A look at what’s happening all around the majors today:
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PRIME TIME AT WRIGLEY FIELD
The Chicago Cubs host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series at 8:08 p.m. EDT. Four wins from their first pennant in 71 years, the Cubs send Jon Lester to the mound against rookie Kenta Maeda. Lester limited the Dodgers to one run over 15 innings in two starts this year, and Los Angeles batted .213 against left-handers overall. Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen thinks he will be ready for the opener after throwing a career-high 51 pitches Thursday night against Washington.
DRONE-HEAD
Josh Tomlin was moved up two days and will pitch for Cleveland in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series after scheduled starter Trevor Bauer cut open his right pinkie while fixing one of the drones he likes to build and fly.
”It really doesn’t affect me at all,” Tomlin said. ”I’ll be on normal rest.”
The Indians won the opener 2-0 behind ace Corey Kluber.
Bauer’s bizarre injury is the latest to befall a depleted Cleveland rotation, but the quirky right-hander is expected to be ready for Game 3 on Monday in Toronto. He needed several stitches to close the cut after he was sliced while repairing a propeller.
SECOND THOUGHTS
The Blue Jays could be without second baseman Devon Travis after he left the ALCS opener when he aggravated a right knee injury. He was replaced by Ryan Goins, added to the roster for this round because of Toronto’s concerns about Travis’ knee. Travis sat out the final two games of the Division Series against Texas with a bone bruise and is worried it’s worse. He was scheduled for an MRI and sounded pessimistic about his chances of returning in the series. ”It hurts pretty bad,” said Travis, who received a cortisone shot last week. ”I felt a sharp pain.” If he’s ruled out, the Blue Jays can’t replace Travis on the 25-man roster for the rest of the ALCS because it’s a pre-existing injury.
MEDICAL UPDATE
All-Star catcher Wilson Ramos, who can become a free agent after the World Series, is expected to need six to eight months of rehabilitation after having surgery on his right knee. He had his ACL reconstructed and the medial meniscus and lateral meniscus repaired. Ramos batted .307 with 22 homers and 80 RBIs for Washington this year. He was injured during the last week of the regular season.
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