(PhatzRadio Sports / AP) —- A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
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DUEL IN THE DESERT
Nolan Arenado and the Colorado Rockies face Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zack Greinke in the NL wild-card game at 8:08 p.m. EDT. It’s a matchup of teams that know each other well. The division rivals share a spring training facility and played each other 19 times this season. The winner of No. 20 heads for Los Angeles to play the NL West champion Dodgers in a best-of-five Division Series beginning Friday. “There’s no secrets here,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “We know what they like to do. They know our players.”
ONE DAY AWAY
The Red Sox and Astros work out in Houston ahead of their AL Division Series. Pitching matchups are set for the first two games, with Justin Verlander scheduled to start Thursday’s opener for the Astros against Chris Sale. Dallas Keuchel gets the ball in Game 2 vs. Boston left-hander Drew Pomeranz. “It’s really deciding between two really deserving, really good guys,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. “So I didn’t have a lot of stress about it other than we had to pick an order.”
MOVING ON
After a wild-card win Tuesday night over Minnesota to start the 2017 postseason, Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees will be in Cleveland to prepare for their best-of-five Division Series against the defending AL champion Indians. In a surprise move, Cleveland plans to pitch Trevor Bauer (17-9, 4.18 ERA) in the opener Thursday rather than ace Corey Kluber (18-4, 2.25). Baseball’s most dominant pitcher for months, Kluber is scheduled to start Game 2. Indians manager Terry Francona said part of his decision to go with the rubber-armed Bauer in Game 1 is so he can use his best pitcher — Kluber — in a potential Game 5. In other news, All-Star left fielder Michael Brantley will be on the ALDS 25-man roster as a pinch-hitter. Brantley was sidelined for 50 games with an injured ankle ligament before returning last week and getting a single in his first at-bat since Aug. 8. Francona said the hope is for Brantley’s role to expand if the Indians advance.
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Both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, who are pitted in the National League wild card game, head into the postseason with many similarities.
Oddly enough, both clubs have new managers and both flipped their records around this season.
Under Torey Lovullo, the Diamondbacks finished 93-69 after a 69-93 record last year.
Under Bud Black, the Rockies finished 87-75 after a 75-87 record in 2016.
So who will win the game that matters most? The Diamondbacks have a 52% chance of winning the game against the Rockies, according to Fangraphs.com.
Date: Wednesday, 8:08 pm ET
TV: TBS. Ernie Johnson (play-by-play) will be joined by analyst Ron Darling and reporter Sam Ryan.
Where: Chase Field, Phoenix
Format: Winner-take-all
Season series: Arizona won 11-8.
Starters: Jon Gray (10-4), Rockies at Zack Greinke (17-7), Diamondbacks
The Fernando Rodney Experience: “It definitely kept people on their toes,’’ said catcher Mike Zunino, Rodney’s teammate on the Seattle Mariners in 2014 and ’15. “That one year he had 48 saves (2014), no matter what happened you knew he could get out of it. But he had the defense on their toes when he had those longer innings.’’
Best trade ever? The Diamondbacks acquired J.D. Martinez from the Detroit Tigers on July 18 for three minor leaguers, He hit .302 with 29 homers and 65 RBI in 62 games with the Diamondbacks. In September, he batted .404 with 26 runs, eight doubles, 16 homers and 36 RBI in 24 games.
Projected Lineups:
Rockies: CF Charlie Blackmon, 2B DJ LeMahieu, 3B Nolan Arenado, RF Carlos Gonzalez, SS Trevor Story, 1B Mark Reynolds, LF Ian Desmond, C Jonathan Lucroy.
Diamondbacks: RF David Peralta, SS Ketel Marte, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, LF J.D. Martinez, 3B Jake Lamb, CF A.J. Pollock, 2B Daniel Descalso, C Chris Iannetta.