With the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox set to meet in the World Series, some of the biggest names the sport of baseball has to offer will get to play on the biggest stage.
Many of those stars are in the starting rotations as the Red Sox’s top two starters alone have a combined 12 All-Star appearances. Red Sox manager Alex Cora officially announced his rotation on Monday and left-handers Chris Sale and David Price will be starting Games 1 and 2, respectively, at Fenway Park.
“As you guys know, (Games) 3 and 4, we’ll see after that,” Cora added.
Sale has not pitched since Game 1 of the American League Championship Series as he dealt with a stomach illness to caused him to be hospitalized. Sale has appeared in three games (two starts) this postseason, posting a 3.48 ERA while striking out 14 and walking six in 10.1 innings.
He missed most of the month of September due to an arm injury, but nonetheless made 27 starts in the regular season and was outstanding. Sale went 12-4 with a 2.11 ERA, 1.98 FIP and 0.86 WHIP while striking out 237 and walking 34 in 158 innings.
Price’s postseason struggles are well-documented, but he came through for his team in Game 5 of the ALCS, pitching six shutout innings with nine strikeouts on just three days’ rest to help clinch the AL pennant. The win marked his first as a starter in 12 postseason opportunities.
The 33-year-old has pitched to a 5.11 ERA in 12.1 innings across three starts this postseason, but he was much better in the regular season. In 30 starts, Price went 16-7 with a 3.58 ERA, 4.02 FIP and 1.14 WHIP with 177 strikeouts and 50 walks in 176 innings.
The Dodgers are expected to counter with Clayton Kershaw against Sale in Game 1, and it will likely be either Rich Hill or Hyun-Jin Ryu to follow in Game 2. So the first two games of the series at Fenway Park should feature four left-handed starters.
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