Brewers going bullpen route for Game 1
Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell says he will open the National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies with a bullpen day on the mound.
The Rockies are turning to Antonio Senzatela to start Game 1 at Miller Park on Thursday. The right-hander is 6-6 with a 4.38 ERA in 23 games, including 13 starts.
Counsell says he hasn’t decided the order of relievers he’ll use in the series opener. The bullpen is a strength for the Brewers, who will have had two days’ rest after beating the Chicago Cubs on Monday in a tiebreaking game for the NL Central.
Counsell says right-hander Jhoulys Chacin will start Game 2 on Friday. Chacin has been the team’s best starter after going 15-8 with a 3.50 ERA in 35 starts in his first season in Milwaukee.
Rockies manager Bud Black says he’s leaning toward starting Tyler Anderson (7-9, 4.55) in the second game. After a day off Saturday, Black says he’ll start either German Marquez (14-11, 3.77) or Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85) in Game 3.
Buck Showalter has been fired as manager of the Baltimore Orioles, who made three playoff appearances under his guidance, but this year staggered to a 47-115 finish, 61 games behind Boston in the AL East. A three-time AL Manager of the Year, Showalter ranks second on the Orioles’ career list with 669 victories, trailing Earl Weaver. He took over in August 2010 and orchestrated the resurgence of a team that suffered through 14 straight losing seasons.
Cleveland manager Terry Francona
has finalized his 25-man roster for the AL Division Series against Houston except for one spot.
Francona said Wednesday either outfielder Rajai Davis or utility infielder Erik Gonzalez will be the last addition to the roster. Cleveland opens the series Friday in Houston against the defending World Series champions.
The price of qualifying offers for Major League Baseball free agents will be $17.9 million this year. That figure is up from $17.2 million.