Red Sox-Indians Pitching Matchups: October Preview?
BOSTON (CBS) -- Critics of the Red Sox have been clamoring for a worthy opponent to step in front of the Boston buzzsaw this season. They finally get their wish Monday night.
In what could be an early preview of the ALCS, the 71-52 Cleveland Indians invade Fenway Park for a four-game series against the Red Sox. The Indians come to Boston on a bit of a hot streak, winning 10 of their last 12 and 20 of their last 31 games. Terry Francona and his tribe own a 12-game lead in the AL Central, and like Boston, should be able to throw things on cruise control sometime in the near future.
Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, thinking about October while there is still some summer left to enjoy. But this week's series will provide a glimpse of how two of the best teams in the American League stack up against each other. This is the first time the Red Sox and Indians will meet in 2018, the first of seven games they'll play over the final five weeks of the regular season, with a three-game set in Cleveland scheduled in late September.
Here's a look at the pitching matchups for this week's four-game series at Fenway Park.
Monday, 7:10 p.m.
Corey Kluber (15-6, 2.68 ERA) vs. Rick Porcello (15-5, 4.04 ERA)
The series will kick off with its most exciting pitching matchup, pitting a pair of 15-game winners against each other in Kluber and Porcello.
Kluber isn't the guy you want to face one day after getting two-hit by the Rays, but that's the mountain the Red Sox have to climb Monday night. Kluber is coming off a solid effort last Tuesday, holding the Cincinnati Reds to just one run off five hits while striking out seven in an 8-1 Cleveland victory. Two starts prior to that gem, the righty tossed a complete game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels, also striking out seven in that tilt. He's 3-0 in his last four starts (all Cleveland wins), allowing six earned runs over his last 30.1 innings while holding opponents to a .189 average.
He lost his only start against Boston last season, allowing two runs over 7.2 innings while striking out 12. Mitch Moreland tagged him for a solo homer and Mookie Betts drove in Boston's other run off with an RBI triple to chase the Cleveland ace in a 6-1 Red Sox win. Betts is hitting .357 in 14 career at-bats against Kluber, while J.D. Martinez has a pair of homers in 28 career at-bats against him.
Porcello is also coming off one of his better efforts of the season, tossing seven innings of one-run ball while striking out 10 Phillies in Philadelphia last Tuesday. He touts a 10-4 record and 3.35 ERA in his 22 career starts against Cleveland.
Edwin Encarnacion has been a Porcello-killer throughout his career, hitting .325 with three homers and five doubles in 40 career at-bats, but the Boston righty won't have to worry about him this time around. Encarnacion is on the DL with a biceps injury and isn't eligible to be activated until Tuesday. Porcello will still have to worry about Melky Cabrera, who is 15-for-28 (.536) with a homer and four doubles against him in his career. Cabrera hit a grand slam for Cleveland on Sunday, just his fourth homer of the season.
Tuesday, 7:10 p.m.
Shane Bieber (6-2, 4.37 ERA) vs. Nathan Eovaldi (5-4, 3.62 ERA)
Bieber started the year in Triple-A, but the rookie has been a mainstay in the Cleveland rotation since mid-July. He lasted just 4.1 innings his last time out, allowing three runs off seven hits in Cincinnati. This will be his first career start (or appearance) against the Red Sox.
Eovaldi is looking to bounce back after going winless in his last two starts. He was roughed up for four earned (and eight runs overall) in 2.2 innings against the Orioles on Aug. 10 and then three runs (one earned) in five innings against the Phillies last Thursday. The righty had pitched 15 scoreless innings in his first two starts for Boston after being acquired from the Rays.
Eovaldi has made two starts (and another relief appearance) in his career against the Tribe, going 2-1 while allowing five earned runs over 16.2 innings (good for a 2.70 ERA).
Wednesday, 7:10 p.m.
Carlos Carrasco (15-6, 3.33 ERA) vs. Brian Johnson (4-3, 4.00 ERA)
Carrasco has allowed just three earned runs (four overall) over his last four starts, going 3-1 with a 0.98 ERA. He has 33 strikeouts in 27.2 innings in that span, holding opponents to a .196 batting average. But Boston hit him hard last season, plating eight runs in 11 innings in two starts, and he didn't even make it out of the second inning in one of them. J.D. Martinez has had success in his 25 career at-bats against Carrasco, clubbing a pair of homers while driving in eight runs.
Johnson is looking for a second straight win since rejoining the Boston rotation, and he's been much better as a starter this season, going 4-1 with a 3.40 ERA and 1.322 WHIP. This will be the first time he faces the Indians in his career.
Thursday, 1:05 p.m.
Adam Plutko (4-3, 4.62 ERA) vs. David Price (13-6, 3.69 ERA)
The series concludes with an afternoon game, with lefty David Price getting the ball for Boston. The pressure is on him with ace Chris Sale back on the DL, but Price has been great over the last five weeks, twirling six straight quality starts with a 1.80 ERA and 0.97 WHIP.
If Encarnacion returns Tuesday, he's a guy Price will have to worry about. The Cleveland DH is only hitting .245 (12-for-49) off Price for his career, but four of those hits left the ballpark.
Plutko has bounced around the majors and minors this season, and when he's been in the big leagues he's split time between the bullpen and rotation. He'll make his second straight start on Thursday after he allowed three runs over seven innings his last time out, getting tagged with the loss as Cleveland fell to the Baltimore Orioles, 4-2. The 26-year-old righty has been susceptible to the long ball this season, surrendering 12 homers in his 48.2 innings pitched. Thursday will be the first time he pitches against the Red Sox in his two-year career.