Brewers crack into their bullpen for Game 1

Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell said he will open the National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies with a relief pitcher on the mound.

The Rockies are turning to Antonio Senzatela to start Game 1 Thursday at Miller Park. The right-hander is 6-6 with a 4.38 ERA in 23 games, including 13 starts.

Counsell said 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 Monday in a tiebreaking game for the NL Central pennant.

Counsell said righthander Jhoulys Chacin will start Game 2 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.

Manager Bud Black said he’s leaning toward starting Tyler Anderson (7-9, 4.55 ERA) in the second game. After a day off Saturday, Black said he’ll start either German Marquez (14-11, 3.77 ERA) or Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85 ERA) Sunday in Game 3.

The Baltimore Orioles will continue their rebuilding project without manager Buck Showalter and executive vice-president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, who were fired Wednesday after the team finished with the worst record in the major leagues.

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.

Indians 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 infielder Erik Gonzalez will be the last addition. The Indians open the series Friday in Houston.

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 last year and $15.8 million the year before. It was determined by the average of the top 125 major-league contracts this year by average annual value.

This year’s anticipated free-agent class could include Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, Brian Dozier, Daniel Murphy, Michael Brantley, Adam Jones, Andrew McCutchen, A.J. Pollock, Nelson Cruz, Patrick Corbin, Dallas Keuchel, Charlie Morton and Craig Kimbrel. Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw could also opt out of his contract.