>>Lester, Arrieta To Start Games 1 and 2; Schwarber To DH Game 1

 

As expected, the Cubs have announced that veteran lefty Jon Lester will start Game of the World Series against the Indians on Tuesday night in Cleveland. He'll be opposed by right-hander Corey Kluber.

 

In Game 2, the Cubs will start 2015 NL Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta, and he'll likely be countered by Trevor Bauer. Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey will pitch Games 3 and 4, respectevely.

 

Lester, 32, pitched to a 2.44 ERA and 3.79 K/BB ratio in 202 2/3 innings during the regular season. In the postseason, he boasts an ERA of 2.50 in 19 games, 17 of which have been starts. He's been even better in three World Series starts. He's 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA in those games (one earned run in 21 innings). This postseason, Lester shared NLCS MVP honors with Javier Baez.

 

As for Arrieta, he pitched to a 3.10 ERA and 2.50 K/BB ratio during the regular season. In five career postseason starts -- all taking place in 2015 and 2016 -- Arrieta has a 4.11 ERA.

 

Despite having recorded zero hits in the regular season for a 103-win team, Kyle Schwarber is among the hottest topics leading up to the 2016 World Series between the Cubs and Indians.

 

Schwarber was a power-hitting monster last postseason, making him a national talking point heading into the 2016 season. He tore his ACL and LCL early during the third game of the season. He's now been cleared to start playing again and started his second Arizona Fall League game on Monday.

 

Cubs executives were said to be monitoring Schwarber's game and the final World Series roster isn't due until Tuesday morning.

 

Schwarber went 1 for 3 with a double and walk.

 

MLB Insider Jon Morosi tweeted Monday evening Schwarber is expected to DH Monday. 

 

>>Indians Salazar On World Series Roster, Kipnis Wants Bartman To Throw Out First Pitch

 

One of the biggest questions heading into the 2016 World Series has been answered: Indians right-hander Danny Salazar will indeed be on the World Series roster. Pitching coach Mickey Callaway and Salazar himself confirmed it.

 

"I don't know if I'm a starter or reliever but I'm ready," said Salazar.

 

Salazar has been out since September with a forearm issue, and over the last few weeks he's been getting back into game shape with bullpen sessions and simulated games. Salazar said he's still gaining feel for his curveball but isn't concerned because he's a fastball/changeup guy.

 

The Indians will start Corey Kluber in Game 1 on Tuesday night then Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin in Games 2 and 3 in some order. That order depends on the health of Bauer's finger, which he cut repairing his drone last weekend.

 

Salazar could be an option to start Game 4 -- the alternative would be ALCS Game 5 hero Ryan Merritt -- though the Indians could again bring Kluber back on short rest. 

 

Games 1-3 of the World Series will determine Cleveland's pitcher in Game 4.

 

In advance of Game 1 of the 2016 World Series between the Cubs and Indians on Tuesday night, Tribe second baseman Jason Kipnis is mostly focused on getting his ankle healthy. However, he still made time to talk a bit about his Chicagoland neighbor growing up. The neighbor in question? As CBS Chicago notes, it's Steve Bartman.

 

Hills be shaken: Jason Kipnis, native of the Northern Chicago suburbs, lived down the street from Steve Bartman. In fact his older sister was in the same grade as Bartman.

 

Bartman, of course, is unjustly famous for catching a foul ball in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS that left fielder Moises Alou might have been able to catch. As the story goes, a complete and utter Cubs meltdown ensued, and the Cubs wound up frittering away a pennant. The blame for all that is squarely on the Cubs players who blew that big lead against the Marlins, but it's Bartman who's forever yoked to it. That's not fair at all, as Kipnis said on Monday.

 

Regarding Bartman being at Wrigley Field for a first pitch, Kipnis said quote-"That would be awesome. Probably everybody would go nuts."