Game Thread: Cleveland Indians send Corey Kluber to the mound in Game 2 of the ALDS

Indians vs Red Sox, ALDS Game 2 (CLE leads 1-0)

Friday, October 7, 2016, 4:38 PM ET, Progressive Field

TV: TBS

Radio: WTAM 1100

Although most of us are still recovering from last night’s thriller, we’re going to have to bow our necks and endure another one of these new things called playoff games. If Andrew Miller and Cody Allen can be available today after what they did in Game 1, so can we!

Corey Kluber will get the start. The Indians were not only able to rest him for 10 days after his quad injury, but were able to get home-field advantage while he was out. So Kluber will start today’s game in front of a home crowd. This will be Kluber’s postseason debut (he was on the roster for the 2013 Wild Card game, but didn’t pitch); meanwhile pitching opponent David Price will be making his 15th postseason appearance and his 9th start. Of course, I should mention that Price’s ERA in those appearances is 5.12, and he’s given up 11 home runs in 63.1 postseason innings.

Although Miller and Allen are available for today’s game, Terry Francona is not going to try a repeat of last night’s deployment. So either Kluber is going to go much deeper into today’s contest, or different relievers (such as Dan Otero or even Zach McAllister) will be used to help lessen the load.

With a left-handed pitcher on the mound, Terry Francona is swapping the outfield starters, but not in the way you’re used to. Brandon Guyer is playing, but in place of Coco Crisp, not Lonnie Chisenhall. Davis will be your leadoff hitter, and so Carlos Santana is hitting fifth and Jose Ramirez moves down a slot to sixth in the order.