Boston at Cleveland

This game should have been at Fenway Park, but Boston stumbled the last week of the regular season. The Red Sox had a chance to earn home field advantage throughout the playoffs, but closed with five losses in six games to drop into third place and make it necessary to travel to Cleveland for Game 1. David Ortiz will be 41-years-old next month and went 3-for-20 with one extra-base hit in those six games while being showered with tributes. Closer Craig Kimbrel was a mess, suffering the loss in two of those games and issuing six walks in two total innings over his three appearances. Not a good way to get ready for the postseason! So instead of being rested and at home for the first two games, they have to schlep to Cleveland. They face an Indians team that struggled on the road but has been dominant in this park at 52-28. The Indians are on a 41-16 run at home, including 36-17 here against a team with a winning record. Cleveland is 8-3 when Trevor Bauer is on the hill, plus 13-6 when he gets four days of rest. This Cleveland offense finished fifth in baseball in runs scored, eighth in on-base percentage and ninth in slugging. With the Red Sox on a 2-7 run at Cleveland, back the home dog with the better pen. Play Cleveland.