Beltre bats cleanup for Rangers in ALDS finale in Toronto
The Texas Rangers will have ailing third baseman Adrian Beltre, who missed Games 2 and 3 with lower back stiffness, hit cleanup in Wednesday's ALDS finale against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
| No. | Player | Pos |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delino DeShields | CF |
| 2 | Shin-Soo Choo (L) | RF |
| 3 | Prince Fielder (L) | DH |
| 4 | Adrian Beltre | 3B |
| 5 | Mitch Moreland (L) | 1B |
| 6 | Josh Hamilton (L) | LF |
| 7 | Elvis Andrus | SS |
| 8 | Rougned Odor (L) | 2B |
| 9 | Chris Gimenez | C |
Chris Gimenez will be back behind the plate for Game 5, as well, replacing Robinson Chirinos with left-hander Cole Hamels on the mound. In Game 2, his only other appearance this postseason, Gimenez went 1-for-6 with a run scored while allowing three stolen bases in as many tries.
Hamels, who was named MVP of the NLCS and World Series back in 2008, surrendered four runs - two earned - on six hits over seven innings in Game 2, notching six strikeouts without walking a batter.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, meanwhile, decided not to tinker with his lineup for Game 5 after watching the same nine-man crew pound out eight runs on a dozen hits in Monday's victory at Globe Life Park.
| No. | Player | Pos |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben Revere (L) | LF |
| 2 | Josh Donaldson | 3B |
| 3 | Jose Bautista | RF |
| 4 | Edwin Encarnacion | DH |
| 5 | Chris Colabello | 1B |
| 6 | Troy Tulowitzki | SS |
| 7 | Russell Martin | C |
| 8 | Kevin Pillar | CF |
| 9 | Ryan Goins (L) | 2B |
Chris Colabello, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double in Monday's 8-4 victory, will make his third straight start at first base, getting the nod against Hamels in lieu of Justin Smoak.
Marcus Stroman, 24, will make his second career postseason start Wednesday after allowing four runs - three earned - on five hits and two walks over seven innings in Game 2, an eventual 6-4 loss.