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The American League Championship Series rolls on Saturday afternoon from Progressive Field with the Cleveland Indians holding a 1-0 series lead over the Toronto Blue Jays following their 2-0 victory in Game 1. 

Outstanding pitching from Corey Kluber, Andrew Miller and Cody Allen kept Toronto’s offense at bay, while Francisco Lindor’s two-run homer off Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada provided the difference for the Tribe. 

Saturday’s second game of the series took a unique turn on Friday when the Indians announced that Josh Tomlin would be moved up to start in place of Trevor Bauer, who suffered a cut on his pinky finger that required stitches. 

The Blue Jays will counter with left-hander J.A. Happ before this series heads back to Toronto starting next week. 

Key Matchup for Toronto: Homers vs. Tomlin

The Blue Jays were likely kicking themselves after Game 1 for wasting early opportunities against Kluber. They had two runners on base in each of the first three innings but couldn’t take advantage and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. 

There is good news for the Blue Jays against Tomlin. Cleveland’s starter allowed the third-most home runs in Major League Baseball during the regular season (36 in 174 innings), per ESPN.com. 

According to Joe Sheehan, Tomlin will be doing something that hasn’t been done since 2004:

For the record, the 2004 pitcher was Bartolo Colon with the Los Angeles Angels. He pitched fairly well against the Boston Red Sox, allowing three runs on seven hits in six innings.

Cleveland will be hoping for a similar effort from Tomlin, who was terrific against the Red Sox in the division series with two runs allowed in five innings.

The Blue Jays have a potent lineup, but they are at their best when home runs are a factor. In their three-game division series sweep against Texas, the Blue Jays hit 10 home runs. 

Following Tomlin’s Game 3 win against Boston, Jonah Keri of CBS Sports wrote about the right-hander’s formula for success without overpowering stuff:

He relies on guile and pinpoint control to survive in a world of terrifying fireballers. Given how severely the numbers tilt in a hitter’s favor when he gets ahead, every pitcher has a strong incentive to get ahead in the count early. For Tomlin, the prospect of slinging an 87-mph fastball to a hulking slugger on a 2-0 count practically begs him to throw first-pitch strikes.

Tomlin’s best asset is, as Keri noted, control. He had the second-best strikeout-to-walk ratio in baseball this year (5.9) among qualified starters because he doesn’t walk hitters. 

The Blue Jays will put the ball in play often against Tomlin. Their key to success will be hitting it over the fence as they did so often against the Rangers. 

Key Matchup for Cleveland: Speed on Bases

The Indians didn’t have many chances to take advantage of their speed in Game 1, because Estrada limited them to seven baserunners in eight innings.

Lindor’s homer allowed them to ease off the throttle late in Game 1, but they won’t have that luxury on Saturday, since the Blue Jays figure to score at least a few runs against Tomlin. 

While Cleveland’s lineup is capable of playing long ball—Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli tied for the team lead with 34 homers—their best asset is using their speed and instincts to take extra bases in an effort to keep pressure on the opposing pitcher. 

The Indians were one of the best teams in baseball at stealing bases during the regular season, racking up 134 steals with an 81.21 percent success rate. 

Per August Fagerstrom of FanGraphs, Cleveland’s success on the bases extends far beyond just being able to steal them:

We host a stat here on FanGraphs called Ultimate Base Running (UBR), which filters out stolen-base attempts and focuses just on a player’s ability and efficiency in taking the extra base on hits and tagging up on fly balls. As a team, the Indians rank second in baseball in this measure, behind only the historic Padres. On an individual level, Jose Ramirez was baseball’s best baserunner. Rajai Davis ranked seventh, among 268 batters with at least 300 plate appearances.

Fagerstrom also noted the Indians finished second in baseball by successfully taking the extra base on a hit 45 percent of the time and led baseball by scoring 129 runs from second on a single in 184 attempts. 

In a separate article for FanGraphs, Fagerstrom noted how poor Toronto pitchers have been this season at preventing stolen bases with opposing teams succeeding 37 times in 42 combined attempts against Estrada, Happ, Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna. 

Happ, who will be on the mound Saturday, only had one caught stealing in eight attempts during the regular season. 

Russell Martin can only do so much, and he was awful throwing out baserunners this season, going 11-of-72 in that category for a 15 percent success rate. 

Cleveland hit well against left-handed pitching during the regular season, posting a collective .748 OPS, per Baseball-Reference.com. Davis will be in the starting lineup against a left-handed starter, as he was throughout the regular season, making him an integral piece if he can find a way on base. 

The Indians want to play a similar style to what the Royals did when they won the World Series last year. They can hit homers if necessary, but putting the ball in play and forcing the defense to throw them out is when they are at their best. 

Getting guys on base makes the Indians more lethal because of how well they run the bases as a collective whole. 

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The World Series dream is still alive for four teams, as the 2016 Major League Baseball Playoffs head to the Championship Series round with a pair of exciting matchups.

The Chicago Cubs used late-game heroics to get past the San Francisco Giants last round, but they will need to overcome a confident Los Angeles Dodgers team to win their first National League pennant since 1945. On the American League side, the Cleveland Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays each enter their series looking stout from sweeps, but something will have to give in this matchup of opposing strengths.

Take a look below at the dates and the live-stream and television schedules for the championship series. A full playoff bracket can also be found at MLB.com. Continue reading for a breakdown and prediction for each series.

Cleveland Indians vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Opposite forces will collide in this series, as the high-octane Toronto offense will try to overcome a stifling pitching attack from Cleveland.

The Blue Jays lead the postseason in runs scored with 27 after four games. Yet, the Indians boast a tremendous bullpen that helped hold the Boston Red Sox, MLB’s top scoring offense in the regular season, to just seven runs in three games.

Pitching and the ability to generate early offense will be the key in this matchup.

Neither team boasts a substantially superior rotation, but Cleveland does have the matchup’s only true ace in Corey Kluber. The 2016 Cy Young candidate racked up an 18-9 record this season while posting a 3.14 ERA, but he is 1-3 in his career against the Blue Jays with a lackluster 5.34 ERA.

Kluber also has a shaky history against some of Toronto’s top sluggers, including Josh Donaldson, who is tied for the lead in these playoffs with a .500 batting average. 

In his only postseason start in 2016, Kluber beat Boston with seven scoreless innings. With him starting Game 1, Kluber could be available for two more starts, which could give Cleveland an edge if this series goes long. However, Toronto fared well with its own staff against the Texas Rangers, allowing a solid 12 runs in three games.

The Blue Jays can trot out three stout starters in Marco Estrada, who will start Game 1, J.A. Happ and Marcus Stroman. This gives them a bit more depth in the rotation with Cleveland starters Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar injured, but this series could be decided by which team can score early.

The Indians have arguably the best bullpen remaining in these playoffs, with Cody Allen, Andrew Miller and Dan Otero highlighting a group that can carry the team to a win. They proved it against Boston, as Kluber was the only Cleveland starter to pitch more than five innings, while the trio mentioned above combined for zero earned runs in eight combined innings.

Yet, Cleveland could have trouble earning late leads against this Toronto offense. The middle of the Blue Jays lineup has been absolutely deadly this postseason. Jose Bautista, Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki have combined for six homers and 20 RBI while posting a .364 batting average in four games.

The Blue Jays bullpen has also been very good, as it only has allowed two earned runs this postseason. Cleveland outscored Toronto in the regular season, and it had no problem averaging five runs per game against Boston.

This matchup appears microscopically close, but Toronto earns the slightest of edges here. Cleveland’s bullpen is tremendous, but it may not get too many chances to win games with the Blue Jays having a strong opportunity to take advantage of the Indians’ rotation depth. Kluber‘s history also suggests he may get rocked at least once, which could give the Blue Jays enough of lead for their bullpen to hold on and close out this series.

Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 

The Chicago Cubs are certainly on a mission to end their title drought, as the World Series has eluded the franchise since 1908. While their wait is certainly the longest, the Cubs are not the only team remaining this postseason with a long streak of coming up short, per SportsNet:

Despite this morbid history, Chicago sports the most complete team in baseball and is undoubtedly the favorite win the 2016 World Series. This makes it surprising that the offense has sputtered so far this postseason.

The Cubs’ .200 team batting average was the worst in the Divisional round. It also does not help that pitcher Jake Arrieta is tied for the team lead with three RBI, but NL MVP candidate Kris Bryant has been excellent, hitting .375 with one dinger and three RBI. He also contributed several clutch hits in late innings, so the playoff spotlight has not been too bright.

Chicago’s lineup is strong all the way through, as Javier Baez, Dexter Fowler, Jason Heyward, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Ben Zobrist are all dangerous hitters. The pitching staff is also fantastic, and it could be the difference.

Jon Lester will start Game 1 on plenty of rest since his eight-inning shutout win over the Giants in the opening game of last series. The team will likely follow that up with Kyle Hendricks, who led the majors in ERA this season, and Arrieta, who has the potential to be untouchable on the road this series, per Comcast SportsNet Chicago’s Christopher Kamka:

The Dodgers exhausted themselves to pull out a series win over the Washington Nationals, as closer Kenley Jansen pitched 2.1 innings in relief in Game 5 while Clayton Kershaw got the last two outs on a day of rest with two previous starts under his belt. Washington manager Dusty Baker speculated that this could be an issue for Los Angeles against the Cubs, per Southern California News Group’s J.P. Hoornstra:

This is a valid concern, especially considering the Dodgers lost four of their seven games against the Cubs in the regular season. The extended action will likely push Kershaw back to a Game 3 start at the earliest, and Rich Hill started Game 5 against the Nationals, which puts him on a similar time frame for his next start.

So who can the team rely on to earn wins at Chicago? Kenta Maeda was the only other pitcher to start for Los Angeles last series, and he was roughed up for four earned runs in three innings.

Julio Urias, a promising 20-year-old, could be an option after 15 starts this season. He pitched well in relief last series, allowing only one hit in two relief innings, but he had a 4.91 ERA against the Cubs this season, and he is an unknown in terms of this level of pressure in the postseason.

If the Cubs continue their immense struggles at the plate in the first two games at home against a depleted Dodgers team, then the offensive ineptitude would certainly become a trend and a massive concern. Yet, this lineup is too talented to be this mired forever, and Chicago should benefit from facing a less experienced side than San Francisco.

The pieces are in place for the Cubs to return to the World Series, and they should be heavily favored in this matchup.

Statistics are courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted. 

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A thrilling NLDS Game 5 on Thursday night from Nationals Park saw the Los Angeles Dodgers, behind the heroics of Kenley Jansen and Clayton Kershaw, punch their ticket to the NLCS with a victory over the Washington Nationals. 

Looming in the Windy City are the Chicago Cubs, a rested team that made quick work of the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS and took four of seven games during the regular season from the Dodgers.

With the pennant on the line, here is the series schedule and how you can watch each game.

Odds Guide

Odds to Win World Series (via Odds Shark):

• Chicago Cubs: 11-5
• Los Angeles Dodgers: 9-2

Predictions

Cubs defeat Dodgers in five games to win the pennant, Kris Bryant will be NLCS MVP

As the best team in baseball, the Cubs own the advantage when looking at the matchup on paper. In terms of every notable regular-season stat, Chicago has the better numbers:

The Cubs emitted a certain kind of swagger on their way to a Major League-best 103-58 record. It was the first time since 1935 that the club has won over 100 games in a single season while trying to end baseball’s longest and most famous championship drought. 

Unlike other ill-fated years, they’ve already showed off the clutch gene in the postseason, coming back from a three-run deficit in Game 4 of the NLDS in San Francisco:

Thanks to a young, fearless core, the Cubs have been able to look history in the eye while taking the league by storm.

Along with veteran second baseman Ben Zobrist, Chicago’s entire infield started the All-Star Game, becoming just the second unit to ever to do so alongside the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals, per ESPN.com. 

But their most important infielder will be third baseman Kris Bryant, who will be too much for the Dodgers to handle in the NLCS. 

An MVP candidate this season, Bryant has batted .320 with four home runs and six RBI in seven games against the Dodgers.

They’ll have a golden chance to jump out to an early lead, as Dodgers ace Kershaw isn’t expected to pitch until Game 3 following his Game 4 NLDS start and Game 5 save on one day of rest. 

Chicago’s pitching has been just as impressive as its bats thanks to a rotation headlined by a banged-up Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester, who both posted sub-2.40 ERAs this season. Joining them is last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta to round out a dominant trio of pitchers that can stifle the Dodgers early in the NLCS. 

With such a well-rounded team, it’s difficult to think that the Cubs will be denied of their first National League pennant since 1945. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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The Toronto Blue Jays made the playoffs on the last day of the regular season after an inconsistent month of September, but they are playing in the American League Championship Series after sweeping the favored Texas Rangers in the division series.

The Cleveland Indians limped into the playoffs with an injured pitching staff after winning the AL Central and then swept the hard-hitting Boston Red Sox. 

Now these two teams will battle in a best-of-seven series to represent the American League in the World Series. The Indians will have the advantage of playing the decisive game at Progressive Field if the series goes seven games.

The Blue Jays appear to have the more powerful offense. They feature Edwin Encarnacion (42 HR, 127 RBI), Josh Donaldson (37 HR, 99 RBI), Troy Tulowitzki (24  HR, 79 RBI) and Jose Bautista (22 HR, 69 RBI in 116 games), and their presence allows Toronto to string long hits and runs together.

The Indians have a pair of big-time sluggers in Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana, who both hammered 34 homers this season.

It’s not going to be easy for the Cleveland pitching staff to keep those big bats in check, but there is no panic among Terry Francona‘s hurlers. Corey Kluber is capable of shutting down the best lineups, and the numbers prove his excellence.

Kluber went 18-9 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.056 WHIP. Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin started and pitched well in the division series, but the strength of the pitching staff is in the bullpen. Andrew Miller is Cleveland’s dominant reliever, and Francona uses him in a creative manner. Miller can pitch at any point from the fifth inning on and throw 40 pitches effectively.

Miller was remarkable after being acquired from the Yankees. In 29 innings with the Indians, he had a 1.55 ERA, gave up 14 hits and had an otherworldly 0.552 WHIP.

Since closer Cody Allen is so effective (32 saves, 1.000 WHIP), Francona does not have to employ Miller in the ninth inning. That may be the key to Cleveland’s success in this series or beyond if the Indians make it to the World Series.

The Blue Jays have excellent starting pitching as well. Aaron Sanchez, Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ are capable of going deep into games while giving up a minimal number of runs.

The Blue Jays are slight favorites to defeat the Indians in the ALCS. According to Odds Shark, the Blue Jays range from minus-115 to minus-150 to win the series, while the Indians range from even to plus-142.

Prediction

The Blue Jays are the more explosive team and probably have more talent from top to bottom. However, the Indians are a competitive bunch that welcomes any challenge. They will not be cowed by facing the Toronto sluggers, just as they were not fearful about facing David Ortiz and the Red Sox in the first round.

The Indians have big edges in the bullpen and on the bench. Francona should be able to manage circles around spit-and-vinegar John Gibbons. Francona is the better psychologist and strategist, and that should pay off when the games are late and close.

Look for the Indians to take the series in six games and represent the American League in the World Series.

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Both the National League Championship Series and American League Championship Series are set after the Los Angeles Dodgers took Game 5 from the Washington Nationals on Thursday night, cutting down the remaining field in Major League Baseball to just four. 

But plenty of teams, both alive and eliminated, are already focusing on next season and some free agents who could be on the move. 

As baseball winds deeper into October and closer to the offseason, here is the latest on some possible underrated free agents and where I think they’ll end up next spring.

A Pair of Texas Hurlers Could Be on the Move

Despite posting the best record in the American League in 2016, the Texas Rangers pitching was no match for the powerful offense of the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series.

Two pitchers in that rotation, Derek Holland and Colby Lewis, are facing free agency over the winter. 

Holland has spent all eight of his MLB seasons with the Rangers but is coming off his worst year since he was a rookie in 2009. In an injury-shortened 2016, Holland went 7-9 with a 4.95 ERA while posting a strikeout-to-walk ratio of just 1.91. 

That could be a reason the Rangers are unsure about whether they will pick up Holland’s option for the 2017 season, per TR Sullivan of MLB.com. If his deal is picked up by Texas, Holland will make an estimated $1.5 million next year, per Spotrac. 

Lewis also experienced an injury-shortened season for the Rangers, going 6-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 19 starts. He was just a year removed from a career year in 2015, when he went 17-9 despite a 4.99 ERA. 

According to Sullivan, both players have expressed their desires to stay with the club, “but that is far from given.”

Given their lack of success and playing time, the Rangers might be looking for more reliable options to support Cole Hamels, Yu Darvish and Martin Perez, especially because other free agents such as Doug Fister and Rich Hill are projected to be available.

Prediction: Rangers decline Holland’s option, let Lewis walk in free agency.

Nori Aoki

Seattle Mariners outfielder and leadoff man Nori Aoki was not having a good contract year in 2016. With free agency looming this winter, Aoki was batting .247 with an on-base percentage of .321 on Aug. 3. 

However, he was able to turn his season around, collecting 48 hits in his team’s final 41 games to raise his average to .283 and his on-base percentage to .349. The Mariners just didn’t have enough to nab a wild-card spot, though.

With the power of Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano in the Mariners lineup, Aoki was looked upon to get on base and provide ducks on the pond for the big bats:

Despite a .286 career batting average with an on-base percentage over .350, Aoki hasn’t been able to find any sort of continuity in his MLB career. In five seasons, Aoki has played for four different teams, and free agency runs the risk of increasing that number. 

However, Bob Dutton of the News Tribune reported that Aoki‘s hot finish to the 2016 season has “hiked interest” from Seattle to offer him a new deal. 

If the Mariners believe Aoki can play a consistent brand of baseball moving forward, then they have their leadoff man for the next few years as the team prepares to become more of a threat in the American League. 

Prediction: Aoki remains with Mariners. 

Mike Napoli

Cleveland Indians veteran first baseman Mike Napoli isn’t letting age slow him down. During his age-34 season, he put up career highs with 34 home runs and 101 RBI, and he’s been a big part of an Indians team that is in the ALCS for the first time since 2007. 

His 101 runs batted in were a team high, while the 34 round-trippers tied designated hitter Carlos Santana for most by a Clevelander. 

With those two in the middle of the lineup, the Indians had the fifth-best scoring offense in the league:

It seems like he really enjoys playing for Indians manager Terry Francona too, per ESPN.com’s Buster Olney: “I’m getting goose bumps just talking about him.”

Olney also pointed out that there is a good chance Napoli remains in Cleveland next season: “He probably could test the free-agent market and get a good deal elsewhere. But the Indians and Napoli are interested in seeing if they can work out some kind of extension that would keep him in Cleveland.”

Napoli played under a one-year, $7 million deal after signing with the Indians via free agency, per Spotrac. During a contract year in 2015, he was dealt from the Boston Red Sox to the Texas Rangers. 

But having already endeared himself to the Indians fans and organizations thanks to his big year, Napoli could very well find a home where he’ll end his MLB career.

Prediction: Napoli returns to Cleveland.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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Fans of the Washington Nationals don’t care that Game 5 of the National League Division Series was a contest for the ages. Their team lost, failing to advance to the National League Championship Series for the third time since 2012.

“That’s probably one of the craziest, if not the craziest, games I’ve ever been a part of in my career,” Nationals ace Max Scherzer said after the game, per MLB.com’s Jamal Collier and Ken Gurnick. “Man, this is a tough one to be on the wrong side of.”

Even tougher will be the months ahead, one that will find Washington’s front office tasked with trying to improve upon a team that won 95 games and its third NL East title in five years. Will there be wholesale changes to the roster, or mere tweaks here and there? Let’s take a look at how things might shake out.

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The MLB playoffs have been everything fans could have hoped for, from shocking game finishes to surprising series wins.

As Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports noted, one team is going to get its first World Series win in a long time:

Obviously, the Chicago Cubs have been waiting the longest, but all these teams are in new territory for this generation, creating plenty of unknowns moving forward. While uncertainty makes the game fun, here is an attempt to predict what will happen over the next couple of weeks.

American League Championship Series

These two teams have been flawless to this point in the postseason.

The Cleveland Indians won all three games in their series against the Boston Red Sox and are +375 (bet $100 to win $375) to win the World Series, but the Toronto Blue Jays (+225) have won all four of their contests, including the AL Wild Card Game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman sums up what makes Toronto so dangerous:

The pitching came with Aaron Sanchez struggling, which means it could be even better in the next round. The real strength of the team, though, is the lineup, which has produced 10 home runs in four games so far in the playoffs.

Josh Donaldson hasn’t gone yard yet in the playoffs, but he does have five doubles to go with his .500 batting average.

This offense is a terror for opposing pitchers when it is clicking, especially for an Indians rotation that is already short-handed.

Cleveland does have a few tricks up its sleeve, however, including an elite bullpen. Cody Allen has been steady as the closer, although Andrew Miller is the real star as a versatile weapon who can be used in any inning.

“I know sometimes people don’t think a reliever can impact your team as much as a player position [can]. I would argue that point,” Indians manager Terry Francona said, per Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post. “He has been everything we hoped for. We gave up a lot of good players for him. That’s how much we think of Andrew.”

Francona has done everything he can to get the most out of the lefty, and he will be extremely valuable out of the pen to quiet Toronto’s bats for a couple of innings at a time. Unfortunately, there are only so many innings Miller will be able to pitch in a seven-game series.

The bullpen will make an impact, and Corey Kluber is still one of the most talented starters in the game, but the rest of the staff is full of question marks.

Cleveland has an elite offense as well, with Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez hitting well so far in the playoffs, but the Blue Jays will be able to match on the scoreboard for most of the series. Each game should be a back-and-forth battle, but Toronto should be able to advance to the World Series.

Prediction: Blue Jays 4, Indians 3

National League Championship Series

Like the Indians, the Los Angeles Dodgers showed a lot of creativity with their ability to win in the division series.

Game 5 against the Washington Nationals featured a save by Clayton Kershaw just two days after he threw 110 pitches as a starter. Kenley Jansen also came up big with 2.1 innings of relief work, all after Rich Hill pitched 2.2 innings on three days’ rest.

Los Angeles began Thursday at +900 to win the World Series, although that will likely drop to closer to 4-1 or 5-1 odds after moving on to the NLCS.

The Dodgers have trustworthy starters and a lineup that mixes youngsters and veterans, any of whom are able able to come through with a big hit when needed.

On the other hand, the squad is coming into the next round in rough shape after leaving everything on the line against Washington. There are a lot of question marks about who will pitch the first couple of games, not to mention whether anyone in the bullpen will be available.

The Chicago Cubs have no such problems after having a few days of rest leading up to Game 1.

Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks are all elite starters who can shut down an opposing lineup, while the Cubs offense is almost unstoppable from top to bottom.

There is a reason the squad is only +160 to win the World Series despite the organization not winning it all since 1908.

Chicago was by far the best team in the league during the regular season and is built to win over a seven-game series. This one should go according to plan.

Prediction: Cubs 4, Dodgers 1

Note: All World Series odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter.

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For a team that made the playoffs on the last day of the regular season, the Toronto Blue Jays are on a roll.

The power bats of Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Troy Tulowitzki may be the most notable factors in the Blue Jays’ postseason surge, but there is a lot more to manager John Gibbons’ team that could lead to yet another victory over the Cleveland Indians in the American League Championship Series.

The Indians may have been even more impressive than the Jays, as they disposed of the American League East champion Boston Red Sox in a three-game sweep. Cleveland’s depleted starting pitching staff shut down the booming bats of the Red Sox.

The first game of the American League Championship Series at Cleveland Friday night figures to be a taut pitcher’s duel between Toronto’s Marco Estrada and Cleveland strikeout machine Corey Kluber.

Kluber was 18-9 with a 3.14 earned run average while striking out 227 batters in 215.0 innings this season. He also had an excellent 1.056 WHIP.

Estrada was 9-9 with a 3.48 ERA, and those numbers don’t compare with Kluber. However, Estrada had a 1.119 WHIP, and that indicates he should be up to the task of starting the series opener for the Jays.

The key for Cleveland is that there should be less pressure on Kluber (and subsequent starters) because of the Indians’ superior bullpen.

Andrew Miller may not throw quite as hard as Aroldis Chapman of the Chicago Cubs, but he may be a more effective pitcher. Manager Terry Francona can use him at any time from the fifth inning on for up to 40 pitches. 

Miller was 4-0 with the Indians after coming over from the New York Yankees in a trade. Miller had a 1.55 ERA in 26 appearances, with a sensational 0.552 WHIP.

Even though Miller is Cleveland’s best pitcher out of the bullpen, Francona uses Cody Allen (32 saves) to close out most games and get the save. That gives the manager the opportunity to use Miller in the most dangerous situations.

Game 1 also features two of MLB’s best shortstops.

Tulowitzki‘s all-around play may be the key for the Blue Jays. He’s a big man (6’3″, 205 lbs) who hit 24 home runs and knocked in 79 runs this season, but it’s his athleticism at shortstop that often separates him from the competition.

“He brought a different element of poise and calmness to our club,” right fielder Bautista told Richard Justice of MLB.com. “Most of us are the excited, fiery type player that plays with a lot of emotion and experiences a lot of ups and downs. He’s kind of the guy that stays even. It’s great to have him in the dugout and clubhouse.”

The Indians have their own stud at shortstop in 22-year-old Francisco Lindor. His home run in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Red Sox lit a fuse in the Cleveland dugout and lifted the confidence of the Progressive Field crowd.

Lindor had a .301/.358/.435 slash line in 2016 while hitting 15 home runs and driving in 78 runs. He also stole 19 bases in 24 attempts, but it is his defense that sets him apart.

“It’s just how smooth and under control he is in a lot of aspects of his game that’s so impressive,” second baseman Jason Kipnis told Justice. “He just glides. He’s a very quick learner, and the moment doesn’t get too big for him. He has a right way of approaching the game.”

Keys for Toronto to win Game 1 

The Blue Jays need to get their power bats going against Kluber. That won’t be easy, but with sluggers like Encarnacion, Donaldson, Bautista and Tulowitzki in the lineup, the big names must produce.

Additionally, Estrada must come through with a strong starting effort. Gibbons probably needs six full innings from him before he can go to his bullpen with any comfort.

Keys for Cleveland to win Game 1 

Kluber is a dominating starting pitcher, and he must pitch like one as the Indians open the series at home. He needs to show he can shut down Toronto’s big bats the same way he did against Boston.

The Indians are not the slugging team that the Blue Jays are, but they showed they could deliver clutch hits in the Boston series. They need sluggers Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli to deliver key hits, and they also need production from Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Tyler Naquin.

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The Chicago Cubs have been waiting for nearly a full year to get back to the National League Championship Series.

Last year, that exercise did not go well for Joe Maddon’s team, as they were swept in four games by the Mets and denied the opportunity to go to their first World Series since 1945.

Of course, it has been much longer than that since Chicago’s National League representative won the World Series. The 108-year wait for the Cubs has been tortured for many generations of fans, and they have good reason to believe that this is the year they can get to the World Series with an excellent chance of winning it.

By beating the San Francisco Giants in four games in the National League Division Series, the Cubs preserved their starting pitching rotation. They will be able to start left-handed ace Jon Lester in the opener and follow with Cy Young candidate Kyle Hendricks if Maddon chooses to go in that direction.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will fly into Chicago on a tremendous high themselves. They edged the Washington Nationals 4-3 in Game 5 of their NLDS, and that allowed them to advance to the National League Championship Series.

The Dodgers got gutsy relief performances from Kenley Jansen and Clayton Kershaw, and that allowed Los Angeles to survive and advance.

The Cubs are favorites to represent the National League in the World Series. According to Odds Shark, the Cubs range from prohibitive minus-310 to to minus-160 favorites to win the NLCS. The Dodgers range from plus-450 to plus-530 underdogs to win the National League pennant.

Chicago was a dominating team during the regular season, winning the National League Central Division by 17 ½ games over the St. Louis Cardinals, and they were a remarkable 57-24 at Wrigley Field. That’s another problem for the Nationals, because the seventh game would be played in Chicago if the series goes that long.

The confidence in the Cubs’ well-appointed locker room is peaking. “This is exactly where I envisioned our team being when I was deciding who to sign with,’’ Cubs infielder-outfielder Ben Zobrist told Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. “My ultimate goal here is to win a championship. And that’s what everybody’s is. We’re close to that.’’

Prediction

The Cubs were the best team in baseball during the regular season by winning 103 games, and then they faced a tough test in the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants.

After losing Game 3 that allowed the Giants to get back in the series, the Cubs trailed in Game 4 until the ninth inning. That’s when they rallied for four runs to take the lead. They secured the victory in the game and the series when Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth.

That showed the mettle the team has, and as Zobrist pointed out, the team is confident and ready to play. The Dodgers are a fine team that might have a good chance of advancing most years. However, this Cubs team is one for the ages.

Chicago wins the series in five games.

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No matter who wins the upcoming American League Championship Series, the Toronto Blue Jays or Cleveland Indians will inject the World Series with fresh blood.

After winning the title in 1993, the Blue Jays went 21 seasons without a playoff berth until last year. After falling short against the Kansas City Royals in 2015, they have another chance to advance beyond the ALCS.

Cleveland, meanwhile, hasn’t made it this far since 2007, when it squandered a 3-1 lead against the Boston Red Sox.

Which franchise will take one more step toward reversing years of misfortune? Let’s break down the fight for the AL crown after running through the series schedule and updated World Series odds, courtesy of Odds Shark:

ALCS Preview

Cleveland and Toronto finished the season ranked No. 7 and No. 9, respectively, in team OPS. They both flexed their power during American League Division Series sweeps; the Indians went deep five times, while the Blue Jays belted eight home runs.

Yet their stellar pitching especially stands out against tough opponents. The Blue Jays—who led the AL in ERA, one spot ahead of the Indians—limited the Texas Rangers to 10 runs despite both squads hosting games in hitter’s parks.

The Indians faced a steep challenge against Boston’s MLB-best offense without Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, two of their three best starting pitchers.

Challenge accepted.

They held the Red Sox to seven runs and recorded 31 strikeouts.

Without his usual No. 2 and No. 3 starters flanking ace Corey Kluber, manager Terry Francona must continue to rely heavily on his bullpen. In the previous round, he asked star reliever Andrew Miller to deliver a two-inning outing twice.

Miller, who recorded a 1.45 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP, 123 strikeouts and nine walks during the regular season, delivered four scoreless innings. 

In Fox Sports’ studio, Alex Rodriguez called his former New York Yankees teammate “the best reliever in the game”:

Francona‘s usage worked out perfectly, as Kluber and Cleveland’s offense made sure they didn’t need Miller during a 6-0 victory in Game 2. In a best-of-seven series against a deeper Blue Jays rotation and a red-hot offense, though, he might not get as lucky.

Despite hopes of Salazar returning, Francona is not counting on having the explosive righty, per the team’s Twitter account:

That means rookie Mike Clevinger, who posted a 5.26 ERA without making it through the sixth inning of any outing in the regular season, is in line to start Game 4.

The Blue Jays have no such rotation worries. Marco Estrada, J.A. Happ, Marcus Stroman and AL ERA leader Aaron Sanchez offer four trustworthy choices. While the Indians would have to consider using Kluber on short rest if they go down 2-1 or 3-0, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons can comfortably arrange his four options in any order on a normal schedule.

Toronto’s injury concerns lie elsewhere.

Veteran reliever Joaquin Benoit suffered a torn calf during a bench-clearing scrum against the New York Yankees near the season’s finish.

Per Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling, he won’t return:

Devon Travis’ prognosis is better. Despite missing the final two games of the ALDS, the starting second baseman said he is “feeling much better” and should play in Friday’s series opener after receiving a cortisone shot in his right knee, per Zwelling.

“Honestly, the biggest thing is pain management,” Travis said. “Hopefully [the cortisone] calms it down. I don’t see why I wouldn’t be able to get through this. This is the playoffs. It’s something we’ve worked all year for. I’m going to get back in there and do my job.”

The offense kept raking without him, but not because of replacement Darwin Barney, who went hitless in both games. Even though he’s rolling, inserting Ezequiel Carrera—holder of a .255/.314/.665 slash line—into the leadoff spot isn’t the best way to set the table for Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.

Travis, who hit .300/.332/.454 during his second season in the big leagues, provides a sizable boost despite not walking enough for an optimal No. 1 hitter. Then again, Gibbons might stick with Carrera, who is 6-for-16 with two walks and four runs in the postseason.

Prediction

The Blue Jays wield a mighty advantage with their starting rotation, especially if the lineup can get to Kluber. The Indians, on the other hand, can unleash Miller and Cody Allen in the bullpen. They’re also faster in the field and on the bases.

As the Royals proved last year, a stellar rotation isn’t required for postseason success. A solid one helps, though.

With all three star sluggers on fire, look for Toronto’s big bats to inflict more damage on Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin than Boston could impose. Miller and Allen should narrow the gap, but they won’t be able to extinguish all of Cleveland’s fires through seven games.

Pick: Blue Jays win in seven games.

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