Justin Verlander was not even a member of the Houston Astros five weeks ago, but he will be their starting pitcher in Thursday’s Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Boston Red Sox.
Chris Sale will get the start for the Red Sox.
Astros manager A.J. Hinch told MLB Network Radio on Tuesday that Verlander will the starter in the first game and lefty Dallas Keuchel will pitch in Friday’s Game 2.
Verlander has started 16 postseason games and is 7-5 with a 3.39 ERA in those games. He is 15-8 with a 3.36 ERA this season, but since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 31, Verlander is 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA with 43 strikeouts and five walks in his five starts with Houston.
–Corey Kluber is a good bet to win the American League Cy Young Award this season, but he won’t be the starter in the Cleveland Indians’ first playoff game.
In a somewhat surprising decision, Indians manager Terry Francona announced Tuesday that Trevor Bauer will start for the Indians in Thursday’s Game 1 of the American League Division Series against either the New York Yankees or Minnesota Twins.
Kluber will pitch Game 2.
–Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano was not listed on the team’s roster for the team’s American League wild-card game against the host New York Yankees.
Sano fouled a ball off his shin in an Aug. 18 game and was sidelined for six weeks. The All-Star slugger returned for the Twins’ final series of the regular season, going 1-for-8 in three contests against the Detroit Tigers.
The 24-year-old Sano batted .264 with 28 homers and 77 RBIs in 114 games this season.
–The Toronto Blue Jays declined their mutual option on outfielder Jose Bautista, making the 36-year-old a free agent.
The move was expected after Bautista batted just .203 and set a franchise record with 170 strikeouts this season. He hit 23 homers and drove in 65 runs while making $18 million.
The option for 2018 was worth $17 million. Instead, the Blue Jays will pay the $500,000 buyout for a player who spent nine-plus seasons with the club and was a six-time All-Star.
–Derek Jeter was non-committal when asked about the future of slugger Giancarlo Stanton with the Miami Marlins. The former New York Yankees shortstop joined new controlling owner Bruce Sherman in speaking publicly for the first time Tuesday about their group’s $1.2 billion purchase of the Marlins.
Jeter applauded Stanton for his “unbelievable season” after the slugger led the majors with 59 home runs and 132 RBIs, but was vague regarding the outfielder’s long-term future with the Marlins.
–New York Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen will not return in his role next season but has been offered another job in the organization.
Terry Collins, who stepped down as manager on Sunday, was named special assistant to general manager Sandy Alderson, the team said.
The Mets did not specify what role has been offered to the 64-year-old Warthen, who has served as the team’s pitching coach since 2008. New York hired Warthen after Rick Peterson was let go as the team’s pitching coach.
–The St. Louis Cardinals shook up their coaching staff by firing pitching coach Derek Lilliquist and bullpen coach Blaise Ilsley.
The Cardinals missed the playoffs for the second straight season. St. Louis compiled a 4.01 ERA this season and a 4.08 mark in 2016 after producing a National League-best 2.94 in 2015.
Lilliquist was the pitching coach for five-plus seasons. The 51-year-old is a former major league pitcher who went 25-34 with a 4.13 ERA in 262 appearances (52 starts) with five teams from 1989-96.