Indians manager Terry Francona announced Saturday that Trevor Bauer, not Cy Young hopeful Corey Kluber, will start Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Thursday (via Jordan Bastian of MLB.com). Kluber will then take the ball in Game 2 against the Boston. Those two would also start the fourth and fifth games of the series, if necessary, with Josh Tomlin handling Game 3. Kluber has been dealing with a mild quad strain, which the Indians think makes Bauer a better fit for both the first and fourth games – the latter of which would come on three days’ rest. Bauer wrapped up his regular season Saturday with a quality start in a win over the Royals, giving him a 4.26 ERA, 7.96 K/9, 3.32 BB/9 and 48.7 percent ground-ball rate in a career-high 190 innings.
More from around the majors:
- In order to bounce back from a disappointing 2016 and return to the playoffs next year, the Pirates will need to focus on pitching and defense during the winter, opines Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Trading five-time All-Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen could improve the team in those areas, argues Sawchik, who observes that the soon-to-be 30-year-old has declined significantly as a defender, baserunner and hitter this season (though, as Sawchik notes, his bat has come alive over the past two months). With right-hander Ivan Nova likely to depart as a free agent, the Bucs will have another need to fill in an already questionable-looking rotation, and Sawchik posits that dealing McCutchen could land them a replacement. McCutchen has two years and a reasonable $28.5MM remaining on his contract, and the Pirates have a possible in-house successor in top prospect Austin Meadows. If McCutchen is still in Pittsburgh in 2017, general manager Neal Huntington expects a much better season from the 2013 National League MVP. “With the foundation we are working from, we believe Andrew is going to be one of those guys that has a quality bounce-back year,” Huntingon told Sawchik.
- The Athletics are reportedly unlikely to bring back Danny Valencia in 2017, but the third baseman/right fielder hopes to stay in Oakland. Valencia told John Hickey of the Mercury News he’d “like to think I’ve cemented my position here for next year.” The 32-year-old has been an easily above-average offensive producer dating back to last season, his first with the A’s, but there have been rumors of clubhouse issues with Valencia and he did get into an altercation with then-teammate Billy Butler in August. Valencia, who’s on a $3.15MM salary, has hit a solid .289/.349/.450 with 17 home runs in 513 plate appearances this year and is scheduled to go through arbitration for the third and final time during the offseason.
- With the possible exception of a Ryan Braun trade, the Brewers’ upcoming offseason should be much quieter than last winter, writes Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In GM David Stearns’ first offseason at the helm, the rebuilding Brewers turned over half the 40-man roster – something Stearns is pleased with a year later. Milwaukee has “increased the amount of young talent on our team and throughout the organization,” Stearns told Haudricourt. “The more young talent you have, the fewer spots you have to fill. So, I think it’s fair to say it would be unlikely for us to have the same amount of roster turnover.”
What position does Valencia think he’s cemented himself in? He’s bad at defense and DH is going to be taken by Khrush Davis. No way do Oakland bring him back after his clubhouse issues this year, that’s not the kind of guy you want to have around rookies.
I just fine the whole thing funny! Ya he might not be the nicest guy but if he’s that bad in the club house why the hell would he still be on the team?? Especially when the A’s have been out of it for a while and have plenty of young guys to look at for next year! So I don’t see him being that bad of a cancer for the club house. Yes he’s D is not great but I wouldn’t say it’s horrible!! I think he be a good utility guy back up outfielder, pitch hitter, DH etc. and don’t blame him for the fight blame that BIG B$/;! Butler!!
I won’t comment on his club house issues bc I have no idea. He’s still on the team though, because they probably want to obtain something for him. If they can’t before the non tender deadline then they can easily non tender him. He’s a bat first player and in an offensive starved free agent market who knows.
Money is also a issue for him. Is he worth $5 million or more? Playing no defense hurts his value and to expensive for a team on a rebuild. For him to stay in oakland he would need to sign for $3 million or less. I doubt he would go for that. Some team will pick him up but it will be for a contract that will be performance based.
Butler was released but Valencia’s punishment was to stay, rather than have his value boosted by being on a contending team. That’s my guess.
Valencia’s been perfectly serviceable in the corner OF and the organization seems to blame the clubhouse issues on Butler.
The Pirates need a good bat to make that lineup scary.
He’s too expensive for a back up anything or a part time role. Look for a team like the phillies or the Orioles to go for a player like Valencia.
Ya I’d have to agree with you on that he’d be expensive for a back up utility guy for the A’s that it! But I gotta say it just can’t be me thinking this guy is more valuable than a cancer.
Tough to think of the Rays giving up 5y control of Chris Archer, one of the better young pitchers in the game who is under club control very cheap as well for 2y of McCutchen at Glasnow, who might be a top 20 pitching prospect, but does have really significant control problems.
Rays would not take on the 29m he’s owed for 1 and as much as McCutchen as done in the past? It’s been scary the last year or so with him, enough to not give up Archer, even with some of his struggles in ’16. They won’t compete next year and archer will be around 5 more years when they will.
Glasnow and Meadows, not Glasnow and McCutchen.
Also: God, the Indians are so screweed. Bauer has given up 5, 6, 6, 4 earned runs in his last 4 starts. Boston is going to brutalize him. If only they had Carrasco and Salazar, shame we don’t get to see the full strength Indians in these playoffs.
Pirates won’t get a king’s ransom for a player with one year left on his contract, even if it’s McCutchen.
You must not have read the article nor know anything about McCutchen’s contract. He has 2 years left of control. Yes, they just might get a kings ransom for McCutchen.