Some saw a American League Championship Series pitting the Toronto Blue Jays against the Cleveland Indians coming, but few saw each team flying into the ALCS coming off inspiring sweeps.
The Jays won in a walk-off in the wild-card game then swept the Texas Rangers -- the first postseason series sweep in Blue Jays history -- in a Game 3 walk-off in the first postseason series ever to end with the winning run scoring on an error. The Indians swept the Red Sox, holding the game's best offense to seven runs, after no team had held Boston to just seven runs in a three-game series this season. The Indians got contributions from so many players, including Lonnie Chisenhall, who hit his first homer this season against a left-hander, and Coco Crisp, acquired for the stretch run, who had a crucial two-run home run during the clinching Game 3.
When things like that happen, destiny seems to be in play, yet destiny only takes one team, which is why the Blue Jays-Indians ALCS should be fascinating. Here are five questions:
Has the Toronto offense finally emerged?
The Blue Jays scored 127 more runs than any American League team last season, but they scored 132 fewer runs this year, finishing fifth in the league in runs scored. They averaged 3.7 runs per game in September/October, the third team ever to go to the postseason as the lowest-scoring team in September/October. But now the Blue Jays look like the offensive powerhouse that they were for most of last season. They scored 22 runs in sweeping the Rangers, the fourth most by any team in a sweep in a division series. They got eight home runs from seven different players, tying a division series record.
Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista, free agents after the season, seem to be swinging for big, new contracts. Josh Donaldson has not hit a home run during this postseason, but he is quietly dealing with various injuries and still went 7-for-13, with four doubles in the division series. Donaldson scored the winning run in Game 3 from second base on a throwing error in the 10th inning. The gang is back together in Toronto. And it crushed Texas' rotation: 16 earned runs in 10⅓ innings.
How good is the Cleveland bullpen?
It's not just really good, it is different than most of the other pens because of Andrew Miller (1.45 ERA this season, with 0.69 WHIP, nine walks, 123 strikeouts). In Game 1 of the sweep against Boston, Miller pitched in relief in the fifth inning for the first time since 2013; it also was the first time since 2011 that he pitched in relief in three different innings. In Game 3, Miller threw two more scoreless innings and struck out three. The Indians can move Miller around and pitch him in any situation, because he is so versatile -- and because closer Cody Allen has, for the most part, got the ninth inning covered. In Game 1 of the division series, Allen and Miller threw 40-plus pitches, the first relief teammates to do that in a postseason game since 2008. Look for that to happen again in the ALCS. And look for that Cleveland defense, which is so good and so much better than two years ago, to help the pitching.
How good is the Toronto bullpen?
Really good. It threw 4⅓ scoreless innings in the clinching Game 3 against the Rangers. In 14 innings during this postseason, the bullpen has allowed just two runs, including five scoreless frames (with one hit allowed) in the wild-card game against the Orioles. Closer Roberto Osuna, who left that wild-card game with a shoulder issue, was terrific in the division series. In the clinching Game 3 against Texas, Osuna retired all six batters he faced, striking out two and showing no signs of a shoulder issue. Francisco Liriano (concussion) might not be available for the ALCS -- and Joaquin Benoit might not be ready, either. It will be interesting to see if the Toronto pen can be as good against Cleveland as it has been so far during this postseason.
How do we explain the Indians' rotation?
It is hard to believe that without injured starters Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, the Indians could hold the Red Sox -- who led the AL in runs scored, with 101 more than the next team, the Indians -- to just seven runs in three games. Trevor Bauer kept the Indians in the game until Miller arrived in Game 1. Corey Kluber, a Cy Young candidate, was marvelous in Game 2, allowing three hits and no runs in seven innings. Then Josh Tomlin gave the Red Sox five strong innings in Game 3. Tomlin allowed just 20 walks against 36 homers allowed this season, a plus-16; Carlos Silva is the only other pitcher to allow 16 more homers than walks in a season (2005). Salazar (shoulder) is working to try to be ready for the ALCS, but there are no guarantees there. But this is guaranteed: The Indians will start Kluber in Game 1 of the ALCS, then have him, if necessary, for Game 4 and -- this is a real stretch these days -- Game 7.
What are the options for the Toronto rotation?
The Blue Jays have all sorts of choices, none involving short rest. They can start the series with Marcus Stroman, who threw six innings (two runs) in the wild-card game against the Orioles. Or they can go with Marco Estrada, who shut down the Rangers (one run, four hits, 8⅓ innings) in Game 1 of the division series, because that great changeup of his was unhittable. Or they can go with 20-game winner J.A. Happ, who beat the Rangers in Game 2 of the division series with five innings pitched and one run allowed. And they can wait instead of push Aaron Sanchez, keeping him for Game 3 or Game 4. Remember, over the final 21 games of the regular season, the Blue Jays' rotation had a 2.08 ERA, the best in the big leagues. The postseason has been an extension of that success.
Indians in seven.