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The Chicago Cubs offense finally came to life over the past two games of the 2016 National League Championship Series to push the drought-stricken organization within one victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers of reaching its first World Series since 1945.

Now the pressure shifts to the Dodgers, who had taken early control of the series with two straight shutouts in Games 2 and 3. They’ll hope sending ace Clayton Kershaw to the mound Saturday night can silence the suddenly revitalized Cubs lineup once again.

Let’s check out all of the important viewing information for the final two games of the series, though Game 7 may not be needed. That’s followed by a look at the updated odds and a prediction for whether Los Angeles can force a deciding game Sunday.

2016 NLCS Schedule

Current Series Odds

Game 6 Preview

The Dodgers were in the driver’s seat with a 2-1 series lead and Kershaw looming for Game 6. Winning one of the final two games at home would have sent them back to Chicago with the league’s best pitcher prepared to break the hearts of Cubs fans again.

Instead, the club now needs a dominant performance from its ace just to keep the season alive. He pitched a gem in Game 2, tossing seven shutout innings with six strikeouts while giving up just two hits and walking one. L.A. needs a similar outing Saturday night.

Knowing Kershaw will be on the mound is a mental boost for the Dodgers, though. Kike Hernandez further explained why the team remains upbeat about its chances of a comeback despite heading out on the road with its back against the wall, per Jack Baer of MLB.com:

This team is more than capable of winning two games in a row. In Game 6, we have the best pitcher on the mound, and then in Game 7, we have Rich [Hill], who looked pretty good against them. The last time we lost two in a row, we came back and won two in a row against Washington, so I don’t see why we’re out of this. We’re still pretty confident we can come back and win a series.

Of course, the Cubs don’t have a slouch taking the ball in Game 6, either. Kyle Hendricks actually led baseball in ERA during the regular season with a 2.13 mark because Kershaw (1.69) didn’t have enough innings to qualify due to some injury issues.

The 26-year-old breakout sensation has earned comparisons to former Atlanta Braves ace Greg Maddux, who had two stints with the Cubs, because he carves up hitters without the electric stuff of a Kershaw. Maddux told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers he likes what he’s seen from the Cubs starter.

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

In an era where there’s so much focus on upper-90s fastballs and monster strikeout totals, it’s refreshing to see a pitcher who can get hitters out consistently by attacking every area of the strike zone.

All told, it sets the stage for a pitcher’s duel Saturday night. It’s hard to imagine two offenses that have run hot and cold throughout the playoffs are going to generate a ton of chances against two of the top pitchers in the game this year.

ESPN Stats and Info passed along a stat to showcase how important it is for the Cubs to get into the Dodgers bullpen:

If Chicago is able to get Kershaw out of the game before the seventh inning, its chances of winning certainly skyrocket, even in a close game. But it’s more likely the lefty goes the distance to force Game 7 for the National League pennant.

Prediction: 3-2 Dodgers

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Attorneys for Edwin Encarnacion filed a motion in a New York court Tuesday to have a lawsuit against the Toronto Blue Jays first baseman dismissed due to a lack of evidence as well as questions regarding the jurisdiction of the case. 

Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star provided details of the filing Wednesday, which is in response to a suit filed by Ashley Lebron, an Encarnacion family friend, who said the MLB player knowingly infected her with genital herpes and chlamydia during a pair of sexual encounters in February.

“The complaint is devoid of a single fact supporting her conclusory allegations that the defendant knew or should have known that he had herpes and/or chlamydia,” the motion filed by Encarnacion’s lawyers stated.

Encarnacion doesn’t deny the pair had sex in February in his native Dominican Republic, where his lawyers argue any legal action would need to take place, but the motion also noted the details “do not even remotely suggest anything other than consensual sex between two sexually active adults.”

The Toronto Star added Lebron is seeking $11.5 million in damages for “past and future medical care as well as mental anguish and emotional and physical suffering.”

TMZ Sports passed along more information about the initial lawsuit in August. Lebron stated in her court filing that Encarnacion told her he was clean and responded to her questions by suggesting “she may have picked up [the STDs] when they went four-wheeling and she swam in the river.”

She also alleged the Blue Jays star later backed off his comments about being clean before ending all contact with her, according to TMZ Sports.

No timeline was provided for when a judge will rule on the request for dismissal in the case.

If the lawsuit is allowed to move forward, Sam Pazzano of the Toronto Sun reported the civil trial could occur by 2018, if not earlier, based on remarks from Lebron’s lawyer, Robert Hiltzik.

Encarnacion and the Blue Jays are currently playing in the American League Championship Series. They trail the Cleveland Indians 3-1 with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers survived a thrilling five-game series with the Washington Nationals to earn a berth in the 2016 National League Championship Series. Now they prepare to face baseball’s only 100-win team, the Chicago Cubs, for a spot in the World Series.

Chicago is the championship favorite heading into MLB‘s penultimate playoff round. The Cubs check in with 29-20 odds, while the Dodgers are the long shot of the final four at 5-1, according to Odds Shark.

The outlook would begin to shift if Los Angeles steals Game 1 on the road, though. So let’s check out all of the important details for the series opener. That’s followed by a game preview and a prediction for which club will grab the 1-0 lead.

Viewing Information

Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago

When: Saturday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. ET

Watch: Fox Sports 1

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Game Preview

Not only were the Cubs the best team during the regular season, but they also had the benefit of closing out their Division Series triumph over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. It gave them a chance to rest their pitchers and align their staff for the NLCS.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers were forced to pull out all the stops, highlighted by using ace Clayton Kershaw as a closer in Game 5, to get past the Nationals. They must quickly turn the page and try to upset the most well-rounded team in the league.

Doug Padilla of ESPN passed along comments from Kershaw about the elation of winning and rapidly trying to shift the focus to Chicago:

We’re going to Chicago, and our mind is completely shifted to beating the Cubs. They are a pretty solid team, from what I understand, and so I think we’ve got to really enjoy this one for, I mean, shoot, what is it 1:30 [a.m.] already? We’ve got to enjoy this for a few more hours and then we’ve got to get on that plane and change our mindset for sure.

The situation puts an added layer of pressure on Game 1 starter Kenta Maeda. He struggled in his first postseason start, giving up four runs in three innings, but the onus is on him to keep the third-ranked Cubs offense at bay long enough for the Dodgers to find their legs after a whirlwind few days.

That’s easier said than done. Chicago put up 16 runs over the final three games of its series against a Giants team that finished fourth in ERA during the regular season.

Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune noted Cubs manager Joe Maddon stated the Dodgers present their own challenges, including a rotation that’s deeper than just Kershaw, but that he still likes the vibe from his club:

And you don’t want to see all these other dudes. So this time of year, you just see good pitching. That’s what this time of the year means.

I honestly believe our guys will be equal to the challenge. I know they’re going to be ready. We’re feeling pretty good about ourselves.

Maddon will turn to Jon Lester to get things started on the right foot for Chicago. He enjoyed a strong regular season, going 19-5 with a 2.44 ERA in 32 starts, and his postseason track record (2.63 ERA in 17 games) is equally promising.

One thing’s for sure: Whichever team wins the series is going to end an extended drought, as Tony Lastoria of Indians Baseball Insider pointed out:

Although the Cubs are the rightful favorites, they are far from a World Series lock. The Dodgers showcased their depth and resiliency to come back from 2-1 down against Washington, and having Kershaw is the ultimate equalizer in a playoff series.

At least for Game 1, however, Chicago should quite comfortably have the edge. They are rested and have the pitching advantage after getting some time to recover at home while the Dodgers have needed to travel to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Prediction: 5-2 Cubs

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The Kansas City Royals are reportedly willing to part with star closer Wade Davis if the right trade offer comes along during the offseason.

Continue for updates.

Royals Listening To Offers For Davis

Friday, Oct. 14

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reported Friday teams have started calling Kansas City about Davis, and the front office is listening as it looks to make payroll cuts before the 2017 season.

The Royals hold a $10 million club option on Davis for next year, which includes a $2.5 million buyout clause, according to Spotrac. Heyman noted picking it up is a “formality.”

The 31-year-old reliever is coming off another terrific season at the back end of Kansas City’s bullpen. He racked up 27 saves while blowing just three chances to go along with a 1.87 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 47 strikeouts in 43.1 innings.

To put in perspective how good he’s been over the past three years, his outstanding 1.87 ERA was still nearly the combined totals of his 2014 (1.00) and 2015 (0.94) seasons. It’s a far cry from 2013, when he struggled to a 5.32 ERA while spending most of his time as a starter.

His name also popped up in the rumor mill leading up to the trade deadline with the Royals on the fringe of the playoff race at the time. Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star passed along the closer’s comments about trying to keep his mind off what could happen.

“People talk about it sometimes, even players,” Davis said in July. “And when it comes down to it, we’re here because, one, we love to play baseball. And obviously, we’re here for our teammates, but most of all, (we’re here for) our families.”

The only concern is his health. He landed on the disabled list twice during the regular season with forearm problems, which other teams will surely want to look into before giving up any key assets.

Kansas City may be best served waiting awhile to make a move, though. The free-agent market is littered with top-tier relievers, led by Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon, which could limit what teams are willing to offer for Davis for the time being.

If the Royals wait until those other marquee closers sign new contracts over the winter, they could get better value on the trade market from a team that missed out on the free agents.

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The Division Series clash between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers is the only one from either league to go the distance. That’s not much of a surprise given how evenly matched the clubs were coming into the postseason.

Now it comes down to a single game to determine which team will keep its World Series hopes alive. The visiting Dodgers are set to send Rich Hill (12-5, 2.12 ERA) to the mound to take on Nationals ace Max Scherzer (20-7, 2.96 ERA) in Thursday’s series finale.

So let’s check out all of the important details for Game 5, followed by a game preview and a prediction for which side will advance to face the rested and favored Chicago Cubs in the NLCS.

Game 5 Viewing Information

Where: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

When: Thursday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. ET

Watch: Fox Sports 1

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Game Preview

As expected, it’s been a hard-fought series. Two games were decided by one run and the only lopsided result was an 8-3 victory for the Nationals in Game 3, which was actually a one-run contest heading into the ninth before Washington tacked on four insurance runs.

Game 5 should be more of the same.

The Nationals decided to start Joe Ross in Game 4 and keep Scherzer available for the decider or Game 1 of the NLCS. The Dodgers opted to bring Clayton Kershaw back on short rest with their backs against the wall, and while he didn’t pitch great, they survived to fight another day.

Scherzer gives Washington the pitching advantage Thursday night, but not by a significant margin. Hill battled through some blister issues that limited him to 20 starts, but his late-career renaissance continued when healthy with a 2.12 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 110.1 innings.

The Nationals’ No. 1 starter is one of the best pitchers in baseball, though. This season marked the third time in the past four years he’s finished the regular season with a sub-3.00 ERA, and his electric arm has resulted in a terrific strikeout rate of 9.98 per nine innings for his career.

Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post noted Scherzer hasn’t attempted to downplay the significance of the Game 5 start, either.

“This is probably the biggest start of my career,” he said. “Biggest start of my life.”

A pair of home runs doomed him in his first start of the series. He gave up four runs in six innings despite allowing just five hits and no walks.

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is hopeful the club can scrape together enough runs against him for the second time in the series, per Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times.

“We beat him once already, we know we can do it,” Gonzalez said. “We put some pretty good at-bats against him in Game 1 and I’m confident that we can do it again.”

ESPN Stats & Info noted history also favors Los Angeles in these situations:

All told, this game should feature plenty of drama, regardless of which team is left standing when the dust eventually settles. It’s been an entertaining series between two clubs capable of giving the Cubs a legitimate fight, and the pitching matchup should ensure it ends with one more nail-biter.

The edge goes to the Nationals, though. They are playing at home, have their ace on the mound and had success against Hill earlier in the series with four runs in 4.1 innings. That should be enough to push them into the next round by the slightest of margins.

Prediction: Nationals 3, Dodgers 2

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Either the Cleveland Indians or the Toronto Blue Jays will represent the American League in the 2016 World Series after each team swept through the division series. Both sides figure to face much more resistance in the penultimate round of the MLB playoffs.

The club that ultimately earns that opportunity to play for a championship will be the one that responds best to the adversity that lies ahead in the American League Championship Series after moving through the previous round with only a few minor hints of drama.

So let’s check out all of the available information for the AL pennant battle. That’s followed by a preview of the series and a prediction for which team will punch its World Series ticket.

2016 ALCS Schedule

Series Preview

The Blue Jays limped across the finish line into the playoffs. They started September with a 76-57 record and a two-game lead over the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. A 13-16 record down the stretch dropped them into wild-card position, holding on over the final weekend to avoid a complete collapse.

Yet if Toronto ends up winning the World Series, being forced to play the extra playoff game will be looked back on as a turning point.

The Jays needed a spark. Beating the Orioles in 11 innings provided it. The powerful offense, which had gone dormant for extended stretches in September, came alive to score 22 runs during the three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers in the division series.

Ultimately, the biggest difference for Toronto this year is more reliability in the rotation. When the offense went cold, the starting pitchers stepped up to ensure the Jays could still qualify for the postseason. In all, the team finished the regular season fourth in starter ERA, per ESPN.

Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star passed along comments from manager John Gibbons about being able to count on anybody in the rotation—Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada, J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez—in a crucial game:

In a lot of ways, that’s been the key to our whole season. All (four) guys doing their jobs. Before this even started, going back to before we played Baltimore 9in the wild card), that’s one of the things we looked at. Hey, we feel good about that. Regardless of what situation we’re in, we feel good about anybody we throw out there, no doubt.

Talent was never the question between the improved rotation and an offense featuring Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista and Troy Tulowitzki. The Jays just needed to break out of their rut, and it will be tough to slow them down now that they’ve done that.

Meanwhile, it’s a surprise the Indians have reached this stage. They have been forced to play without three of their most vital assets, with injuries sidelining outfielder Michael Brantley as well as starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar.

Jordan Bastian of MLB.com noted even Indians owner Paul Dolan is impressed with how the players have risen to the occasion when called upon to fill those voids:

“It’s just something they’ve done all year long,” Dolan said. “They just stepped up when they needed to and just [did] what nobody else thought they were capable of doing. The depth of the team, the character of this team, I mean they just swept the Boston Red Sox. That kind of speaks for itself.”

Although it’s a great story that will become even better if they manage to win the title without those impact players, it’s unlikely they can stand toe-to-toe with the Jays for the entire series and come out on top. They will need to get creative.

Cleveland manager Terry Francona needs to take some chances. Whether it’s hit-and-run calls and trying to steal more bases to put more pressure on the Blue Jays defense or utilizing a quick hook for his starters not named Corey Kluber, he must get creative.

One thing’s for sure: The Indians will hope some of the Cavaliers’ luck rubs off on them in another battle between the cities, as SportsCenter showcased:

Also of interest, Sportsnet Stats pointed out an extended drought is going to end this year regardless of which of the remaining teams comes out on top:

Ultimately, the Indians deserve a lot of credit for getting this far, and those fans whose favorite team is no longer alive and are looking for an underdog story will probably jump on the Cleveland bandwagon. It’s a testament to the front office to have enough depth to keep winning despite the injury issues.

The Blue Jays are in a better spot right now, however. They have found their groove again, and their roster is stronger from top to bottom than the current version of the Indians. That should allow them to power their way into the World Series after a hard-fought series.

Prediction: Blue Jays in six games

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New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia is expected to recover in time for spring training after undergoing surgery on his right knee Tuesday.

Continue for updates.

Yankees Call Procedure ‘a Routine Cleanup’

Tuesday, Oct. 11

The Associated Press reported Yankees head team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad handled the surgery after Sabathia pitched the entire 2016 season with a knee brace on the bothersome joint.

Sabathia is no longer the ace he was during his prime seasons with the Cleveland Indians and early in his Yankees career. He can still serve as a valuable piece of the rotation, however, especially with New York being limited in terms of pitching depth. He finished this season with a 3.91 ERA in 30 starts.

He had previously established himself as one of baseball’s most reliable workhorses for more than a decade. Injuries have become an issue over the past couple of years, though. He missed most of the 2014 campaign because of knee problems, and a groin injury sent him to the disabled list earlier this season.

Since he should be back to full strength in time for spring training, the Yankees don’t necessarily have to focus on filling a void. But starting pitching is one area the team will probably try to address in the offseason after ranking 19th in starter ERA (4.44), per ESPN.com.

Sabathia should still have a place in the rotation after his solid bounce-back year. But the Yanks will probably take it easy on the 36-year-old lefty during camp to make sure there are no setbacks before the start of the new season.

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Teams around baseball that venture into the offseason free-agent market looking to upgrade their lineup, bench or bullpen should be able to find some useful assets. The same can’t be said for those clubs hoping to improve their rotation with extremely limited options at starting pitcher.

In turn, finding value among the starter group will be difficult because even the middling targets are going to generate plenty of interest. So getting any bang for the buck, which is hard in free agency to begin with, will likely have to come on the hitting side.

So let’s check out some early buzz and discussion involving situations worth watching in the weeks and months ahead. Each section includes a prediction for where the player will land.

Edwin Encarnacion

Encarnacion isn’t underrated in the tradition sense, but he’s rarely mentioned when talking about the league’s best sluggers, a conversation where he should be at the forefront. He’s slugged 193 home runs over the past five years with the Toronto Blue Jays, including 42 in 2016.

The lack of mainstream attention figures to end this winter. The powerful DH, who’s also capable of playing first base, can be a game-changing addition for the large number of teams looking to get more pop from the middle of the order.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported the Boston Red Sox are interested in Encarnacion as a potential replacement for the retiring David Ortiz, but the Jays are going to remain in the mix:

The Red Sox also will have a DH vacancy, but they’re expected to fill that from the outside, with Edwin Encarnacion the leading candidate. There are rumblings in Toronto that the Blue Jays may make Encarnacion an offer given that he’s been so productive.

The amount of leverage Encarnacion will have is directly related to whether Ortiz does officially walk away from the game. He’s stayed on the path toward retirement throughout the season, but it will be interesting to see whether his strong year and Boston’s early playoff exit changes anything.

If Big Papi doesn’t change his mind, it’s hard to see another team being more aggressive in their pursuit of Encarnacion. Being able to take him out of the lineup of a division rival is even more incentive for the Red Sox to make a lucrative offer.

Prediction: Red Sox

Lourdes Gurriel

Gurriel is the younger brother of Yulieski Gurriel, who signed with the Houston Astros in July after defecting from Cuba. The 22-year-old prospect is eligible to sign with a team at any time and is an intriguing option for teams that might not be able to afford high-priced players like Encarnacion.

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball noted there’s still a sizable group of interested organizations following the shortstop’s open showcase. Now he’s in the process of going through private work with those teams before making a decision:

Following a successful open showcase, Cuban talent Lourdes Gurriel will hold about a half-dozen private workouts for interested teams in the near future. The Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, and Miami Marlins are amongst the teams setting up private workouts.

One factor that adds to his value is that he’s still a raw talent with a lot of athleticism that can get molded as a team sees fits. Though he’s a natural infielder, he’s got the physical tools to play just about anywhere and plug a void for a team in the near future.

Gurriel, who posted a .362 on-base percentage in 305 games in the Cuban National Series (via Baseball-Reference), is still working to improve his power stroke. Going to Houston to eventually play alongside his brother on an improving team seems like an ideal fit to continue his development.

Prediction: Astros

Steve Pearce

Pearce is a solid player on the surface. He finished the 2016 campaign with a .288 average to go along with 13 homers in 85 games split between the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles. He’s particularly impactful against left-handed pitchers, though.

The 33-year-old veteran has an .852 OPS against lefties in his career, highlighted by a 1.028 mark this season, compared to a .728 OPS against righties, per Yahoo Sports. That could make him a terrific weapon as a starter against LHP and a bench asset.

Bob Dutton of the News Tribune believes it makes him a possible target for the Seattle Mariners:

Here’s another name to watch: Steve Pearce, a pending free agent at Baltimore who underwent surgery Sept. 21 to repair flexor tendons in his right forearm.

[General manger Jerry] Dipoto showed a fondness last winter for bounce-back cases, and Pearce, 33, should be fully recovered prior to spring training and appears to fit the club’s preferred profile in numerous ways.

The Orioles placed Pearce on the 60-day disabled list in September because of a a right flexor mass strain. Ryan Baillargeon and Cash Kruth of MLB.com noted the recovery timeline was between four and six months, which is within the window to get back to full strength before Opening Day.

Seattle will face some competition for his services, especially if the Orioles remain interested after he’s enjoyed success with the organization in recent years. But there’s no doubt he’s a good match for Seattle, which ranked 14th in OPS against lefties, according to ESPN.

Prediction: Mariners

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The Atlanta Braves announced Tuesday that Brian Snitker will take over as the club’s full-time manager after serving in an interim role to finish the 2016 season. 

The organization relayed the news on its official Twitter feed.

Snitker took over the reins after Atlanta fired Fredi Gonzalez in May. The rebuilding Braves were off to a miserable 9-28 start and looked destined to finish in the MLB basement by a considerable margin before the 60-year-old Illinois native took over.

The Braves played much better following the managerial change. They went a respectable 59-65 under his guidance, climbing out of the cellar to finish with the fifth-worst record in the league, a small sign of progress as they look to make bigger strides in 2017.

David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution passed along comments from star first baseman Freddie Freeman in late September about the positive impact Snitker made:

I enjoy him. I loved him when he was here as a third-base coach. He’s just a calm guy. He goes out there, puts the lineup down and lets guys go to work. His presence is something that just makes you want to run through walls for. I think everybody in this clubhouse has responded to him, because he’s such a good guy, he treats everybody the right way. I love him, so you just want to go out there and do as good as you can for him.

Veteran outfielder Nick Markakis added: “A manager can only do so much, and for him to make it easy for us to go out there and do our job, it’s appreciated and I know guys like it.”

Despite those glowing reviews from inside the clubhouse, the Braves still went through a full interview process before announcing Snitker would return. Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reported former MLB managers Ron Washington and Bud Black were the other finalists.

Next season will mark the first time Snitker will be a full-time manager in the majors. That said, he’s been with the Braves organization for four decades in a variety of roles, including managing several of the organization’s minor league teams.

The pressure level is beginning to rise in Atlanta, though. The Braves haven’t made the playoffs since 2013 and last won a postseason series in 2001. So they went through a complete retooling process to bolster the system with an eye on a brighter future.

Expectations are on the rise for 2017 as the club moves into its new home, SunTrust Park, which comes at the same time its prized prospects start to arrive. The new wave of talent is led by shortstop Dansby Swanson, who posted a .361 on-base percentage in his first 38 career games this season.

All told, Snitker deserved the opportunity to return as manager given how well the Braves finished, but the honeymoon period won’t last long if Atlanta starts slow next year.

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The American League Division Series could reach a rapid conclusion Sunday with the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers already facing elimination after dropping the first two games against the Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays, respectively.

Boston and Texas don’t have to look back too far for a source of optimism, though. Just last year, the Blue Jays fought back from a 2-0 hole to stun the Rangers in the ALDS. Surely that provides some added motivation for Jeff Banister’s group to flip the script this time around.

Let’s check out all of the important details for Sunday’s slate, including viewing information and odds for both matchups. That’s followed by game previews and predictions.

Sunday’s MLB Playoff Schedule

Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox (2-0 CLE)

The Red Sox wanted to give David Ortiz a storybook ending to his career, but that’s not going to happen unless the team’s starting pitching improves in a hurry. Rick Porcello gave up five earned runs in 4.1 innings in Game 1, and David Price allowed the same number of runs in 3.1 innings in Game 2.

Now they turn to Clay Buchholz to save their playoff hopes. He finished the regular season with a lackluster 4.78 ERA, but it’s worth noting he pitched much better after the All-Star break. His ERA was 5.91 in the first half and 3.22 in the second half.

Preventing the Indians from building another early lead is essential. Beyond that, longtime Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia believes the team has simply gotten away from playing its brand of baseball so far, per Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.

“I think we’ve kind of lost who we are,” Pedroia said. “We’re the Boston Red Sox. We need to go out there and play the game. We should dictate the tempo of the game and how everything should be played.”

Meanwhile, what the Indians have been able to accomplish with injuries to starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar is astonishing. But now their rotation depth will get tested as they trot out Josh Tomlin to face the league’s highest-scoring offense.

John Buccigross of ESPN commented on the Indians’ ability to attack the potent Boston lineup:

Ultimately, the lack of reliability from the Red Sox starting staff makes it difficult to envision a path where they win three straight games. But the offense is too strong to go down with a whimper, so they should slug their way to a Game 3 victory to stay alive.

Prediction: 7-5 Red Sox

Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays (2-0 TOR)

The Blue Jays faded down the stretch of the regular season, looking nothing like a team capable of making a World Series run. But when there’s a roster with that much talent, especially offensively, sometimes all it takes is one spark to turn things completely around.

It seems that’s exactly what’s happened with Toronto after it survived an 11-inning battle with the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Round. The team’s bats have returned to form, pounding out 15 runs over the first two games against Texas.

SportsCenter highlighted the odds for teams in the Jays’ current spot:

The Rangers must do a much better job in clutch situations if they want to get back in the series. They threatened in each of the final three innings of Game 2 but came away with just two runs in those frames and three runs for the game. In all, they left 13 men on base.

But Texas does have the added motivation of the Jays’ aforementioned comeback in this round last year to lean on. Third baseman Adrian Beltre admitted it’s something on the team’s collective mind as it heads north of the border for Game 3, per T.R. Sullivan and Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.

“We have to win,” Beltre said. “There’s no tomorrow. Not only that, we’re trying to do what they did to us last year. Hopefully we can turn it around and do the same thing they did to us last year. We know we can do it. We just need to get it done in the field. There’s no doubt we believe in this team.”

Alas, the pitching matchup favors Toronto. Aaron Sanchez, who went 15-2 with a 3.00 ERA for the Jays during the regular season, will take on Colby Lewis. The Rangers’ starter gave up 19 homers in 19 starts, which isn’t a hopeful sign as he prepares to face a power-filled lineup.

Prediction: 5-4 Blue Jays

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