Giants’ bats constantly found ways to crack singles and advance runners to score in a quiet offensive game. 

Washington eventually found its collective swing with two seventh-inning solo shots from Bryce Harper and Asdrubal Cabrera, and generated pressure in the eighth inning, but it wasn’t quite enough to complete the comeback.

Take a look at the inning-by-inning score and final from Friday’s game:

Although he’s a former Cy Young winner and won the World Series as a Red Sox pitcher last year, Peavy had never won a game in the playoffs before Friday. In his first five starts from 2005-2013, he notched an 0-3 record with a 9.27 ERA.

Before making his Giants playoff debut, though, the 33-year-old conceded his mindset wouldn’t be changing from the regular season. 

“It comes down to executing better than I had in previous starts,” Peavy told MLB.com’s Paul Hagen. “Say what you want to say, other than the emotions and the atmosphere, nothing else is different about this game than a game we’d play a hundred times in the season.”

He made it apparent with his performance that he wasn’t joking around.

Peavy was untouchable in the early goings against one of the NL’s best offenses. He kept his no-hit bid alive through four innings, and was one pitch away from going six innings in a playoff game for the first time in his career.

Throughout, Peavy was the fiery, emotions-on-his-sleeves dynamo on the mound that fans have come to know quite well. David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Sports Illustrated‘s Peter King came off impressed:

The 26-year-old Strasburg struggled to keep the Giants hitters at bay in a similar fashion. Although he showed his blistering fastball and some of the command that makes him great, San Francisco’s hitters were smart and took what he gave them—mostly singles, but they added up.

He allowed eight hits on the game and although none were for extra bases, it didn’t much matter as San Jose Mercury News‘ Tim Kawakami noted the pressure was constantly on:

Starting pitchers are often the scapegoat for any losing team in a playoff game. But despite allowing eight hits, Strasburg’s performance didn’t come off as poor to Newsday‘s Marc Carig:

Things didn’t start out too hot for Strasburg. He allowed Travis Ishikawa to open up the third with a single, and the hitter would later score on a Joe Panik RBI single that made it 1-0. 

One inning later, it was Pablo Sandoval jumping on Strasburg—again on the first at-bat of the inning. Hunter Pence then got on base via a fielder’s choice, and Brandon Belt came up big with a one-out RBI single. Suddenly, it was 2-0 Giants.

Belt proved huge all game long, going 2-for-4 and making some big plays in the field. Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles observed the Giants might be in a different position had they gotten this level of production from Belt all year:

The Nationals watched their ace get exposed thanks to early hits in innings, and turned it around to attack Peavy in the sixth. Pitching spectacularly but only holding a 2-0 lead, Peavy allowed Nate Schierholtz to open the bottom half of the sixth with a double to put him in by far his toughest position of the game.

Peavy came back to force two straight outs, then Javier Lopez and Hunter Strickland both came in to help close out the inning and leave the bases loaded for Washington. In the top half of the seventh inning, the Giants brought around another to score on a Panik triple followed by Buster Posey’s infield single that made it 3-0.

Washington had nearly pulled back into the game before seeing its deficit grow even larger. But instead of wilting, the Nationals simply took advantage of a Peavy-less Giants bullpen to get back in the game.

Harper bombed one—and I mean bombed one—into the upper decks of right field in the seventh inning off Strickland to make it 3-1 Giants. Two batters later, Cabrera hit his own solo shot to right to put the Nationals one run off the lead as their Twitter account illustrated:

ESPN Stats and Information observed just how far Harper hit his homer:

Looking to take that momentum into the next inning, the Nationals started the bottom of the eighth strong with an Anthony Rendon single. They put two runners on base with just one out for Ian Desmond and Harper, but both came up short when one swing would have taken the lead. 

In the ninth, closer Santiago Casilla came in to close the door and preserve the victory to make it a surprise 1-0 series lead for San Francisco.

Coming off an inspiring wild-card victory over Pittsburgh, the Giants couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the postseason. Despite going up against the NL’s top team and their best ace in front of a raucous crowd, they had it going from the get-go and held on late.

As for the Nationals, well, they’ll be the first to tell you that one game is just that—one game. There will be plenty of chances to even the score as the five-game series goes on, but the home loss means Washington will have to work some magic on the west coast to make it to the NLCS.

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Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Juan Uribe will be placed on the disabled list due to the re-emergence of a nagging right hamstring injury, manager Don Mattingly announced Saturday.

MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick had the news:

The Dodgers had more:

Saturday’s news isn’t surprising in lieu of Uribe’s dismissal from Friday’s loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He left the game due to “tightness in his right hamstring,” and the move was dubbed “precautionary” by Mattingly, per Los Angeles Times‘ Everett Cook. 

Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times shares why the flaring up of Uribe’s hamstring is especially worrisome for Dodger fans:

Not only had Uribe missed five weeks with a hamstring earlier this season and had only been back in the fray since June 26, but injuries have been a regular occurrence for the 35-year-old as of late. He only played in 77 games in 2011, and just 66 in 2012, as both seasons were cut short by trips to the DL. 

Since emerging with the Dodgers in 2013, though, Uribe has proven reliable at first as a utility player and now in the No. 7 slot. This season, his .293 batting average is third among Dodgers batters with at least 17 plate appearances. 

The Dodgers have a 5.5-game cushion in the NL West, but the loss of Uribe for the postseason could pose serious problems in the back half of Mattingly‘s lineup. His experience and high batting average will be tough to replace. 

Justin Turner took over for Uribe on Friday, and his regular inclusion during Uribe’s absence earlier this year suggests he’ll be next in line to start. 

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When a ridiculous amount of criticism—whether in good and harmless fun or something different—is hurled an athlete’s way, it can be used as motivation or just laughed at altogether. Hunter Pence is doing the latter.

The San Francisco Giants outfielder has become the butt of a never-ending joke, first sweeping across visiting ballparks and then spreading to social media. What started with a few signs at a Mets-Giants game on Aug. 3 has snowballed, to say the least.

Here’s video of the signs that started the trend:

Suddenly, the movement took off. Signs saying “Hunter Pence can’t” this or “Hunter Pence likes” that started popping up left and right for the rest of the Giants’ series in the Big Apple. Of course, it didn’t keep him from going 3-for-5 with four RBI the first day the signs appeared.

Once Pence got out of New York to finish the rest of the Giants’ road trip, though, the fun would be all over. Right?

Not quite. By the time San Francisco arrived in Milwaukee for its series with the Brewers, the fans had caught wind of the trend and wanted to have their own fun.

The Brewers’ Twitter account tweeted the best signs:

The move caught on again in Kansas City during the Giants’ subsequent series with the Royals. By that point, national media was all over it, and even the MLB Network chimed in.

After having his parking abilities doubted, affinity for bacon questioned and countless claims of his interest in less-than-stellar activities, Pence couldn’t stay quiet any longer. He had to make some sort of rebuttal. As one of baseball’s more dynamic personalities off the field, Pence guaranteed laughs in the process.

With a strong Twitter presence himself, Pence caught wind of the jokes and masterfully swiped back with a series of properly timed humble brags:

Even Pence’s girlfriend joined in:

Pence seemed to be ready for all the criticism and answered it aptly, but Yahoo Sports involving the joke on a fantasy football—not baseball—update was one that caught him off-guard:

Fan interactions with athletes in professional sports are inevitable, but there’s nothing quite like the relationship between fans and players in baseball. From Brandon Phillips signing a ball for a drunk heckler to Tony Gwynn Jr. using his glove to talk back to fans, MLB notables often find ways to have fun with the hate.

What Pence is experiencing with this joke might be on another level, but it’s still harmless and serves no ill purpose—especially with him hitting a combined 5-for-10 in his first two games featuring the signs. Given he’s a teammate and fan favorite with San Francisco and is enjoying his first All-Star season since 2011, Pence has plenty of reasons to smile. 

Pence hecklers have had their 15 minutes of fame, but he reminded them with a few humble brags that his life isn’t all that bad—even if he’s the butt of a thousand jokes at the moment. 

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Money is the name of the game in Major League Baseball free agency, which often results in the rich only getting richer by plucking the game’s top free agents.

And for every highly coveted free-agent superstar who signs elsewhere and flourishes, there’s also a big name who never comes close to living up to the gaudy price tag that he showed up with. 

Here are a couple of gems in this year’s class that will pay dividends for the owners and general managers who pony up the funds.

Jacoby Ellsbury, OF

Jacoby Ellsbury has been nothing short of a superstar every year that he was able to remain healthy.

One of few key pieces to make it through the 2012 housecleaning, Ellsbury raked in 53 RBI at the leadoff position with 172 hits in just 134 games.

He’s never looked better on the basepaths—he led the AL with 52 stolen bases—and surpassed the half-century mark in the category for the first time since 2009. 

We know from his stellar 2011 season—he finished first among position players in AL MVP voting—that he can be a deadly hitter as well. He got 212 hits, jacked 32 homers and knocked in 105 runs and 46 doubles. Oh, and he also won the Gold Glove that year. 

Very few, if any, players boast the all-around efficiency Ellsbury does. If he stays healthy, he’s guaranteed to produce gaudy numbers. It’s no surprise that agent Scott Boras told the Boston Globe‘s Peter Abraham that Ellsbury is being courted by the Rangers, Yankees and Cubs along with Boston. 

Brian McCann, C

Brian McCann is undoubtedly the top catcher available at a position that features many formidable free agents this offseason.

After the Braves announced McCann turned down their qualifying offer, it became obvious that the 6’3″, 230-pound catcher is in for a big payday.

Despite playing 102 games—his fewest since his rookie year in 2005—McCann still produced as the power hitter he is. He hit a home run nearly six percent of the time he stepped up to the plate, amassing 20 on the season. 

Hitting at least 70 RBI each season from 2006 to 2011, McCann has proven to be reliable at a position where long-term health is an undeniable issue. 

Whoever comes up with this prized free agent will see an immediate boost at the position.

Carlos Beltran, OF

After the late part of his Mets career was marred by injury, questions surrounded Beltran’s ability to stay healthy throughout the course of a season.

And despite being 36 years of age, Beltran only missed 27 games through two regular seasons with St. Louis. Before that, 2008 was the last time his games played reached triple digits. 

Beltran led the hot-hitting Cardinals with 24 homers this season, also racking up 84 RBI—two numbers he actually bested in 2012. He improved his batting average tremendously between the seasons, from .269 to .296. 

As an aging veteran, teams won’t be throwing long-term deals at Beltran. But you can bet that his recent numbers prove to teams that he can be an elite bat for a couple of seasons down the road. 

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The 2013 World Series has been a memorable one for many reasons and has gone back and forth, but it’s sure to end with more excitement with the series’ final game (or two games) in Fenway Park.

Pitching matchups have made an impact on this series, but a couple of games have come down to wacky plays that you couldn’t otherwise predict. 

In Game 6 and potentially Game 7, many storylines—whether it be surrounding David Ortiz, Michael Wacha or even Koji Uehara—will continue to unfold and will decide who becomes world champions.

Let’s break down everything you need to know, as well as predictions, for the rest of the postseason.

*Game 7 if necessary

Game 6

The Red Sox are awfully glad to have won Game 5. Despite the obvious confidence in going back home for the final two games, Game 6 will be a doozie because of one player.

Rookie pitcher Michael Wacha has emerged as the Cardinals’ ace of the postseason, posting a perfect 4-0 record and a 1.00 ERA. His World Series debut was magnificent, with a two-run homer to David Ortiz as the only blemish on his 4-2 win. 

Boston is fortunate to have Ortiz rolling at his own historic pace, batting a jaw-dropping .733 on the series. ESPN Stats and Information broke down his incredible hitting chart:

Ortiz isn’t getting much help from the Boston bats, especially his fellow hitters at the top of the lineup. That was especially true last time they faced Wacha. 

One swing got John Lackey a lead in Game 2, but it’ll be tough for the Red Sox to get that type of cushion again versus a red-hot pitcher. The Cardinals will shut down the Boston bats in desperation mode, and their own hitters will be able to get up early on Lackey to force a Game 7.

Prediction: Cardinals win, 2-1

Game 7

Ironically, a season that has been all about pitching won’t come down to an epic duel on the mound. Both teams’ best pitchers will have been used up by Game 7.

Jake Peavy would be likely to get the start, unless if Clay Buchholz’s tiring arm holds up enough to convince the Boston coaching staff to give him the nod. Either way, it’ll likely be a by-committee performance to minimize the impact of either pitcher having a less-than-dominant performance.

The Cardinals could go with either Lance Lynn or Joe Kelly, but this game, as most clutch games inevitably do, will come down to the bats.

In Game 7, with no dominant aces getting the start, it’ll come down to which clutch batters come up big when runners are in scoring position. And you can’t shy away from the fact that the Red Sox have the advantage in that department.

Ortiz has been unstoppable, and a dominant pitching performance is about all the Cardinals can hope for to shut him down. With no Wainwright or Wacha, they won’t have that. 

Clutch-time Big Papi will send Boston into a frenzy by winning the World Series.

Prediction: Red Sox win, 6-4

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The Boston Red Sox won the all-important Game 5 of the 2013 World Series on Monday night to take a pivotal 3-2 lead, and they’ll need a big-time performance to wrap it up in six games at Fenway Park.

In Game 5, Jon Lester took center stage and topped Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright for the second time in the series, putting St. Louis’ title hopes on the brink of vanishing. But Boston won’t be able to lean on its star pitcher Wednesday.

Instead, the World Series shifts to a pitching matchup that didn’t quite favor the bearded wonders in Game 2. John Lackey, who lost in his last appearance against rookie sensation Michael Wacha, will be on the mound for the Red Sox. 

Wacha has been untouchable throughout the postseason, with a 4-0 playoff record and a spectacular 1.00 ERA. His only blemish in Game 2 was a two-run homer by red-hot David Ortiz. 

ESPN Stats & Info captured Wacha‘s postseason success during his first World Series start:

The Sox have been dominant in the series with a late-inning lead, but it’ll be tough to get that with Wacha on the mound. It’s hard to see Boston building a lead off Wacha unless Big Papi gets big hits.

At one point in the Fox broadcast of Game 5, the Red Sox’s batting success—or lack thereof—was compared to Ortiz’s batting success, as captured and tweeted by Jose3030:

In Games 4 and 5, Ortiz went 6-for-7, and that may need to continue. The Red Sox have been incredibly reliant on his play, which has been better than ever. 

As for Boston’s pitching, there shouldn’t be many worries early on. John Lackey gave up only one run through six innings in his Game 2 outing before letting a couple of runners on base. He was then pulled from the game and earned two more runs when the Cardinals pulled away. He recorded a loss but didn’t deserve one.

This game will require some smarts from manager John Farrell around the sixth inning. He’ll need to pull Lackey before Lackey puts the team in a jam and forces the bullpen to try to bail him out. It didn’t work in Game 2, and don’t put your money on it working in Game 6.

Getting out early on Wacha isn’t everything, as the Red Sox also have to sustain that lead. That will take some masterful calls by Farrell regarding when to use hot hands (like Koji Uehara) in order to shut down the Cardinals bats.

The World Series has gone back and forth, and if that continues, the Sox will be pushed to a decisive Game 7. Nobody in Boston wants that. They want this thing wrapped up as quickly as possible, but that won’t be easy against a very dangerous team and a hot pitcher.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have already advanced to the National League Championship Series by knocking off the Atlanta Braves, but the action isn’t done there. The NLDS concludes Wednesday with a decisive Game 5 showdown between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

With the winner advancing to face the Dodgers in the NLCS, the stakes are high. The Cards are striving to win their second World Series crown in three years. Across the table, Pittsburgh is riding the momentum of its first division title since 1992 as this year’s Cinderella team. 

Let’s break down everything you need to know about the final game of the NLDS.

*Watch postseason baseball live on TBS.com or your mobile device.

Starting Pitchers

Pirates: Gerrit Cole

Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle made a surprise call by opting for rookie Gerrit Cole over veteran A.J. Burnett in the loser-goes-home matchup. 

Per CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder, he defended that call by saying it puts his team in the best possible position:

“We have one game to win,” manager Clint Hurdle said after the game in a press conference. “As I’ve done and I’ve challenged the guys to do, we need to do the best we can to win that next game. I believe that matchup is the best we can do to beat the Cardinals in Game 5.”

It’s also entirely possible that Burnett’s Game 1 mishaps—seven runs on six hits and four walks—have marinated a bit in Hurdle’s mind. 

The 23-year-old Cole went 10-7 on the season and gave up just two hits over six innings and one earned run in a winning effort in Game 2. Cole is the hot hand right now in the Pirates rotation; it just so happens that he’s a rookie.

Cardinals: Adam Wainwright

Unlike the Pirates’ Cole, Cards ace Adam Wainwright surprised practically nobody by being named St. Louis’ Game 5 starter. 

The 32-year-old notably has a big advantage in the experience department over his counterpart in Wednesday’s decisive showdown, per Pittsburgh local CBS anchor Jory Rand:

Despite this sizable difference, Wainwright will have to quickly forget his last appearance in a decisive Game 5. It came last year against the Nationals, and although his team escaped with a victory, it wasn’t due to Wainwright, as he gave up six runs in just over two innings. 

Wainwright is having an incredible year, and he’ll need to continue it one more night while keeping away the struggles he faced the last time he pitched in such a contest.

Prediction

Both teams have played about as evenly as they could have in this series, but there’s no doubting which team—and which pitcher—is more comfortable in a must-win scenario. 

Although Wainwright’s performance against the Nats last year beckons concern, and the Pirates’ bats can get hot at any time, Wainwright should keep them at bay as the St. Louis offense picks back up.

St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 3

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