First pitch: Thursday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Line: Boston -140, Cleveland +130, Total: 8.5

Playoff baseball returns to Cleveland as the American League Central-champion Indians host the AL East-champion Red Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS.

The Indians (94-67) and the Red Sox (93-69) are both back in the postseason for the first time since 2013. The Tribe lost the Wild Card Game to the Rays that season, while the Red Sox won their third World Series in nine years. RHP Rick Porcello (22-4, 3.15 ERA, 1.01 WHIP), who led the AL in wins and has an excellent chance of taking home the Cy Young Award, will start for Boston. He’ll be opposed by RHP Trevor Bauer (12-8, 4.26 ERA, 1.31 WHIP). The Red Sox (878) and the Indians (777) were first and second in the AL in runs, respectively, during the regular season. Boston took the season series 4-2 and went 2-1 against Terry Francona’s club at Progressive Field. The Red Sox played great on the road this season, going 46-35, but the Indians were incredibly difficult to beat at home. Cleveland went 53-28 at their park.

Bauer will have his work cut out for him against an offense that was absolutely brilliant in 2016. RF Mookie Betts (.318, 31 HR, 113 RBI) and 2B Dustin Pedroia (.318, 15 HR, 74 RBI) tied for second in the league in hitting, and DH David Ortiz (.315, 38 HR, 127 RBI), Betts and 1B Hanley Ramirez (.286, 30 HR, 111 RBI, .361 OBP) finished first, fourth and fifth in RBIs, respectively. Ortiz is one of the most clutch postseason players in baseball history. In 82 postseason games, he’s hit .295 with 17 homers, 21 doubles, 60 RBIs and a .409 on-base percentage. In his final October before retirement, you can expect him to be as determined and locked in as ever. No one on Boston’s roster has more than six career at-bats against Bauer, but Betts (3-for-5 with 1 HR, 2 2B, 4 RBI) and Ortiz (4-for-5 with 1 HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI) have owned him in limited plate appearances. In two career starts against the Red Sox, Bauer is 0-2 with an astronomical 12.14 ERA. He faced them once this season, in May, and surrendered four earned runs in five innings.

3B Jose Ramirez (.312, 11 HR, 76 RBI, 22 SB) and SS Francisco Lindor (.301, 15 HR, 78 RBI, 19 SB) had very solid seasons, and DH Carlos Santana (.259, 34 HR, 87 RBI) and 1B Mike Napoli (.239, 34 HR, 101 RBI) supplied the power. The Indians have seen a ton of Porcello, who pitched in the AL Central with the Indians from 2009-2014. 2B Jason Kipnis (.275, 23 HR, 82 RBI) has hit him well, going 10-for-31 with a homer and eight RBIs, and Santana (12-for-41 with 3 HR, 2 2B, 4 RBI) and Napoli (6-for-18 with 2 2B, 1 3B) have also seen the ball well against him. Porcello faced the Indians once this season, back in May, and surrendered two runs in 5 2/3 innings to earn the win. In 22 career starts against Cleveland, Porcello is 10-4 with a 3.35 ERA.