Maddon pondering changes
Cubs manager Joe Maddon added some off-day intrigue to the National League Division Series by hinting he might play musical chairs with his lineup against Washington righthander Max Scherzer for their pivotal Game 3.
“I’m leaning toward that right now,” Maddon said after arranging breakfast on the field for his players during Sunday morning’s practice at Wrigley Field. “I mean, he’s just so oppressively difficult versus right-handed hitters, I thought it might be wise to get one more lefty out there.”
Maddon didn’t specify which left-handed bat he had in mind, or even where he might slot it. But he had talked about making the move before Stephen Strasburg was named Washington’s Game 1 starter over Scherzer, who got a couple extra days of rest after tweaking his right hamstring in his final regular-season start.
Game 3 of the deadlocked series already promised plenty of intrigue after a super-sized two-run homer by Bryce Harper in the eighth inning Saturday breathed new life into a Washington lineup that had produced just four hits in the previous 15 innings. Ryan Zimmerman added a tie-breaking three-run homer later that same inning to complete the Nationals’ U-turn.
Cubs left-hander Jose Quintana — who came over from the crosstown White Sox in mid-July — will start for the Cubs. Chapman apologizes: Joe Girardi says Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman has apologized to him for accidentally “liking” a user’s comment on Instagram calling the New York manager an “imbecile.”
Girardi says he believes it was an accident. He says Chapman was concerned about the gaffe late Friday night and they talked about it the next day.
Girardi has been under fire from fans and media following a 13-inning playoff loss Friday to the defending AL champion Indians.
Girardi pulled started CC Sabathia after only 77 pitches to go to his bullpen, which squandered a five-run lead in a 9-8 defeat. Girardi also chose not to ask for a replay challenge of a pivotal hit-by-pitch call prior to Francisco Lindor’s sixth-inning grand slam off reliever Chad Green that trimmed the margin to 8-7. Encarnacion update: Injured designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion was out of Cleveland’s lineup Sunday night for Game 3 of the Indians’ AL Division Series against the New York Yankees.
Michael Brantley replaced Encarnacion, who is considered day to day with a sprained right ankle suffered in Game 2.
“The trainers are encouraging (Encarnacion) to go down to the cage . ... Kind of see how he feels, get the blood flowing,” manager Terry Francona said before Sunday’s game. “But unless you see him pulling a Willis Reed, he’s probably not going to be available tonight.”
Indeed, Encarnacion did not appear in the game.