With two of the four teams headed to the LCS already decided, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on headed into the weekend:
1. NLDS Game 5:
Baseball fans get to enjoy three games from three different series this weekend, starting with a winner-take-all rubber match between the Dodgers and Padres at Dodger Stadium at 5:08pm local time this evening. In the first instance of a pitching match-up featuring two Japanese-born pitchers in MLB playoff history, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3.00 ERA in 18 starts) will take the ball for the Dodgers in Game 5 opposite Padres veteran Yu Darvish (3.31 ERA in 16 starts). Yamamoto pitched for the Dodgers in Game 1 but was torched for five runs in three innings of work amid whispers that the star hurler was tipping his pitches. Meanwhile, Darvish hurled seven innings of one-run ball in his start against the Dodgers earlier in this series.
2. ALDS Game 5:
Tomorrow, another set of division rivals will prepare for a winner-take-all Game 5 when the Tigers and Guardians head back to Cleveland for a game scheduled at 8:08pm local time tomorrow evening. Tigers ace Tarik Skubal (2.39 ERA) will be back on the mound for the Guardians after previously striking out 14 across 13 scoreless frames this postseason between dominant starts against the Astros and Guardians. The Guardians have not announced their starter as they try to hand Skubal the first loss of his postseason career, though injuries to the Detroit lineup could help their own pitching staff keep pace with the dominant lefty.
Tigers slugger Kerry Carpenter departed last night’s game with an apparent hamstring injury, and manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Evan Woodbery of MLive) that the club will need to get Carpenter looked at by team doctors before determining his availability for Game 5. Meanwhile, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reported last night that catcher Jake Rogers also underwent imaging after having his wrist and forearm wrapped in the aftermath of Game 4, though specifics of the backstop’s potential injury aren’t known. With two key pieces of the club’s starting lineup potentially unavailable headed into Game 5, the Tigers could need to rely on backup catcher Dillon Dingler and Carpenter’s platoon partner Justyn-Henry Malloy to take the club to the ALCS.
3. NLCS Game 1:
On Sunday, the winner of tonight’s game 5 will move on to face the Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS, which will take place at either Dodger Stadium or San Diego’s Petco Park at 5:15 local time that evening. With the club’s entire rotation set to be fully rested entering the series, the Mets appear likely to turn to either Luis Severino (3.91 ERA) or Sean Manaea (3.47 ERA) in Sunday’s game, while the Dodgers would likely turn to Jack Flaherty (3.17 ERA) should they advance. The Padres have less certainty in their rotation situation than the other remaining NL clubs after losing Joe Musgrove to Tommy John surgery earlier this postseason, but could start right-hander Michael King (2.95 ERA) on short rest or simply lean on their dominant bullpen in the first game of the seven game set.
Canuckleball
Carpenter would be a massive loss for the Tigers. Here’s hoping it was just a cramp or something minor (although it didn’t look like it)
Acoss1331
It didn’t look good. If he’s not in the lineup this will hurt the Tigers, even if they have Skubal on the mound.
jaysfansince1977
As Canuck said it could be a cramp, but it did not look to be that to me. Tigers going need to have someone like Greene step up in a big way with the bat
Acoss1331
Tarik Skubal is undoubtedly the best guy to save Detroit’s playoff run. I think it’ll be a close game, and if the Tigers give Skubal just enough runs, maybe 2 or 3, I think that’s enough to win it. I could be wrong, maybe the Guardians figure him out and hammer him with runs.
mad1
Tigers are going home but a nice run
JoeBrady
Two Japanese pitchers going in the finale. Nice touch. That should get nice ratings in Japan.
ChuckyNJ
Uhh, the time zone difference means Friday evening in the US is Saturday morning in Japan.
TerryTurnbuckle
Two whites starting at second base. That should get good ratings in Indiana.
Informed Sportsball Discussion
King would be on normal rest. He last pitched on Tuesday.
TerryTurnbuckle
Cleveland and Detroit fighting for the right to be humiliated against the Yankees.
Old York
@TerryTurnbuckle
Yanks can’t even humiliate the Royals. 3-1 win? What happened to the powerful Yankee offense? All 4 games had a difference of 2 or 1 runs. Jazz humiliated himself by crying about a guy sliding into 2nd base. Players nowadays are pampered babies crying about everything under the sun. Boo Hoo! He called me a mean name!
whyhayzee
Not to mention they stole game 1 on an awful call by the umpire. And then to pour salt, Witt got rung up in the 9th on a pitch in a different continent. But sure, the $600 Trillion Yankees are great.