Schwarber helping Soler to conquer cold
CLEVELAND— For those who might have missed it, Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler skipped the ski mask and extra layers when he started in right field on a 43- degree night in Game 2 of the World Series last week at Progressive Field. How? Why? Credit Kyle Schwarber. ‘‘ Schwarber showed me how to do it,’’ said Soler, who has a sub-. 200 career average in temperatures below 50 degrees.
As the Cubs and Indians play the first Series game in November in 15 years Tuesday, the temperatures in Cleveland are expected to be unseasonably warm. But if that changes, Soler said he’s ready.
‘‘[ The cold] doesn’t bother me anymore,’’ said Soler, who was 0- for- 2 with a walk in the Cubs’ Game 2 victory. ‘‘ It bothered me in the past, but this year I prepared myself mentally to not let it bother me.’’
Soler said Ohio native Schwarber taught him how to trick his mind against the cold.
‘‘ I just tell myself that it’s not cold, even though it is,’’ Soler said. ‘‘ It affected me before because I knew it was cold, but I’m trying to block that out inmy head now.’’
Soler, who has a career .169 average in sub- 50- degree weather, improved slightly to .200 ( 3- for- 15) with six walks in such temperatures this season.
All hands on deck
Manager Joe Maddon said lefthander Jon Lester is in play for a relief appearance, if needed, after throwing 90 pitches in six innings in Game 5 on Sunday.
‘‘ There’s a lot of subplots going on,’’ said Maddon, who suggested he might hold David Ross, Lester’s personal catcher, back from pinch- hitting duties until knowing whether he might want to use Lester.
Super Chapman?
Maddon also said closer
Aroldis Chapman might be available out of the bullpen— possibly for more than an inning — Tuesday, just two nights after throwing 42 pitches in a careerhigh 2⅔ innings in Game 5.
“I’ll talk to him [ before the game Tuesday],’’ Maddon said. ‘‘ He’s a pretty strong guy. Beyond that, I don’t think we’ve overused him to this point, just talking about the latter part of the season and the playoffs.
‘‘ I’ll definitely listen to what he has to say. I’m betting that he would probably think that he would be good for two innings [ Tuesday]. But if not, we’ll take what he can give us and then work forward from there.”