CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians manager Terry Francona will start right-hander Trevor Bauer — not ace Corey Kluber — in Game 1 of the AL playoffs.
Cleveland will host the New York Yankees on Thursday (7:38 p.m./MLB Network or Fox Sports).
The Yankees advanced to the AL Division Series by thumping Minnesota, 8-4. Aaron Judge homered in his first postseason game and Didi Gregorius smacked a three-run homer in the bottom of the first for the Bombers.
Francona wants to have Kluber, who won 18 games this season and is a favorite to win his second Cy Young Award, available for both Game 2 and a potential Game 5.
Bauer shook off a slow start and was one of the AL’s most dominant pitchers over the past two months.
Last October, he cut his finger while fixing a drone and nearly cost the Indians a shot at the World Series.
Kluber was 18-4 with a 2.25 ERA this season, while Bauer finished 17-9 with a 4.19 earned run average.