Astros manager Dusty Baker doesn't plan to alter his pitching rotation despite Game 3 of the World Series being postponed because of rain Monday, which pushed back the rest of the Fall Classic schedule by one day. Baker said the Astros are sticking with starting veteran right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. in Game 3, now scheduled for Tuesday, against the Phillies' Ranger Suárez. Astros right-hander Cristian Javier will start Game 4 against Aaron Nola on Wednesday. With the altered schedule, Citizens Bank Park will play host to Games 3-5 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Friday will be a travel day. If the series goes the distance, Games 6 and 7 would be in Houston on Saturday and Sunday. The Phillies, unlike the Astros, are using the extra day to bring back Nola, their Game 1 starter, on four days of rest for Game 4. Baker chose not to do the same with Game 1 starter Justin Verlander, who will go in Game 5 on Thursday. That would line up left-hander Framber Valdez for Game 6 on Saturday in Houston. The best-of-seven series is tied, 1-1. |
"Well, the equation was Javier's been really good, No. 1," Baker said. "And No. 2, we feel that that extra day off wouldn't hurt Justin. It would probably be to his benefit." The Astros were able hit on the field at Citizens Bank Park -- where Houston hasn't played a game since 2017 -- a few hours prior to the rainfall Monday. Baker said the team's outfielders also played some baseball off the wall to get used to the angles. The Astros couldn't take batting practice on the field prior to Games 3 and 4 of last year's World Series in Atlanta because of rain and scored a total of two runs in those games. "They have a lot of angles, a lot of caroms out there [and] only three or four of our players have ever been in this stadium," Baker said. "So, I'm glad we got a chance to work out before it rained today." McCullers' Game 3 start will come on the five-year anniversary of his most recent World Series start -- Nov. 1, 2017. He started Game 7 of the 2017 World Series and threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings in the Astros' win over the Dodgers, which clinched the championship. McCullers was injured when the Astros went to the World Series in 2019 against the Nationals and last year against the Braves. |
In addition to wanting to give Verlander an extra day of rest, the Astros have great confidence in Javier, who will be facing the Phillies for the first time in his career. Javier threw three games in relief in the World Series last year, but Game 4 will be his first career start in the Fall Classic. He threw 5 1/3 innings and allowed one hit in Game 3 of the ALCS in New York in his first career playoff start. "I think I'm just going to continue to stay positive, just continue doing the same thing I've been doing," Javier said. "The plan is going to be continue to throw a lot of strikes and attack the strike zone." Baker said the Astros will keep the same lineup he had planned for Game 3, which had rookie David Hensley making his first postseason start at designated hitter. |
WORLD SERIES GAME 3 GUIDE |
Game 3, which will air on FOX at 7 p.m. CT, will be played on Tuesday following Monday's postponement. All games are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the U.S. For full details, click here. Probable starters Astros: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. Phillies: LHP Ranger Suárez Projected lineups |
1. Jose Altuve, 2B
2. Jeremy Peña, SS
3. Yordan Alvarez, LF
4. Alex Bregman, 3B
5. Kyle Tucker, RF
6. Yuli Gurriel, 1B
7. David Hensley, DH
8. Chas McCormick, CF
9. Martín Maldonado, C |
1. Kyle Schwarber, LF
2. Rhys Hoskins, 1B
3. J.T. Realmuto, C
4. Bryce Harper, DH
5. Nick Castellanos, RF
6. Alec Bohm, 3B
7. Bryson Stott, SS
8. Jean Segura, 2B
9. Brandon Marsh, CF More information on Game 3 can be found here. |
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Astros: The Astros finally got some production in Game 2 from their DH spot, only because Baker moved slugger Alvarez there. Hensley will get his first shot at DH in Game 3 as Trey Mancini (0-for-16) and Aledmys Díaz (1-for-18) have struggled in the postseason. Phillies: Manager Rob Thomson has been asked about potential lineup changes throughout the postseason, but so far he has kept everything the same. If it worked in the past, he reasons, it can work again. |
Astros: Despite Monday's postponement, McCullers will still start Game 3, Baker announced before the game was called. McCullers (0-0, 2.45 ERA this postseason) will be making his third start of the 2022 playoffs, having pitched in clinching games in the ALDS and the ALCS. He threw six scoreless innings in the Astros' 18-inning win over Seattle in Game 3 of the ALDS and gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits and one walk over five innings in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Yankees in New York. This will be his first start in the World Series since 2017, when he started Game 7 against the Dodgers and lasted 2 1/3 innings in Houston's championship clincher. Phillies: With Monday's postponement, the Phils will turn to Suárez on normal rest for Game 3 instead of Noah Syndergaard, as originally planned. Nola will then start Game 4 on Wednesday -- also on regular rest. Thomson noted that the reshuffled rotation would line up Suárez to start a potential Game 7 on regular rest, if needed. As for Syndergaard, Thomson said the club will wait to see if the veteran right-hander is needed out of the bullpen in Game 3 or Game 4 before deciding if he will start Game 5. If Syndergaard is used in relief over the next two games, Kyle Gibson would likely get the Game 5 nod. Regardless, Wheeler will remain the starter for Game 6 -- and reap the benefits of an extra day of rest. |
Astros: Consecutive days off Sunday (scheduled) and Monday (rain) will allow the Astros to reset their bullpen for Tuesday's Game 3. If McCullers can give them six innings and get a lead, the Astros will have Bryan Abreu, Héctor Neris, Rafael Montero and closer Ryan Pressly lined up for the final three innings. Phillies: If we have learned anything in this postseason, it is that Thomson will be aggressive with his bullpen. So expect everybody to be available in Game 3, especially with a day off Sunday and Monday's postponement. For the majority of the postseason, Thomson has used right-hander Seranthony Domínguez and left-hander José Alvarado in the eighth and ninth innings. But in Game 1 of the World Series, he used Alvarado in the fifth and Domínguez for 1 2/3 innings. Behind those two are Zach Eflin, David Robertson, Andrew Bellatti and Connor Brogdon. |
Astros: Altuve went 3-for-4 in Game 2 of the World Series and needs one hit for 100 in his postseason career. He has the fifth-most hits in Major League history in the playoffs. … Bregman is 2-for-8 in the World Series and clubbed his 15th career postseason home run in Game 2, tying him with Babe Ruth and Jayson Werth for 14th all-time. … Peña's eight extra-base hits this postseason are the fourth-most by a rookie in a single postseason. … Alvarez's 18 RBIs since the beginning of the '21 playoffs are the second-most behind teammate Tucker (20). Phillies: Harper had his 11-game postseason hitting streak snapped when he went 0-for-4 in Game 2, his first game without a hit since Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series in St. Louis on Oct. 7. Harper hit .455 (20-for-44) with six doubles, five home runs, 11 RBIs and a 1.410 OPS during the hitting streak. … Domínguez has a 0.96 ERA in seven postseason appearances. He has struck out 18 without a walk in 9 1/3 innings. … Stott is batting .267 (4-for-15) with three doubles and three walks in his last five games. They aren't eye-popping numbers, but he has put together some really long at-bats. He worked a 12-pitch walk as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning in Game 2. | • In postseason series with the current 2-3-2 format, teams splitting the first two games at home have still gone on to win 47 of 86 times (55%). The split obviously means there is a great deal at stake in Game 3. In all best-of-seven series tied 1-1, the winner of the third game has triumphed 68 of 98 times (69%). • The Astros are 6-6 all-time on the road in the World Series, having won five of their last seven Fall Classic games away from home. • The Astros are 2-9 in their last 11 games at Citizens Bank Park, having played two series there (2014 and 2017) since moving to the AL in 2013. |
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