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Thanks, Yanks. Looking for lockdown relief help to boost a championship charge, each team pulled off a blockbuster trade with the retooling Yankees in late July. First, the Cubs found a new closer in Chapman. The left-hander from Cuba, who can become a free agent after the World Series, is baseball’s hardest thrower with a fastball that regularly tops 100 mph. Six days later, the Indians landed Miller and resolved to feature him in a flexible role. Both clubs gave up a multiplayer package of touted prospects, a price that certainly seems worth it now.
Young Stars Up The Middle. With their big smiles, immense talent and clutch performances, Baez and Lindor both grabbed attention during the playoffs and introduced themselves to a national audience. Effervescent, smooth and sometimes flashy, they play with poise and confidence beyond their years. Both were born in Puerto Rico and went to high school in Florida. Cleveland drafted Lindor eighth overall in 2011 — one pick before the Cubs nabbed Baez. Now, they square off on baseball’s biggest stage.
Comeback Kids? Indians pitcher Danny Salazar and Cubs slugger
Kyle Schwarber could be back for the World Series after missing extended time with injuries. Salazar, an All-Star this season, hasn’t appeared in a major league game since Sept. 9 because of tightness in his right forearm. But he’s thrown well in recent sessions and could be an option for Francona — even if it’s out of the bullpen. Schwarber is a big surprise after undergoing major left knee surgery in April. But he was cleared to run about a month ahead of schedule and began playing Saturday in the Arizona Fall League with hopes of returning as a designated hitter against Cleveland.
Track Meet. The Indians love to run. Davis led the AL in stolen bases and Cleveland had a league-high 134. Lindor, Ramirez, Kipnis and Crisp are all threats on the bases and could have a field day against Lester and Arrieta, neither of whom are good at holding runners. In fact, the Cubs gave up 133 steals — second-most in baseball.
The Target. Well aware of the club’s 108-year championship drought, the Cubs showed up for spring training bolstered by the additions of Heyward, Zobrist and Lackey, and with a neat new slogan coined by Maddon: “Embrace the Target.” The phrase went on a T-shirt, and the Cubs could not have worn it any better so far. They won their division by 17½ games and finished with eight more wins than any other team. They had the depth and versatility to withstand injuries, and the spunk to pull out 14 wins in their final at-bat before adding three more in the NL playoffs.
Grim Reliever. No player has impacted the postseason as much as Miller, the 6-foot-7 lefty who buckles knees with his devastating slider. He has struck out 21 over six scoreless appearances spanning 11⅔ innings, many of the hitters flailing helplessly. Francona has brought in Miller as early as the fifth inning and won’t hesitate to go to him in any spot.