Kuzul

At long last, the 2016 World Series is set. 

While the Cleveland Indians punched their ticket on Wednesday—which feels like an eternity ago—the Chicago Cubs broke through and captured their first National League pennant since 1945 on Saturday with a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field. 

And now that the matchup is official, we can start to pore over the initial odds for this year’s Fall Classic, which have been provided by OddsShark.com: 

Although the Cubs needed six games to put away the Dodgers, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they’re solid favorites to take home their first World Series title in 108 years.

Chicago was a -130 (bet $130 to win $100) favorite to win the World Series following its Game 5 win in Los Angeles, with the Indians holding firm at +160 (bet $100 to win $160).

But now that it’s a sure thing that the Cubs will be representing the NL in the Fall Classic, it makes sense that their odds would increase in a way that reflects their recent play and season-long trends. 

Chicago was the class of MLB all season long and won a league-best 103 games, and the postseason has offered the Cubs a chance to sustain their success despite a few brief hiccups. 

While they once trailed L.A. 2-1, the Cubs mounted a fierce charge and rattled off three straight wins that saw them outscore the Dodgers 23-6 with a couple of strong pitching performances from some of their most dynamic arms. 

Jon Lester was sensational in Game 5, scattering five hits, striking out six and allowing one earned run in seven innings. Then, Kyle Hendricks pitched the game of his life on Saturday, with 7.1 scoreless innings of two-hit ball. 

So while the Indians have wielded the postseason’s most dangerous pitching staff (1.77 ERA, .206 opponent average), the Cubs’ stable of aces can’t be overlooked. 

And if Chicago’s bats get hot, Cleveland could be in real trouble. 

Through nine postseason games, the Cubs have scored a playoff-best 43 runs. Comparatively, the Indians have scored 27 runs in eight games. 

With Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo and Dexter Fowler all ready to strike at a moment’s notice, the Cubs have the firepower to supplement one of MLB’s strongest starting staffs and take home a title. 

Based on the way things have played out over the past week, the smart money should be on Chicago to snap the most famous drought in sports. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For the baseball fan who appreciates the historical aspect of the game, the Chicago Cubs clinching the National League Championship Series on Saturday night with a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers set up a dream World Series against the Cleveland Indians.

Before we get into the final teams remaining, here’s a look at the postseason bracket:

Odds To Win World Series

Odds relayed by Odds Shark

Cleveland Indians: 163-100

Chicago Cubs: 50-59

Predictions

Cubs defeat Indians in seven games for World Series title

These will be two teams with conflicting amounts of rest heading into the World Series. Come Tuesday, the Indians will have had over five days of rest while the Cubs will have had two. 

There are opposite views that come up about rest. Some believe a break is good for a weary team that has played over 170 games in a season. Others will say it quells the momentum gained through a busy October schedule. 

One thing that is certain is the dominant Indians pitching is coming into the Fall Classic fresh off resounding performances in the American League Division Series and American League Championship Series. 

In eight games, they went 7-1 with with a 1.77 ERA while allowing just 15 runs. Though it’s been a makeshift rotation of sorts behind Corey Kluber, Cleveland’s bullpen has been stellar behind Andrew Miller, who struck out 14 batters in 7.2 innings in the ALCS:

However, Cleveland’s offense has struggled in the postseason, batting just .208. They’ve relied on the long ball during October, launching 11 home runs compared to their 26 RBI. 

They’re going to be meeting a Cubs team that has allowed just four home runs in 10 postseason games, so that option could be in jeopardy in the World Series. 

On top of that, the Chicago offense has ignited to look like the one that led the majors with 4.99 runs per game during the regular season.

After being shut out twice in a row by the Dodgers in Games 2 and 3 of the NLCS, the Cubs scored 23 runs on 33 hits over their last three games. 

They’ve also scored 21 more runs than the Indians have this postseason, although the Cubs have played three more games.

But with their ability to get after Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw on Saturday, Cubs bats look unstoppable:

Heading into the Fall Classic, the Chicago Cubs are playing a more well-rounded brand of baseball, which is why they’ll squeak out their first World Series title in 108 years in seven games. 

Stats courtesy of MLB.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

I went looking to see how Bleacher Report covered things the last time the Chicago Cubs went to the World Series. No luck.

I couldn’t find any of our stories about the last Cleveland Indians‘ World Series title, either.

We weren’t around in 1945 (the last time the Cubs made it) or in 1948 (the last time the Indians won it) or even in 1997 (the last time the Indians played in it).

So yeah, you’re going to be watching history when the 2016 World Series opens Tuesday night at Progressive Field. Cubs vs. Indians: Two teams that have been around forever; two teams that haven’t won in forever; two teams that won something pretty important this week.

Tuesday night will get here soon enough. First, let’s take a quick look back on how all of this happened, how and why the Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS and the Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS.

Catch your breath and enjoy the first Bleacher Report League Championship Series Awards to feature the Cubs and Indians.

Begin Slideshow

With the Cleveland Indians waiting for their opponent and the National League Championship Series between the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers nearing its conclusion, World Series predictions continue to roll in for the three teams still alive in the 2016 playoffs.

While it isn’t surprising that the Cubbies have made it this far considering they had the best record in Major League Baseball during the regular season, pre-playoff picks suggest few expected the Indians and Dodgers to still be in the hunt at this point.

As the start of the Fall Classic draws closer, here is a look at predictions for the World Series winner from some of the top experts in baseball.

FiveThirtyEight

FiveThirtyEight uses statistical models to make predictions across multiple sports including baseball.

According to FiveThirtyEight.com, the Cubs are favored to win the World Series with a 51 percent chance, followed by the Indians at 39 percent and the Dodgers at 10 percent.

Chicago is also a heavy favorite in the NLCS with an 81 percent chance to get past L.A.

The numbers make plenty of sense, as the Cubs were the best team in baseball during the regular season and don’t seem to have a weakness.

Their starting rotation is great from top to bottom with Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey. They also boast an elite closer in Aroldis Chapman.

On top of that, Chicago is capable of getting production from anywhere in its lineup thanks to the contributions of Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Javier Baez and Ben Zobrist, among others.

Cleveland, on the other hand, is without ace pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, while Trevor Bauer’s status remains unclear after cutting his pinkie finger on a drone.

Despite that and everything the stats suggest, Tribe owner Paul Dolan believes his team may be meant to win it all, per Zack Meisel of Cleveland.com:

In February or March of many years, we foresee a team that can win. And then the story develops and something happens and we don’t. This has been that year where everything goes right. Even when something goes wrong, it turns into something right. I’ve heard ‘Team of Destiny’ mentioned a few times. It sure feels like something like that.

Both the Cubs and Indians have had unexplained collapses and shortcomings in the playoffs over the years despite fielding great teams.

The result is that Chicago hasn’t won the World Series since 1908, while Cleveland hasn’t accomplished its ultimate goal since 1948.

Both may be due to end their respective droughts from a statistical perspective, and FiveThirtyEight favors the Cubs to do precisely that.

ESPN

ESPN polled 32 of its experts prior to the start of the MLB playoffs, and only one of them has a chance to correctly call both World Series participants as well as the winner.

According to ESPN.com, Adam Rubin predicted a clash between the Indians and Cubs in the Fall Classic, which will occur if Chicago takes care of business in one of the next two games.

David Schoenfield also picked Cleveland to go all the way, but he picked the Indians to lose to the San Francisco Giants.

Eric Karabell was the only expert to predict the Dodgers would reach the World Series, but he had them losing to the Boston Red Sox.

Rubin chose the Cubs over the Indians in the World Series, but he was far from the only one to predict that Chicago would end its long title drought. In fact, 19 experts chose the Cubs, which was more than any other team, while no one chose the Indians or Dodgers.

The confidence in the Cubs is understandable, but recent history hasn’t been good to them when it comes to closing out the NLCS and reaching the World Series, according to ESPN Stats & Info:

Regardless of whether the Cubs or Dodgers reach the World Series, they will be at somewhat of a disadvantage to the Indians.

The fact that Cleveland beat the Toronto Blue Jays in five games has given the team extra rest and allowed it to set up its starting rotation however it pleases.

That may not matter because the team lacks great starters behind Corey Kluber due to myriad injuries, but any rest in October is a luxury after such a long season.

USA Today

Like ESPN, USA Today polled multiple experts before the playoffs started, and they too were largely behind the Cubs to win it all.

While no expert correctly predicted the World Series since nobody chose the Indians to reach the Fall Classic, six of the seven had the Cubs making it to the end, while Gabe Lacques picked the Dodgers to win the NLCS.

Of the six experts who penciled in the Cubs as NL champions, Steve Gardner, Bob Nightengale, Jorge L. Ortiz and Ted Berg believed they would win the World Series as well.

Pressure is an immeasurable factor, but after winning the most games during the regular season and getting picked by so many to end its supposed World Series curse, Chicago is under the most pressure to win.

Cleveland is playing with house money to some degree since none of the aforementioned experts picked the Indians to win, likely because their starting rotation as been depleted.

The Indians do have a big advantage over both the Cubs and Dodgers in the bullpen, though, as Cody Allen and championship series MVP Andrew Miller carried them through the first two rounds by pitching in any and all situations.

Miller, in particular, put forth an historic performance to push the Tribe into the World Series:

Bullpen dominance has gone a long way toward championship success in recent years, as the Kansas City Royals largely rode their relievers to a World Series triumph last season.

The Indians have a chance to do the same, but they’ll still be heavy underdogs if the Cubs can seal the deal against the Dodgers.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Cleveland Indians earned home-field advantage for the 2016 World Series by virtue of the American League’s All-Star Game triumph over the National League, which means we can officially take a look at how the schedule for this year’s Fall Classic will shape up.

The best-of-seven championship series will pit the Indians against either the Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers, and odds favor the Cubs even though they’ve historically failed to break through when presented with the opportunity.

Chicago is 0-6 in its last six National League Championship Series games with a trip to the World Series on the line, per ESPN Stats & Info, but data from WhoWins.com suggests the Cubs are in a spot to exorcise those demons.

Specifically, teams holding 3-2 leads in a best-of-seven format have gone on to win the series 70.4 percent of the time in a 98-series sample.

So before taking a peek at how the Indians will try to quell their eventual National League competition, here’s a rundown of when and where you can catch this year’s World Series:

While it’s impossible to make a firm prediction for the World Series without knowing who the Indians will square off against, we can examine how they would fare against their prospective competition after they didn’t play a single game against the Cubs or Dodgers in the regular season.

From a pitching standpoint, Cleveland has been head and shoulders above the rest of its postseason peers.

The Indians boast a 1.77 ERA through eight playoff games, which compares favorably to the Cubs’ mark of 3.25 and the Dodgers’ tally of 4.60. Cleveland has also posted three shutouts—one less than all other playoff qualifiers combined.

Perhaps more frightening is the way Cleveland’s bullpen has performed.

To date, Indians relievers have posted a 1.67 ERA, 41 strikeouts and seven walks while holding opponents to a .212 average through 32.1 innings.

Conversely, the Cubs and Dodgers have bullpen ERAs of 3.71 and 4.29, respectively, in the playoffs, with opponents batting better than .240 against both units.

The good news for the NL contenders comes at the plate.

While none of the three remaining teams have bashed the ball to a stellar degree under the postseason lights, the Dodgers lead the pack with a .228 average and .322 on-base percentage.

That said, the Cubs lead the Dodgers in terms of total bases (119-115), doubles (18-9) and slugging percentage (.381-.355). The Indians are hanging steady with a .380 slugging percentage buoyed by 11 home runs.

Predicting a winner based on those comparisons alone would be foolish, but the Indians have to feel good about their chances considering the way their pitching staff has dominated in conjunction with a solid offense that has found ways to generate power and produce runs to create sufficient cushions.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The 2016 World Series could be set on Saturday night with the Chicago Cubs looking for their first berth in the Fall Classic since 1945 with a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

While the two National League teams continue to duke it out, the American League champion Cleveland Indians patiently wait to know who their opponent will be when the best-of-seven series kicks off on Tuesday from Progressive Field. 

Cleveland has already had a year to remember with the Cavaliers winning their first NBA title in June. The Indians will look to join them and end their own 67-year championship drought. 

2016 World Series Schedule

Player to Watch: Andrew Miller

Baseball is a sport designed to make it nearly impossible for one player to carry his team in a way that can happen in the NBA or NFL. 

While Andrew Miller needed help from the Cleveland starting staff to put the team in a position to use him to protect a lead, he has been operating at a video-game level throughout this postseason, with Jared Carrabis of Barstool Sports providing the statistical evidence:

It’s fun to see those numbers, but they somehow look more impressive when you are able to see the weapons Miller is using to destroy hitters. 

This is what Miller did in the seventh inning of Game 2 against the Toronto Blue Jays, via MLB.com:

If the Dodgers end up coming back to defeat the Cubs in the NLCS, good luck to them trying to attack Miller. 

It’s no secret that Los Angeles’ lineup has had problems against left-handed pitching in 2016. The group had a collective .213/.290/.332 slash line versus southpaws, per Baseball-Reference.com.

Things are so bad for the Dodgers against lefties they had Carlos Ruiz hit in the cleanup spot against Jon Lester in Game 5 of the NLCS with the hopes he could provide a spark. 

The Cubs would be an interesting matchup for Miller because they were dynamite against left-handed pitching this season with an .807 OPS, per Baseball-Reference.com.

Miller has been an immovable object in his playoff career with six hits and three walks allowed with 31 strikeouts in 20 innings. 

Cleveland’s starting pitching depth was a question entering the postseason. Corey Kluber has been terrific in his first postseason with a 0.98 ERA, 20 strikeouts, 13 hits allowed and seven walks in 18.1 innings. 

But Indians manager Terry Francona has not had anyone else in his rotation make it through the sixth inning. His bullpen is deep enough to get by with starters who go four or five innings, but someone in the rotation not named Kluber will need one strong start if Cleveland is going to win the World Series. 

It also helps Miller succeed because the longer a starter goes, the fewer outs Francona has to bridge before he can just use Miller and Cody Allen to record nine outs. 

Better Matchup for Cleveland

As mentioned above, the Dodgers would serve as a more favorable matchup for the Indians in the World Series. 

Beyond the Miller factor, Andrew Simon of MLB.com noted how Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts could be in a bind with his rotation if the Dodgers win their next two games:

Los Angeles opted not to push ace Clayton Kershaw into another short-rest outing in NLCS Game 5, instead starting Kenta Maedaand slotting Kershaw in for Game 6 at Wrigley Field. That means that while the Indians will have time to align their starting rotation any way they choose for the Fall Classic—presumably with Corey Kluber at the front—the Dodgers wouldn’t be able to go to Kershaw until Game 2 on short rest or Game 3 on regular rest.

The Dodgers would also turn to Rich Hill against the Cubs in a potential seventh game, so Cleveland could avoid their two best pitchers until Games 3 and 4. 

In case you didn’t know based on the current NLCS results, Kershaw, Hill and Kenley Jansen have been the only things slowing down the Cubs, per Rany Jazayerli:

That won’t necessarily be the case for the Cubs if they are to play the Indians, because Francona can turn to Miller or Allen in the later innings, whereas Roberts has been throwing out Joe Blanton and Pedro Baez. 

But another obstacle for the Indians is that Cubs manager Joe Maddon has a deep rotation he can utilize however he wants. Jon Lester is on track to start Game 1 if they advance, while Jake Arrieta would presumably go in Game 2 and Kyle Hendricks, who will start against the Dodgers Saturday night, in Game 3. 

The Indians do have the luxury of home-field advantage in the series, which is not insignificant. They have yet to lose at Progressive Field in the playoffs and are tied for the AL’s best home record at 53-28. The Cubs were a modest 46-34 on the road compared to their MLB-high 57 home wins. 

The Dodgers were just 38-43 on the road during the regular season, though they have won three of their first five games away from Los Angeles in the postseason. 

It’s hardly a secret that the Cubs were the league’s best team in 2016. They were one of three teams to score at least 800 runs and led the league with a 3.15 ERA and defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs.

Nothing is ever guaranteed in a short series—few people were predicting Cleveland to get past the Boston Red Sox in the division series, let alone make it to the World Series—but the Indians’ simpler route to a title would go through Los Angeles. 

Of course, given the injuries Cleveland has overcome this season and in the playoffs to even reach this point, difficult tasks don’t seem to phase this team. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Chicago Cubs might be one win away from making the World Series for the first time since 1945, but Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw stands in the way in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series on Saturday night.

While the Dodgers look to stay alive and overturn a 3-2 series deficit, the Cleveland Indians will be waiting for the winner after their five-game triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series. 

A quick turnaround awaits the National League champion, as the 112th Fall Classic will begin on Tuesday in Cleveland:

The final three teams have been thirsting for a title with significant droughts, with some obviously larger than others.

Odds Guide

Odds to Win World Series

Cleveland Indians: 163-100

Chicago Cubs: 50-59

Los Angeles Dodgers: 27-4

Relayed by Odds Shark

Cleveland Indians

World Series Appearances: 6 (including 2016)

World Series Wins: 2 

Last World Series Win: 1948

Last World Series Appearance: 1997

The Indians have shown throughout the 2016 season that they are one of the most well-rounded rosters in all of baseball, and that’s been highlighted through slumps and injuries. 

With a roster that’s lost starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, Cleveland’s arms have stepped up in a big way, especially this postseason, as they’ve been able to work alongside a limited offense that’s hit just .208:

In terms of starting pitching, ace Corey Kluber has been supported by veteran Josh Tomlin and the 25-year-old Trevor Bauer until the latter sliced his pinky open while repairing a drone. 

The most recent hero came in the form of Ryan Merritt, who started Game 5 after recording just one regular-season start during his rookie campaign, putting him in sparse company, per MLB Stat of the Day:

He went 4.1 innings, allowing just two hits in Game 5 to help the Indians clinch the pennant. 

In the bullpen, it’s been all about reliever Andrew Miller, who has been the definition of untouchable during October. The ALCS MVP has pitched 11.2 innings in the postseason, allowing no runs on just five hits while striking out 21 batters.

Against either a Dodgers or Cubs team that has scored over 30 runs during the postseason, that dominant Indians pitching will have to be just as good to secure a championship for the first time in 68 years. 

Chicago Cubs

World Series Appearances: 10

World Series Wins: 2 

Last World Series Win: 1908

Last World Series Appearance: 1945

The longest, most well-documented drought in major North American professional sports looks like it could come to an end this year. 

Baseball’s best regular-season team, with a 103-58 record, barnstormed through the league this year behind a core of young, powerful stars in the batting order and a strong pitching staff. 

But those big Chicago bats fell upon hard times in the postseason, as they scored one run or less in three games, including two straight shutouts in Games 2 and 3 of the NLCS.

They’ve come alive over the past two games, though, scoring a combined 18 runs on 26 hits, which is something that could cause any pitching staff stress.

Pair that with Jon Lester’s postseason dominance, and the Cubs will most likely feel confident about their title hopes if they can get by the Dodgers:

Getting to the World Series would be a massive accomplishment for this franchise regardless of what happens as they are one win away from breaking another sizable drought of 71 years without a Fall Classic appearance.

Los Angeles Dodgers

World Series Appearances: 18

World Series Wins: 6 

Last World Series Win: 1988

Last World Series Appearance: 1988

The last time the Dodgers were in the World Series, Kirk Gibson delivered one of the most memorable home runs in baseball history:

While a 28-year drought is a considerable one, it is nothing compared to the other two that could be ended this postseason. 

But the Dodgers have their back up against the wall for Game 6 of the NLCS. One more loss, and they will fall one series short of the World Series for the fourth time since 2008. 

Luckily for them, Kershaw is taking the hill and has already taken care of the Cubs once in the NLCS. In fact, he joined some elite company in shutting them out in Game 2, per ESPN Stats & Info:

He’s been the lone bright spot in a Dodgers pitching staff that has gotten hammered throughout the playoffs. In 10 games, they’ve allowed 50 runs, 45 of them earned, which will make it extremely difficult for the offense to overcome, even if the Dodgers can find a way to come back against the Cubs.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The 2016 World Series has yet to be set, but we’re close to having clarity following the Chicago Cubs’ 8-4 Game 5 National League Championship Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. 

The Cleveland Indians punched their ticket Wednesday night by virtue of a 3-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays to clinch their first trip to the Fall Classic since 1997, and they figure to pose a stiff test for either squad when things get underway next Tuesday.

So with just a few days between now and the final series of the 2016 MLB season, here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about the upcoming championship clash. 

World Series Schedule

World Series Odds

Ticket Info

Tickets have yet to be listed since the NLCS is ongoing, but monitor ScoreBig.com for the latest World Series offers. 

Predictions

Since we can’t make any definitive predictions with the NLCS still in progress, World Series projections will stay general for the time being.

But if we can count on one thing, it’s Indians reliever Andrew Miller remaining an ace of the highest caliber.

Through six postseason appearances to date, he has scattered five hits, struck out 21 and walked just two over 11.2 innings. In the American League Championship Series alone, Miller pitched 7.2 innings, struck out 14 and didn’t allow a run or a walk. 

With that performance behind him, Miller sounds ready to go when the Fall Classic rolls around. 

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he said, according to Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes. “Cleveland is going to be rocking. The AL won the All-Star Game so we’ve got our chance to play in front of our fans. And Corey Kluber was the winning pitcher in the All-Star Game, so that’s even better.”

Buoyed by Miller in the bullpen and a starting staff that features Kluber, Josh Tomlin, Trevor Bauer and Game 5 hero Ryan Merritt, there’s plenty of reason to believe the Indians could continue to retire batters at postseason-best rates. 

Thus far, the Indians have posted a collective team ERA of 1.77 to go with 81 strikeouts and just 19 walks. Those stellar numbers have allowed Cleveland to survive with a cumulative batting average of .208

The Dodgers and Cubs both have hitters who can make opposing pitching staffs pay, but it will take a disciplined effort from the eventual NL champion to thrust the Indians bullpen into action earlier than usual. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As the NLCS shifts back to Chicago with the Cubs leading the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2, the Cleveland Indians await the winner in the 114th World Series. 

After taking Game 5 of the ALCS over the Toronto Blue Jays for the American League pennant on Wednesday, the Indians guaranteed that they would have over five days to rest for the Fall Classic, while the winner of the NLCS will experience a much quicker turnaround:

The Indians are two years older than the World Series, having been established in 1901 under the name of the Blues. After short stints where they were known as the Broncos and Naps after Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie, they became known as the Indians in 1915. 

Five years later, they won their first World Series, defeating the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers) in 1920.

The franchise would get a second title 28 years later in 1948, defeating the Boston Braves with a roster that included five players that were elected to the Hall of Fame:

That win 68 years ago would prove to be their last triumph despite making three World Series’ since then. In 1954, they were swept by Willie Mays and the New York Giants and didn’t make another Fall Classic until 1995. 

They would lose to an Atlanta Braves team headlined by a trio of Hall of Fame pitchers in Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine before losing a heartbreaking seven-game World Series in 1997 to a Florida Marlins franchise that was in its fifth year of existence:

But this season’s Indians could put an end to the wait and provide the city of Cleveland with a second major sports championship in the same calendar year. It’d be a benchmark season for a group of fans that hadn’t celebrated a title since 1964 before the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. 

The Indians have provided one of the deepest lineups in baseball this season to support a banged up pitching staff that lost Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar during the regular season before seeing Trevor Bauer slice his pinky open while cleaning his drone right before the ALCS:

But the offense has struggled at times during the playoffs, averaging just under 3.4 runs per game while posting a .208 team batting average. 

Luckily for them, the pitching has been dominant in the postseason:

It’s been headlined by ALCS MVP Andrew Miller, who has given up just three hits in 7.2 innings pitched while striking out 14 batters. 

SportsCenter broke down just how tough he’s been in October:

That kind of hot pitching is the key to an Indians World Series, as the Cubs and Dodgers are two of three teams that have scored over 30 runs during the postseason. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After clinching their first American League pennant in 19 years, the Cleveland Indians must wait to find out their World Series opponent.

Cleveland has gone 7-1 in postseason play with a 1.77 staff ERA despite missing starters Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar. The offense has struggled, mustering a meek .206 batting average and .256 on-base percentage, but hitting 11 homers will suffice for a squad that has allowed 15 runs.

Everything went their way against the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Will they keep rolling against the Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers? As the Indians celebrated their AL crown, the Cubs took a 3-2 lead on Thursday night. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will look to fend off elimination in Saturday’s Game 6.

Once the matchup is set, observers will fixate on the stars who must step up during the best-of-seven showdown. Cleveland needs more huge outings from Corey Kluber, Francisco Lindor, Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. Both National League teams standing will counter with marquee sluggers, aces and stellar closers.

The superstars, of course, don’t always decide the World Series. Let’s take a look at some other pivotal players key to securing a championship.

Josh Tomlin, SP, Cleveland Indians

Cleveland’s bullpen—and manager Terry Francona’s aggressive usage of the stellar unit—is the toast of baseball. Miller and Allen have combined to strike out 33 batters over 19.1 shutout innings. Those guys must keep dealing, but a ragtag rotation also must hold the fort down.

With no Carrasco, no Salazar and one out from Trevor Bauer in the American League Championship Series, the Indians still survived. While Kluber is undoubtedly essential to the starting staff, de facto No. 2 starter Josh Tomlin has embodied the Indians’ unlikely October run.

After posting a 4.40 ERA during the season, the 32-year-old limited potent Boston and Toronto offenses to a combined three runs over two starts. Perhaps just as surprising, the man with a career 5.98 strikeouts per nine innings has collected 10 of them over 10.2 frames.

His postseason success isn’t entirely out of nowhere. Tomlin posted a 1.75 ERA through his final four regular-season starts without issuing a single walk. As ESPN’s Buster Olney noted, the veteran righty will attack the strike zone:

Such control led to only 20 walks during the season, but it also caused him to get shelled too often. He relinquished 36 home runs, MLB‘s third-highest tally behind James Shields and Jered Weaver.

Right-handed hitters crushed him to a .299/.323/.522 slash line. The lefty-heavy Dodgers usually torment righties, but Tomlin’s reverse splits could save him from despair. Against the Cubs, NL MVP front-runner Kris Bryant is a prime candidate to go yard.

With rookie Ryan Merritt potentially representing their Game 3 or 4 starter, the Indians need another solid turn or two from Tomlin.

Ben Zobrist, OF, Chicago Cubs

If the Cubs overcome the Dodgers, Ben Zobrist will appear in his second straight World Series. The Cubs will hope he makes as much of an impact for them as he did for the Kansas City Royals.

Playing second base for the AL champions last year, he hit four doubles during five Fall Classic games against the New York Mets. The midseason trade acquisition ended the postseason with an .880 OPS and a championship ring.

He’s not doing so well this October, batting 6-for-33 with one double. The team’s offensive struggles compelled him to bunt out of desperation in Game 4.

Bunting is rarely advisable, especially for a cleanup hitter who can work his way on base otherwise, but it worked. His bunt hit helped sparked a four-run inning in the team’s best offseason showing of the playoffs.

“It felt like that spot in the game was the right time,” Zobrist said, per ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers. “After we hadn’t gotten any hits up to that point, I was like ‘Well, it’s time. Someone needs to do it.'”

Thursday offered a promising sign. He went hitless in Game 5’s win, but the 34-year-old also drew three walks. Entering Thursday, he had worked only one free pass. 

In order to make and win the World Series, the Cubs will need him to contribute in more conventional ways. He’s positioned high in the order near Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, so it’s especially vital to get his bat going.

Pedro Baez, RP, Los Angeles Dodgers

The bullpen wasn’t a problem for the Dodgers this season. The 3.35 ERA led the majors, but that success has not carried over into the playoffs.

Their relievers—including Kershaw’s National League Division Series save—have relinquished 37 runs over 17 innings. Veteran Joe Blanton, who posted a 2.48 ERA during the season, has already capitulated seven runs. Rookie Grant Dayton, another high-leverage option, is also struggling under the brighter spotlight:

Although his snail-like pace puts everyone to sleep, Pedro Baez was an exception in his recent outings. The 28-year-old righty didn’t allow a run over his first 5.1 innings. Manager Dave Roberts has twice trusted him to work two full frames, which he hadn’t previously done since July 8.

On Wednesday, however, he relinquished a home run to Rizzo. Used the next day despite throwing 27 pitches, he put Game 5 out of reach by surrendering five runs, three of which crossed home plate when Ross Stripling replaced him and gave up a bases-clearing double.

In 10 games, Los Angeles’ starters have gone five or more innings four times. Kershaw accounts for three of those, with Rich Hill lasting six in the other. Someone needs to bridge the gap to Kenley Jansen, and Baez remains one of the most prominent options despite two consecutive poor games.

Having allowed 11 homers in 74 innings this season before Rizzo’s Game 4 blast, Baez also must beware the long ball. Those not yawning through his slow outings will instead bite their nails, but he will have to pitch key late innings if the Dodgers advance.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com