Facing elimination, the Toronto Blue Jays will turn to Aaron Sanchez in Tuesday's Game 4 of their best-of-seven American League Championship Series against Cleveland, hoping that in the biggest start of his career they'll see the young fireballer who forced his way into the team's regular-season rotation.
Adding to the drama, the Indians will once again start the ace who troubled the Jays in Game 1 of this series. It will be Corey Kluber looking to deliver the sweep and send Cleveland to the World Series.
The Jays right-hander wasn't at his best in his first career postseason start, in Game 3 of the AL Division Series last Sunday against Texas. The Jays completed their series sweep that night, but Sanchez allowed six runs – all earned – on three hits in 5 2/3 innings while striking out five batters. Texas mashed two homers off him that night.
The 24-year-old Blue Jay said he learned some things from that start that can help him this time around as he tries to help Toronto stay alive at the Rogers Centre.
"Hopefully just keeping my excitement under control – that's the biggest thing I found," said Sanchez on Monday. "Maybe execute more pitches, just making sure I stay in the moment and keeping my feet under me."
In this Sept. 21, 2016, file photo, Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber delivers against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland.
Ron Schwane/AP
During the regular season, Sanchez had a stellar record of 15-2 with a 3.00 earned-run average in 30 starts for the Jays, earning a spot in the starting rotation instead of being sent to the bullpen, where he had finished last year.
Although the Jays have chosen to start him at home yet again, he has pitched better on the road this season. He had a 6-1 record in 13 starts at home this year, with a 3.74 ERA, and was 9-1 in 17 road starts, with a 2.48 ERA.
However, Sanchez made just one start versus Cleveland in 2016 – back on Aug. 20, when he allowed five runs (four earned) over four innings. He has a 1-0 record in three career appearances versus the Indians (two starts), allowing six earned runs on nine hits in 10 2/3 innings.
The Indians will start Kluber on Tuesday on three days rest – a necessary last-minute shift in the rotation following the early exit of Trevor Bauer from Game 3 on Monday, after which the Indians needed to rely heavily on its bullpen to finish the game.
"After I walked off the mound after taking Trevor out that was the one thing that lifted my spirits a little – the first guy I saw was Kluber," said Indians manager Terry Francona.
Kluber's start comes one day earlier than the Game 5 start the team had initially planned for him. He has never started on short rest before in his career.
Merritt is now slated to start Wednesday's Game 5 for Cleveland in Toronto instead, if needed, while Josh Tomlin would start Game 6, and Kluber again in Game 7.
"If we don't bring [Kluber] back [Tuesday], and he pitches Game 5, then we don't have a starter for Game 7," said Francona after the game. "We have to physically have a [Game 7] starter and this is the best way to do it – the only way to do it. There is no other way around it; we don't have another starter."
Kluber won the Cy Young Award in 2014 and was named an All-Star for the first time this season, at the age of 30. In Game 1, he allowed the Jays six hits but no runs over 6 1/3 innings, with six strikeouts.
"He was really good the other night. He's one of the top pitchers in baseball for a good reason, " said Jays manager John Gibbons. "We got a good one going ourselves. We need a good outing, keep the low score, anyway. I still believe our offense is due to erupt. It hasn't happened yet. But I've seen it too many times. Hopefully [Tuesday] is the day."