Divisional Series AL Games Two, NL Games One, 2016

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Beginning at 10:00AM PT, there are four Division Series games on tap this Friday. First is Game Two of the Blue Jays-Rangers series, then at 1:30PM PT it’s Game Two of the Red Sox-Indians series. Next at 2:30PM PT is Game One of the Dodgers-Nationals NLDS, and then to close the day out Game One of the Giants-Cubs NLDS begins at 6:00PM PT.

Toronto at Texas, TV: TBS, SportsNet

The Jays start LHP J.A. Happ (20-4, 3.18 ERA), who ended the season with a rush, putting up a 2.35 ERA over his last five starts. He’ll face RHP Yu Darvish (7-5, 3.41 ERA), who’s 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA in seven starts against Toronto. Darvish finished strongly too, allowing one run and five hits with 21 strikeouts in 13 innings in wins over the A’s and Rays to end his regular season.

Boston at Cleveland, TV: TBS

The Red Sox send LHP David Price (17-9, 3.99 ERA) to the hill to face RHP Corey Kluber (18-9, 3.14 ERA). Price has been an ace everywhere he’s pitched, but in the postseason he’s been unable to replicate his regular season performances. He’s 2-7 with a 5.12 ERA in 14 career postseason appearances, with both of those wins coming in relief. Kluber skipped his last scheduled start with a tight quadriceps and has had ten days of rest.

San Francisco at Chicago, TV: FS1

The Giants ask RHP Johnny Cueto (18-5, 2.79 ERA) to pick up where Bumgarner left off in the Wild Card game, which might not be unthinkable: Cueto’s last start in the postseason was a complete game 1-0 shutout of the Mets in the 2015 World Series. He closed the season with a 4-0 record and 1.78 ERA in five starts in September. His opponent will be LHP Jon Lester (19-5, 2.44 ERA), who’s had plenty of postseason experience himself, going 6-6 with a 2.85 ERA in 16 games, 14 of which were starts. He finished the season with a flourish, going 9-1 with a 1.46 ERA in his last 12 starts.

Los Angeles at Washington, TV: FS1. Announcer Kenny Albert with Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci serving as analysts and Jon Paul Morosi contributing reports. Radio: ESPN. Dave O’Brien does play-by-play and Jim Bowden is the analyst.

The Dodgers send LHP Clayton Kershaw (12-4, 1.69 ERA) to the mound to make his tenth postseason start. He’s had bad luck in previous playoff appearances, going just 2-6 with an ERA of 4.59 in his career. He spent two months on the disabled list this year but came back to go 1-2 with a 1.29 ERA in the five starts he made in September and October. He’ll face RHP Max Scherzer (20-7, 2.96 ERA), who’s gone 4-3 with a 3.73 ERA in twelve postseason appearances, all with Detroit. The Nationals have some serious injury worries which may have an impact on this series: C Wilson Ramos is out for the year, P Stephen Strasbourg won’t pitch until the next round if Washington gets that far, 2B Daniel Murphy has made one game appearance since September 20 and RF Bryce Harper has both a jammed left thumb and a sore neck.

Lineup:

564 thoughts on “Divisional Series AL Games Two, NL Games One, 2016”

  1. Cubbies swat Gnats!

    Now I wanna see them light up BadGums on Monday. Bring out the brooms!

  3. Constant drizzle all day. Doc says start may be delayed until 5pm (local time), when it is supposed to abate.

  5. NPUT at 1130AM PT.

    FYI, the 550 comments on this post are the most ever on this blog. #2 was the NLDS Game 3 post on October 12, 2015 with 476 comments. #3 was the NLDS Game 5 post on October 15, 2015 with 441.

  8. I have to say, so far the National League games are a lot better games to watch than the American League’s.

  22. Neat how when there was good news, we all gathered around Link’s fence to share it.

    • Deja vu all over again from the Wild Card game.
      Hopefully this time the home team wins.

  32. This game was a microcosm of the LA season:
    a starter who couldn’t go 6
    explosive offense
    non-productive offense
    shutdown bullpen

    Whatever it takes, may it continue for 10 more wins! (But can we get some Dodger laughers in there?)

  33. Kershaw claiming that all the mound visits were about changing signs since they had so many men on base tonight.

  37. As Vin might say, this is just a game . . . look at all the people affected by Hurricane Matthew.
    Speaking of which, if manana is rained out, do they lose the travel day?

  43. Wow! Mortal Kershaw but gutsy performance and lights out bullpen!
    Kudos to Manager Dave!

    • He didn’t have a good game, but he had a “good enough” game.
      And they got the W!
      I’m hoping whatever problems there were between he and Grandal will be ironed out for the next time.
      And I hope there are no physical issues.

  61. Vegas started carrying Nats games on the radio because Harper is a native son.
    So is Kris Bryant.

  85. Howie hit that foul ball exactly where I was sitting last year when the lights went out!

    • My brother and sister-in-law were at the game.
      He and I used the make-good tickets, so i got to count another stadium I visited.

  89. Don’t like hearing that crowd cheer.
    Nothing against Nats fans, just don’t want them to be happy.

  96. When I left the casino, it was the end of the 5th — I thought ’12 more outs.’
    Now 3 more.
    Sure would be nice if the bats can add a cushion!

    • Actually, I was thinking that’s a lot, going into another inning.
      I am hoping I sit corrected!

  112. Announcers like it, though one thinks DR should have waited for one more batter. Still, one pitch, one out.

    • Totally agree.
      I was wondering what Kenley’s record is in more than one inning.

  126. Like to hear it’s well-hit, but don’t like this crowd cheering . . . = bad for LA.

  127. The way Roberts substituted, it is like he is obsessed with keeping it R L R L R L

    • Got ’em here!
      Headache is gone — maybe because it’s a totally smoke-free environment at home, mabye because I was looking up at the screen, maybe because I soo wanted Kersh to do well.

  142. Feels like Roberts wasn’t Frugal with his substitutions that inning. 2 Position players used.

  150. Putting pressure on Chase. He came through once at the plate — may he do so again!

  155. Shessh, now Gameday catches up again, it was a like I thought to begin with. Puig battign ninth, pitcher in the 5 spot.

        • It is a mystery, and they aren’t talking about it on TV. Puig is definitely in the 9th spot. Not sure if Reddick is still in game or not now.

  157. Radio said rain is expected manana. If there’s a rainout, do they lose the travel day?

  158. I guess Roberts put Puig in the 5 hole to keep it R L R L in the middle of the order.

    • Its the Center Fielder’s ball if he wants it and Joc clearly was there and calling for it. Puig had to make a running catch.

      • That’s the basics . . . guess Yasiel still needs to learn ’em.
        But Mo was saying the crowd may’ve drowned out Joc.

    • Now they fixed it. Seems odd. Puig into Reddick’s spot, and not the 9 spot. I think they got it wrong.

  165. I was watching in two sports books (the first had the AL game on several screens, Dodgers on just two, then they went to a computer menu as they were “fixing it — I went to a second hotel/casino, much nicer).

    A Dodger fan sat next to me and saw my Jackie Robinson t-shirt. He and a buddy had a $100 bet on LA, but the Dodgers have to win by 2 to collect. After feeling really good and better, I left them with the 4-3 score (headache — not stomachache, RBI — no WiFi, and wanted to connect with you guys). He said he would be happy to lose the bet if the Dodgers win by 1.

    Go, Blue — and help him win his bet!

  177. I know match ups and stuff, but I would have loved to see Puig up there. I think just his presence at the plate is more of a threat

  178. Missed opportunity, but I do feel like Turner’s hit stopped their momentum, at least slightly.

  189. If Reddick gets to the plate this inning, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Puig brought in batting 9th, and a reliever in to the 5 spot.

  194. Kershaw qualifies for a win and is pumped after that last strikeout. He probably wants to stay in with 100 pitches.

  200. I’m not sure I would keep Kershaw in much longer here. They are tasting blood right now.

  214. Come on, guys, don’t start with “the bats going silent because we have enough runs” drill you had fairly often during the season.

    • Joc is hitting some very high popups. His timing is there, the ball is coming off the barrel, he is just a little under the ball. That bodes well for his next at bat.

  217. Kersh and Price for whatever reason have some struggles in the playoffs. Yes Kershaw has pitched amazing in the playoffs as well but is inconsistent. Price and his team are 0-9 in his starts.

  220. This is mini Kershaw vs Wainwright 2 years ago. Wainwright got bombed early (which people forget to mention a lot) and Kershaw struggled late.

  236. I’m going to an HS reunion in Nationals’ territory next week, and some of my classmates may be at this game. This may cause tension when I see them a week from now.

  255. I have to start exercising as I watch, so I don’t lose mind. That means my commenting will be limited. But I am here! I am here!

  259. Frustrating for the Dodgers. Frustrating for the Nationals. No wonder so many people are split on who will win this series.

    • That’s because we sometimes don’t hit very well with RISP. Solo hrs take care of that.

  284. Some personal history:
    Vaguely remember the 1954 World Series when I was a 6-year-old in Brooklyn, particularly the heroics of Dusty Rhodes. Remember the 1955 World Series extremely well. We had moved to L.A. that summer. My parents let me play hooky to watch. Went to the fourth game of the 1965 World Series vs. Minnesota. Sat in the left field pavilion (bleachers) with my late father. Covered the 1972-1973-1974 World Series as a sportswriter. It was tough in 1974. Was there as a fan at the Oakland Coliseum to see Hershiser win the fifth and clinching game in 1988. My mother, who will turn 96 next month, remains a fan…..I am nervous. Would love to see us jump out to a three-run lead by the 3rd inning.

    • I went to all the ’74 games in Oakland. I watched the Gibson game with an A’s fan friend who leapt off the sofa and turned it off after the game-winner.

  285. Perfect scenario is a typical regular-season Claytonian game and a Dodger W.
    If I had to choose just one, I’ll take the former, looking long-term.

    • See that Reddick is placed so that he can be easily flipped for Puig and a l-r-l lineup when needed late in the game.

  288. With Strasburg and Ramos I’d say that the Dodgers have the advantage on paper. However, since paper tends to stick to cleats they will be playing this series on grass.

      • Trea Turner is the fellow I fear most at this point. But we have a deeper, more flexible lineup to my mind. They have some dead wood 6-8, whereas we have some guys who can do some damage and pressure Scherzer and others.

          • Yep, they have a tough 1-5 and the emergence of Turner as a dynamic table setter makes those guys all the more dangerous.

          • Was it the Pads who gave up Turner? They must be kicking themselves.

            Are you going to be there today?

          • In the three way to land Wil Myers. Nats also go their starter Ross. Will be right above Klayton in the front row as he warms up in the pen in a couple hours.

          • Looks to be the case, but in all fairness to the Pads they were looking to strike quickly before the Dodgers new FO and ownership could reset and put together a dominant franchise in the West Division. You know, with Shields, Upton and Matty. We all know how that worked out.