Here are three things we in the baseball world will be paying attention to this weekend:
1. NLCS nearing its conclusion?
The Dodgers won their first home game of the NLCS last night, giving them a 3-0 lead over the Brewers that is starting to look insurmountable. Milwaukee will now be fighting for their playoff lives tonight as Los Angeles tries to claw their way to the World Series. If the Brewers want to survive, they will have to do so against a two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (2.87 ERA).
Ohtani hasn’t looked like himself this season with a 38.6% strikeout rate and a below-average foul rate, but he was plenty effective on the mound in his start against Philadelphia in the NLDS. Ohtani provided a quality start, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk in six innings, while striking out nine batters. He will face an as-yet unheralded Brewers pitcher in Game 4, as it is now all hands on deck for Milwaukee as they fight to keep their season alive. Tonight’s match starts at 5:38 PM local time in Los Angeles.
2. ALCS is completely stuck:
While the NLCS could end tonight, the same cannot be said for the ALCS after the Blue Jays managed to even things up with an 8-2 win over the Mariners yesterday. It was an impressive comeback for Toronto, as they lost two games at home to open the series, but have since made up for everything in Seattle. Now they will look to make up for their loss in Game 1, as the same pitching matchup from that game is also scheduled for tonight.
Kevin Gausman (3.59 ERA) is back on the mound for the Blue Jays after the veteran allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings of work while striking out five Mariners in Game 1 as Seattle pulled even Bryce Molenaar (5.68 ERA) will look to build on the six innings of one-run ball he managed last time out against Toronto’s impressive lineup despite his mediocre season numbers. Today’s match starts at 3:08 PM local time in Seattle.
3. Injuries affecting both play-off series:
As both LCS enter Game 4 today, injuries are changing the dynamics in both series. For the NLCS, the Brewers could enter tonight’s elimination game without a star outfielder Jackson Chourio available to them. As noted by Paul Casella of MLB.comChourio had a right hamstring problem (which also caused him problems in the NLDS) that forced him to leave yesterday’s game in the middle of an at-bat, although he described it to reporters as “just a cramp” after the game. Chourio is hopeful he can play today, but his status won’t be fully known until game time.
In the ALCS, meanwhile, the Blue Jays had to go Anthony Santander yesterday from their playoff roster due to back stiffness, ending his season. The Mariners, on the other hand, are still waiting for a right-hander Bryan Woo to make his postseason debut after being sidelined during the regular season with a chest infection. That absence lasted until the start of the postseason, and now he’s slated to be part of the club’s bullpen plans this series after previously being expected to start. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com noted last night that the decision to move Woo to emergency duty for this series is related to a limited workload due to his long layoff.
#opener #NLCS #ALCS #injuries