The Indians are headed to the World Series after blowing past the Red Sox 3-0 in the ALDS and the Blue Jays 4-1 in the ALCS.
It’s not an improbable run – Cleveland won the AL Central and had the second-best record in the American League, but there have been more than a few charmed moments along the way. Remember, Cleveland didn’t have starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco or Danny Salazar entering the postseason.
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That has not slowed down the Indians one bit. Here are seven things that have helped Cleveland back in the World Series for the first time since 1997:
7. Lindor’s timing
Shortstop Francisco Lindor’s emergence as a big-time star comes at the right time. Cleveland has hit just .208 this postseason. Lindor is the only every-day player in the lineup hitting above .300. Lindor has two home runs in the playoffs, and they both served as tone-setters. In Game 1 of the ALDS, Lindor hit the third of three third-inning homers in a 5-4 win against Boston. Lindor’s two-run homer in Game 1 of the ALCS accounted for the only runs in a 2-0 victory.
Trevor Bauer (Getty Images)
6. Bauer’s bloody hand
Trevor Bauer injured his hand while working on his drone, which pushed his start back to Game 3 in the ALCS. Indians manager Terry Francona played it off by saying, “Who hasn't suffered a drone-related injury before?” Bauer tried to give it a go, but his hand was a bloody mess after just 0.2 innings. Instead of unraveling the pitching staff, however, six relievers combined to lead Cleveland to a 4-2 win. Instead of causing a rift or #DroneGate, Bauer’s injury was another well-timed rallying point.
5. Merritt’s spot start
Ryan Merritt had all of 11 innings of big-league experience before starting in Game 5 against Toronto, and that had Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista sayings things like the young pitcher should be “shaking in his boots.” Merritt retired the first 10 batters he faced – including Bautista twice – to give the Indians 4.1 innings of two-run shutout ball. That set up the bullpen for a 3-0 shutout that propelled Cleveland to the World Series. Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis fired back at Bautista afterward, saying, “'That's why you don't say dumb s—.” That will probably be a T-shirt in Cleveland.
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4. Tito’s way
Indians manager Terry Francona set the tone by going with Andrew Miller in the fifth inning of Game 1 against Boston. Francona ended Boston’s curse in 2004 and tacked on another World Series championship in 2007, but he needed just three games to take out his former employer in the ALDS. Francona hasn’t disrupted Cleveland’s momentum, and he might have a chance to go against former Boston GM Theo Epstein if the Cubs make the World Series. Francona is 28-17 in the postseason. Both Boston runs to the championship ended with 11-3 records. He’s ahead of the pace so far.
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3. ‘Miller Time’
Miller’s dominance has been the most-remarkable headline of the playoff to this point. He’s pitched 11.2 scoreless innings in six postseason appearances, and that’s come with 21 strikeouts. He’s allowed just five hits and two walks. Miller has pitched in the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth. Francona isn’t afraid to put him in at any time. That’s a hell of a psychological weapon to have considering how unhittable the 6-foot-7 lefthander has been this postseason.
Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby (Sporting News Archives)
2. Not since 1948 …
A drought is a drought is a drought. The Indians haven’t won a World Series since 1948, which is the midpoint between potential National League representatives Chicago (1908) and Los Angeles (1988). When LeBron James addressed the crowd at Progressive Field he said, “It’s always us against the world.” A potential World Series against the Dodgers wouldn’t be as polarizing, but the Cubs’ drought would trump the Indians’ drought in this case. Cleveland had chances in 1954, 1995 and 1997. The Cubs haven’t been to a World Series since 1945. A Chicago-Cleveland World Series would have the potential to be an all-time classic, and the Indians might just be the heel in that case.
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1. Is this a dream?
On June 10, Golden State took a 3-1 lead on the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Who would ever guessed at that point that on Oct. 25 the Cavs would open the season as defending NBA champions on the same night as Game 1 of the World Series in Cleveland? It’s an amazing reversal of fortune for a city that just broke its 52-year pro sports championship drought. It’s not a stretch to call that the biggest night in the history of Cleveland sports. Expect the atmosphere for Game 1 of the World Series to match that intensity as a result.
