Rookie Garcia to start for Astros in Game 6

Rookie Luis García will start for the Houston Astros today against the Boston Red Sox in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series on Fri- day night with a trip to the World Series on the line.

García started Game 2 and gave up a grand slam in the first inning before leaving with no outs in the second because of discomfort in his right knee. Manager Dusty Baker announced Thursday that García would get the ball for Game 6 and said the Astros are confident the problem is behind García and he’ll be 100% healthy for Friday’s start.

The Astros fell behind 2-1 in the series after two big wins by the Red Sox. But they rode their powerful offense to consecutive victories in the last two games to take the series lead and move within a win of advancing to the World Series for the second time in three seasons.

The Astros won the championship in 2017, a crown tainted by the team’s signstealing scandal, before losing to the Washington Nationals in seven games in the 2019 World Series.

The Red Sox previously announced that Nathan Eovaldi would start Game 6. Eovaldi got the win in a solid Game 2 start but was charged with the loss in Game 4 after giving up the go-ahead runs after coming in with the game tied in the ninth.

The Astros got eight terrific innings from Framber Valdez in a 9-1 win in Game 5. The performance gave Houston’s taxed bullpen a much-needed break after relievers pitched 29 1/3 innings combined through the first four games.

Baker said Jake Odorizzi would be available for long relief Friday if needed. Odorizzi threw 82 pitches in four innings in Game 2 after taking over following the injury to García.

Baker also said rookie center fielder Jake Meyers, who hasn’t played this series after injuring his shoulder in the final game of the ALDS, probably wouldn’t return to the lineup in this series. He said Meyers could pinch-run or pinch-hit but isn’t ready to return to the field. Fellow rookies Chas McCormick and rookie José Siri have filled in at center against the Red Sox.

Houston is without ace Lance McCullers Jr. for this series because of a flexor pronator muscle strain in his right arm. Baker said Thursday that McCullers still hasn’t resumed throwing, so it’s unclear if he would be available to return if the Astros were to advance.

Also

Atlanta will be without pitcher Huascar Ynoa for the remainder of the postseason. Ynoa was scratched with shoulder inflammation from his scheduled start for the Braves against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series, then removed from the postseason roster. Ynoa first experienced discomfort Monday but believed he would be able to pitch, manager Brian Snitker said . ... The Braves welcomed back outfielder Jorge Soler for Game 5 of the NLCS Thursday after he was activated following his positive COVID-19 test . ... New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone lost a fourth member of his staff when it was announced that first base coach and outfield instructor Reggie Willits will leave at the end of the year to become a volunteer assistant for Oklahoma’s college baseball program.