MLB’s Cole, Fried, Verlander among aces set to launch ALDS, NLDS

Oct. 11 (UPI) — Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Max Fried will be among the ace pitchers in action Tuesday to launch their respective American League Championship Series and National League Championship Series, their teams announced.

Most of the eight remaining teams in MLB’s playoff field named their starters for the best-of-five game series Monday.

The Atlanta Braves will host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the other NLDS to start Tuesday’s MLB playoff slate. That game will begin at 1:07 p.m. at Truist Park in Atlanta and air on Fox.

The Braves will start Fried in Game 1. The Phillies will hand the ball to fellow left-handed pitcher Ranger Suarez.

The Phillies will turn to right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler in Game 2. The Braves have yet to name a Game 2 starter, but manager Brian Snitker said they are leaning toward right-handed pitcher Kyle Wright.

“Like a lot of the great ones, Max is never satisfied,” Snitker told reporters Monday, when asked about Fried. “He is always looking for an edge. He is always looking to improve on something. He continues to study, work and figure out a way. He is always wanting to get better.”

The Houston Astros will out their faith in Verlander for Game 1 of their ALDS against the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners will start fellow right-handed pitcher Logan Gilbert. That game will begin at 3:37 p.m. Tuesday at Minute Maid Park in Houston and air on TBS.

Neither team has made their Game 2 starters official. Game 2 will be at 3:37 p.m. Thursday on TBS.

The New York Yankees will host the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the other ALDS at 7:37 p.m. Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. Cole will start for the Yankees. The Guardians will start fellow right-handed pitcher Cal Quantrill. That game also will air on TBS.

The Guardians will start right-handed pitcher Shane Bieber in Game 2 at 7:37 p.m. Thursday in New York. The Yankees will start left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes. Game 2 will air on TBS.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher Julio Urias will face San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Mike Clevinger on Tuesday in Game 1 of the a National League Division Series, the teams announced.

The best-of-five game series could run through Sunday. Game 1 will start at 9:37 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The series opener will air on FS1.

The Dodgers said left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw will pitch Wednesday in Game 2. The Padres will start right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish in Game 2. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 8:37 p.m. Wednesday on FS1.

“For us, we could essentially flip a coin,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Monday, when asked about starting Urias and Kershaw.

“They are both aces in our eyes.”

The winners from the NLDS will advance to the National League Championship Series. That best-of-seven game series will start Oct. 18 and could run through Oct. 25. The winners from the ALDS will advance to the ALCS. That series will start Oct. 19 and could run through Oct. 26.

The best-of-seven game World Series is to start Oct. 28 and could run through Nov. 5.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan throws in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians in an American League Wild Card game at Progressive Field in Cleveland on October 7, 2022. The Guardians won 2-1. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo